NHL Predictions - A Look Back

The playoff fun is about to begin. If the race leading up to the playoffs is any indication, we are in for a dandy. There is a ton of parity in the NHL and the teams seeding at the top are not that much better than the ones seeded at the bottom.

Before making predictions, it is worth looking back at how my regular season predictions fared.

It's been a long a tough season for me. After attending 40+ games last year, I was only able to attend 2. Traveling to Nashville is a bit more difficult than traveling downtown. I barely wear my Thrashers gear in public because it pains me everytime someone calls it a collectable or reminds me that the team is gone. I cannot walk by Philips Arena without almost shedding a tear. The pain still runs deep and it disgusts me to see the press and NHL fans blame the loss of the team on anything other than the bonehead ownership group.

Despite my depression over the situation, I'm still watching the NHL and enjoying the game. There was a lot to like this year. I cannot remember a season full of so much inconsistency. Just about every good team went through long stretches where they struggled. Some of the leagues biggest stars were missing or inefficent but there were plenty of others to take up the slack.

I managed to pick 5 of 8 playoff teams in the East with New Jersey, Florida and Ottawa replacing Buffalo, Carolina and Tampa Bay. In the West I picked a whopping 7 of 8 teams with only Phoenix replacing Anaheim.

The biggest surprises had to be Washington, Ottawa, St. Louis, San Jose, Florida and LA. Each of those situations showed just how important coaching can be. Washington, San Jose and LA saved a lot of face in the last couple of weeks but still have a long way to go to call their season a success. Ottawa and Florida were the feel good stories of the season and will now get to see just how much harder it is to succeed in the playoffs.

While I'm surprised at St. Louis's overall record, I'm not surprised they have improved dramatically. They've been on the cusp for the last couple of years but injuries, maturity and goaltending have set them back. When all three of those came together along with a coach perfect for the situation, they climbed fast. Now it is on to the next challenge, winning a series or two.

Watching Detroit was a roller coaster ride. A nice winning streak to start the season, followed by a losing streak, followed by a record-breaking home winning streak, followed by a series of injuries and late season struggles. I think they can still be just as dangerous as any other NHL team but getting everything going in time will be a challenge.