Prediction 1: Kerfoot becomes a very reliable, cost-effective 3C, and Leaf fans are are gonna be really happy he stayed while Johnsson and Kapanen left. He puts up 35 points while playing really well defensively.
Prediction 2: The TJ Brodie contracts starts to not look very good as he struggles to fit in, ending up on the 3rd pairing. At the same time, Travis Dermott quickly becomes the team's 3rd best D-man, and plays on the top pair with Reilly.
Prediction 3: The Thornton experiment doesn't work out all that great, and he becomes a Spezza-like utility piece on the 3rd/4th lines. At the same time, Barbanov is Mikheyev 2.0 and floats in and out of the top 6.
Prediction 4: Vesey and Lehtonen are not on the team by the trade deadline.
Prediction 5: With a congested schedule, Jack Campbell plays about 40% of the games and puts up better numbers than Andersen, giving Keefe a really difficult decision for the playoffs.
Prediction 6: Leafs finish 1st in their division with final standings being: Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa
Prediction 7: Other divisions finish as follows:
Central - Tampa Bay, Dallas, Florida, Carolina, Columbus, Nashville, Chicago, Detroit
Eastern - New York Rangers, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Buffalo, New York Islanders, New Jersey
Western - Colorado, Vegas, St Louis, Anaheim, Arizona, San Jose, Minnesota, Los Angelas
Number 1,3,4,5 are pretty good.
Number 2 is bad, Brodie will fit nicely in this defense.
Number 7, Toronto is most likely 1st but you got Edmonton and Calgary wrong. Mcdavid and Draisaitl wont make it up for this already poor defense minus Klefbom and the Koskinen/Smith duo. Calagary were already a pretty decent team and now they mostly fixed the biggest problem they had by adding Markstrom.
I really think your standings are off, the Flames aren’t gonna have everyone on the team put up career low numbers, and they improved their depth and goaltending. I feel like they’ll be a top 3 team for sure. Also, if you Leafs fans ruin Brodie imma be hella mad, he’s a great guy and a good player who can do whatever you want, if he struggles to fit in that’s kind of on the coach, he can play any way you want him to (offensive, defensive, depth role, with your best D) and either side of the ice.
This is far more than 5 predictions and good on you for making them and putting them out there:
Prediction 1a: Kerfoot becomes a very reliable, cost-effective 3C, and Leaf fans are are gonna be really happy he stayed while Johnsson and Kapanen left. (I view this as likely)
Prediction 1b: He puts up 35 points while playing really well defensively. (unlikely to hit 35 points)
Prediction 2a: The TJ Brodie contracts starts to not look very good as he struggles to fit in, ending up on the 3rd pairing. (unlikely, but plausible)
Prediction 2b: At the same time, Travis Dermott quickly becomes the team's 3rd best D-man, and plays on the top pair with Reilly. (unlikely)
Prediction 3a: The Thornton experiment doesn't work out all that great, and he becomes a Spezza-like utility piece on the 3rd/4th lines. (likely)
Prediction 3b: At the same time, Barbanov is Mikheyev 2.0 and floats in and out of the top 6. (unlikely)
Prediction 4b: Vesey and Lehtonen are not on the team by the trade deadline. (unlikely)
Prediction 5: With a congested schedule, Jack Campbell plays about 40% of the games and puts up better numbers than Andersen, giving Keefe a really difficult decision for the playoffs. (unlikely)
Prediction 6: Leafs finish 1st in their division with final standings being: Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa (unlikely they finish first. I think that Montreal and Calgary finish ahead of where you have them.)
Number 1,3,4,5 are pretty good.
Number 2 is bad, Brodie will fit nicely in this defense.
Number 7, Toronto is most likely 1st but you got Edmonton and Calgary wrong. Mcdavid and Draisaitl wont make it up for this already poor defense minus Klefbom and the Koskinen/Smith duo. Calagary were already a pretty decent team and now they mostly fixed the biggest problem they had by adding Markstrom.