All-Star break checkup: predictions past & to come.

Ok, I like looking back at the threads of old to see how we did at guessing how the team would do this season.

Unforeseen injuries to Rolston and Marty of course have taken a toll on the predictions overall, but if you look at us right now;

- On pace for 241 goals
- On pace for 106 pts in standings

With those nuggets; enjoy looking back.

Who Will Lead the Devils in Scoring Next Season?
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=539955

1 player to disappoint and 1 player to surprise?
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=548052

and to go way way back... (and really mostly to just gloat about calling both the Rolston signing and how much we signed Pando for :sarcasm:)

Lou vs. You - Play GM and make it work.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=529358

What are your predictions for the remaining season?

- I predict Zach wins the goal scoring title for the Devils (3rd in the league overall); but Elias wins the points title.
- I predict half of Shanahan's 16 goals will be on the PP.
- I predict there is 1 more deal to be done... and it involves both a LW and a RW along with a D in exchange for another D coming back.
- We play the Flyers in the first round.

Usually I don't look to discuss this sort of thing when the team's on a hot streak, but since it's already been broken here's another thread:

When Marty returns the Devils will rank where in the east???
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=570669&highlight=standings

It's sure nice to look at posts from just a few months ago and see things like us wondering about "scoring" vs "checking" lines, lack of Centers, etc... gives me the warm 'n' fuzzy feeling I need at the All-Star break, that's for sure!! :)

We're setting Greene up to disappoint big time:laugh:. Poor guy.


And that just says it all..........:rant:

My points for 1 surprise/disappointment:
Surprise: Salvador - playing full year on the Devils will allow him to settle down and play a nice solid d this year. Will probably see lots of PK time. His numbers won't be great but people will be very happy with his play this year.

Disappointment: Parise - I think he won't be on the top line this year and people are really expecting his progress to continue at the pace it has the last couple of years. He will still play well but his linemates will drag him down this year.

I guess I was way off about Parise. I really though Elias/Rolston and partner would take the lion share of the ice time and that Pando and Madden would take another big chunk, leaving Parise to 12-15 minutes of ice time and killing his numbers. It tells me I should stop making predictions because I was obviously pretty clueless.

For Sal, I think he isn't playing poorly this year but I don't think anyone is really wowed by his defensive play either. I think he is pretty much the same player we got last season, not improved but not any worse either.

Rest of season: I'm going to stop with the predictions because I would prefer to let what happens happen and not look like any more of an idiot.

I think I nailed my player predictions:

Surprise: Andy Greene.

There aren't really a whole lot of options, given the generally optimistic tone the board has taken lately, but I think Andy will secure a spot in the top-6 early on in the season and hold on to it. If he's given a solid partner - and while our defensemen aren't exceptional, for the most part they are solid - he'll play up to that standard.

I'd throw in Dainius Zubrus here too, who I think will have a great season (depending on who he plays with). If he's in the top-6 I'd predict 45 points, if he's in the bottom-6 his point totals won't be exceptional but he'll bring solid play every night. What I love about Zubrus is his flexibility - he can play every position and in that way, he's a lot like Brylin.

Disappointment: Jay Pandolfo/John Madden.

Don't get me wrong, their defensive play isn't going to slack off. But those of you expecting them to continue their awesome offensive output from last season are going to be disappointed. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Pandolfo's point totals fell back down to between 17-22 and if Madden's took a similar drop back to his career average.

You nailed the Zubrus top 6 prediction CD - good job. You said 45 pts, he's on pace for 49.

Well, I nailed my prediction of who'd be a disappointment.

Surprise: Holik. I think he'll be a really solid 4th-liner for us as well as a force in front of the net on the powerplay.

Disappointment: Pandolfo. Defensively he'll be the same but he won't put up as much points this season as he did last season before his injury.

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=15325100&postcount=40

I predict:
-Marty comes back better than before
-We win the Stanley Cup
-Zubrus scores the cup-clinching goal

i didnt make any predictions, my only comment in that thread was "how can Zajac disappoint anymore than he already has?"

soo the reason hes playing so well is because of me, obviously

haha I was kind of right about marty not playing so many games, eventhough i didnt predict he would get hurt...maybe i shouldnt have predicted him not to play as many games.

Hopefully i will be right about Patty getting 35+ goals looks good so far

Maybe 51 points was a little high to predict for P-Mart, either way he is still an awesome d-man!

i didnt make any predictions, my only comment in that thread was "how can Zajac disappoint anymore than he already has?"

soo the reason hes playing so well is because of me, obviously

Zajac has already passed his point total from last year. Patty is 1 point away from tying his point total from last year. Awesome.

Pre-season I thought the team would flirt with 250, which providing we stay healthy we should now that Shanahan is here.

I thought Zack and Patty would combine for 75 goals, which is probably a pretty safe bet right now.

Believe I picked Corrente and Holik to impress... kind of half right, and Madden and Rolston to dissapoint... kind of half right.

Going forward I think Zack finishes a distant second to Ovechkin in goals, something like 60 to 49... I think Vanek slows considerably and just reaches 40 and Carter gets in the mid/upper 40s, with someone else catching fire towards the end and pushing Zack around 50, probably Kovalchuk or Heatley.

I think neither Patty or Zack reaches 100 points, but both eclipse 90.

Shanahan scores at least 2/3 of his goals on the powerplay.

Still think there will be a trade, but not for a name bigger than Kaberle.

Zack is on the cover of NHL '10.

We win the Eastern Conference. Win cup with a Kaberle, lose it without.

Pre-season I thought the team would flirt with 250, which providing we stay healthy we should now that Shanahan is here.

I thought Zach and Patty would combine for 75 goals, which is probably a pretty safe bet right now.

Believe I picked Corrente and Holik to impress... kind of half right, and Madden and Rolston to dissapoint... kind of half right.

Going forward I think Zach finishes a distant second to Ovechkin in goals, something like 60 to 49... I think Vanek slows considerably and just reaches 40 and Carter gets in the mid/upper 40s, with someone else catching fire towards the end and pushing Zach around 50, probably Kovalchuk or Heatley.

I think neither Patty or Zach reaches 100 points, but both eclipse 90.

Shanahan scores at least 2/3 of his goals on the powerplay.

Still think there will be a trade, but not for a name bigger than Kaberle.

Zach is on the cover of NHL '10.

We win the Eastern Conference. Win cup with a Kaberle, lose it without.

Yep.

Yep.

I'm glad you're the bully this time! ;)

I think I did pretty well on the Surprise/Disappoint one. I picked Zubrus to surprise and Pandolfo to disappoint.

Reading old threads make me :facepalm:

Well Big#D, does this mean you send me £100?

Zach scored over 30 with Zajac before. If he has that kind of step back in production, I will send you 100 Great British Pounds.

:laugh:

We will trade for Jay Bouwmeester

We will trade for Thomas Kaberle

Anssi Salmela will be called up this year

Clarkson will be dealt

1st round pick in 09 is gone

Tedenby is out of the Devils system

so is Bergfors

Corrente is gone too

Devils win Cup

Brodeur breaks Roy's record and reaches 100 shutouts this year.

Cup winning D looks like this.

Martin-Bouwmeester
Kaberle-Salvador
White-Salmela

i just went from 6 to midnight

We will trade for Jay Bouwmeester

We will trade for Thomas Kaberle

Anssi Salmela will be called up this year

Clarkson will be dealt

1st round pick in 09 is gone

Tedenby is out of the Devils system

so is Bergfors

Corrente is gone too

Devils win Cup

Brodeur breaks Roy's record and reaches 100 shutouts this year.

Cup winning D looks like this.

Martin-Bouwmeester
Kaberle-Salvador
White-Salmela

Did you forget:sarcasm::p:

Well Big#D, does this mean you send me £100?
:laugh:

Fortunately for me, as stupid as my predictions were, at least I wasn't that stupid. It doesn't make me feel any better about my predictions though.

Did you forget:sarcasm::p:

I'm serious about a few of those.

I'm serious about a few of those.

Oh I know, I was saying for the entire thing. No way in hell we get both in my opinion. I'm wondering if we get either.

Oh I know, I was saying for the entire thing. No way in hell we get both in my opinion. I'm wondering if we get either.

Doubt it. I was serious about the Cup and Marty's records.

For some reason i only picked one person to Surprise, but it was Zajac so i guess thats cool.

Also, Zach being on the cover of NHL '10? Pleeeaaaase.

i bet LOLqvist will be on the cover of '10

I did call big seasons from Parise and Elias and was wrong about JBouw and Phaneuf patrolling the backline.

http://91.103.160.40/admin2/public/hry/sportovni/NHL-09-534915.jpg

Doubt it. I was serious about the Cup and Marty's records.

Something we both agree on:nod:

Cup.

http://91.103.160.40/admin2/public/hry/sportovni/NHL-09-534915.jpg

Is that the Czech version? That's awesome.

Is that the Czech version? That's awesome.

I think it is the Photoshop version :laugh: but awesome nonetheless.

I think it's a real version, I remember seeing that somewhere else before. They also give Jiri Dopita a 96 rating in that version.

Ok, I made the last part up.

From what I recall I'm doing pretty well in my preseason predictions. If I call correctly:

1. Boston
2. New Jersey
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. Montreal
6. Pittsburgh
7. Carolina
8. Ottawa :shakehead
9. Buffalo
10. Florida
11. NY Rangers
12. Tampa Bay
13. NY Islanders
14. Toronto
15. Atlanta

I think it is the Photoshop version :laugh: but awesome nonetheless.

No, it's the Czech version. Patty's been on the Czech version like 50 times.

http://91.103.160.40/admin2/public/hry/sportovni/NHL-09-534910.jpg

wow thats sweet

Surprise: Fedorov (yeah, I'm going out on a BIG limb here). I don't know why, but I've got a good feeling about him. He's got the skills, and I think he knows this is his last shot at the NHL so he better put in the effort.

Disappoint: Greene. I think he could be an NHL regular if he played like he did when he was first called up, but we didn't see that play all of last year and I think it will be the same way this year.
I fail. Good thing I'm not a psychic.

Waaaaay off on the Fedorov prediction. Greene it's hard to tell, since he's missed so much time - he was looking very good before the injury but since then I haven't noticed him much (either good or bad).

No, it's the Czech version. Patty's been on the Czech version like 50 times.

http://91.103.160.40/admin2/public/hry/sportovni/NHL-09-534910.jpg
16+?:dunno:

I remember seeing NHL '08 as a 16+ in England as well. It's a conspiracy.

I fail. Good thing I'm not a psychic.

Waaaaay off on the Fedorov prediction. Greene it's hard to tell, since he's missed so much time - he was looking very good before the injury but since then I haven't noticed him much (either good or bad).
I completely forgot about Fedor Fedorov. He would have probably played this year with all of the injuries.