NHL start of season predictions

Another NHL season is upon us after the lockout and I wanted to take the time to make some predictions. In this day, it is easy to pick the Kings the "cliché" pick, but it seems to never work out that way. As long as I can remember, I see other networks (like ESPN) pick the previous years champion to repeat no matter the sport with the assumption that the current players will play to their current level and no new players will emerge. That is easy to do with no need to do their homework, but I digress


My predictions as follows:

Playoff Teams:

• Eastern Conference
• Atlantic
• Philadelphia
• NY Rangers
• Pittsburgh
• Northeast
• Boston
• Toronto
• Southeast
• Tampa Bay
• Carolina
• Washington
• Western Conference
• Central 
• Chicago
• Detroit 
• Nashville
• Northwest
• Vancouver
• Minnesota
• Calgary
• Pacific
• San Jose
• Los Angeles

Finals Prediction:

Minnesota defeats Philadelphia four games to two.


That's right, I picked Minnesota to win it all, but I think there might a future post called at the end of the season "I got all the picks wrong"