The Last of the Zeroes

It's still early in the season, with every team playing at least 4 games (some up to 6). Still, there are a few teams that sit near the bottom of the standings, having failed to register a win of some kind. Here are the remaining three winless teams, along with their next five games and when they will likely end up with a W.

Note: when I started writing the Kings and Oilers were also winless. The message here: procrastination is a hard habit to get rid of...and also: really Edmonton? couldn't be inept for one more game?

Anaheim Ducks

Current Record: 0-3-1   1PT

Next 5 Games:
vs. Minnesota Wild (October 18)
@ Nashville Predators (October 22)
@ Minnesota Wild (October 24)
@ Chicago Blackhawks (October 26)
@ Dallas Stars (October 27)

Most Likely to Win: against Minnesota tonight.

This team is too good to be winless this long. They are not getting the bounces early on in the season. Four games in, and there shooting percentage is at a paltry 0.78% (less than A percent!) and there PDO is at 0.927, pretty far from even (1.000). All this despite being able to control possession in three of four games this season. It's only a matter of time until things start going there way, and tonight seems like a good night for things to normalize.


Columbus Blue Jackets

Current Record: 0-6-0   0PTS

Next 5 Games:
vs. New York Islanders (October 20)
@ Minnesota Wild (October 22)
@ Colorado Avalanche (October 24)
@ New Jersey Devils (October 27)
@ Washington Capitals (October 30)

Most Likely to Win: at Colorado on Saturday

The Cinderella pick to possibly take a playoff spot this year is freefalling early in the season. They are the only team on this list to not even have a point in the standings. Just like the Ducks, the Blue Jackets are suffering from a horrid PDO (0.899), but this time it's due to a lack of goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky is not playing well and Curtis McElhinney hasn't been much better in relief. It's not going to be easier for 'Lumbus, as they face the Islanders and Wild in their next two games. Their best chance to get a win will come later in the week, as they make stops in Colorado and New Jersey (a possible battle of winless teams). If they fail to win this week, then it may look like a winless month for the Blue Jackets, as they face the Capitals to close out October.


New Jersey Devils

Current Record: 0-3-1   1PT

Next 5 Games:
@ New York Rangers (October 18)
vs. Arizona Coyotes (October 20)
@ Ottawa Senators (October 22)
@ Buffalo Sabres (October 24)
vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (October 27)

Most Likely to Win: against Buffalo on Saturday

This season wasn't going to be a pretty one for the Devils and it's showing early. That being said, their schedule coming up is seems favourable to them. The Rangers aside, the Devils face a off-to-a-good-start Coyotes, an ok Sens team, a still rebuilding Buffalo, and a hurting (mentally) Blue Jackets. New Jersey might struggle through the season, but their winless streak should end sometime this week.

Game #13 Recap: Acadie-Bathurst Titan vs. Halifax Mooseheads

Final Score
Acadie-Bathurst - 4
Halifax - 7

Goalscorers
Acadie-Bathurst: Nicholas Blanchard, Christophe Boivin, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Guillaume Brisebois
Halifax: Danny Moynihan (3), Maxime Fortier, Connor Moynihan, Brett Crossley, Cavan Fitzgerald

Goalies
Acadie-Bathurst: Reilly Pickard (L), Daryl MacCallum
Halifax: Eric Brassard (W)

Moosehead Player of the Game

Timo Meier. He was a set up machine tonight, earning 4 assists (I think all of them were primary/first assists).

Thing That Annoyed Me

The first powerplay unit had Somppi and Fortier on their on-wings. That left Meier as the only one-time option. Granted, the powerplay clicked this game, but it's a bit irritating that a potentially more lethal setup was not used. Just switching Somppi and Fortier, they could have three one-timing options.

Game Notes

• It was Pink in the Rink Night in support of breast cancer awareness.
• Meier's first assist was pretty, pretty, pretty good. He picked off a pass and found D. Moynihan open in the slot.
• The second powerplay unit was on fire early on, they should have had at least a goal tonight.
• Mups were lit in the second period. Yes, I seriously wrote that in my notes.
• I pretty sure the announcer called Brett Crossley "Chris" on his goal announcement. 
• It's cool that both Moynihans scored tonight.
• Speaking of Moynihans, it seems like Connor gets goaded into confrontations quite a bit (granted, he does his fair share of aggravating at times)
• One more on the Moynihans: I didn't realize Danny Moynihan scored a hat trick until after it was announced. This one was on me, I could have thrown my hat on the ice.
• I'm guessing every time I see the Titan play here, they'll score four goals (last time they won 4-0)

Game Pics

Probably the best chance from the second powerplay unit.

Just after Fitzgerald (#5, at top of right circle) scored. The puck manage to trickle past MacCallum. 

2015-16 NHL Regular Season Predictions

The NHL season kicks off in a few moments, so why not release our predictions now? Here is what my brother and I predict how the standings will turn out.

Brad

Atlantic Division: Tampa Bay is the cream of the crop in this division, and should take it handily. Even if Carey Price regresses a bit, Montreal should be able to wind up in second place. It’s hard to count out Detroit for a playoff spot (even with a new coach), they have a nice mix of old and new talent on the team. From there it’s a 3-way battle for 4^th. Despite getting worst, I can’t see Boston going in the tank just yet. Florida’s still developing, and should be in contention for a playoff spot. I don’t see lightning striking twice for the Sens (aka Hammond saving everything), but I don’t think they take too far a step back point-wise. The bottom two spots will be between the Sabres and Leafs. Buffalo made improvements over the offseason and will definitely be better. Toronto, while not expected to be the tire-fire of last year, is still continuing the rebuild. I think Buffalo just edges Toronto for not-last in the division.  

Metropolitan Division:  This division is going to be fun, as a potential four teams could breakout and finish in first. Pittsburgh is the favourite though, as they decide to go more top-heavy, and it might just pay off. Even though they lost St. Louis is retirement, the Rangers are still a very good team, and should finish in the top two of the division. The Islanders and Capitals are in that mix, as wither one of those teams could finish high in this division. The battle for fifth between Philadelphia and Columbus could be tight. Carolina will show improvements during the year, but not enough to shake up the division. New Jersey looks destine to drag through the season at the bottom of the standings.

Eastern Wild Card: Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers.

After Washington it feels like a crapshoot. It feels like either one of Philadelphia, Columbus, Boston, Florida, or Ottawa can squeeze their way into the final playoff spot. For the final spot I have Philadelphia taking it, as they look like the most established team out of that group.

Central Division: This is probably the toughest division to pick. St. Louis doesn’t look to have taken a step back (despite a questionable trade in the offseason), so them repeating as division champs could happen. I was burned last year by picking Dallas high, and dammit ain’t I stubborn enough to do it again. They have made a couple of moves that helped in all three areas (signing Niemi and Oduya, trading for Sharp), and will likely will every game 6-5. Chicago, despite having to rid themselves of some players, is still a very good team. The only question (from a hockey perspective) is how much the Patrick Kane investigation will affect them. Nashville and Minnesota are teams that could push through and end up near the top of the division. Winnipeg and Colorado round out what looks to be a very competitive division.

Pacific Division: Anaheim takes this division easily. The other two guaranteed playoff spots might belong to the other two California teams. Both Los Angeles and San Jose should have bounce back years. Calgary was riding the percentages for most of last season. Those should come down, but with the moves they made (Hamilton and Frolik), they should remain competitive enough to be the playoff hunt. Vancouver isn’t what it used to be, and will slide down the standings. I just can’t put Edmonton higher than sixth. It seems like the same old story (#1 draft pick, new coach). Just need them to prove that they can actually take a step forward. Arizona ends up last in the division, as the rebuild in the desert continues.

Western Wild Card: Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild

The Central looks too good to not take both playoff spots. Nashville and Minnesota are the better well-rounded teams. Calgary and Winnipeg should make things interesting though.


MDK

Eastern Wild Card: Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators

Western Wild Card: Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings