Idk how accurate this is, but this is what I got:

NYI and NYR tied at #1

3 - Vancouver
4 - Carolina
5 - Washington
6 - Los Angeles
7 - Columbus
7 - Tampa Bay
9 - Arizona
10 - Edmonton
11 - Calgary
12 - Montreal
12 - Boston
14 - Dallas
15 - San Jose
16 - Minnesota
17 - New Jersey
18 - Colorado
19 - Florida
20 - Ottawa
20 - Winnipeg
20 - Philadelphia
20 - Nashville
24 - Detroit
24 - Anaheim
26 - Buffalo
26 - Chicago
26 - St. Louis
26 - Vegas
30 - Pittsburgh
31 - Toronto

There are definitely some things I'd change, though.

I like how Toronto & Vegas are dead last for almost everyone

A few years ago they wouldn't have been that low for me, but there's a culture there that I don't like. Players like Matthews, Marner, etc. doing whatever they can to get the most money possible. Maybe I'll like them more when those guys' contracts expire.

Series Prediction: Tampa Bay in 6.

So I wonder now, with other peoples opinions being asked;

Does MTL succeed next year?

@BeterChiarelli
Discussed it here the other day (and he’s 1000x more knowledgeable on it then I can even try lol), but PDO/ luck etc.

Not that I think Montreal isn’t good, a real hockey fan can see how good Montreal is defensively and they’re actually fun to watch (after watching the Sharks all year trust me lol).

But will Montreal be able to even get close to the heights they’ve reached? They’re a fun “Cinderella” story and a huge underdog. But will they even make the playoffs next year?

I know the East could be considered “unfair” because you’ll probably see 1-4 teams make the playoffs in the West that are objectively worse than a handful of the East teams that miss.

But it’ll be very interesting because Price seems to “load” management the regular season or he just simply isn’t the Carey Price that we know in the playoffs. And MTL is gonna have a very interesting offseason. But I wonder will they even be able to make the playoffs let alone be very good?

Locks in the east:

Tampa
Florida
Carolina
Toronto (controversial ig?)
NYI

But then you have:
Boston
Wash
Pit
NYR
MTL
OTT

All looking inwards. I think MTL will be good next year but you can’t really say they’re lock imo. And the East is kind of a ****show.

Maybe. I don't think they beat Toronto, Tampa, or Boston in the regular season. Florida is now a force to contend with as well, and they realistically could bump one of the other 3 into a wildcard spot.

The Metro also has a bunch of playoff capable teams, so Montreal making the playoffs next year is far from a sure thing unless this playoff performance is sustained into the regular season.

What is with everyone hating Vegas? They’ve only been in the league for 4 years. They’re probably top-10 for me.

Armia is flying to Tampa Bay and will be a game-time decision, which means it was a false positive. Which is very good for Montréal.

:/

They've had so much success so people are jealous ig

I don't hate Vegas that much

Just found out David Pastrnak lost his newborn son. Rest in piece Viggo and Stay strong Pasta

I just don't like how their hockey team is runned like a Caesar's Palace show with all the pre-game stuff and their habit of always acquiring big fishes to dump them a year or two later.

I also hate how the league is forcing them down our throat with the horrendous reffing and their will to expand the market.

This. All of this.

They're hands down the definition of a team that is easy to despise. Arrogant, arrogant, with the league in their pockets, arrogant and a little more arrogance. I wish them 0 success. Screw Vegas.

Idk, they act like their bigger than they are but also that they were "castaways" or "unwanted".

I get the position but it was not like these players were dumped. They act as if teams WANTED to lose them but in reality most teams had to make hard decisions and lose players they did not want to lose.

And the whole theatre is a little idk I dont want to say annoying cause I definitely will go to see Vegas live when I go to Vegas but especially being a fan of the Sharks it's kinda old now. And they get everything they want (players or etc).

They act like underdogs, but they were given the best expansion in history and while there was doubters; they got dealt the best draft possible AND they're exempt from the Seattle draft..?

They remind of the coach's son in a hockey team who would show up late, arrogant, in his fancy suit and still be given first line minutes

Their twitter

One win away from watching islanders hockey today 😢. This one is going to sting for a loooooong time

How do you think leafs fan feel right now? lol

Probably not too fun

I hate game 7's with the leafs.

Here's my take on the situation

Awwwwwwww we’re down 17-0 with 3:13 left in the third 🥺🥺🥺😔😔😔😕. Can you besites send puppy 🐶 pics to help the bae fam chill squad out 😰😥😓. Currently manifesting 😤😤😤😤😳😳🙏

hahaha

Lightning have lost all 3 Game 1's in the 3 SCF we've played in. Maybe time to bet on Montreal tonight.

My list

1 Dallas Stars
2 Tampa Bay Lightning
3 Columbus Blue Jackets
4 Philadelphia Flyers
5 Carolina Hurricanes
6 San Jose Sharks
7 Florida Panthers
8 Minnesota Wild
9 Calgary Flames
10 New York Islanders
11 Ottawa Senators
12 Nashville Predators
13 Anaheim Ducks
14 New Jersey Devils
15 Arizona Coyotes
16 Montreal Canadiens
17 Winnipeg Jets
18 Vegas Golden Knights
19 Washington Capitals
20 Vancouver Canucks
21 Colorado Avalanche
22 St. Louis Blues
23 Detroit Red Wings
24 Chicago Blackhawks
25 Buffalo Sabres
26 New York Rangers
27 Pittsburgh Penguins
28 Edmonton Oilers
29 Los Angeles Kings
30 Toronto Maple Leafs
31 Boston Bruins

Edit: updated the list as I wanted to do it with no same positions.