Illegal Curve 2009/10 Predictions

Posted by David Minuk in Columns,Season Previews on October 1, 2009 — 19 Comments

Here are our predictions for the 2009/10 NHL season. These predictions will, of course, be archived so feel free to praise or ridicule us accordingly throughout the season.

The IC picks across the board are:

IC Writer	Atlantic	Northeast	South	Central	Northwest	Pacific
Richard Pollock
David Minuk
Ezra Ginsburg
Neil Rockman
Ari Baum-Cohen
Rusty Parra
Drew Mindell

Here are IC’s Playoff Predictions as well as team’s we expect to surprise and those we don’t:

IC Writer	East	West	Cup	Surprising Team	Bust Team
Richard Pollock
David Minuk
Ezra Ginsburg
Neil Rockman
Ari Baum-Cohen
Rusty Parra
Drew

In addition to predicting where the teams will finish and who the eventual Stanley Cup champion might be, we have also selected our NHL Awards winners.

IC Writer	Art Ross	Norris	Vezina	Calder	Selke
Richard Pollock	Malkin	Green	Vokoun	Leino	Richards
David Minuk	Malkin	Lidstrom	Luongo	Leino	Datsyuk
Ezra Ginsburg	Crosby	Pronger	Brodeur	Anisimov	Niedermayer
Neil Rockman	Crosby	Phanuef	Luongo	Hedman	Richards
Ari Baum- Cohen	Ovechkin	Green	Rinne	Tavares	Richards
Rusty Parra	Malkin	Lidstrom	Luongo	Riemsdyk	Richards
Drew Mindell	Ovechkin	Bouwmeester	Ward	Helm	Datsyuk

And finally the Hart & Rocket Richard winners (may as well call it the Ovechkin award) as well as surprising & bust players:

IC Writer	Hart	Rocket Richard	Surprise Player	Bust Player
Richard Pollock	Ovechkin	Ovechkin	Pacioretty	Kovalev
David Minuk	Ovechkin	Ovechkin	Richards	Gaborik
Ezra Ginsburg	Crosby	Ovechkin	Williams	Ohlund
Neil Rockman	Crosby	Ovechkin	Koivu	Kessel
Ari Baum-Cohen	Ovechkin	Ovechkin	Emery	Spezza
Rusty Parra	Crosby	Heatley	Comrie	Gustavsson
Drew Mindell	Ovechkin	Ovechkin	Tanguay	Kessel

Banana Belt

Seriously Rusty – I think you are letting your inexcusable love of the Oils cloud your already questionable judgment with regard to the Flames Busting. I only have 1 questions – it this a jealous pick?
Bob Roberts

I can’t see the whole chart (West winner, Cup winner, Hart pictures) — is it just me?
http://www.illegalcurve.com Richard

Nope Bob, not just you. We are working to fix that now. Will get it changed a.s.a.p.
Bob Roberts

Well that’s a relief. Thanks. I get enough inaccurate “old with failing faculties” comments around here without any outside help.
http://www.illegalcurve.com rusty

Like it or not, Kiprusoff is no longer the stud goalie he once was. Dion is only a monster to Pierre, and is the 3rd best defender on the team. Sutter might get a little more out of them, but they are no longer contenders and are likely on the first year of a slide.
http://www.illegalcurve.com Richard

Rusty is anti-Calgary. I don’t agree but I think Kipper is going to dictate how far they can go.

Bob, David has fixed the allignment, so it should be all good now.
http://www.illegalcurve.com Drew

Brent Sutter will whip the Flames into shape and they will win the West. Kipper will bounce back and Iggy will lead them to the cup. Just wait for it.

Oh, and welcome back Bob!
http://www.illegalcurve.com david

I agree that Rusty’s got too much of an anti-Flame bias. They won’t be a bust team.

Hopefully the selections are totally viewable now as I’ve reconfigured the tables.
Rusty

I think this so-called bias is rooted in actual fact. While the Flames will again be a hard working bunch, they still suffer from a first round and out stigma.

They have a great defence, no doubt, but I stand by my assertion that Kiprusoff is the weak link here.

To wit:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=15587

Note the steady increase in GAA and decline in Save %, and then remind yourself what he gets paid.

To reiterate, this is indeed the first year of the slow decline. You may label it bias or an anti-Calgary streak if you wish, but please refer any further slights to the actual numbers.
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http://www.illegalcurve.com dave

4-2 Calgary over Van thru 2……just sayin.
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Rusty

Fair enough. Please change all my predictions to Calgary. I stand corrected and wish to submit my vote to cancel the rest of the season and award the Stanley Cup to the Flames in perpetuity.
Bob Roberts

Now now, it’s a bit early for “testy” there boys. Early days, early days.

I’ll have a fair amount to say about these predictions but don’t have time just now. In the unlikely event that anyone cares about that: watch this space.
Kyle

We care, we care.
Bob Roberts

Still pressed for time but here’re a few things:

You all agree on the Wings and the Bruins for the Central and NE, but only 3 say Bruins rep the east and only 1 say Wings rep the west. And only one says either win the Cup. Quite the fall off. What’s the reasoning behind that? (Topic for next IC Radio Show?)

Bob says neither Wings nor Bruins do any of those things.

Interesting that Ari is consistent with the Flyers all the way to the Cup, even to the extent of picking Emery as his surprise player and Richards as his Selke winner, but not to win it.

Bob says Flyers will not make it to the final.

Seven experts. Four different Eastern representatives.
Seven experts. Six different Western representatives.
Seven experts. Six different Cup Winners.
Three say Boston in the final. One says Boston wins the Cup.
Two say Philly in the final. One says Philly wins the Cup.
Two say Canucks in the final. Both say Canucks win the Cup.

Bob says none of you has named the Cup winner correctly.
http://www.illegalcurve.com dave

Good breakdown Bob but you left out the critical part. Who are you selecting to win?
Bob Roberts

Penguins vs Hawks, the all-bird Cup.

Pens in 6.
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