Calgary will be best in Canada
USA TODAY PREDICTIONS
The 2017-18 National Hockey League season begins Wednesday with four games on the slate, starting with the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Winnipeg Jets. Here are five bold predictions for the new campaign:
1. Chicago Blackhawks will miss the playoffs. Joel Quenneville is among the best coaches in the sport. But not even he can do enough manoeuvring to get this defence — which lost Niklas Hjalmarsson and is now relying on Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook and a slew of unknowns — to be passable. Brandon Saad, no matter the chemistry with Jonathan Toews, is a downgrade from Artemi Panarin. Add in the acquisitions from the Dallas Stars and growth from the Winnipeg Jets to a fierce division, and this will be the first year since 2008 the Blackhawks don’t reach the playoffs.
2. David Pastrnak will finish in the top three in points. That would mean a 19-point increase from last season to 89 for the Boston Bruins’ 21-year-old winger. Pastrnak’s 2.08 points per 60 minutes at five-onfive was not elite, but his 3.07 mark in all situations among skaters with at least 800 minutes ranked eighth, according to corsica. hockey. He is also still in growth mode. Pastrnak averaged 3.49 shots on goal per game, ninth in the NHL, and he will remain a focal point of an offence that includes Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
3. Calgary Flames will be the best team in Canada. And also, the Pacific Division. The trendy pick is the Edmonton Oilers, and for good reason. But Calgary not only boasts one of the best defensive corps, it also has a skilled and underappreciated forward group — and now Jaromir Jagr. The question is whether Mike Smith and Eddie Lack are good enough in net.
4. John Tavares will get traded during the season. The New York Islanders will have no choice. The longer Tavares, a free agent next offseason, goes without an extension, the more free agency will tempt him. Tavares, 27, could demand a contract with a $10-million average annual value. GM Garth Snow will have to weigh that against losing a franchise icon and resetting for the future.
5. The Carolina Hurricanes will finally end their playoff drought. The unproven Scott Darling will be an improvement over the Hurricanes’ goalies over the past few years; they posted the 27th-worst save percentage last season. Sebastian Aho is a star in the making, while Justin Williams adds a veteran presence. The defence remains the backbone of a team that will get back to the post-season for first time since 2009.