20 Maybe Ridiculous 2021 NHL Predictions!
The NHL season is ready to faceoff, and it’s going to be… something. With realigned divisions, weird schedules, a pandemic, and the lack of fans (and more) to consider, it’s impossible to really know what’s going to happen. But, the season is scheduled to start, so start it will.
And, because it’s something I’ve been doing off and on for years, I’m ready to do my best to make some predictions anyway.
This isn’t a prediction for this season, but it did come to mind when I was working on the list. Naming rights for the divisions (Scotia NHL® North Division, Honda NHL® West Division, Discover NHL® Central Division and MassMutual NHL® East Division) may or may not be here to stay – but more importantly, signal a willingness to find new brand partnership and sponsorship opportunities into the future.
Some of these are vague, league-wide predictions. Some are player or team specific. And at the end, I’ve got my Stanley Cup predictions.
Here’s hoping that the players stay safe and healthy, that the hockey is fun to watch, and that we are able to enjoy it.
Happy hockey, friends.
20 Maybe Ridiculous Predictions for the 2021 NHL Season
1. 🏒 Gritty will do a mask and/or vaccination campaign that will be more meaningful than anything the GOP has done in those areas.
2. 🏒 The league leader in goals and winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy will have 32 goals.
3. 🏒 The league leader in points will have 76 total and win the Art Ross Trophy.
4. 🏒 I think a team will get to 38 or 39 wins, but no team will get to 40.
5. 🏒 At some point, while cheering for the Montreal Canadiens, I’ll forget that I don’t like Corey Perry.
6. 🏒 Joe Thornton will have a slow start or slump and someone in the media (or Leafs Twitter) will compare him to Eric Lindros’ time in the Blue & White.
7. 🏒 The Montreal Canadiens will beat the Ottawa Senators in Kanata, ON on my 39th birthday, February 21.
8. 🏒 Alex Ovechkin will reach (and perhaps pass) the 1,350 career point total. He’s currently at 1,278.
9. 🏒 Auston Matthews will reach (and perhaps pass) the 350 career point total. He’s currently at 285.
10. 🏒 Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid will combine for 143 points on the season for the Edmonton Oilers.
11. 🏒 There will be games postponed throughout the season, and there will be at least one game cancelled as it’s deemed inconsequential to the playoff race.
12. 🏒 A playoff spot will be decided on the last day of the season, May 8, 2021.
13. 🏒 No Zamboni (or any other brand of ice resurfacing machine) driver will win a game as goaltender in the 2021 season.
14. 🏒 Dallas Smith (@dallassmith) is going to have hockey-related Twitter beef with fans and music industry peers caused by his intense love and cheering for the Vancouver Canucks.
15. 🏒 The New York Rangers good/bad luck shines through as Alexis Lafreniere and Igor Shesterkin have great rookie seasons but finish second and third in rookie of the year voting for the Calder Trophy. And Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) or Tim Stuetzle (Ottawa Senators) wins the award.
16. 🏒 The Dallas Stars will experience a mix of post-Stanley Cup final swoon and injuries and COVID-19 hardship and miss the playoffs.
17. 🏒 In their 8 games against each other (Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals), Alex Ovechkin will outscore Sidney Crosby. But Evgeni Malkin will outscore Alex Ovechkin. And they will split the season series.
18. 🏒 The Ottawa Senators will have the worst record in the Scotia North Division – and bottom two in the league.
19. 🏒 The Stanley Cup Final will see the Montreal Canadiens vs the Colorado Avalanche.
20. 🏒 The Montreal Canadiens win a weird, shortened season, should be bubbled Stanley Cup.