You Be The Teacher. How Would You Grade My Predictions at The Halfway Mark?

Hey everybody, since yesterday was the NHL’s halfway point of the season, I thought I would take a look back at my predictions for the Leafs roster as well as the standings. My roster wasn’t too far off and I think most of us knew what it would like. I had predicted:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander

Marleau-Kadri-Brown

JVR-Bozak-Marner

Martin-Moore-Komorov

Leivo – extra skater

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Carrick

Marincin- Holl – Extra D

So flip flop Brown and Komorov and I had that right. I still think Brown should be with Kadri, but whatever. I was hoping at the beginning of the season that Dermott would make the team, but it took until last night. And boy did he look good last night. As for the GOAT, well he was badly injured last spring so I would have had no idea that he would in right now.

At the time the team hadn’t signed Polak, so I didn’t include him. Based on what I saw in camp I thought for sure Holl would have been on the team. I’m still convinced that the only reason Marincin was in the lineup is because they were using the analytics department a little too much. That and Babcock likes his big stick for some reason.

So all in all, taking into consideration that a lot of spots were predictable, I would give myself a B for my predictions.  How I would like the D to look like now, with the players they have now and no trades would look like this.

https://twitter.com/mydogSnots/status/949817902827524096

As a side not I had predicted points for the THRIVING THREE. So lets compare.

Predicted                                             Pace (if 82 games played)

Matthews             45G 35A for 80PTS                                  47G  35A 78PTS

Nylander              30G 40Afor  70PTS                                 15G  42A  57PTS

Marner                 25G  45Afor  70PTS                                 10G  48A  58PTS

So basically I was pretty close on Matthews, I thought there would be twice as many goals  by Nylander and Marner but almost exactly right for their assists. My thinking at the time was that they would improve upon year one, but it looks more like they are roughly on last year’s pace. They even pass that considering how they’ve been coming on lately.

Now let’s take a look at the standings. Although not sure I want to do this because I know I was really off here.

Predicted                                                                 Actual

Atlantic Division                                                  Atlantic Division

Lightning                                                              Lightning

Leafs                                                                      Bruins

Senators                                                                Leafs

Canadiens                                                             Red Wings

Bruins                                                                    Panthers

Sabres                                                                     Habs

Panthers                                                                 Sens

Red Wings                                                              Sabres

Where did I go wrong? Well, I’ll start with the positives. I did have the Bolts and the Leafs in a playoff spot and I was pretty certain Panthers and Sabres would miss them. I think I gave the Habs and Sens way too much credit, I thought the Sabres would improve (Good Lord they’re terrible!) and didn’t think the Red Wings would win nearly as many games as they have.

Now for the metropolitan division. Holy crap was I ever wrong here. I predicted this division just as bad as the Sabres play hockey!

Predicted                                                                   Actual

Metropolitan Division                                            Metropolitan Division

Penguins                                                                    Capitals

Blue jackets                                                               Devils

Capitals                                                                       Rangers

Rangers                                                                       Blue Jackets

Islanders                                                                     Huricanes

Flyers                                                                           Penguins

Hurricanes                                                                  Flyers

Devils                                                                            Islanders

Alright, well what did I do right? Ummmm, well, not very much. I had the Capitals in a playoff spot, (no shit Sherlock), I wasn’t too far off for the Rangers and the Flyers. I had a good idea that the Blue Jackets would be pretty competitive in the division.

Where did I go wrong? I had zero, and I mean absolutely no fucken idea, that the Devils would do as well as they have. I don’t think many people did though. The Penguins, even though I was way off, don’t really surprise me because they’ve played a ton of hockey in the last couple of years.

I would never have thought the Islanders would be at the bottom of their division. I thought they would hover around a playoff spot. I guess this is another reason why he should think hard about signing with the Leafs this summer. 🙂

So looking back, I would give myself a B for the Leafs roster, a B- for the THRIVING THREE’S point production, a C for the Atlantic Division and D for the Metropolitan Division. So overall a C+ for the exercise. What mark would you give me for my predictions?

 

Have a good one.

CousinEddie#Leafs