jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) (10/12/83)
Here are my predictions for the upcoming NHL season:
ADAMS DIVISION
1. BOSTON--should be better than last year. Park's loss should be offset
by the return of Kasper and O'Reilly, plus the experience gained by the
young players in last year's playoffs and regular season.
2. BUFFALO--looked impressive in last year's playoffs. They should get
better because they've had six 1st-round draft picks the past two
years, but they're still a few years from being a contender.
3. MONTREAL--on the way down. Their stars are too old and they don't
have enough good young players to pick up the slack. They still have
too much talent to be in danger of dropping below 3rd.
4. QUEBEC--Despite their great offence, dumb trades and their lack of defence
will keep them around .500.
5. HARTFORD--Emile Francis has a long way to go to save this team. Fortun-
ately, they have a star (Ron Francis) around whom a team can be built.
PATRICK DIVISION
1. NEW YORK ISLANDERS--The top three in this division should be very close.
The Islanders are the better team, but they seem to believe (correctly)
that the regular season isn't important, so they may not finish first.
2. NEW YORK RANGERS--should be a big improvement. They really impressed me
in last year's playoffs, and the addition of Willie Huber could give
them the best defence in the league.
3. WASHINGTON--They'll probably be a little better. They made their big
improvement last year even though Veitch and Valentine, two young players
who could make big contributions, were injured most of the season.
4. PHILADELPHIA--should be well behind the top three. You can't expect
another good year from their old veterans, and they have almost no young
talent at all, unless they're hiding it well. Their future looks bleak.
5. NEW JERSEY--Only Pittsburgh will keep them out of the basement. Unlike
Pittsburgh, they have a little hope for the future, as they seem to have
a couple of good young players developing and may have more on the way.
6. PITTSBURGH--I have a feeling Lou Angotti would make a good coach, but other
than hiring him, the Penguins seem to be making no effort to improve.
Trading away first-round draft picks for fringe players has allowed them
to take over from Detroit as the league's most hopeless team.
NORRIS DIVISION
1. MINNESOTA--This could be the year for them to go all the way. Their key
players are all in their early and mid 20's, and they keep adding highly
talented youngsters without giving up anybody who's any good.
2. CHICAGO--should decline slightly this year. Denis Savard is very young
and already great, but the supporting cast isn't good enough to keep pace
with Minnesota. They probably played a little over their heads last year.
3. TORONTO--should improve to above .500. They had a good second half and
were excellent in the playoffs last year, sending Minnesota into overtime
three times despite being decimated by injuries.
4. ST. LOUIS--has more talent than their last season's finish indicated, but
they have no depth. Guy Chouinard's acquisition and Joe Mullen's return,
plus stable ownership, should lead to a slight recovery.
5. DETROIT--don't have much going for them. They got rid of a couple of their
old stiffs, but they replaced them with other oldies and other teams'
castoffs. Not much hope yet, but at least they aren't giving away their
draft choices anymore.
SMYTHE DIVISION
1. EDMONTON--should improve slightly because they're all very young.
2. VANCOUVER--has some young players that should be ready to contribute to
a significant improvement this year.
3. LOS ANGELES--was hit pretty badly by injuries last year. If they stay
healthy, they should improve significantly as Bernie Nicholls and Jim
Fox could combine to give them the good second line they've needed for
years. However, goaltending instability could hold them back.
4. CALGARY--A few of the Flames had sub-par seasons last year. Even if those
players return to form, I think they'll be weakened by recent trades.
5. WINNIPEG--has been over-rated their good season in 81-82, but this year
they'll drop back to where they belong. Two players (Dale Hawerchuk
and Dave Babych) do not a team make.
STANLEY CUP
The semi-finalists should be Minnesota, Edmonton, Boston and the Islanders,
and either of them could win it. I'd give approximately equal chances to
Minnesota, Edmonton and the Islanders, with Boston a little behind. Since
I can't leave it at that, I'll predict that the Cup will change hands this
year. (Perhaps complacency will set in, or Potvin won't be as influential
as he used to be now that he's 30.) I'll give the Cup to the North Stars
unless Gretzky can prove himself to be a leader and a true superstar by
leading his team through difficult struggles in the playoffs, something
that he hasn't done yet.
Now that you know what's going to happen this year, you don't have
to watch the games. In case you're wondering whether to put any faith
in my claims, last year I predicted big improvements from Boston, Chicago
and Washington, Winnipeg's return to mediocrity, and the Rangers' victory
over the Flyers in the playoffs.
Jeff Richardson
DCIEM, Toronto