bobholly39
Registered User
- Mar 10, 2013
- 23,287
- 16,632
So we're about 1 week into the season. A lot of surprises, some good, some bad. Vote for the things you expect to happen this year:
1. Connor McDavid will win the Art Ross
He's having an amazing peak, just had a great 2024 season despite injury and an all-time great playoff run. We all know how good he was in 2023 also. Not only was he the favorite for the Ross going into the season, but he's one of the strongest favorites in a while...but this is starting to look like last year already. 2 points in 3 games, and Oilers have 3 losses and already a -12 goal differential. It's early - but will McDavid bounce back and win the Ross?
2. Auston Matthews wins the Rocket
Who was the bigger favorite going into the season - McDavid for Ross, or Matthews for Rocket? I'm unsure, but both looked great. Matthews with 69 goals. It's still early - but he now has 0 goals in his first 3 games (0 points too). This is only the second time in his career he has 0 goals in his first 3 games (he had 0 points then too) - after the 21-22 season. Which - ironically - is possibly his best season ever, since it's the year he won the Hart, and Rocket and Lindsay trophies. Will he bounce back again and win the Rocket?
3. Oilers qualify for playoffs in a top 3 divisional spot
I think everyone agrees based on all of the NHL talk this off-season Oilers were generally seen as the #1 cup favorites going into this season throughout the hockey world. Yet here they sit 3 games in with 3 losses, 15 goals against and 3 goals for. Very reminiscent of last season's absolutely horror of a start. Last season - McDavid also got injured, and it's not till around ~game 15-20 that they turned things around slowly. Obviously - 3 games is very early in the grand scheme of things, but you can't help but wonder if we're in for another long season in Edmonton, or at least a season of trying to play catchup again. The Pacific was rather weak last season overall. This season? Top 3 teams in league so far are in Pacific (Vegas/Calgary/Utah are all 3-0). So because the expectations for Oilers were so high - the bar is higher than just making playoffs. Will Oilers qualify for playoffs and in a top 3 divisional spot this season?
4. Will Kucherov top 130 points again?
Kucherov had an all-time great season, with 144 points last year. Won his 2nd art ross. He had a fantastic first game, with 4 points and 3 goals. Only 1 game in - so a bit hard to evaluate, but certainly a strong start. Tampa is a bit unpredictable this year, they could be very good, average, or start to slow down, so who knows....but what about Kucherov? I don't think he was the favorite for the Ross going into this year, and I think 140 points is an insane bar, so i'll set the bar slightly lower....do you think Kucherov will score 130+ points again this season?
5. Will Connor Bedard finish top 5 in scoring this season?
In his draft year - Bedard was compared to Crosby and McDavid often. People were saying he's as good as them, or at least, he's definitely the best prospect other than those 2 in the past 20 years. Both Crosby and McDavid won Ross/Hart/Lindsay in their second seasons. Connor Bedard is off to a great start - 5 points in his first 3 games. The league today full of top stars and extremely competitive - and I don't think Bedard is actually on the Crosby/McDavid tier - so I won't set the bar as high as winning a Ross this year. But - how about finishing top 5? Do you think Bedard finishes top 5 in scoring this season?
6. Will at least 1 of Buffalo, Ottawa or Detroit make the playoff this year?
It's been kind of a running joke in the Atlantic division for a few years now....all 3 teams have been rebuilding forever and adding good pieces, and all 3 teams enter every season lately with playoff expectations, yet all 3 teams always find a way to stumble and miss. This poll option is less about the 1 week start being good/bad for the teams so far - more of a general question. Does at least 1 of Buffalo, Ottawa or Detroit make the playoffs this year? Or are they all 3 missing again?
1. Connor McDavid will win the Art Ross
He's having an amazing peak, just had a great 2024 season despite injury and an all-time great playoff run. We all know how good he was in 2023 also. Not only was he the favorite for the Ross going into the season, but he's one of the strongest favorites in a while...but this is starting to look like last year already. 2 points in 3 games, and Oilers have 3 losses and already a -12 goal differential. It's early - but will McDavid bounce back and win the Ross?
2. Auston Matthews wins the Rocket
Who was the bigger favorite going into the season - McDavid for Ross, or Matthews for Rocket? I'm unsure, but both looked great. Matthews with 69 goals. It's still early - but he now has 0 goals in his first 3 games (0 points too). This is only the second time in his career he has 0 goals in his first 3 games (he had 0 points then too) - after the 21-22 season. Which - ironically - is possibly his best season ever, since it's the year he won the Hart, and Rocket and Lindsay trophies. Will he bounce back again and win the Rocket?
3. Oilers qualify for playoffs in a top 3 divisional spot
I think everyone agrees based on all of the NHL talk this off-season Oilers were generally seen as the #1 cup favorites going into this season throughout the hockey world. Yet here they sit 3 games in with 3 losses, 15 goals against and 3 goals for. Very reminiscent of last season's absolutely horror of a start. Last season - McDavid also got injured, and it's not till around ~game 15-20 that they turned things around slowly. Obviously - 3 games is very early in the grand scheme of things, but you can't help but wonder if we're in for another long season in Edmonton, or at least a season of trying to play catchup again. The Pacific was rather weak last season overall. This season? Top 3 teams in league so far are in Pacific (Vegas/Calgary/Utah are all 3-0). So because the expectations for Oilers were so high - the bar is higher than just making playoffs. Will Oilers qualify for playoffs and in a top 3 divisional spot this season?
4. Will Kucherov top 130 points again?
Kucherov had an all-time great season, with 144 points last year. Won his 2nd art ross. He had a fantastic first game, with 4 points and 3 goals. Only 1 game in - so a bit hard to evaluate, but certainly a strong start. Tampa is a bit unpredictable this year, they could be very good, average, or start to slow down, so who knows....but what about Kucherov? I don't think he was the favorite for the Ross going into this year, and I think 140 points is an insane bar, so i'll set the bar slightly lower....do you think Kucherov will score 130+ points again this season?
5. Will Connor Bedard finish top 5 in scoring this season?
In his draft year - Bedard was compared to Crosby and McDavid often. People were saying he's as good as them, or at least, he's definitely the best prospect other than those 2 in the past 20 years. Both Crosby and McDavid won Ross/Hart/Lindsay in their second seasons. Connor Bedard is off to a great start - 5 points in his first 3 games. The league today full of top stars and extremely competitive - and I don't think Bedard is actually on the Crosby/McDavid tier - so I won't set the bar as high as winning a Ross this year. But - how about finishing top 5? Do you think Bedard finishes top 5 in scoring this season?
6. Will at least 1 of Buffalo, Ottawa or Detroit make the playoff this year?
It's been kind of a running joke in the Atlantic division for a few years now....all 3 teams have been rebuilding forever and adding good pieces, and all 3 teams enter every season lately with playoff expectations, yet all 3 teams always find a way to stumble and miss. This poll option is less about the 1 week start being good/bad for the teams so far - more of a general question. Does at least 1 of Buffalo, Ottawa or Detroit make the playoffs this year? Or are they all 3 missing again?
