Well now that Summerslam is officially over, it seems like the biggest Wrestling event of the year, Wrestlemania is just around the corner!!! In keeping with my traditions here on the bloggero, I’ll try to predict the card, much like I did about 6 months ago. Some things will stay the same to me, some…not so much.
So without further ado….
Well here we are, a mere 9 months away from the Grandest Wrestling Stage of them all, keeping with my long and noble tradition of predicting the card, I’ll give it another chance…
As usual all matches were put in suggested order
A match that seems destined for the pre-show. I figure that the Harts are going to be holding the tag titles soon enough, and Finlay as the heel ECW Champion sounds great, so why not put those two matches into one? If the faces win then the Colons get the tag titles and Bourne gets the ECW Title. Seems easy and entertaining enough for me.
Just because I couldn’t find room for any of these guys in the MITB and I think it would be an awesome way to give Ziggler some exposure, especially if he defeats the masked wonder.
Great Money in the Bank match, or greatest Money in the Bank match? All eight of these performers would be great in the situation, and I for one would love to see them really excel here. I put both MVP and CM Punk in here because I think it would be a great underwritten story to have Punk claim to be ready to three-peat only for MVP (someone who was in for his first two wins) come out and take it at the last moment.
Easily the best place to put the likes of Show, Kane, and Henry. These are 10 guys who would put on an entertaining Battle Royal. I’m not sure what the stakes would be other than knowing that you are the king of the heavy weights. It would be a great way to get any one of them over the top, or to have Santino do something entertaining for a bit longer.
HBK vs. HB2K10! This has star-making dream match written all over it. I would love to see these two go at it, and I wouldn’t even mind HBK winning, as I am sure that Morrison could look good in a loss to Michaels. I am not sure if a Morrison heel turn would be required, but it probably wouldn’t hurt.
Not sure where else to put the gals, this is probably the best match available. It could work if you end up with both titles on the line here.
The WWE seems set with having Dibiase making it as a singles star, and this seems like a great place to cement his, ahem, legacy. Apparently there are plans for him to turn face during the fall in the build up to The Marine 2, so I am not certain how long they can have this feud simmer instead of having them actually fight. But this would be the right place to have them have their big match. Even if they have a match or two before, it would be good to have them end their feud here.
These two had a one-on-one match back at last year’s Great American Bash, but it received very little build and no follow up. To have these two huge stars not have a huge match is a huge crime. They deserve a big match on the big stage, I think that they could both really deliver.
Well it looks like big Dave is on the shelf once more. Apparently he is not due back until December, so a Royal Rumble victory could be a fantastic comeback for the big guy. Randy Orton seems like a logical opponent given how Batista went down, but that match feels a little tired at this point. The biggest option would be to have him get the big rematch with Cena from last year’s Summerslam. Apparently that was the original plan for Wrestlemania 25, but Dave’s injury ruined that one. This gives them a chance to have the rematch and for Cena to rightly, get his win back.
This really is the last big dream match that the WWE has among it’s current top-level talent. The stars never once aligned for these two to cross paths, so it seems like it would be a huge addition to a huge card. It may seem obvious to have Jericho as the champion going into it, but in recent years we have twice seen a Title vs. Streak match. As such, I think that it would be even more amazing to have Jericho claim to want to take everything away from The Deadman, his title and his legacy to cement himself as the greatest of all time.
That just about does it I think for the big card. Hey, it looks better than last year’s Mania that’s for sure!!!
Tune back to see if it comes true!
Until next time,
G
Greetings one and all to the predictions for the 2nd round of the NHL’s playoffs. This time Jeff, the Coin, and I will be joined by Troy, who has been seamlessly added to the logo…
New to this prediction this round is this blogs frequent prognosticator, Troy.
Troy Says: Well, I must say that after my very long sabbatical it is great to be back in the greatest blog on the internet. I like to thank both of my fans for all their support while I was away. Now lets get to the picks…
With a total score of 4, for getting 3 series right and one at the correct length is this blog’s namesake…
Glen Says: Well, it was a bit of a rough first round for me. While I knew that there would be some upsets, I called the wrong ones, as my gamble picks of St. Louis, Montreal, and Columbus failed to come through for me, while my top ranked predictions of San Jose and New Jersey failed me. That’s right, after the first round I was a dismal 3-5, with only Pittsburgh, Washington, and Chicago coming through for me.
Ahh well, there is always next round, which poses some VERY interesting match-ups, as we have the last two Stanley Cup champions coming toe-to-toe (which hasn’t happened since 1991), two tough teams that ended their regular season contests with an intense brawl, a team of destiny going up against a giant, and of course the first Crosby-Ovechkin playoff meeting. The first round did not disappoint, and the second round looks to be even more intriguing.
Going 4-4, which included a perfect Eastern Conference prediction, and 0-4 in the West is the 1RMB Coin, which had to be silenced for obvious political reasons.
Fairing much better was an actual human, Jeff, who went 5-3 on predictions, and correctly guessed the amount of time it would take both Detroit and Chicago to win, bringing his total points to 7.
Jeff Says: So the first round did not go as planned….seems every year is supposed to be San Jose’s year, and yet again they exit early. Maybe we will all learn our lesson and never pick them to win again….probably not. They did run into Anaheim that is well, a really good team with a terrible regular season record. Lets be honest, Anaheim is a power house, they slept all year and are waking up at just the right time. Poor SJ. Remember when I picked Joe Thornton to be MVP……..As for my Blues, I expected more of a fight from them. Although the series was not a blow out, I wish they could have at least won one game. Young team, they’ll be back. Philly, such a dissapointment. Last year they did wonders for me, this year, not so much. Everything else went as planned however….even if it was tight.
As for round two, there are some interesting match-ups that will have me glued to the tv for sure i think. Lets get started…..
Troy Says: Well well well Detroit….time to face the music. How great would it be to see the 8th place Ducks knock out the defending champs….again? It would be fantastic. And the truly great thing about this is that I actually believe they have a decent shot of doing it. The play of super-rook Bobby Ryan has been great and one of Detroit’s greatest strengths (besides an insanely good offense) is playoff experience and knowing how to win the big games but that strength is shared by Anaheim as well.
Anaheim may be an 8th place team but they definitely don’t play like one.
Prediction: Anaheim in 7.
Glen Says: Well last round I was totally convinced that the Wings would screw up, and I want to pick against them so badly. The Ducks are good, don’t let that #8 in front of them cloud your view, they have a ton of talent, however so do the Wings. The last two times that these teams have met the Ducks have won, and moved onto the finals as a result. Even though it pains me to say so, I see the 2008 Champion defeating the 2007 Champion, in what should be a hell of a series.
Prediction: Detroit in 6
Coin Says: Detroit in 7
Jeff Says: Anaheim is a monster this year just like Dallas was last year. A sleeping giant that nobody really thought much of because of a lackluster series. They have all the tools to win the cup just like they did years ago. I think that they could go very far in these playoffs…..however they are facibng Detroit and will not go any farther….sorry guys……Detroit wins this one……and eventually probably the Cup again…….nuff said….
Prediction: Detroit wins in 5
Troy Says: Well since two of my favourite teams (Montreal and Calgary) both decided that they’d rather play golf than hockey I’ve now fully jumped on the Canucks’ bandwagon. Luongo is one of those goalies that can not only steal a game, but he can outright steal a series. Vancouver had no business sweeping St. Louis in the first round but thanks to Luongo that’s exactly what happened. This is going to be a very tough series though because Chicago’s young talent is incredible and up to this point they don’t seem to be shaken by the pressure that comes along with being under the playoff spotlight.
I think Chicago is the better team here but not by a huge margin so I’m going to take Vancouver on the strength of their captain, Luongo.
Prediction: Vancouver in 6.
Glen Says: How much does the league want Chicago to be in the finals against either Pittsburgh or Washington? I am really torn on how to asses the Hawks performance in the first round, did they play well, or did Calgary just play bad? While it’s impressive that the Hawks came back so many times to win, the Flames were almost out of defensemen by the end of the series. And with all due respect to the Flames goalie, he’s no Roberto Luongo. The real test for the Hawks is how they can perform when they are down in a series, which never happened against the Flames. I just don’t see them being able to rally back after Luongo steals a game, which is bound to happen a few times.
Prediction: Vancouver in 6
Coin Says: Chicago in 7
Jeff Says: This is a tough series to call. Both teams are fast and physical and have great goaltending. They both beat teams rather easily, well, Calgary put up more of a fight, but Vancouver played well and weathered a couple St.Louis storms. Luongo seems to be hot right now so look out. I am really not sure who is going to win this one. I can only expect that each team will win their share of games. I wanna say this will go to 7 however I think one goalie will make sure that does not happen…..and I think that goalie is going to be Luongo.
Prediction: Vancouver wins in 6
Troy Says: Before I talk about this series I would like to say something to Carolina’s last opponent, New Jersey, about what it feels like to lose a game 7 with very little time left in the game …..ahem…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… now you know what the 2003 Ottawa Senators feel like suckers!! New Jersey was actually WINNING with 80 seconds left! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! But I digress…time to talk about Boston vs Carolina. I think this will be a tough series and I’m almost not sure who to go with but since Glen pays me….well….let’s face it…A LOT of money to make predictions I will do just that. I will take Carolina for two reasons…Firstly….Boston sucks and nobody likes them and Two….Cam Ward is 3-0 in game 7s and I think
Prediction: Carolina in 7.
Glen Says: Easily the most difficult series to predict. Boston looked completely dominant against Montreal, while Carolina looked to be as much of a “Team of Destiny” in the first round as imaginable, seriously, who scores a goal with 0.2 seconds left, what is this basketball? Also, down by 1 with 80 seconds to play against the greatest goalie of all time, only to come back and win. That happens? Carolina’s emotional high, coupled with Boston’s lull, should propel the Canes to an early charge, which should give them at least a split in the first two games in Boston. Then, at the end of the day, it’s all up in the air from there. Both teams match up very well, with a strong work ethic, a balanced attack, and phenomenal goaltending. I think that the Bruins are going to be realyl special in no time, but I’m going to give it to the team of destiny on this one.
Prediction: Carolina in 7.
Coin Says: Carolina in 7.
Jeff Says: One of the hottest teams of the second half won game 7 in a minute and a half….what a game that was. Now they face the Bruins who are rested and well prepared. Carolina has a great team, they are playing well, and they are fast. Boston has a solid all round team that can beat you up and make you pay on the score board. I like Carolina, and hope they do well, however, I think Boston will take this series. Their goaltending is top notch and they have the scoring and defence to shut down Staal and Whitney. It could be a good series, and I hope it is, but oston takes this on. (Remember when Paul Maurice was fired as head coach by a certain team not to be named…..shucks…..he must really look back and complain about that)
Prediction: Boston wins in 6
Troy Says: This will be an AMAZING series and you know the NHL is lovin’ this! My gut is telling me that Pittsburgh will pull out to a 3-1 series lead and then blow it but these are definitely not the same teams that met frequently in the early to mid 90s. If you look overall I think you’d have to say Pittsburgh is the better team here. They have a better offense, a deeper defense and stronger goaltending. Simeon Varlomov is still an unknown at this point and although we’ve seen Fleury be shaky at times we’ve also seem him stand on his head and steal games that Pittsburgh had no business winning. In this edition of the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry (the best player rivalry in a long time) I’m taking Crosby. I think last year’s run to the finals will really pay off this year for the Penguins.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in 6.
Glen Says: Here we have the main event of main events. Crosby and Ovechkin are going to do something that Gretzky and Lemieux never did, meet in the playoffs. Needless to say, the entire hockey world is drooling over this one. This is going to be a wide open, end to end series, and at the end of the day, it’s sad that only one of these teams can move on. All that being said, I don’t expect this series to last seven games, because quite frankly, the Penguins are too good here. Sure the Caps won three straight, and rookie sensation Simeon Varlamov has been playing great, allowing only 7 goals in his 6 games, but he never had to face Crosby or Malkin in the last round. The Rangers offense is really quite weak, and I just don’t think that he can match those numbers against the Pens. This should be a very high scoring series, but I think that Fleury has more in him to shut the door, and the Pens should be able to move on here.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in 5
Coin Says: Pittsbugh in 5
Jeff Says: This is going to be a great series to watch. Three maybe 4 or 5 of the bestplayers in the league this year are in this series with Wshington owning 3 of them. I think these two teams match up well. They both have scoring from both the forwards and the defence. Pitt is deeper but Washington didn’t finish as hig in the standings as they did because they suck. Ovie will e fired up in this series as his rivalry with Sid the Kid and Malkin will make him want to one up them. I picked Washington to make it to the finals and I am sticking with that prediction. Hoping the goaltending stands up…..
Prediction: Washington in 6.
Let’s see how this one unfolds…
Until next time,
G
Well it is finally that time…the time to stop talking about Wrestling!!!! I can feel the sigh of relief, and more clicks coming back to this blog already 
It is also one of my most favourite times of the year, the NHL regular season is officially over, and we are waiting for the main event to start, the Stanley Cup playoff. Joining me for this post season break-down is going to be a man that miraculously went 14-1 in predicting last year, which was far, far better than any expert, human, or primate went last season. The man coming off a repeate in performance in dominating the Kodiak hockey pool, finishing 1st for the second strait year (to my piddly 4th), my friend Jeff.
Also, we will be joined by the whims of chance, as a coin tries to upset two supposed experts. However, the quarter I used last year was spent on a Popsicle, or a Red Bull. As such, it will be replaced by a 1 RMB coin, which will double as an estimate as to how much the Chinese know about hockey.
How will we all do? Let’s find out…
Glen Says: Welcome one and all to the big day that we have been looking forward to for 365 (or so) days! The NHL playoffs are underway, and the first round looks like it has potential to be a great one. There are a few series that we have seen in recent years (Boston-Montreal, Jersey-Carolina, and Pittsburgh-Philly), one that has never happened before (Detroit-Columbus) and several others that have no happened in recent memory (i.e. the rest).
While last year was relatively short of upsets, as all the lower seeds had approximately the same (if not more) points than the higher ranked teams that they defeated, this year seems to be different. We have St. Louis and Carolina, who have been the two hottest teams in the past month, Columbus who is riding an emotional high, and pre-season favourites Anaheim, New York, and Montreal, who have the talent for an extended run. I think that all of the six through eight seeds have potential to pull of a shocker. Of course, the chances of all of them pulling of an upset is low, but I think that we may just see some big shocks this year. Who you ask? Well you’ll have to read on a little further for that one…
Jeff Says: So here we are once again, predicting the playoffs. I almost have deja-vue having successfully defended my title as Kodiak Hockey Pool champion, triumphing over Glen again, by only a mere 260 points or so and 178 in front of second….domination!, lol. This time I did not have to capitalize on a Glen blunder, for I put together the most powerful team ever, accept goaltending…lol. If things go right I will have had the Hart Trophy winner (Ovie), Norris Winner (Green) and if I am lucky, Rookie of the year (Ryan). What a year. Now it is onto bigger things, the playoffs. Exciting thing this year is my St. Louis Blues are back in and ready to make some noise, so let’s get started!
Jeff Says: This should be a good series. At least, a series that will get pretty darn high television rankings. Boston comes in with a pretty solid team, and a defence that is stacked. Montreal comes in with questions and plenty of them. What is going to happen in net? Will Kovalev show up? I honestly do not think Montreal has what it takes to beat Boston four times in 7 games. They may steal one or two at home, but ultimately Boston takes this without to much trouble.
Prediction: Boston in 5
Glen Says: Call me crazy, but I don’t believe the Bruins hype. During the middle of the season they were a terrifying beast of a team, but later in the season the struggled, and if Jersey hadn’t have fallen so hard, they probably would not longer be in 1st place. I know that Montreal has been nothing short of a disappointment this season, and yes, I know that I predicted them to win the Cup, but needless to say I have tempered my expectations a bit. That being said, I think that we are in for a shocker here. I think that Price is going to deliver, and that Kovalev has been playing great of late, and has delivered for the Habs in the playoffs in the past. The Habs have beaten the Bruins in three playoff series this decade, two of which had the Bruins highly favoured. I’m going out on a big limb here.
Prediction: Montreal in 7
Coin Says: (EDITOR’S NOTE: My coin comments last year have not aged well, as such they will not be happening this year)
Prediction: Boston in 6
Jeff Says: Washington has weapons. Between Ovie, Semin, Backstrum, and Green they are scary in the offensive zone. Defensively they are iffy. Goaltending is super iffy. To be honest, they are going to have to have the playoffs of their lives to make it all the way. However, I think that they just might do that. They finished 2nd in the east so they can’t be to shabby. New York will do best to stay out of the penalty box. With Avery on the loose that could be a problem, but I think Torts will keep a tight leash on him. It will be interesting to see if they match Avery up against Ovie or Green. I think they will be the two main targets, which will mean it is time for Semin to come up big. New York has the goaltending, but the scoring has not been there at all this season. So unless they are planning on having 2-1 games, they are in trouble.
Prediction: Washington in 5
Glen Says: This is actually a really intriguing match up. One of the worlds best goal scorers, against one of the worlds best goaltenders. Usually in the playoffs, it is smart money to bet on goalies, but I just don’t think that the Rangers have enough up front to get the job done. Jose Theodore always plays well in the first round of the playoffs, but drops off sharply after that. I think that this will be a closer series than most people think, but I’ll go with the favourites here.
Prediction: Washington in 6
Coin Says: Washington in 6
Jeff Says: This is going to be a good series. New Jersey can play well, they have goaltending, proven goaltending, but it has been shaky lately and the scoring has not been there as much (I have Parise and Zajac on my fantasy team…production is down). Carolina has been hot, and I mean red hot the last 2 months. This is a team that can make some noise, and they also have a proven goaltender in Ward. This series will come down to every aspect of the game as I believe these teams to be evenly matched.
Prediction: Carolina in 6.
Glen Says: Jersey was the hottest team in the league for the middle of the season, while Carolina played simply phenomenal down the stretch. This should be an amazing goaltending duo, as both teams match up well from top to bottom. This is actually the third match up of these two teams in the playoffs, interestingly enough every time the winner has been in the Cup Finals. Expect that trend to break here.
In a battle of keepers, I’ll bet on the greatest one to ever lace up.
Prediction: Jersey in 7
Coin Says: Jersey in 6
Jeff Says: This is going to be another interesting one. I seem to say that for a lot of series, but truth is, the way things worked out, a lot of them are going to make for some great hockey. Philly was a team last year I called to make some noise. They are built for the playoffs and Pittsburgh is unlucky to draw their number. Pittsburgh is a great team, defence could be an issue, but goaltending is their, and offence is one of the most dangerous in the league. Trade deadline was also good in making them more playoff ready with Kunitz and Guerin. I wonder how Biron will play, assuming he is drawing the starters job. Philly’s defence does not jump out at me, but their offence sure does. Briere can be a force, and Carter is having the season of his life. With a healthy Gagne this is a team to watched.
Prediction: Philadelphia in 6
Glen Says: I’m not certain if the league wanted two of their best young teams to meet in the first round, or to have it hold off until a later time. Last year, both of these teams played great in their respective playoff runs, and I think that they will play great in this playoff run, it’s just a shame that it will be a short run for one of these teams, as I think that this may just be the real Eastern Conference final, as whoever wins should have a damn good shot of making it out of East. I think that Philly has a great corps, but neither of their goalies have been great this season. The Pens got hungry last year, and will be tough to be beat.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in 6
Coin Says: Pittsburgh in 7
Jeff Says: This is a good way for San Jose to start out. If they are going to win this year they need to beat some top teams. Anaheim has not been this power house they have always been the last few years. An early exit at the hands of Dallas last year should be leaving a bad taste in their mouths ready to be washed out with a solid showing this year. Unfortunately they traded away a number of pieces to their successful puzzle from a few years previous. This will not be easy for San Jose by any means. Anaheim, although not playing well now has the tools to win. I would not be surprised if an upset happens here. If Gigeure gets hot, then San Jose is in trouble.
Prediction: San Jose in 7
Glen Says: Now here is a match that many people (including myself) have been seeing as a potential Western Conference final for years, yet oddly it has never happened. The Ducks were pre-season favourites, so I don’t think that the Sharks will be taking them lightly. I think that San Jose is just too good this year to go down in the first round.
Prediction: San Jose in 6
Coin Says: San Jose in 7
Jeff Says: Poor Columbus, first time in, and they have to face Detroit. Mason, who will win rookie of the year I am sure will need to be lights out, period. Osgood is beatable, but you have to actually get a shot on him first, and when you have top scorers who are also top defensive players that’s hard to do. This should be a rather easy series for Detroit, which may come back to bite them in the second round.
Prediction: Detroit in 4.
Glen Says: Alright, now is the time to show some guts. The Jackets are ridding a huge emotional high, and the Red Wings have played a lot of hockey in the last two years. In 2006, the Ducks made it to the Conference final, then won the Cup. How did they do in Year #3 you ask? Well they played like garbage in the opening round, made it close and then lost to the Stars. Detroit finds themselves in a similar situation, having played a ton of games in the past two seasons. I just see them being burnt out. Ken Hithcock knows hows to win, and everybody on this very young team seems to want to learn.
Prediction: Columbus in 7.
Coin Says: Columbus in 6
Jeff Says: Yes, my Blues are back in the big show. And they have done it by putting together the best 2nd half of the season out of any team. 9-1-1 to finish the season to boot. Goaltending is playing well, finishing with a shutout in their last game to clinch 6th. And they have scoring and speed. They are a dangerous team who is still missing a few top guns! Vancouver has been no slouch themselves the past couple months also putting together a great 2nd half. This series will be very interesting to watch, and I am pissed that most of the games will be late ones if they get to them of course. It is hard for me to pick against my Blues, especially if I think they actually have a shot, so I will not be doing that!
Prediction: St. Louis in 6.
Glen Says: Really, who likes the St. Louis Blues? How can you grow up in Canada and be a fan of that team? Especially when they had that turncoat Brett Hull on them for so long?
All razzing aside, I actually like the look of this team. Last year, I thought that they would break through into the playoffs, but it looks like I was only a year away. They have a ton of young talent, and Mason may end up being the best off-season acquisition of any team, and to think it only cost them a 4th round draft pick. That being said, when you talk about good young forwards and great goaltending, it’s hard not to mention the Canucks. These teams are virtual mirrors of one another, with the Blues having the better forwards, and the Canucks having the better goalie. I think that both teams are hungry, and really want to succeed. That being said, there is something about this St. Louis team that make them hard to bet against for one round.
Prediction: St. Louis in 7
Coin Says: St. Louis in 7 (NOTE: It has the Blues coming back from a 3-0 deficit, can we say ‘72 Islanders?
Jeff Says: Chicago is also in the playoffs for the first time in many years. They remind me of Washington last year…young team that has a lot to bring to the table. They are facing a team that has been hit and miss the last little bit of the season in my opinion. Both teams have the tools to succeed in the playoffs, it is all going to come down to which team shows up. Will Jokinen be the force Calgary hopes he will be? Will Phanuef lead the defence like we know he can? What about Chicago? What will Khavibulin do? How will their young guns play? It is going to be another interesting series. I do believe that Calgary has a great team, but I think Chicago will come in a steal away their 2nd round dreams.
Prediction: Chicago in 6.
Glen Says: Much more so than the Pittsburgh-Philly match up, you hate to see either of these teams loose in the first round. They both have a great nucleus of talent, and are teams that you’d really like to see win the Cup. The Blackhawks remind a lot of people of the Penguins, and with good cause. This has a lot of people pointing to Crosby and Malkin’s first trip to the post season when they really froze when the bright lights were on in 2007. I really don’t see that happening to Toews and Kane, both have proven that they can really up their game when it counts, and I see that happening here. Also, don’t count out Brian Campbell, who has struggled late in the season, but has played very well in the past three playoffs. Calgary has been limping into the palyoffs, and I think that they are cold at the wrong time of the year. This will be a great series, with a disappointing result for anyone hoping to see the Cup return north of the border.
Prediction: Chicago in 7
Coin says: Calbary in 7
Glen Says: I’ve been ballsy already, so let’s go out on a limb even farther. I think that it’s going to come down to San Jose and Pittsburgh. The West seems prime for some upsets, with the Sharks being the pick of the litter to run through everyone else, and the East is full of enough also rans. The Bruins are not experienced enough, the Devils are not deep enough up front, and the Caps are not deep enough in the back. I think that the first round match up between the Pens and Flyers will result in the East Champion, and I called a Penguins win there, so let’s go with it.
Sid and Evgeni beat Joe and Patrick in 7.
Playoff MVP: Sidney Crosby
Jeff Says:First off, my prediction for the Stanley Cup Finals: Fun pick…St.Louis vs. Carolina. This could happen!
Reality: I believe that as of this writing it will be San Jose vs. Washington.
San Jose has turned out a great year, and they have a few players firing on all cylinders. They have top notch goaltending, offence (especially with Marleau having the season he has had), and they have defence (Boyle and Blake…both from my fantasy team) so they are a force to be reckoned with. If Nabokov holds up they can beat Detroit, but it’s only if Nabokov can play up to it. Washington of course has the offence; their big question is in goaltending. They will benefit from a hard fought first round and if Green and Ovie can play as they have, combine that with Backstrum and Semin they have the tools. But Theodore has to step up, and I believe that he will.
San Jose wins in 6.
MVP: Joe Thornton
Coin Says: Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis…aka Jeff’s wet dream
Pittsburgh in 5
MVP: Heads
Glen Says: Stay tuned for round 2 in a few weeks!!!
Until next time,
G
So I can’t seem to stop talking about Wrestling right now, first with Wrestlemania, and now something else rather exciting, the upcoming WWE Draft. While it is earlier this year than in previous years, it still promises to be quite exciting.
I think that the main reason to have the draft now is two fold. For starters, it maintains any post-Wrestlemania interest, and helps keep the viewers returning from one week to the next, and secondly, and more importantly, it just makes more sense financially. Both SciFi and MyNetworkTV are getting rebranded, and losing a fair bit of steam, as such I think that a great deal of talent will makes it way back to RAW, which is on by far the most stable network that the WWE makes use of. They moved a number of big names like Triple H, Jeff Hardy, and Jim Ross to Smackdown last year in order to increase the profile of the show for them to change networks effectively. Now that they have moved, and the network seems to be in trouble, it is a good time to get a lot of the bigger names off of the show. While I see a few names moving shows, I think that it will end up with a pretty big divide, with Raw as the #1 show, Smackdown as the #2, and ECW in a distant #3.
The WWE has already announced that 12 talents will be switching brands on the big show, but fails to mention the details. I think that it will probably end up like the last few years, with interpromotional matches where the winner gets a pick for their brand, I have listed the 12 highest profile talents who I think are most likely to switch sides.
FROM RAW
CM Punk
Punk’s run as a top face on Raw can’t really be seen as a success, despite the number of titles he’s won in the past year. If the WWE unloads the talent to Raw like has been reported, I think that Punk would get lost in the shuffle, so a move to Smackdown could go a long way to keeping the brand afloat, and help Mr. Straight Edge
out a great deal.
Kofi Kingston
Punk’s former partner should join him in a switch to the Blue Brand. It would be nice to get them together as a team, only for Punk to turn on Kingston, leading to a great summer feud between the two.
Jerry Lawler
While a lot of people seem to think that they will reunite Lawler and Ross, I just don’t see that being in the card. I think that Lawler-Grisham has much more potential in the long term, and could be the direction that they are headed.
Rey Mysterio
Mysterio really is an awkward fit on Raw, as he doesn’t match up well with his opponents there, and for whatever reason just fits better on Smackdown to me. The Intercontinental Title may be a bit of a problem, but they could easily have Rey defend it on SD for a while before someone on Raw comes to “reclaim it”, or it could be balanced out with a later move.
Chris Jericho
I’d love to see Jericho go and help Save_SD from the surefire exodus of main eventers that is going to happen over there. I think that Jericho would be a good choice to run with the brand, like Edge has done for the past few years.
From ECW
John Morrison
This one has practically been telegraphed. He is getting way too big for ECW, and while I enjoy him appearing on all three shows, he needs to make the next step to being a star, and I think that a move to a different show would be a big step, I see him going to Raw to get all the exposure.
Christian
Another easy choice to move, as he was really only put on ECW to work as a different top face after Hardy left. I’d like to see him move to SD, as he would be a great wild card in the ongoing Hardy Boyz feud.
From Smackdown
Umaga
He has spent most of his time on SD injured in some capacity, so he could really use a fresh start of sort. Some time on ECW as the Monster Heel Champion could be well suited for everyone, similar to Mark Henry.
The Undertaker
Here is one of those ones where I think it is what they will do, and not necessarily what they *should* do. I, for one, like The Deadman on Smackdown, for some reason it has always suited him. But I think that it may be time to shake things up, and have perhaps the one wrestler who has never really been drafted to switch sides, so it certainly would open up a series of fresh opponents for the Deadman.
Jim Ross
This is complimentary to the Lawler swap. Apparently, Ross was moved to SD to help beef the show up for the move to MyNetworkTV, but that has sort of fallen flat, so JR should switch back. A pairing with Cole, could increase Captain Vintage’s learning curve.
Edge
A move that has been simply telegraphed by Vickie becoming the full-time Raw GM. It just makes a heck of a lot of sense to have Edge go with her, as there is still more to be gained in the interaction between those two. I’m not entirely sure how this fits with their World Title plans, but I somehow see The Big Show holding the title on Smackdown after taking it from either Edge or Cena.
Triple H
He’s in a feud with Raw’s hottest star, and shows up on Raw more than Smackdown anyway. His drafting would just be a formality here.
So to summarize:
Raw gains: John Morrison, Jim Ross, The Undertaker, Edge, Triple H
ECW gains: Umaga
Smackdown gains: CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Jerry Lawler, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Christian
In addition, there is also a Supplemental Draft taking place on Wednesday, at this time I am uncertain as to who will move one way or another, but I think that the biggest names should end up being R-Truth, Mark Henry, William Regal, Michelle McCool, and Kelly Kelly.
Tune back next week to find out!
Until next time,
G
Well, since Wrestlemania XXV has come and gone and it’s time to look forward to Wrestlemania to next years event, much like I did just over a year ago. In retrospect, I was able to correctly predict the Hard vs. Hardy match, which belts Matt Hardy and Shelton Benjamin would hold at some point over the year, and I got 3 out of 8 MITB participants accurate.
While I mostly enjoyed this years event, I do feel that the WWE has been relying on the same old, same old for a while now. Wrestlemania 21 had star-making moments for John Cena, Batista, Randy Orton, and Edge, but other than their weak effort to elevate Rey Mysterio, and Bobby Lashley’s flake out, there haven’t been any others to really break through to the top. Since that event, all of the top matches have involved those four men plus the old guard of Triple H, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and to a lesser extent, the Big Show. While this has worked relatively well, they need to realize that they have the talent that is ready, willing, and certainly able to break to the top. Wrestlers like John Morrison, Mr. Kennedy, Shelton Benjamin, MVP, CM Punk, Evan Bourne, and Jack Swagger all have the necessary tools to get to the top, but they need the stage to do it, and I, for one, think that Wrestlemania XXVI may be the perfect time to make that a reality.
And it could just go something like this…..
I see Truth going to ECW in the near future (more on that to follow), and this seems like it would be a good feud. To be honest, I wouldn’t be the slightest bit shocked if this didn’t get on the card, given the treatment of the ECW Title by management.
A few old faces to the match, a few new ones. If the WWE decided to go with this crop, they could possibly top their greatest MITB match ever, as Shelton, Christian, MVP, and Hardy always deliver in these types of matches, while Kingston did great this year, also The Miz, and especially Bourne would be ideal for this one. Lastly, Swagger would be a great power guy to throw the little ones around, and pull out some cool stuff of his own. As for the winner, I would probably go with Swagger, since he seems most likely to be a big-time future main eventer, no matter how much I’d love to see my boy MVP get the win.
I had a similar match suggested for this year, and I think that it could be a fun special attraction match. If they wanted to add people like Finlay, Henry, Khali, or even Santino Marella (as a hilarious joke) that could work too.
A battle of second generation teams! I think that DH Smith is going to be the next member of Legacy, and I would love to see them feud with another group of second generation wrestlers. This match could be fun if some titles were added (a secondary and the tag titles) to be defended in a winner take all match, but it could be fine as it is.
I actually have high hopes for the Women’s Division over the next year as there is a fair amount of talent there! This is a match up of who I believe to be the two most talented performers in what could be the closest that the women could have to an “Inter-promotional Dream Match”. I think that the dynamics would work better if Phoenix was champion, but if they wanted to do a Champion vs. Champion (non-title) match that could work too.
The first of many matches that I have slated to help groom the next generation. These two are in a ready made feud, as it would be nice to see HB2k9 challenge the original, sure it would be a bit of a redux of the first Jericho feud, but it would still be amazing. Morrison really has a lot of early HBK mannerisms, and I think that these two could give a match for the ages, that could really help cement Morrison as a big star.
Yet another star-making match. These two do have a very long feud running between the two of them, which started after Kennedy won the Money in the Bank match at Wrestlemania 23. I think that they are going to be split across the brands after the upcoming draft, but a special inter-promotional match could be good. I think that the promos on this one would be amazing, and it could finally set up Kennedy as a big star, which the WWE has tried to do a few different times.
Taker needs more big names for the big event, and (to my knowledge) these two have never gone one-on-one. The build could be a simple “I want to send The Streak” type angle, or it could be simmering for longer, and be more personal. Either way, it needs to happen, and it would be great to have at the big stage.
Sure Batista returned as H’s buddy, but I don’t see that lasting for too long. I think that H-Batista-Orton is going to be a fun triple threat type feud in the coming months, as they exchange partners, and switch off. Hopefully in any one-on-one encounters, Batista always defeats Triple H (remember, he is 3-0 against his former mentor). I would love to see a dejected Triple H challenge Batista to a match at the grandest stage of them all, on the five year anniversary of their first match, and to up the ante make their other Evolution mate work as the referee, since that would be all sorts of awesome.
I think that Punk (and the briefcase) are going to go over to Smackdown at some point soon. I really, really hope that Punk turns heel at some point this year, as it would liven up his character and help him be a solid main-eventer. A feud between a “holier than thou” straight edge wrestler and someone with a past like Hardy’s would practically write itself. While this may not seem like a “Wrestlemania Main Event”, a world of wonder can be done in a year, and also I think that there are enough big matches that the world title match does not have to be one of the top matches. These two could really go a long way to making each other stars, an extended feud between these two that could be blown off with a ladder match stipulation would be all kinds of awesome.
Two men with a long history settling their score on the big show. It should have happened last year, and possibly this year. These two have a really good chemistry with one another, and I would love to see them work their magic, especially if you add a stipulation and let them get violent. These two are going to be the companies biggest names for the next several years, so let them have the stage now.
So there we have an event that gives several of these wrestlers a moment to shine with the big guys, while still giving us some solid encounters between the old guard.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if it happens.
Until next time,
G
I know that I just made one of these predictions a few weeks ago, but this past Sunday night completely changed everything, and I fully expect the card to be booked in the next 3 or 4 weeks, so I may as well make one more stab at it now.
(Note: This actually bothers me, since it is the 24th anniversary of the show, the 25th anniversary will be Wrestlemania 26…do the math)
Titles vs. Titles: The Miz and John Morrison (c) vs. The Colon Brothers (c)
As much as I would love to put all four of these men in the Money in the Bank Match (since I have repeatedly said that Morrison should be this years winner), but I think that I can see the writing on the wall for who will actually take this one. Also, Miz and Morrison have been feuding with the Colon brothers for the past few weeks, centered around the Bella twins. All of the matches that these teams have had have been incredibly entertaining, and it would be a great way to open up such a big show to have two of the best stars of the future carry off four belts between them.
Money in the Bank 5: MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. Umaga vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Evan Bourne vs. Kane vs. JBL
So here we have the list of other participants who I could not think to put anywhere else. As usual, I have placed them in order of who I think should win, thus meaning that MVP would be the obvious winner. It would be a perfect pay-off (pun intended) to the long lasting loser gimmick. I think that this could be a perfect place for Evan Bourne to really shine and make a name for himself, much like Shelton Benjamin did at Wrestlemania 21. Also Umaga would be an interesting addition to this match, as he can work a good, dominant big-man style match, but he can also really fly, and would create an interesting dynamic, especially when he goes toe-to-toe with Kane at some point in the match.
Battle of the Brands: Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston vs. The Big Show and Vladmir Kozlov
The seeds to this match were planted at No Way Out, when Edge took out Kofi to earn his spot in the Chamber, thus maddening Rey Mysterio. The two high-flyers could go for revenge against Edge and Vickie, only to have the Smackdown GM send Big Show and Kozlov after them in an obvious size mis-match. However, I think that The Big Show is heading for an obvious face turn, and to have him lose (after miscommunication I assume) despite being the heavy (pun once more intended) favourite would be a nice set-up for a post-Mania storyline.
Brother vs. Brother: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy
This match is all but official, and I, for one can’t wait! Matt and Jeff have yet to have any direct, face-to-face confrontation since The Rumble, and if the WWE is smart they will not let either of them touch each other until the big match. This should be the first chapter in a long, bitter feud. I would love to see Matt win by nefarious means (or maybe a fluke pin like Owen got 15 years ago), only for Jeff to win in the end after several months of feuding.
ECW Title Match: Jack Swagger (c) vs. Christian
Another match that is all but booked. Christian shocked a lot of people by turning up on ECW last week, and really it is the perfect place for him. He can fit in nicely as the top face for a short term, and gives Swagger a ready-made Wrestlemania opponent. I considered putting Finlay in here for a triple-threat match, but I think that there is more money in a singles competition. Since the WWE announced the Draft will take palce a mere 8 days after Wrestlemania, it seems like Captain Charisma is headed for Smackdown, so he should lay down here for Swagger first in a one-on-one match. Either way, this should be an entertaining contest than last year’s ECW Title Match, and will hopefully be given at least 60 times the amount of time (making it a whopping 9:00 long).
Who is Mr. Wrestlemania?: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
A this match which is close to being official. The promo work between JBL and HBK was great, and it gives a good bit of motivation for this feud, and starts it off well. Everyone has wanted to see this match since their amazing performance at the end of the 2007 Royal Rumble, and I fully expect this match to tear the house down, as The Undertaker improves to 17-0.
WWE Diva’s Title: Michelle McCool (c) vs. Trish Stratus
This match has been rumoured at since Stratus made a surprise appearance on RAW back in December. Apparently, she is open to the idea of returning for a match at Wrestlemania, and McCool seems like an obvious opponent. The WWE seems serious of building their Diva’s division, and McCool should be the centrepiece of that, which this match would go a long way to establishing.
World Title Match: Edge (c) vs. John Cena
This match was essentially booked during the opening segment of the most recent RAW. While these men have certainly fought before, including their legendary feud in the summer of 2006, this still feels fresh. There is a lot of history and chemistry here, and I would love to see them put on a classic.
One Last Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho
Something has to come out of Jericho’s insulting of legends, and since Flair is not coming back, this seems like the next most obvious match. I would love to see Austin step back in the ring for a proper send-off, and Jericho is a prime-opponent here.
WWE Title Match: Triple H (c) vs. Randy Orton
Here we have it, the main event. The match that the WWE has tried to book for at least two separate Wrestlemanias, but it has always fallen through for one reason or another. While their feud last spring hardly set the world on fire, this one is different. Orton has hospitalized Vince, Shane, and Stephanie, and so this really is the next logical step. To be honest, I’m surprised that I (or anybody else who writes about this pseudo-sport on-line) did not see this one coming when Orton punted Vince before the Rumble. This should be a great match, and I really think that Orton should walk out with the WWE Title, restarting The Age of Orton. He is incredibly hot right now, and deserves everything that he has been getting.
So there you have it, my last crack at predicting the biggest show of the year. My sincerest apologies to Finlay, Mike Knox, Ted Dibiase Jr., Cody Rhodes, Santino Marella, and anyone else I may have left off of the card who deserves a place. I figure there will be the usual pre-show Battle Royal with one of them winning somehow or another.
Keep turning back here, while I chronicle the card as it becomes clearer and clearer!
Until next time,
G
Back in October, I started looking at the team that our Great Nation will field at home to defend our honour. A number of players that I did not have on my team who have been having phenomenal seasons, and a few that I had on my list who need to get dropped as a result. Since the 2010 games are less than 365 days from now, this is a good time to revise the list and see some changes.
Goaltenders
2006 Roster: Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, Marty Turco
Glen’s October Prediction: Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, Carey Price
Despite having missed most of the season, Brodeur is still a virtual lock for the goaltending trio. Roberto Luongo started out incredibly hot, but got injured, and has slowed down a bit since returning, but is another one of those players who should stay as one of the top two tenders.
I still have the utmost confidence in Martin Brodeur serving as the starter, he won the 2002 Gold Medal, and remains one of the greatest high pressure goalies of all time.
Price has struggled a bit of late, but I still have faith in him. This is mostly because other contenders like Gigure and Ward have struggled as well. I think that Price should have a spot still on this team, but he could be threatend by Blue Jackets sensation, Steve Mason, who should run away with the Calder Trophy, mono or not. If he has as successful of a sophmore season as his rookie campaign, expect him to get some serious consideration for the third spot.
Glen’s Current Prediction: Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, Carey Price
Defensemen
2006 Roster: Rob Blake, Jay Bouwmeester, Adam Foote, Bryan McCabe, Chris Pronger, Wade Redden, Robyn Regehr Reserves: Dan Boyle, Injured: Scott Niedermayer, Ed Jovanovski
Glen’s October Prediction:
Phaneuf – Weber
Pronger – Burns
Niedermayer – Bouwmeester
Green
Reserve: Campbell
Like my goaltending predictions, I remain pretty confident with the selections. Shea Weber had an excellent start to the season, and while he has slowed a bit, he has solidified himself as one of the top defensemen in the league. Mike Green has far exceeded expectation, and is currently scoring over a point a game, which is simply breathtaking for a defenseman. As a result, he deserves a higher spot on the roster than 7th defenseman.
Dan Boyle has been having a very good season, playing for a very good team, and as a result he no doubt deserves a spot on the roster, which would probably bump Brent Burns down to the reserves (which is fine, since he could also sub in as a defensive forward should one of them get injured) and leaves Brian Campbell, sadly, off the team. However, the Blackhawks d-man would be the first choice should Scott Neidermayer elect to retire.
Glen’s Current Prediction:
Phaneuf – Weber
Pronger – Green
S. Niedermayer – Bouwmester
Boyle
Reserves: Burns
Forwards:
2006 Roster: Todd Bertuzzi, Shane Doan, Kris Draper, Simon Gagne, Dany Heatley, Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Brad Richards, Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Martin St. Louis, Joe Thornton Reserves: Jason Spezza, Eric Staal
Glen’s October Prediction:
Lecavalier – Crosby – Iginla
Nash – Getzlaf – Healtey
Towes – Thornton – Spezza
Morrow – M. Richards – Perry
E. Staal
Reserves: Stamkos, Horton
This is easily the most difficult roster spot to fill. There is simply a glut of talent here, which makes Steve Yzerman’s selection incredibly difficult. This is also the spot that I see the most amount of change coming.
The first most obvious addition is Jeff Carter. After struggling last season, he has been one of the biggest break-out stars of the season, and is currently second to Alexander Ovechkin in goals scored, so not only is he a no-brainer to add to the team, I have him penciled to play with Sydney Crosby on the top line, as those two would be certain to generate some magic on the ice. Also, there is one of the most underrated players in the league, Marc Savard, who is finally getting recognized as the superstar that he is. He is comfortably in the top ten in scoring, where he should stay for the rest of the year. His one problem though, is that he is a natural playmaker, and in reality each line only needs one star playmaker, so I have him low on the order as he will probably lose out on playing time to the likes Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf and Joe Thornton. Lastly, Patrick Marleau has really emerged from the doghouse and has played like the world class two-way player that we know that he is. I think that he would be an excellent addition to the checking line.
Jason Spezza is the most obvious player to eliminate. While he hasn’t been as bad as he has been made out to be, he still has not played at nearly high enough of a level to make a team this elite, same for Eric Staal. Steven Stamkos does not seem to be adequetly prepared for the NHL, so 2010 may be a little too soon, and I would be surprised if Tavares is ready, even for a shadow squad. Nathan Horton has been decent, but hardly superstar worthy, so scratch him as well. Also, even though Toews has had a sub-par year, I think that he is made for high pressure moments, like this tournament, so he stays on, at least for the time being.
So the forwards should look like this:
Carter – Crosby – Iginla
Nash – Getzlaf – Heatley
LeCavalier – Thoronton – Toews
Morrow – M. Richards – Marleau
Savard
Reserves: Perry, Doan
Coaches:
In all honesty, a lot about this really depends on who wins the Stanley Cup. If Detroit wins again, then Babcock is a lock, if Montreal fulfills the magic it should be Carbonneau, and if Boston completes the Cinderella story, expect Claude Julien, and if the Sharks finally get it done, it will be McLellan. However, there are still a few big names in the mix, namely Ken Hitchcock, Brent Sutter, and Wayne Gretzky. My last prediction was Carbonneau with Hitchcock and Sutter as his assistants, and while I still think that is a good team, I may be leaning slightly differently now. I think that Babcock can not really be ignored, and he should be reunited with McLellan (former Red Wings assistant coach) to handle the offense, and Julien to deal with the defense.
Keep tuning back, I will probably have another few of these posts in the coming months, and also, I will try and predict any potential obstacles.
Until next time,
G
Archieved Posts:
Journey to Gold – Edition I
Obstacles to Gold – Edition I (United States and Russia)
Yes, I know, that the NHL is roughly 50 games into the season, making this more of a 60% prediction, but hey, I live on the other side of the international date line, so give me a bit of a break.
Alrightie, so the NHL has been pretty freakin’ unpredictable this year, and looking back at my early calls, I seem to be way off. For starters, it looks like Ottawa will not make the playoffs, Boston will not miss them, Pittsburgh is not running away with the East, and well…actually I did ok as far as the Western Conference is concerned, which is really quite surprising (other than the stupid Ducks, who I always seem to overrate).
So, let me start in the Western Conference for a change. At the beginning of the season, I said that things would shake up as follows:
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Calgary Flames
4. Dallas Stars
5. San Jose Sharks
6. Chicago Blackhawks
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Edmonton Oilers
9. Colorado Avalanche
10. Phoenix Coyotes
11. Columbus Blue Jackets
12. Los Angeles Kings
13. Vancouver Canucks
14. Nashville Predators
15. St. Louis Blues
And then, 30 odd games ago, I said it would be as follows:
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Calgary Flames
4. Anaheim Ducks
5. Chicago Blackhawks
6. Vancouver Canucks
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Edmonton Oilers
9. Columbus Bluejackets
10. Nashville Predators
11. Colorado Avalanche
12. Dallas Stars
13. Phoenix Coyotes
14. Los Angeles Kings
15. St. Louis Blues
And well, I think that things have changed a bit. Dallas got off to a horrible start, but has turned around enough to be in contention, San Jose has not slowed down one little bit, as opposed to Nashville who is around where I originally said that they would be. Vancouver has somehow managed to struggle, despite early season success (and the addition of Sundin). So, it looks like the first five spots are pretty locked up (SJ, Det, Cal, Chi, and Ana), but then the last three spots may be a bit of a crap shoot. I like Columbus, backed by Nash and Calder favourite Mason, Dallas, because well, they have the talent of a Cup contender, and Edmonton, because at the end of the day, I like them more than Minnesota. Is faith such a crime?
So I think that the West will look like this:
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Calgary Flames
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Dallas Stars
7. Edmonton Oilers
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
9. Minnesota Wild
10. Phoenix Coyotes
11. Vancouver Canucks
12. Colorado Avalanche
13. Los Angeles Kings
14. Nashville Predators
15. St. Louis Blues
As far as the playoffs go, I think that three of the top four will move on, but Dallas may just prove to be too much for Calgary. Sorry Flames fans, you know that I’m pulling for you. But this sets up San Jose ousting Dallas, in revenge of last years second round, and Chicago beating Detroit in an Original Six upset. San Jose, should be better than Chicago, to give them their first finals appearance ever.
In the east, which has been oddly less predictable this year, at the start of the year I said:
1. Montreal Canadiens
2. Washington Capitals
3. Philadelphia Flyers
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. New York Rangers
6. New Jersey Devils
7. Carolina Hurricanes
8. Ottawa Senators
9. Boston Bruins
10. Florida Panthers
11. Buffalo Sabres
12. Tampa Bay Lightning
13. Atlanta Thrashers
14. Toronto Maple Leafs
15. New York Islanders
and then quarter-season, I said…
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Montreal Canadiens
3. Washington Capitals
4. New York Rangers
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Boston Bruins
7. Carolina Hurricanes
8. Buffalo Sabers
9. New Jersey Devils
10. Ottawa Senators
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
12. Toronto Maple Leafs
13. Florida Panthers
14. New York Islanders
15. Atlanta Thrashers
Feel free to check the standings and outright laugh at my predictions for New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Boston.
The Bruins are playing like they are for real, and should for the rest of the season, New Jersey is defying the odds and have reached the top of the Atlantic, despite a loss of their franchise player, and Pittsburgh, really, what the hell is wrong with them right now?
I see the Bruins taking the top spot, followed by the Capitals. New Jersey has a big lead over Philly and New York at the moment, but I still like the Flyers to take the division. With Montreal also being comfortably in the Top 6 of the conference. The Penguins should find a way into the bottom section of the top-8, because I really just can’t see Crosby not making it. Thus leaving Buffalo, Carolina, and Florida fighting it out for the top spot, which I see going to Buffalo at the end of the day. The Canes have been playing well, but not quite enough to overcome Buffalo’s surplus of talent. At the bottom, the Leafs, Sens, Islanders, Thrashers, and Lightning should be competing the Tavares derby, with the Isles gaining the best odds of getting the phenom.
So I think that it will all look like this:
1. Boston Bruins
2. Washington Capitals
3. Philadelphia Flyers
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. New Jersey Devils
6. New York Rangers
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Carolina Hurricanes
10. Florida Panthers
11. Tampa Bay Lighting
12. Toronto Maple Leafs
13. Ottawa Senators
14. Atlanta Thrashers
15. New York Islanders
That’s right, I think that we will see the first of many Crosby-Overchkin playoff series. As much as I would love to see the Pens move on, I think that this is the year that the Caps get past the first round. They should be joined by the Bruins, Habs and Flyers, that’s right, typical Eastern Conference boredom, no real upsets. Moving to the second round though, I see the Caps moving past the Flyers, and the Canadiens upsetting the Bruins, as usual. The Habs miracle run continues in the third round as they beat the Caps on account of superior goaltending, if nothing.
I will stick with my prediction of the Habs shocking the world and winning the Cup in their centennial year, they should beat the heavily favoured Sharks and take the title, because really, it makes a better story this way.
Well that just about does it for this prediction. I should make another several before the season is done. Keep checking back to see how it goes….
Until next time,
G
That Other Blog of Mine