Pretty realistic. I think the sharks do end up the fourth team but it will be close between you guys and arizona

I really think Minnesota is better than some people remember. They've got a stingy defense sunk by horrible goaltending last year. They shouldn't have traded Staal, but Bonino will help them more than Kunin would, Fiala took a big step, Greenway is really good, and Kaprizov is finally here. I think they'll take fourth by quite a bit, especially if Talbot is decent (which, everyone only thinks he's bad because he had to play ninety eight games a season behind a horrible Edmonton defense).

Do not understand the San Jose love at all. So many things have to break right for them to be that good, including Vlasic, Jones, and Dubnyk having not-horrible seasons, Karlsson and Hertl being relatively healthy and productive, and the young guys taking a step. Basically, all the things they were counting on last year that didn't happen, and I'm not exactly sure what's changed. Their top guys also haven't played in like a year and they're not a young bunch that can just turn it on like that after so much time off.

We know Arizona and Anaheim can win games based on their goaltenders stealing it alone, and LA was on a seven game win streak to end the season last year with an influx of much higher touted young talent so I would put all of them ahead of the Sharks as far as ability-to-pick-up-points go (not that I think any of those teams are playoff bound).

Obviously all of that is COVID dependent because that could easily put Colorado in last place if all their top guys get wiped out during camp or something due to that but generally speaking

I hope you are right in the case of the Wild. Just don't see it with the current batch of centers. I really hope Eriksson Ek can blossom offensively.
I think the Sharks were 1 a tired team last year and 2 more injured than we know last year. For my projection I am expecting Jones to be at least a average goaltender next year and Karlsson to be Karlsson again, also I expect the team to play better as a team. The younger guys should take a step but if that doesn't happen they could finish last like you say. I just can't believe the team is as bad as they were last year.

I think ek in a top 6 role with more offensive wings will score more for sure. Last year he was all shut down starting in the defensive zone. Over the last 3 years the wild had the worst goaltending. Last year, for example, advanced stats said if the wild received average goaltending for the whole season they’d have been more in line with Dallas from a playoff picture. Dubnyk let in like .8 goals more per game than should have based on quality of shots and what not. It’s unsurprising since he was bottom 5 the 2 years before it. With just average goaltending they’ll likely be in a playoff spot. I just hope that Johansson, bjustad, bonino and Pateryn all get reasonable playing time can up their stock and be sold off at the tdl then do call ups the rest of the year to get a good look at our young kids.

I thought Stalock was pretty solid last year (2.67 GAA with a .910 save % inn38 games for a goalie making minimum salary) better than anyone on the sharks, the fact we wanted Dubnyk and not Stalock blows my mind, I think in the end sharks and wild will be close.
Be crazy if Dubnyk rebounds and is the reason sharks make it and wild don’t.

Lots of major injuries, lot of worn out players who were dealing with ongoing nagging injuries and just not 100% and the loss of 2-3 good forwards with nothing replacing them, Donato helps, the kids having more time to adjust helps and I think Thornton could be addition by subtraction (players leaned on him expecting him to carry the load years after he was capable of carrying a team) with almost a year of rest and recovery this team should be primed for a run! I just hope the year off does Vlasic some goodnand he rebounds to a solid defensive D man who can play top 4 min, Karlsson and Burns should be well rested and recovers from their ongoing nagging injuries and be able to produce solid season. I’m praying Nabokov can channel Warren Straleow and work his magic on Melnichuyk and to some extent Jones and Dubnyk too.

Stalock is injured and will be out for a bit. So it kinda worked out for the Sharks anyway. I think Wilson was just looking for a cheap short term goalie that has a fair number of starts in the NHL and Dubnyck was the guy Wild were willing to move.

If the sharks are healthy I give them the nod over the wild. They don’t have parise and Zuccarello. Who knows maybe greenway starts to care this season and goes on a tear. Total toss up over who wants to more and has tha “we’re going to win” swagger. In 15-16 or 16-17 the wild had it till the playoffs where Allen stood on his head And beat them by himself