{"id":62598,"date":"2018-04-09T11:08:43","date_gmt":"2018-04-09T11:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=62598"},"modified":"2018-04-09T11:08:43","modified_gmt":"2018-04-09T11:08:43","slug":"nhl-point-projections-reflection-golden-knights-fooled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/nhl-point-projections-reflection-golden-knights-fooled.html","title":{"rendered":"NHL point projections reflection: Golden Knights had me fooled"},"content":{"rendered":"

NHL point projections reflection: Golden Knights had me fooled<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Trying to predict the NHL standings before the season begins is a fool\u2019s errand and every year I play the fool.<\/span><\/p>\n

This season I was more foolish than usual in underestimating the strength of a handful of teams, particularly the Vegas Golden Knights.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mostly based on history of expansion teams, I projected the expansion Golden Knights to be the NHL\u2019s worst team and they ended up owning the league\u2019s fifth-best record.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few other misses also fall in the whopper category. I predicted the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers would finish second-to-last and last in the Metropolitan Division, respectively. They both qualified for the playoffs.<\/span><\/p>\n

I believed the Flyers’ talented young defensemen needed another season before they came together, and that the Devils had too many inexperienced players in general.<\/span><\/p>\n

I also misread the Edmonton Oilers, failing to see they were incapable of sustaining their 2016-17 success. I could see the Winnipeg Jets were on their way to being exceptional, but didn\u2019t see it happening this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrong again.<\/span><\/p>\n

I was miles off the mark on my Colorado Avalanche prediction, but honestly who saw their success coming? Maybe Joe Sakic, but I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if he didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

I did have some situations figured out, including identifying the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning as the winners of their division. I was on the money with my forecast that the Anaheim Ducks would finish with 44 wins, and was a point off on my predictions for the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues.<\/span><\/p>\n

I had the Dallas Stars finishing with 95 points, and they finished with 92. I had the Vancouver Canucks projected at 75 points, and they ended with 73. I had the Los Angeles Kings pegged accurately as a rebounding team.<\/span><\/p>\n

I predicted the Detroit Red Wings would rank 26th in the NHL and they landed 27th.<\/span><\/p>\n

My faith in Arizona\u2019s improvement also looked misplaced, although I would argue that the Coyotes\u2019 strong showing over the final two months of the regular season suggests they are a better team than their record indicated.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s this time of year when I remember that it\u2019s probably easier predicting the impact of a tropical storm than forecasting what\u2019s going to happen in an NHL season. But I will forget all of that by next fall when it is time to again embark on another fool\u2019s errand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/columnist\/allen\/2018\/04\/08\/nhl-point-projections-golden-knights-playoffs\/497205002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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