Thanks Mort for doing this poll.
I will go with 97 points.
Reasoning:
The biggest differences will be:
#1) I expect our back up goalie “results” to regress to the mean. Last season we yielded 32 points from 23 games and I think we will yield 20 points from 20 games this season.
#2) The second biggest factor will be a drop off in our D core. Two parts to it, first off we turned over Dillion and Schmidt and that is going to hurt. Now Schmidt was overpaid and had to go but he and Samberg were so good on the bottom pair. Next thing is how healthy our D core was last season…..Morrissey played 81 games, DeMelo 82 games, Pionk 82 games, Dillon 77 games, and Samberg 78 games. Our top 5 were pretty much in tact all season and I don’t think I have seen that before.
#3) Our team defense and goaltending will not be able to do what they did last season. I don’t think the level of buy in from the forwards will be at the same level, I don’t think our D core will be as healthy/good, and I expect our Goaltending to drop off while still being our strength.
I think we will find our way into the playoffs.
I still think we will have a solid season but outside our putrid special teams last season, so much went right when it came to the Jets being the hardest team in the league to get a goal on.