2009-10 NHL Prediction Update - Halftime

The NHL has reached the halfway point of the season and it’s time for an update on my predictions made before the beginning of the season. At the quarter, I had 10 teams in their correct positions. I’ve picked up two on that as the season falls into place. Once the Olympic break is over, the rest of the pieces should fall in line.

12 out of 30 teams is pretty darn close to 50%. I believe at the three quarters point, I will be at 50% and by the season finale, I will be at 67%. In today’s NHL, there is hardly any room between first and last. Things can change overnight and those teams that were flying high can falter and the bottom feeders can pick up steam like a runaway locomotive.

Here’s how the picture looks, so far. The teams are listed in their current position with my predicted position in brackets.

Atlantic Division

1. New Jersey Devils (3)
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (2)
3. New York Rangers (5)
4. New York Islanders (4)
5. Philadelphia Flyers (1)

The Flyers have shown signs of getting out of the funk they’ve been in and are only mere points from third place. The Devils are running away with it right now but once Marty Brodeur gets tired out from playing for Canada in the Olympics, they should drop back down to Earth. Rangers suck! Not sure how they’re doing it.

Southeast Division

1. Washington Capitals (1)
2. Atlanta Thrashers (5)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
4. Florida Panthers (4)
5. Carolina Hurricanes (2)

Washington will have to completely collapse to lose their position in first. The Hurricanes seem to be a lost cause. With the other three basically in a dead heat, Tampa and Florida just have to slip ahead of Atlanta to make me look good.

Northeast Division

1. Buffalo Sabres (4)
2. Boston Bruins (2)
3. Ottawa Senators (3)
4. Montreal Canadiens (1)
5. Toronto Maple Leafs (5)

Buffalo just might be for real. Montreal just can’t get it together, as usual. When will I ever learn to not have faith in anything out of Montreal? Toronto has no hope of leaving the basement, which is good. Ottawa just needs to stay the course.

Central Division

1. Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2. Nashville Predators (5)
3. Detroit Red Wings (4)
4. St. Louis Blues (3)
5. Columbus Blue Jackets (2)

Chicago has 10 points on the Preds which should be somewhat insurmountable considering the talent the team has. Nashville is a team full of misfits that couldn’t make it anywhere else. The lack of spotlight might be just what’s making that team click. Columbus is such a huge disappointment for me again this season.

Pacific Division

1. San Jose Sharks (2)
2. Phoenix Coyotes (5)
3. Los Angeles Kings (3)
4. Dallas Stars (4)
5. Anaheim Ducks (1)

It appears that Wayne Gretzky is not the hockey coach, GM and owner that his incredible playing ability would make him. Once Wayne was railroaded out of the desert, the team started playing hockey. 3 out of 5 is pretty good and I might just have to settle for that since the Ducks moving from 5th to 1st might shake up the division so bad that they’d be the only team in the right position in the end.

Northwest Division

1. Calgary Flames (1)
2. Colorado Avalanche (5)
3. Vancouver Canucks (2)
4. Minnesota Wild (4)
5. Edmonton Oilers (3)

Add Edmonton to Columbus and Montreal as the biggest losers of the season. All three are so darn good at hiding behind excuses when they disappoint season after season. Colorado, Calgary and Vancouver are separated by a total of two points – this one can be won by anyone.

That’s it for Pro hockey for a month or two. Back to being a vegan athlete. As with last January, I’m struggling with constant tiredness, difficulty getting out of bed and a tad bit of obsession with the sweets. It turns out these are prime symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Next post, I’m going to dwell into the research I’ve been doing on the topic and what can be done to get rid of it.

In the meantime, here are some of my previous posts on hockey that you might want to check out:

My NHL Predictions For 2009-10

Ten Commandments Of Shinny Hockey

2009-10 NHL Prediction Update

Bravo Georges Laraque!

2009-10 NHL Prediction Update

I'm a few games past my quarter season update. So, today, NHL Prediction update. Tomorrow, vegan-related info.

Currently, I have 10 teams in the divisional position that I predicted before the start of the season. One in particular, Detroit Redwings being in 4th place in the Central Division, is one bold prediction that surely only I made. Ottawa being in 3rd in the North East Division was also a prediction that I made that most probably would have not.

Here we go. I'll list the teams in their current positions and in brackets after the team name will be the predicted position.

North East Division
1. Boston Bruins (2)
2. Buffalo Sabres (4)
3. Ottawa Senators (3)
4. Montreal Canadiens (1)
5. Toronto Maple Leafs (5)

Notes: No worries about Toronto - they'll stay right where they are. Buffalo is due to slide and Montreal better get their shit together and start playing hockey.

Atlantic Division
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (2)
2. New Jersey Devils (3)
3. Philadelphia Flyers (1)
4. New York Rangers (5)
5. New York Islanders (4)

Notes: It looks like my worst division, but it's not like it's completely upside down. Just a little shuffle over the next 20 games and this division should be bang on at the half.

South East Division
1. Washington Capitals (1)
2. Atlanta Thrashers (5)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
4. Florida Panthers (4)
5. Carolina Hurricanes (2)

Atlanta can only hold on for so long with only one real player. Not sure what I was thinking with Carolina - they're simply terrible.

Central Division
1. Chicago Black Hawks (1)
2. Nashville Predators (5)
3. Columbus Blue Jackets (2)
4. Detroit Red Wings (4)
5. St. Louis Blues (3)

Nashville is overachieving at the moment. That will end.

Pacific Division
1. San Jose Sharks (2)
2. Los Angeles Kings (3)
3. Phoenix Coyotes (5)
4. Dallas Stars (4)
5. Anaheim Ducks (1)

Not sure what's up with Anaheim. Phoenix has no right being in third. They have no players and they don't even know where the team will be playing next season.

North West Division
1. Calgary Flames (1)
2. Colorado Avalanche (5)
3. Vancouver Canucks (2)
4. Minnesota Wild (4)
5. Edmonton Oilers (3)

Colorado will come back down to Earth. Vancouver is on the rise. Edmonton is doing everything they can to screw up.

My NHL Predictions For 2009-2010

Time for a little fun. I have watched the NHL for a good 35 years now, and I believe I'm pretty good at seeing talent and trends and making predictions. In keeping with the vegan athlete theme, by default George Laraque's team, the Montreal Canadiens, get an automatic first place prediction in the Eastern Conference's Northeast Division! I'm predicting regular season division standings only. Oh, and that it will be a Chicago vs. Montreal final for the first time since 1972-73.

Eastern Conference
North East Division
1. Montreal Canadiens
2. Boston Bruins
3. Ottawa Senators
4. Buffalo Sabres
5. Toronto Maple Leafs

Notes: It's more than just Georges Laraque that will propel Montreal into the first place finish - New ownership and new exciting acquisitions in the off-season make the Habs the team to beat. Boston will be a strong second but just doesn't have what it takes. Ottawa will be a surprise 3rd place after finally off-loading bad attitude Dany Heatley. Buffalo is just Buffalo. Toronto will hopefully not win a single game along with the New York Rangers, the two teams that are single-handedly responsible for the greed and high prices in the game.

Atlantic Division
1. Philadelphia
2. Pittsburgh
3. New Jersey
4. New York Islanders
5. New York Rangers

Notes: Philadelphia is going to bully their way to the top just like they did in the 1970's. Pittsburgh's defence is just too questionable - Malkin and Crosby can score a lot of goals but not that many. In Jersey, will this be the year that Brodeur acts his age? All I have to say about the Islanders is poor, poor John Tavares (please trade him or send him back to the Knights for one more season of junior). Rangers will finish last just like the Leafs.

South East Division
1. Washington
2. Carolina
3. Tampa Bay
4. Florida
5. Atlanta

Notes: Ah, the indifferent division. Throw your names in a hat and draw to see who finishes first. Washington is a one man show. Carolina is a collection of no-name diggers and has-beens. Tampa is on the rise with Lacavalier and some good young talent. Florida - do they still have a team? Atlanta is just another place where hockey does not belong. Hell, hockey doesn't belong in the South East Division at all. Sorry - I'm Canadian - teams belong in Winnipeg, Quebec City, Halifax, Hamilton, London and Regina and not places where you go to the rink in shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of winter.

Eastern Conference
Central Division
1. Chicago
2. Columbus
3. St. Louis
4. Detroit
5. Nashville

Notes: This is the year for Chicago to finally knock Detroit out of the #1 spot. Columbus is led by the London Knight connection of Rick Nash, Marc Methot and Steve Mason. St. Louis is just too fun to watch and they look like they're having too much fun playing the game - and why not - they're mostly kids barely out of diapers playing a game for a living and getting paid millions. It's finally time for Detroit's fountain of youth to run dry - sorry. Nashville... see my above notes about the South East Division.

Pacific Division
1. Ananheim
2. San Jose
3. Los Angeles
4. Dallas
5. Phoenix

Notes: I had San Jose pegged for #1 until today when news broke that Heatley was going there in exchange for Cheechoo. Anaheim now has the edge. It's such a waste for San Jose to finish at the top of the division anyway when they inevitably choke in the playoffs. Los Angeles will fool all the experts and actually have a decent season - the law of averages says so. Dallas - whatever... The Hamilton Coyotes will start their re-building process while still in Phoenix so they start the 2010-11 season with a bang.

North West Division
1. Calgary
2. Vancouver
3. Edmonton
4. Minnesota
5. Colorado

Notes: Calgary will fire on all cylinders this season - possibly with Theo Fleury in the lineup - as stick boy or something. I'm not against Sweden, but sorry Vancouver, too many Swedes! The Oil will be mired in mediocrity yet again but at least they know that everyone in Canada loves them like the little brother that is hopelessly lost in the world. Minnesota - whatever... Go Colorado! - Collect those big draft picks!

Of course, good or bad results, I will do a follow up post every 20 games or 1/4 season. I would love to hear anyone else's predictions or opinions on mine. If you're from the Southern United States - again, sorry...