Gut feelings for 2024-25: Lottery Penguins, playoff Sabres and more
And we’re off.
The 2024-25 NHL season is barely underway. There’s no telling exactly how things will play out. But that doesn’t mean we can’t already have gut feelings in the pits of our stomachs about certain team or players.
So, Roundtable members, plant your flag with a proclamation of a gut feeling about the 2024-25 season.
MATT LARKIN: I swear I was already feeling this before the Game 1 humiliation: The Pittsburgh Penguins are a lottery-grade hockey team. General manager Kyle Dubas took a team riding consecutive playoff misses and…made only depth-level additions over the offseason. Not only that, but Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson all miraculously played every single game last season. There’s almost no chance of that happening again. The Pens lack depth, their best players are also their oldest players, and I expect them to finish with their lowest points percentage since 2005-06, Crosby’s rookie year.
STEVEN ELLIS: The Buffalo Sabres will not only make the playoffs, but they’ll play spoiler and win their first round matchup. I know they’re off to an ugly start, but something has to give here. They’ve got talent, they’ve got scoring, and I like their goaltending. It’s time to put everything together with Lindy Ruff and take an actual step forward. Tage Thompson needs to find his game again, Owen Power needs to find another step in his game and they need to give the kids a shot whenever there’s room to fill. The Sabres have all their draft picks for the next three years, which is quite something. Mix that with some potential trade bait pieces (Isak Rosen? Noah Ostlund? Viktor Neuchev?) and perhaps they can land a big fish ahead of the NHL trade deadline. It helps they have about $6.2 million in cap space, too.
PAUL PIDUTTI: The Winnipeg Jets are the Western Conference’s team of destiny. It’s a tall order…aside from sweeping Edmonton in the gimmicky COVID season playoffs, the Jets last won a round in 2018. But with all of the pressure placed on Edmonton, Dallas, Colorado, Vancouver, Nashville, and Vegas, the Jets will do enough to quietly make the playoffs. From there, it’s an ideal group to go on an underdog run. No, their best players aren’t at an age when we should expect major steps forward. But this group has the elements to surprise. World-class goalie Connor Hellebuyck is securely under contract and ready to find a new playoff gear. Scott Arniel is extra motivated to make the most of his second chance as an NHL head coach. Plus, the Jets have a balanced, veteran group with minimal star power and modest expectations. It’s all a recipe for the famous Winnipeg Whiteout faithful to witness a deep playoff run, helping remedy the franchise’s concerning attendance trends.
ANTHONY DI MARCO: Despite “winning” the off-season, the Nashville Predators will, like last season, be a first-round exit. The Predators are no doubt better on paper, but their additions will not move the needle enough to make them a Stanley Cup favorite. And in a division that features the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche – arguably two of the top five Stanley Cup favorites entering the season – getting out of the first round means being a Cup contender. Their lack of depth down the middle of the ice is a cause of concern and I’m skeptical of their blueline beyond Roman Josi; can a Skjei-Schenn second pair hold up?
SCOTT MAXWELL: The Minnesota Wild will miss the playoffs because they will commit to the Marc-Andre Fleury Retirement Tour for too long. Fleury has had a lengthy career with many highs and lows, but ever since his Vezina Trophy winning season in 2021, it’s mostly been lows. He’s gradually been getting worse over the last few years, and while that should be expected for a goalie who will be 40 at the end of November, that doesn’t mean the Wild should continue to play him if he gets even worse. Goaltending was a big issue with their team last year, one that ultimately caused them to miss the playoffs, and I think that will be an issue again this season – for Fleury. I anticipate a bounce back season from Filip Gustavsson, so that will certainly steady the ship, but I think a decision that may ultimately cost the Wild’s playoff chances will be whether they swap out Fleury for Jesper Wallstedt if Fleury sees his age-related decline get worse. It makes sense to keep him around considering the career that he’s had and how much of a standout guy he is, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it hurts the Wild’s season as well.
_____