The 2017-18 NHL season starts tonight! So I better get right down to business and make my final predictions for the new season. Below is who (I think) will win each of the major awards this year. As a frame of reference, I went a blistering 2 for 11 on my predictions last season. That's a woeful 18% percent for everyone keeping track at home, but this is just about having some fun before the season.
I like to gamble and if there is a long shot worth betting on, its Kucherov. The Lightning are going to be massively better this season and Kucherov was already one of the league's top players this past season. With all of Tampa Bay's dynamic offensive weapons, Kucherov will get a lot of opportunities to fill the stat sheet.
It is no secret that I am a big fan of Tarasenko's game. He is as silky smooth as Patrick Kane with a wrist shot like Phil Kessel. The Blues also lean on him as much as any team leans on their star player for scoring. St. Louis has a lot of great two-way players, but only one superstar scorer. There will be lots of competition from Matthews, Crosby and Ovechkin; but Tarasenko is my guy. If I had to pick a dark-horse, it would be Jack Eichel.
This award is always up in the air. It really comes down to a team that won a lot of games also had a great goalie. This season I'm taking Braden Holtby. I expect the Capitals to have a bit of a backslide as a team this season, but Holtby will be the one that keeps them in the playoffs. His team will be counting on him more than any prior season. If he steps up to the challenge, he deserves the award.
Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman) - Erik Karlsson
He is the best defensemen in the NHL every season. He is also the glue that keeps the Senators near the top of their division. When healthy he is one of the top five players in the game. The knock on Karlsson used to be that he was just an offensive defender and a liability in his own zone. That is not the case anymore. I see him as a lock for the Norris if he can stay healthy.
The same guys get nominated for this award each season and it just gets passed around. I think Toews is due for it this year. No knock on the players who keep getting nominated. They are all great two-way players and well deserving. I think Chicago will have more of a defensive mindset this season. Trading Panarin for Saad was an obvious sign. Toews will be the beneficiary of that. He is great at faceoffs and can shutdown the opponent's top center.
Mike Yeo is an underappreciated NHL head coach. He also happens to be the coach of one of the most talented teams in the NHL, the St. Louis Blues. I predicted the Blues to win the Central Division and Tarasenko to win the Richard. So I have to pick Yeo to be the coach of the year. He has a plethora of talent to coach. Great offense, depth and defensemen. The Blues only concern is in net. Its Yeo's job to make that concern go away.
They made their huge leap last season. All the young stars have had a full season to develop and this team knows what it takes to win. The Oilers are primed to win their division. With the Coyotes, Canucks and Golden Knights to beat up on in their division, there is plenty of opportunity to stockpile points. I expect the Oilers to win the President's Trophy by a lot.
Their success will not be a huge surprise this season, but I really do not see a surprise team coming. The Flames totaled 94 points last season. I expect them to add to that total in 2017-18. They have a lot of young talent and depth. I do not think the addition of Jagr makes the team much better on the ice, but he will be a good addition to the locker room. A great mix of youth and veteran talent gives Calgary a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.
The Habs have been teetering at the top of the Atlantic Division for a few years. They are due to fall off. Montreal has great goaltending, but not enough beyond Carey Price. Scoring is going to be too important to their success. They simply do not have enough. Also, the rest of their division is better. The Leafs are ready to compete. The Lightning are healthy. Ottawa proved they are a great team last season. Expect Montreal to miss the playoffs.
Hart Trophy (MVP) - Connor McDavid
It is just too hard to pick against this guy. He won the MVP and scoring title last season and he is only getting better. The only thing that may hold McDavid back is the rest of his team getting better and not relying on him so much.
Art Ross Trophy (Most Points - Player) - Nikita Kucherov
Richard Trophy (Most Goals) - Vladimir Tarasenko
Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie) - Braden Holtby
Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) - Jonathan Toews
Jack Adams Award (Best Coach) - Mike Yeo
President's Trophy (Most Points - Team) - Edmonton Oilers
Surprise Team - Calgary Flames
Disappointing Team - Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup Champion - Pittsburgh Penguins
I know, I know 3-peats just do not happen in modern sports. However, there is just something special about this team. They have two of the best players in the world, including the greatest player of his generation. Kris Letang is healthy, don't forget they won the cup without him last year. Murray has another year of maturity and he has never lost a playoff series. The scoring depth on this team is unmatched. Kessel, Hornqvist, Hagelin and Guentzel are all qualified top line forwards. The majority of the defensive core returned from last season. Winning a third straight Stanley Cup will not be easy, but everyone said winning back-to-back was impossible too.
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