Todd Cordell: 2021 NHL award predictions: North Division edition

I think you may have forgotten the western teams that will now be getting a steady diet of Ottawa. It will help Mathews stats a bit, but think of what that could do for Mcd and Germain Gretzky

I think you may have forgotten the western teams that will now be getting a steady diet of Ottawa. It will help Mathews stats a bit, but think of what that could do for Mcd and Germain Gretzky
- Putty

Draisaitl has nine more goals, 93 vs 84, than Matthews over the past two seasons, although he's played 15 more games. My guess is Draisaitl as he stays healthier than Matthews.

Todd Cordell: 2021 NHL award predictions: North Division edition
- ToddCordellCGY

Markstrom will be a bust just like Bobrovsky

Matthews and Heart in the same sentence

Markstrom will be a bust just like Bobrovsky

Matthews and Heart in the same sentence
- Reveen

Yeah really, Draisaitl's outscored him 215 points vs 153 points over the past two seasons and someone thinks Matthews has a shot at the Hart Trophy

Yeah really, Draisaitl's outscored him 215 points vs 153 points over the past two seasons and someone thinks Matthews has a shot at the Hart Trophy
- Pacificgem

Drai is good, no doubt. But Hart usually goes to players on strong teams, and Edmonton will be garbage this year

If he’s healthy, Matthews is the most logical choice

Yeah really, Draisaitl's outscored him 215 points vs 153 points over the past two seasons and someone thinks Matthews has a shot at the Hart Trophy
- Pacificgem

I think Matthews over Petey (for hart) is unlikely imo, but Drai? Get the hell outta here.

You can argue Matthews getting more games versus edmonton will also pad his stats.

I think you may have forgotten the western teams that will now be getting a steady diet of Ottawa. It will help Mathews stats a bit, but think of what that could do for Mcd and Germain Gretzky
- Putty

You do remember that the Oilers were in the Pacific Division right? The one with all the lottery teams?

This has an interesting turn where teams can either find weaknesses over time, develop rivalries or just be weird overexposed regular season games. Should be exciting to watch at the very least.

I for one can't wait for the Tkachuk bro battles.

Drai is good, no doubt. But Hart usually goes to players on strong teams, and Edmonton will be garbage this year

If he’s healthy, Matthews is the most logical choice
- AxlRose91

Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy on a weak Oilers team last year, your logic makes no sense, it predominantly goes to the Art Ross winner, not always but mostly, or an outstanding goaltender or in extremely rare cases a defenceman.

Matthews doesn't score enough points to win the Hart Trophy, of the three times Ovechkin won it he either won the Art Ross (2008) or he was second (2009) or third (2013) in total points.

Matthews has only ever been top ten in total points once, 9th last year, he has little chance of winning the Hart Trophy in my opinion. Unless he can produce another 20 points somehow (over a full 82 schedule that is).

last season Mathews had 1 goal against the oil, vs drai with 3pts and Mcd with 4; so not sure the leafs playing the oil helps mathews.

Drai is good, no doubt. But Hart usually goes to players on strong teams, and Edmonton will be garbage this year

If he’s healthy, Matthews is the most logical choice
- AxlRose91

Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy on a weak Oilers team last year, your logic makes no sense, it predominantly goes to the Art Ross winner, not always but mostly, or an outstanding goaltender or in extremely rare cases a defenceman.

Matthews doesn't score enough points to win the Hart Trophy, of the three times Ovechkin won it he either won the Art Ross (2008) or he was second (2009) or third (2013) in total points.

Matthews has only ever been top ten in total points once, 9th last year, he has little chance of winning the Hart Trophy in my opinion. Unless he can produce another 20 points somehow (over a full 82 schedule that is).
- Pacificgem

Thank you for that Wikipedia entry. Riveting stuff

In my opinion, TOR will be the far superior team. EDM seems poised to regress, and even though Drai won last year on a middling Oilers team, the vast majority of winners come from teams near the top of the standings

Couple that with another leap forward from Auston (he only just turned 23) on both ends of the ice, and he’s your safest bet

Thank you for that Wikipedia entry. Riveting stuff

In my opinion, TOR will be the far superior team. EDM seems poised to regress, and even though Drai won last year on a middling Oilers team, the vast majority of winners come from teams near the top of the standings

Couple that with another leap forward from Auston (he only just turned 23) on both ends of the ice, and he’s your safest bet
- AxlRose91

To each their own, the numbers dictate he's not the safest bet, even in the Canadian Division, third behind Draisaitl and McDavid, and in the entire league, he's not even top five.

Also, the Leafs weren't near the top of the standings last year and they're not poised to be this year either, they're a middling team.

Schedules going to be a lot of 2-3 game series so more playoff like. That being said both Toronto and Edmonton will be hard pressed to make the playoffs.
Watch for the Canucks and Flames to take advantage of the huge egos.

Schedules going to be a lot of 2-3 game series so more playoff like. That being said both Toronto and Edmonton will be hard pressed to make the playoffs.
Watch for the Canucks and Flames to take advantage of the huge egos.
- K-man25

Analysts have been nearly unanimous in predicting TOR to win the division. They certainly have the talent, and seem to have addressed most of the major gaps (ie. defence and toughness) in their lineup. You could be right about the egos, but having guys like Thornton and Simmonds should help with that

Edmonton is a risk to no one - they continue to ice the same roster each year (McD, Drai, and nothing else), and they still have no goalie. It’s sad watching a generational talent like McD waste away there

Van and Cgy are decent, but worse than last year, as a result of some really bad moves. For Van, signing Holtby was awful. And for Calgary, the downgrade from Brodie to Tanev is hard to comprehend.

Analysts have been nearly unanimous in predicting TOR to win the division. They certainly have the talent, and seem to have addressed most of the major gaps (ie. defence and toughness) in their lineup. You could be right about the egos, but having guys like Thornton and Simmonds should help with that

Edmonton is a risk to no one - they continue to ice the same roster each year (McD, Drai, and nothing else), and they still have no goalie. It’s sad watching a generational talent like McD waste away there

Van and Cgy are decent, but worse than last year, as a result of some really bad moves. For Van, signing Holtby was awful. And for Calgary, the downgrade from Brodie to Tanev is hard to comprehend.
- AxlRose91

Either way I’m glad nhl is back. Look forward to the double headers against teams, should definitely promote more rivalries.
Players should be able to get up for games being the Canadian Crown is up for grabs.

All solid picks but...

As for AM missing games I don’t buy it. Ovi is durable & AM has to become that. His D is nothing special & comes down to puck possession which has to remain high. You also ignored no Wings to beat up on & 4 of the worst 5 in GA WERE in the Atlantic.

Helly is still the best til dethroned.

Hart to AM no way.

I don't follow the whole Toronto is going to be great Oilers are going to suck thing.

Both imo are tier 2 teams at best. Neither elite. Both with weak defense. I'd actually put the Oilers ahead if not for Klefbom's injury. Even with that key injury the difference between the two teams is paper thin.

Matthews could/should have another year of growth. He is just entering his prime. However him over McDrai for Hart is certainly unlikely to say the least.

2 each their own but I think Toronto fans are building themselves for disappointment. The Northern division is deeper, if not nessasarily better. If the Atlantic was as deep as the North will be, Toronto might not have been on pace to make the playoffs last year.

Mathews is a bandaid and all the boneheads picking Toronto to win division are from Toronto. 🧐. Wakey wakey out east. 👎🏻

Analysts have been nearly unanimous in predicting TOR to win the division. They certainly have the talent, and seem to have addressed most of the major gaps (ie. defence and toughness) in their lineup. You could be right about the egos, but having guys like Thornton and Simmonds should help with that

Edmonton is a risk to no one - they continue to ice the same roster each year (McD, Drai, and nothing else), and they still have no goalie. It’s sad watching a generational talent like McD waste away there

Van and Cgy are decent, but worse than last year, as a result of some really bad moves. For Van, signing Holtby was awful. And for Calgary, the downgrade from Brodie to Tanev is hard to comprehend.
- AxlRose91

How long before the Brodie is just like gardiner comparisons in TO

I say by 10 games and the honeymoon is over

Agree with those picks except I would have Philippe Danault for the Selke.

Thank you for that Wikipedia entry. Riveting stuff

In my opinion, TOR will be the far superior team. EDM seems poised to regress, and even though Drai won last year on a middling Oilers team, the vast majority of winners come from teams near the top of the standings

Couple that with another leap forward from Auston (he only just turned 23) on both ends of the ice, and he’s your safest bet
- AxlRose91

Love the logic of regression. They were only 3pts out of 1st place in the division last season before the stop. Using a sub par play in a crapshoot of a play in round as recency bias as your rationale? I don’t buy it.

The oilers haven’t addressed the second goalie, but beyond that they did make some decent moves to hopefully create depth scoring up and down the lineup. Barrie could eat up some of Klefbom’s minutes, while making sure the best PP last year doesn’t drop off, Kahun was signed (an analytics guy’s wet dream) hopefully to allow RNH to move up with McDavid and Turris to play 3rd line center with pool party being a wild card in the mix too. There is still a possibility that they add another veteran defence man to ease the loss of klefbom.

A shortened season with less travel will make the division really interesting, but saying the leafs are “far superior” I don’t buy that at all.

Todd Cordell: 2021 NHL award predictions: North Division edition
- ToddCordellCGY

I think Valimaki will push for the Calder!

And there it is...

https://www.nhl.com/news/...ule-announced/c-319875512