Your 2024-2025 hot takes

[Zegs2sendhelp]

IF the Ducks see some of their D prospects graduate AND they are NHL ready and good enough to play a solid defensive system AND Dostal takes the flashes he has shown and puts together 60 games in the top 10 for goalies, I could see them sniffing around the playoff come spring.

I'm not convinced up front they have the scoring to win that many games. Even some of their top forward prospects like Carlsson who are at the age to take a step are more two way players. With inexperience on defense, there will be mistakes and my guess is more times than not the Ducks won't be able to outscore their problems



#cup champa 2025

The forward core is kinda deep but def need the top 6 to take a step forward offensively , if we can have a league average powerplay and stay out of the box… that’ll go a long way. Last year we had a lot of injuries to mctavish, carlsson and zegras…. If they can stay relatively healthy they should have much better chemistry and much more effective offensively.

We also have a lot of potential fire power on the back end that should help the forwards out… Mintyukov luneau lacombe and zellweger are all capable of brining offense from the back end(fowler also).

Pacific is also pretty weak.

 

[Bouboumaster]

No canadian teams will make the playoffs in the Atlantic this year

 

[HockeyVirus]

The forward core is kinda deep but def need the top 6 to take a step forward offensively , if we can have a league average powerplay and stay out of the box… that’ll go a long way. Last year we had a lot of injuries to mctavish, carlsson and zegras…. If they can stay relatively healthy they should have much better chemistry and much more effective offensively.

We also have a lot of potential fire power on the back end that should help the forwards out… Mintyukov luneau lacombe and zellweger are all capable of brining offense from the back end(fowler also).

Pacific is also pretty weak.

It is a hot take thread and I can't fault fan optimism this time of year so you do you. For me, just too many IFs in what I said to think it all comes together. Also such a young team will struggle with consistency and they would need to take a playoff spot from a veteran group.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Bolts finally miss the playoffs

Bruins might also miss the playoffs

Jets are not making the playoffs

Canucks might also miss the playoffs

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

COVID25 hits and the Leafs fail to make the first round of the playoffs again.. all followed by another Habs SC final appearance.

 

[sting101]

East
* Buffalo makes the playoffs and wins a round (JJ Peterka leads them in scoring) Both trades for Byram and McLoed look great and they make a big addition by the deadline.
* Tanev and OEL look bad in year 1 of those contracts. Ongoing Marner drama with Treliving already in hot seat. Make playoffs but another 1st round exit. Sooo nothing new in TO
* Ottawa still doesn't have enough to make it. Travis Green sucks at coaching shocking i know
* Red Wings spinning their wheels getting worse. No front line talent coming except maybe ASP. Pressure mounts on Yzerplan which continues to surround bad free agent targets and draft picks
* Devils join Canes and Rangers as Metro playoff teams. Big bounce back years for Hamilton and Mercer. Canes almost miss having to beat Caps as season concludes
* Caps almost make playoffs again. Realize getting Ovechkin the record cost them a playoff spot. Miroshnichenko starts to look like a steal of a pick. Chychrun and Dubois look good again and their additions this off season plus Cristall Leonard Miro (above) and Lapierre McMichael finding NHL games put them back in the conversation.

West
* Ducks challenge for a playoff spot fall off late but start a big upswing. Great young core Mintyukov and Zellweger especially help the progress and look like impact defenceman. Zegras puts up 70 plus. Still sucks at defence but at least competes this year.
* Kings don't make playoffs. House cleaning of management and coaching. (How the hell do they have that defence and goaltending at this stage?? what a mess.) Unbelievable that Roy Durzi Walker Faber all gone without a good veteran addition and Kuemper after stinking has become their reclamation goalie with big save Dave
* Utah Latter Day Saints make playoffs. Dylan Guenther establishes himself as a premier scoring winger nets 40. Cooley is the real deal too as is Josh "the diesel' Doan. Bounce back year for Hayton. Still need a top 2 defenceman. Trade....Simashev??
* Annunen and Ritchie end up in the Calder conversation in Colorado and Drouin and Mittlestadt have career years.
* Hronek scores 20 goals in Van and Lekkerimaki is playing top6 beside Pettersson and Debrusk by February

 

[AD1066]

The Panthers fan base increases from 6 to 7 fans.

14% growth, that's fantastic.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Boston starts 9-0-1 after 10 games, making Swayman crawl back to them.