Which team is going to overachieve this year?

[NailsHoglander]

I say Ottawa.

Not sure how people feel about New Jersey but I feel like they are poised for a hell of a regular season!

If Ullmark can hold the fort in a Travis Green system, sure. He might be in for a bit of a shock coming from Boston though..

 

[Lunatik]

Clearly the Flames are going to go undefeated and score 6 goals per game. While Devin Cooley will lead the Wranglers to teh Calder Cup and prove he doesn't suck

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

They already overachieved last year. Expect regression.

I think since a lot of people are expecting them to regress or simply finish behind teams they finished ahead of last season. I think they will finish above those expectations.

 

[Bank Shot]

I think since a lot of people are expecting them to regress or simply finish behind teams they finished ahead of last season. I think they will finish above those expectations.

Nothing wrong with dreaming.

 

[benfranklin]

My sleeper guess for each division to do better than we all expect.

Habs
Flyers
Blackhawks
None - this division sucks outside of the Knights and McDavid.

 

[jackjohnson]

I say Detroit. I think a big perception is that they will finish near the bottom of the Atlantic division this season.

I thought Yzerman wanted that plan all along. Finish at the bottom for couple of more years to add more prospects

 

[jackjohnson]

This year's Vancouver? Hmm not sure.

Dont think Vancouver overachieved bud, it was bound to happen with players like JT miller, Demko, Hughes, Pettersson, Boeser all maturing and a better management. Was more likely Benning being incompetent and not surrounding the core with the right players and coaches. Its definitely not a fluke, you can ask our Norris winning captain Quinn Hughes

 

[jackjohnson]

If "overachieve" means play above fan expectations, I like washington's defensive group a ton. Ottawa also pretty underrated if Travis Green doesn't tank them.

If "overachieve means" get lucky, you can't really predict that now can you.

Travis Green has a badge of honor for being the greatest Tank Leader in the history of our sport. He can make teams with superstars tank with imupnity

 

[Video Nasty]

Detroit, Buffalo, and Ottawa all mentioned on the first page. What’s that been? Five years running now? None will make the playoffs yet again.

 

[dgibb10]

Travis Green has a badge of honor for being the greatest Tank Leader in the history of our sport. He can make teams with superstars tank with imupnity

Ottawa confuses me.

On the one hand, they are the team I'd say is most poised to make a 22-23 NJD type comeback, with good analytics last year tanked by awful goaltending (which they have replaced with a vezina goalie)

On the other hand I have 0 faith in Green to do anything

 

[HockeyVirus]

Should clarify if this is regular season or playoffs. I could absolutely see a team like the Leafs finishing in the wildcard spots due to learning a new system and then having a deep playoff run as much as I could see them winning the division and being out in round 1

 

[SoupNazi]

As far as overachievers go, I'd bet on Utah.

 

[Ratsreign]

The Panthers winning back to back would certainly be overachieving

I think the Sabres will be better than most expect.

 

[Edgelord]

I think the Utah hockey club surprises, or should I say the Hawkey Tuah club lol so far best nickname IMO

 

[Apfel Struble]

The Blues maybe? They have good goaltending, a nice #1 C and the two new offer sheet additions should add some depth and jam to the team. I'm sure they'll come out guns blazing

 

[Chainshot]

I think Evason gets Columbus playing well defensively and their kids grow, surprising teams along the way.

 

[jackjohnson]

Ottawa confuses me.

On the one hand, they are the team I'd say is most poised to make a 22-23 NJD type comeback, with good analytics last year tanked by awful goaltending (which they have replaced with a vezina goalie)

On the other hand I have 0 faith in Green to do anything

Green is probably the worst coach in NHL right now. Not sure why Ottaea likes to hire terrible retreads to be head coaches of their team from DJ smith to Green

 

[frisco]

Calgary won't be horrible this year. No pressure and they'll finish with 91 points which is a very Calgary thing to do because they won't be near a playoff berth and still lose out getting the high draft pick they need.

My Best-Carey

 

[Peltz]

Rangers will goaltend and special teams their way to the top of the standings without good 5v5 play again.

 

[Figgy44]

I think the Utah hockey club surprises, or should I say the Hawkey Tuah club lol so far best nickname IMO

I suddenly can't stop thinking, "Hwak Utah".

 

[NYRfan85]

I feel most confident saying Utah is going to overachiever this year. I think if Arizona didn't have all of the drama surrounding them, they could have squeaked into the playoffs.

In the East, I want to say Ottawa, but it's so hard to say with them, because they fell so hard last season.

 

[ShakenNotStirred]

Detroit, Buffalo, and Ottawa all mentioned on the first page. What’s that been? Five years running now? None will make the playoffs yet again.

Did Detroit not post the worst, if not one of the worst, records in all of history in the last 5 years?

 

[NailsHoglander]

Ottawa confuses me.

On the one hand, they are the team I'd say is most poised to make a 22-23 NJD type comeback, with good analytics last year tanked by awful goaltending (which they have replaced with a vezina goalie)

On the other hand I have 0 faith in Green to do anything

Vezina candidate with the Bruins elite structure in front of him. I'm very curious to see how he fares in a Travis Green - hang the goalie out to dry system.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

It may be a bias pick, but they’ve been picked multiple times in this thread, so I’m also going to say the Blues.

The goaltending tandem is great, and they’ve improved in all other aspects of the game as well.

The forward group is very deep 1-14. They’re also way faster, and will be much more aggressive on the forecheck with the new additions. It’s a very “Blues-like” roster again. The bottom six was a disaster for us last year, and the whole group just seemed like a clunky fit.

On defense, Faulk is back to being healthy, and Broberg/Suter will be better fits than Krug/Scandella/Perunovich were for us on the left side. Matthew Kessel was very solid defensively for a rookie last year being thrust into top 4 minutes, and he should also keep improving with more experience. Army has finally gone back to a group with size again, and it’s a much needed change.

 

[Schemp]

UTAH
I think Ingram will be a candidate for the Vezina, taking advantage of the improved defense in front of him. They have 3 forward lines that will be relentless, speedy, and 2-way. They'll score by commitee. The 4th is one of the better shut down in the league. Their defense has improved tremendously. Their special teams are also improved.