Gaikoku-hito 1,646 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 First week is in the bags so here I am back with some completely incorrect predictions of what the following week might hold for all sixteen teams in the league. If you haven`t followed this series before I try to project/predict the next weeks standings; where I am usually wrong and the following week, we all point and laugh at how wrong I was the previous week. North American Conference Current Standings: 1. Los Angeles Stars 9 – 1 – 0 18pts 2. New York Americans 7 – 4 – 0 14pts 3. Calgary Wranglers 6 – 2 – 2 14pts 4. Chicago Phoenix 5 – 3 – 1 11pts 5. D.C. Dragons 3 – 3 – 3 9pts 6. Vancouver Wolves 4 – 4 – 1 9pts 7. Toronto Legion 3 – 5 – 2 8pts 8. Seattle Bears 3 – 7 – 1 7pts Next Week Predictions: 1. Los Angeles Stars Simple cannot see the stars losing that many games based on the strength of the roster and schedule but we could see a bit of surprise should Chicago put up more of a fight than I am currently expecting as these two teams play four times this next week, add in Vancouver, Riga and Seattle. Todd Cooke @KRZY and Larry Abass Jr @RileyL continue to be the offensive duel from years past leading the Stars in scoring but it has also been consistent secondary scoring across the whole roster that has the team leading in goals for with 42 after the first week of the season. Add in strong goaltending from Art Vandelay @Gustav and Los Angeles should hold down the top spot in the North American conference. 2. Calgary Wranglers While Calgary has a much tougher schedule in the second week with playing most of the European top teams and huge games against New York and Los Angeles. I think they will be able to do just enough to stay/move into second in the Conference standings or could easily slip back behind New York. Scoring overall for Calgary still seems to be a bit of an issue with the seventh best offense to end the week lead by Randy Bobandy @AJW, Oreo McFleury @JB123 and Raimo Tuominen @SlapshotWrangler but the most concern aspect to date this has to be the limited offense from Skor McFleury @Alex, who came over from Malmo to provide more offense from the back-end. Early days, but an interesting development to watch over the next few weeks. 3. New York Americans This week will really determine if New York early season success can be maintained through most of the season as they will face tough task this week with three games against London, two against Riga, games against Prague and Calgary. It could be a rough week or they could thrive; I am sitting on the fence with this one as I usually do, so they should at least keep pace with Calgary by the end of the week. Jasper Davis @Josh continue to show at the moment that it was no flash in the pans last season that he finished the season with 105pts as he lead the team with new acquired FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist @STZ; both currently in the top ten of scoring. Add in the surprisingly strong start to the season for Malum Maellard @frescoelmo, who was acquired from Calgary during the off-season. Bit concerning will the lack of secondary scoring at this point of the season but Rookie goaltender WWWW @rory has been more than able to hold down the net so far this season with only one questionable game so far against Los Angeles, only the best offensive team in the league. 4. Chicago Phoenix Could be a very tough week as they play the top team in the conference four times in the Los Angeles Stars. If they can manage to split these games with the Stars, they could actually move up the standing as high as second but I think this could be a tall ask for team that I have predicted to be around the wildcard spot for most of the season. Games against Vancouver and Seattle can soften the blow of playing the Stars. Yaroslav Trunov @qripll unsurprisingly leads the offense for the Phoenix after coming over in a trade from Malmo during the off-season. A strong start to the season from Dank Turtle @DankTurtle but overall Chicago is currently lacking a ton of offense; if it wasn`t for the strong play of Ryan Artyomov @Enorama, they would be a lot further down the standings. 5. D.C Dragons After a perfectly balanced week from the Dragons, I am not completely sold on this team yet but this week could go a long way to proving me wrong as D.C. face Chicago twice times this week in what should really be make or break games and Seattle for a three-game set; which D.C. needs to win if anyone is going to take them seriously. I think I am being a bit harsh on this team as they could move up as high as third if they do better then expected. Balanced offensive attack is currently lead by Jason @Jason kranz, Keegan Gamble @Keegan Gamble and The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath . On a huge positive the gamble to pay a heavy price to get a goaltender in Henry Tucker Jr @NSG so far has paid off as Tucker Jr has been a strong point for D.C. a week into the season. 6. Toronto Legion Defend Champions have started the same way as they really started last season, looking lost or maybe a bit uninterested but Toronto should really start to turn things around sooner than later but I am predicting another rather average week for the Legion as Toronto will play mixed bag of schedule with Europe coming a knocking with two games against Malmo, and Warsaw. Also playing Helsinki, London and Prague. Joel Castle @animal74 has been consistent in net for Toronto as expected but the high offense that Toronto was expected to employ has rather been quiet with Jimi Jaks @ke1vi and Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer leading the way. Toronto should be alright if they can get more secondary scoring. 7. Vancouver Wolves Who expected Vancouver to be 500 at this point of the season? Yeah, No one right!! If Los Angeles didn`t beat up on them in three straight games, Vancouver could have actually been higher in the standings and continue to play tough defensive hockey; keeping most game close. I expect this to change this week with Moscow, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles coming to town. While Vancouver will look forward to further success against Seattle(cough). Vancouver offense is being led by former Bear Ben McLaughlin @Ben mclaughlin and the lone survivor from Vancouver contending days in Liv Slater @Subject056. Rookie goaltender Dalkr Vidarsson @KaleebtheMighty is finding the transition to the VHL a bit tougher than expected but has still been more than serviceable for the Wolves. He will be happy when all the prospect join the roster next season fore sure!! 8. Seattle Bears Expected to be near the bottom of the Conference at the start of the season and guess what? Seattle is at the bottom of the standing but that might not actually be where they finish this week as the Bears play D.C. three times, Chicago and Vancouver twice; really all games that they could win if Justin Lion @Emperor_Fun can find the form that he had last season in Vancouver and Malmo. Scoring so far for the Bears has been consistent with defender Jack The Ripper @Ripper leading the way with Steve Lattimer @pugsood. It will be an interesting week to see if the Bears have an roar left in them. European Conference Current Standings: 1. Malmo Nighthawks 7 – 2- 2 16pts 2. Helsinki Titans 7 – 2 – 1 15pts 3. Moscow Menace 6 – 2 – 2 14pts 4. London United 5 – 2 – 2 12pts 5. Prague Phantoms 6 – 4 – 0 12pts 6. Riga Reign 4 – 5 – 1 9pts 7. Warsaw Predators 3 – 7 – 0 6pts 8. HC Davos Dynamo 2 – 7 – 2 6pts Next Week Predictions: 1. Prague Phantoms Continued inconsistency from last season but Prague is too good of a team to continue to be inconsistent, add two games against HC Davos and Moscow; Prague should have a good week so I have them moving up in the standing from 5th to 1st? Yeah, I am questioning myself as well as this could be too high but Prague should be top three in the European Conference by the end of the week if everything goes to plan. Matt Murdock @Acydburn has started slowly for the second straight season and Prague continue to relay too much on trio of John Jameson @Frank, Nikolas Kauppi @Tetricide and Fred Hampton @TownBizness. Despite some of the inconsistencies I still have faith in Prague returning to a dominate team in Europe. We will see if it is blind faith or we placed faith!! 2. London United Mixed bag schedule but having HC Davos for two and Warsaw for two games means they are likely to have another week with a winning schedule. Add in New York two games; which is more of test for New York rather than I think for London. London could easily be first at the end of the week but the United also have a chance to drop a few games here or there so I cannot place them ahead of Prague. London put a lot of effort of keeping the three key forwards from last season together and if it wasn`t for Leonard Triller @Triller, Molly the Cat @JCarson and Wann Kerr @VattghernCZthen I think London would have a tough time scoring. Instead, all three are currently top 10 in scoring so secondary scoring will become a focus if London is going to go deep this season. Good thing London has Jesse Teno @aimkin; who once again is playing unreal!! 3. Malmo Nighthawks Can you say Helsinki? These two teams are going to be sick of each other as they play each other four times in the next week and I am not favoring either one so I am assuming a split series. Maybe doing Helsinki dirty since they have won both meeting so far this season and are still looking for the sweep but that is part of the problem predicting as if I predict Helsinki to sweep Malmo than reverse it etc… So Malmo should pay around 500 hockey this week so they side back to third in the standings. Malmo is being lead in scoring by Jacob Stone @scoop as he continue to show that he was ready to become the teams lead defender and trading Skor McFleury @Alex was a good idea!! But did they really trade Skor? Reese McFleury @Spaz needs to be checked to see if he is actually in fact Skor since he has been on fire to start the season and is putting up numbers similar to Skor. Consistent scoring through the line-up and solid goaltending from Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro should keep Malmo near the top of the conference all season. 4. Helsinki Titans I can copy and paste part of the Malmo Nighthawks preview since these two teams play each other so much next week but Helsinki also faces Riga and Calgary twice each; which the Continental Cup finals rematch against Toronto. Add in the tough London United team and you can start to see that Helsinki will be lucky if they come away with a 500 record. Helsinki could also sweep Malmo and make me look stupid. Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 and Kronchy Kardashian @Garsh are leading the attack of the Titans offense to know ones surprise. While Rookie Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard is currently leading the rookie scoring race. Fuukka Rask @Jubis is once again having himself a nice little season and Helsinki is proving the run to the finals last season was no fluke. 5. Moscow Menace After beating up on Warsaw last week as three of the six wins came against the Predators means Moscow will need to find someone else to beat up on this week so enter Vancouver for two games and HC Davos but the rest of the schedule is tougher with two games against Prague and a mixed bag of games against teams from North American conference. It will be interesting to see how this team fairs but I have gone conservative this week as I normally do; so, Moscow falls to 5th in the standings as European Conference stays tight. Axle Gunner @Steve has pick-up right where he left off last season and continue to impress leading Moscow in scoring with Jeff Lewis @nerji and rookie Leif Reingaard @Zetterberg keeping pace in what seems to be a new found balance attack that should menace the league this season. While fellow rookie goaltender Olober Syko @Spartan is showing why so many are high of this prospect coming into the season providing solid goaltending. 6. Riga Reign Very tough mixed bag of schedule will either see Riga become a play-off contender or as I am predicting kill almost any chance that they might have of making the play-off this season. New York, Los Angeles and Helsinki for two game each, not to mention Calgary, Prague and Malmo. Young team that is really just starting to develop into a contender is led by old man AK92 Wit da Hoodie @hedgehog337 and not as old man Babay Shrimp @Blazzer. While I think overall they would like to see more secondary scoring especially from Rookie Eric White Jr @Mysterious_Fish but overall Riga would be comfortable allowing the team develop and maybe collecting another nice prospect through the draft. Rookie goaltender Red Panda @Lemorse7 will need to be better if Riga is going to contend for a play-off spot this season. 7. Warsaw Predators A lot of talk around this team and their early season struggles; well, I am sad to say that I don`t see that ending this week as Warsaw faces London and Toronto twice, with Malmo, Prague and New York as other games. It is a tough schedule and it could be a tough week for a team that is hoping to making back into the play-off hunt by seasons end. This won`t help. Warsaw needs to find more overall offense from the likes of Dogwood Maple @dogwoodmaple and Alfred Champagne @Anthique. While Rookie Thor Reingaard @N0HBDY continue putting solid numbers keeping himself amongst best rookies in the league. Veteran goaltender Clueless Wallob @DMaximus simply put needs to be way better if this team has any hope of turning their season around. 8. HC Davos Dynamo Rebuild is fully engaged and I was actually surprised that they won two games this week after (if I am correct) starting the season with seven straight losses. Expect a losing record again this week but with Seattle and Chicago being two games that the team might have a chance but also expect them to upset some teams as they did Helsinki and Riga at the end of last week. Lachlan Summers @kirbithan is proving that it isn`t all hills of flowers and summer all the time in Davos as Summers has struggled with a much weaker defense in front of him this season. The only remaining piece not to be sold during the off-season is leading the team in scoring; who is David Jokinen @Ahma. Hard to say anything nice about a team that has just entered a full rebuild and is in full tank mode. That it for the first week review and next weeks predictions. As always tell me below in the comment section how poor my prediction are and I will make sure to read them. Either way until next week Keep the sticks on the ice and your heads up!! STZ, jacobcarson877, Jubis and 13 others 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterious_Fish 260 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 6 hours ago, Gaikoku-hito said: While I think overall they would like to see more secondary scoring especially from Rookie Eric White Jr @Mysterious_Fish is my rookie season not good enough for u? FrostBeard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaikoku-hito 1,646 Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 3 minutes ago, Mysterious_Fish said: is my rookie season not good enough for u? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterious_Fish 260 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 13 minutes ago, Gaikoku-hito said: Gaikoku-hito 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemorse7 898 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 8 hours ago, Gaikoku-hito said: will need to be better if Riga is going to contend for a play-off spot this season. no thx Gaikoku-hito 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaikoku-hito 1,646 Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 29 minutes ago, Lemorse7 said: no thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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