DFO Predicts The 2021-22 NHL Standings
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
NHL training camps are on their final days and teams are getting in their last preseason games. Final roster cuts are happening this weekend, and our own Cam Lewis and Zach Laing have dove into their standings predictions.
Lewis took the east, while Zach took the west.
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Florida Panthers
3. Boston Bruins
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (WC)
5. Ottawa Senators
6. Montreal Canadiens
7. Detroit Red Wings
8. Buffalo Sabres
The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting quite the challenge moving from the relatively soft All-Canadian Division back to the Atlantic Division, which features two perennial contenders in Tampa Bay and Boston, along with a new contender in Florida.
The Lightning are still the NHL’s top team and they’ll put together a stronger regular season in 2021-22 than they did in 2021 because Nikita Kucherov will be playing, rather than giving the team LTIR bonus salary cap room. Given the season the Panthers had last year, we can assume the top of the Atlantic will be a Battle of Florida.
Buffalo is clearly the basement team here and the Red Wings won’t be competitive either. My other bold prediction is that the Senators finish above the Habs in the standings, as Montreal will likely see major regression without Shea Weber and Phillip Danault on the roster.
– Cam Lewis
Metropolitan Division
1. Washington Capitals
2. New York Islanders
3. New York Rangers
4. Philadelphia Flyers (WC)
5. Carolina Hurricanes
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Metro is a very difficult division to predict.
The Penguins and Capitals have been contenders for ages, the Hurricanes had the most points in the Eastern Conference in 2021, the Islanders are consistently a pain in everyone’s side and the Flyers have a decade-long tradition of coming back to make the playoffs after they miss out, as they did last season.
There’s also the Rangers, loaded with young talent and a new head coach in Gerard Gallant who’s known for getting the most out of his teams. And there’s the Devils, who should see a major boost from the offseason addition of Dougie Hamilton. The only bad team here is the Blue Jackets.
Somebody is going to have to miss out. I’m predicting both the Penguins and Hurricanes, while the Gallant-led Rangers storm up the standings. The Penguins are getting old and will miss Evgeni Malkin for two months while the Canes will really feel the loss of Hamilton on their blueline.
– Cam Lewis
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche
2. Winnipeg Jets
3. Dallas Stars
4. Minnesota Wild (WC)
5. St. Louis Blues (WC)
6. Nashville Predators
7. Chicago Blackhawks
8. Arizona Coyotes
While Cam struggled with the Metro, I did with the Central. Colorado’s at the top and Arizona is at the bottom, but beyond that… well, that’s tough to say.
The Winnipeg Jets boast a deep roster with offensive firepower and one of the league’s best goalies in Connor Hellebuyck, but will their defense hold up? I’d say they do well enough to finish second in the division.
A healthy Dallas Stars team can make some noise, while this is the window for the Minnesota Wild to do the same. Nashville will rely heavily on Roman Josi and Juuse Saros, but narrowly miss the postseason. Chicago takes a step back, while Arizona, well… they’re not gonna be good.
- Zach Laing
Pacific Division
1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Vegas Golden Knights
3. Seattle Kraken
4. Vancouver Canucks
5. Calgary Flames
6. L.A. Kings
7. San Jose Sharks
8. Anaheim Ducks
Right off the top, I think the Edmonton Oilers have the juice to win the division. I think Vegas took a step backwards this offseason and the Oilers boast some of the best forward depth they’ve had in 30 years. The defense and goaltending will be a big question mark.
The Seattle Kraken slide in and secure a playoff spot in its first season in the league. They’ll be a feel-good story and the clubs’ back end will be a strong point.
The rest of the division finds themselves on the outside looking in and while I have the Canucks fourth, they could just as easily be sixth or seventh in the division when it’s all said and done.
L.A. takes a step forward and are on the up and up, but still don’t have the firepower to get where they need to be.
– Zach Laing
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