2025-26 Prediction Thread

[Chef Boi RD]

I think Utah and Anaheim will make a leap this year. Western Conference prediction

Tier 1
Edmonton
Dallas
Las Vegas
Colorado
Winnipeg

Tier 2
Los Angeles
Minnesota
Utah

Wildcard battlers

Anaheim
Vancouver
Nashville
Calgary
St Louis
Seattle

McKenna racers

Chicago
San Jose

The wildcard race will be a battle between 5-6 teams

[donlever]

I am on par with this pretty much Dude.

There are a lot of IFS with respect to the Canucks (I suppose true of many (all?) teams but it seems more prevalent with respect to us.....but....we are so solid back end, Hughes I think will take another step forward...Foote I think is the right coach...so...IF Demko...IF EP40...IF Special Teams...IF Lekkerimaki...IF Kane....I can see us in the post season.

I do not see the 2nd 3rd round success others predict however.

[UWSaint]

I am on par with this pretty much Dude.

There are a lot of IFS with respect to the Canucks (I suppose true of many (all?) teams but it seems more prevalent with respect to us.....but....we are so solid back end, Hughes I think will take another step forward...Foote I think is the right coach...so...IF Demko...IF EP40...IF Special Teams...IF Lekkerimaki...IF Kane....I can see us in the post season.

I do not see the 2nd 3rd round success others predict however.

I am also mostly on par with dude's list, but I am probably not as generous with tiering and would have Colorado in Tier 2, Utah in the wild car mess, and maybe create a "what are we doing here" category for Calgary and Seattle, teams I don't think have a strong shot of being wild card competitive and yet aren't bad enough to put themselves in a prime position for McKenna. I know Calgary's point total last year, but I just don't see it repeating.

A couple other observations.

(1) Tier 2 teams and every other wild card battler has lots of ifs to fulfill. Tier 2 ifs are fewer or more likely to be fulfilled. But the point is, the Canucks need a number of things to go right to make the playoffs; so to does every other team in this bucket. One or two teams will have if lists fulilled.

(2) IMO, outside of Dallas, I don't think a single Tier 1 team improved from last year (and Dallas' improvement comes from Ranatanen, a healthy Heiskanen, and while its an old team, two big time pieces of the roster are young and we can expect continued improvement from experience (Johnston and Harley)). Vegas, IMO, the class of the Pacific, held serve, effectively exchanging AP, Hague, and Roy for Marner. I don't know they improved because the D Depth is worse (still impressive top 4) and the bump on offense may be less impactful than it would otherwise be because there are fewer opportunities to go around. Point is, I think there may be a few more points taken off those top teams this season, and the tier 2 and wild card teams that can play well against better teams (as opposed to those that slop up points from their peers and inferior opponents) stand the most to gain.

[donlever]

I like Dallas a lot UW.

What I really like is I think Oettinger will be motivated with something to prove after last year's post season debacle to prove he was right and coach was wrong.

I also think Nill will be aggro as he knows his window is wide open.

[Chef Boi RD]

I might have made a boo boo with my Nashville prediction. I think they are in the McKenna race. I agree that we will start to see a doitht dip in Colorado’s game, they’ve had a good run.

I just can’t get past the Canucks forward group. The more I look at it, the more concerned I get. 5 on 5 is a real concern.

[Meds]

I might have made a boo boo with my Nashville prediction. I think they are in the McKenna race. I agree that we will start to see a doitht dip in Colorado’s game, they’ve had a good run.

I just can’t get past the Canucks forward group. The more I look at it, the more concerned I get. 5 on 5 is a real concern.

The glass 9/10ths empty part of me responds to this with: Hughes saying he wants out could be the best thing to ever happen to this franchise if the guys at the helm don't fuck it up.

[Chef Boi RD]

I might have made a boo boo with my Nashville prediction. I think they are in the McKenna race. I agree that we will start to see a doitht dip in Colorado’s game, they’ve had a good run.

I just can’t get past the Canucks forward group. The more I look at it, the more concerned I get. 5 on 5 is a real concern.

The glass 9/10ths empty part of me responds to this with: Hughes saying he wants out could be the best thing to ever happen to this franchise if the guys at the helm don't fuck it up.

Can’t say I disagree with this. They’ve kind of already got a decent “new wave” re-build going, in the throes of one, what I like to refer to as - the stealth rebuild - Lekkerimaki, Willander, Cootes and D-Pete is a nice looking start to it.

[Meds]

Tier 1A
Dallas - Motivated group. For reasons stated by others, as well as an aging collection with few attempts left in their careers.
Winnipeg - Loss of Elhers may impact, but they are solid and have solid regular season goaltending.

Tier 1B (Because they definitely aren't Tier 2)
Vegas - Marner will need to adjust to the west and Pietrangelo leaves big skates to fill. Goaltending is steady but not going to steal much.
Colorado - Few changes. Necas should be motivated to bump his value. Goaltending doesn't have a bankable resume.
Edmonton - Didn't address weaknesses, didn't upgrade departures. Have played a ton of hockey over 2 seasons.

Tier 2
Minnesota - I expect them to be chasing down the 3 teams above.

Wildcard Battle
LA - Kopitar's swan song. Does the upcoming young blood have what it takes to offset the aging leaders?
St. Louis - You just can't count them out.
Utah - Their final 3 months of last season were very impressive, and their young players should be taking a step.
Vancouver - A very solid blueline and a healthy Demko, should be tough to score on. The hole at 2C is going to be painful even if EP40 rebounds.


Wildcard Surprise
Nashville - Last year they massively underachieved. Not sure they have the team they thought they did, but either way, they aren't dead yet.
Anaheim - A step forward should be coming, but I don't see them as a sure bet to push for a W/C spot.

Tier 3
Seattle - A team going in neither direction.
San Jose - Ascending out of the sweepstakes grouping.

McKenna Sweepstakes
Chicago - Bedard needs a ton of help, they haven't gotten it yet.
Calgary - The only thing that might keep them out of the basement is Dustin Wolf.

[donlever]

Well put together Mëds, nice post.

On Vegas.

Eichel Barbashev Marner has the makings of one helluva line.

And with Mitchy out of the pressure cooker and into a (currently) pretty laid back market he could light shit up.

Eichel
Karlsson
Hertl
Sissons

....tough up the gut 4some for most in the West to match up with.

Speaking of Jack......I wonder how he and his agent are processing the McDavid news.

[Ronning's Ghost]

I might have made a boo boo with my Nashville prediction. I think they are in the McKenna race. I agree that we will start to see a doitht dip in Colorado’s game, they’ve had a good run.

I just can’t get past the Canucks forward group. The more I look at it, the more concerned I get. 5 on 5 is a real concern.

The glass 9/10ths empty part of me responds to this with: Hughes saying he wants out could be the best thing to ever happen to this franchise if the guys at the helm don't fuck it up.

Can’t say I disagree with this. They’ve kind of already got a decent “new wave” re-build going, in the throes of one, what I like to refer to as - the stealth rebuild - Lekkerimaki, Willander, Cootes and D-Pete is a nice looking start to it.

I think it's a little past "not fuck it up"; they would have to execute very skillfully.

I agree that getting exactly the right return for Hughes (he forced our hand !), then using that to sell ownership on a (very fast ! we promise !) re-build, and then getting exactly the right return for EP as well (we need to go all-in on executing this !) would be the Canucks best chance to win a Cup before 2032.

But there would be as many ifs in the implementation of such a plan as in the Canucks upcoming season.

[Madcombinepilot]

I might have made a boo boo with my Nashville prediction. I think they are in the McKenna race. I agree that we will start to see a doitht dip in Colorado’s game, they’ve had a good run.

I just can’t get past the Canucks forward group. The more I look at it, the more concerned I get. 5 on 5 is a real concern.

The glass 9/10ths empty part of me responds to this with: Hughes saying he wants out could be the best thing to ever happen to this franchise if the guys at the helm don't fuck it up.

Can’t say I disagree with this. They’ve kind of already got a decent “new wave” re-build going, in the throes of one, what I like to refer to as - the stealth rebuild - Lekkerimaki, Willander, Cootes and D-Pete is a nice looking start to it.

I think it's a little past "not fuck it up"; they would have to execute very skillfully.

I agree that getting exactly the right return for Hughes (he forced our hand !), then using that to sell ownership on a (very fast ! we promise !) re-build, and then getting exactly the right return for EP as well (we need to go all-in on executing this !) would be the Canucks best chance to win a Cup before 2032.

But there would be as many ifs in the implementation of such a plan as in the Canucks upcoming season.

Jesus. People need to stop talking about Hughes leaving as if it’s a foregone conclusion.

On this topic, the place sounds like the coilers board last week.

[Hockey Widow]

Hughes is committed to leading Vancouver to a Cup. I can see him doing a McJesus as long as we are on the right track.

[Chef Boi RD]

The season they have will play a big factor in Hughes decision.

[donlever]

...dug deep for that one eh Dude?!

[Madcombinepilot]

...dug deep for that one eh Dude?!

lol