It’s time for my annual “Holding Myself Accountable” column. Where I look at the predictions I made over the previous season and publicly shame myself… or crow about the ones I got lucky on.
In my annual season previews I called the following teams as playoff teams…
In the East –
Tampa, Toronto, Ottawa,
Pittsburgh, Washington, Columbus, Buffalo, Montreal.
The five bolded teams I was right about… and at least I had Philly and Boston in the “knocking on the door” category. Buffalo and Montreal were dumpster fires… but I only see Buffalo as a bottoming out, this will be a much better team this season.
In the Eastern Conference “WTF Was I Smoking” Department – Ottawa as a contender? That fall happened fast and hard, but it appears now that their run in 16/17 was smoke and mirrors. and Carolina… well… at least I qualified it with “if their goaltending holds up.” And again... Montreal... what an idiot I was to call that one.
In the West -
Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton,
Nashville, Dallas,
Minnesota, Chicago,
Los Angeles
Only four correct calls in that smoking mass of shame… Calgary and Edmonton both fell back a few steps when anticipating major moves forward. Calgary may be better, Edmonton better be better…
In the “WTF Was I Smoking” Department – Calling Winnipeg out of the playoffs??? Arizona, a team on the rise??? Chicago in the playoffs??? Whatever I was smoking was some baaaaaad s&*t man…
Predators concerns that I raised throughout the season blogs… first period effort and giveaways… kinda prescient given what happened in the playoffs.
Playoff predictions…
In the East – I called Tampa over New Jersey… check… Pittsburgh over Philly… Check… Boston over Toronto… check… Columbus over Washington… oops although that one looked pretty good two games into the series.
West – I called Nashville over Colorado… check… San Jose over Anaheim… check… Minnesota over Winnipeg… doh! LA over Vegas… at least I wasn’t the only one.
First round record, a completely meh 5-3. Perhaps a little wishful thinking on the Wild series and anyone who predicted Vegas doing what they did simply was picking ‘cause they liked the uni’s.
Second Round – I had Washington over Pittsburgh in seven… check… Tampa Bay over Boston… check… I then, like a lot of other pundits, drank the Kool-Aid and picked Vegas over San Jose… check… then called Nashville over Winnipeg… yup… whiffed on that one.
So add 3-1 to a 5-3 first round and you get a fairly respectable 8-4 series record heading into the conference final. I stayed with Vegas in the conference final and was rewarded, also stayed with the Capitals… that record is now 10-4. Make that 11-4 as I picked the Caps to win it all…
The predictions will begin soon… given that Toronto has already been awarded the Cup by the Toronto media and most guys on NHL Network Radio I don’t know why we are even playing the season...
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Random Notes
- The Predators announced that the annual used equipment sale will be Sunday, July 22nd.
- The Sporting News has placed the Predators at the top of their offseason power rankings, just ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Other Central teams… The Winnipeg Jets come in at 4th, the St. Louis Blues at 9th, Minnesota at 14th, Dallas at 15th, Colorado at 17th and bringing up the rear is Chicago at 21st.
- The Predators announced the hiring of Greg Rallo as assistant coach of the Milwaukee Admirals.
- No word on progress with the Preds RFA’s.
- Nice article on the team’s website from Brooks Bratten regarding the team and their close relationship.
- PK Subban graces the cover of Sports Illustrated as part of their “Fashionable 50” with his current girlfriend Lindsey Vonn.
- Thank heavens for the Arizona Coyotes, they love saving teams from stupid contracts… the latest? Taking Marian Hossa from Chicago… SMH
- Stay tuned for some exciting announcements from SlapShot Radio and their partnership with Best Buddies.
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