Fair. It's so tough to predict who will be a playoff team these days. Seems like every season now there's three or four new playoff teams every year.

I know someone will get triggered. But I actually agree with this list. Signed a leafs fan. Who hates the oilers.

Exactly. I think the flames are just as good, if not better than last year. It is difficult that’s why I genuinely believe there are only 12 locks at the moment. The most notable snubs are Anaheim for missing and Toronto for making. Anaheim could make the playoffs with improvement from the young core as a whole and gibson finding his grove or dostal coming up and being that guy. Toronto could miss because of the goaltending and/or a long term injury to a top 5 player on that team. If Matthew’s or marner is injured for 40 games. that’s automatically like 10 less points as a team. If I recall correctly both players have WARs over 5 which is nuts.

I'm a little skeptical to call the Rangers a lock. I think they probably make it, but I can see a world where they miss. Shesterkin regression to a human being and that defense still being as awful as it was last year, I can see it. I doubt it though, but that doubt makes it hard for me to call them a lock

Even if Igor regresses, almost everything else would have to go wrong as well. The defense is young and still improving and so is the forward core. If the kid line and defense doesn’t improve at all then maybe even with Igor regressing. It would take the worst of the the worst though. Too many factors leaning towards the team being a playoff team and not enough going against.

Shesterkin would need to be human. That's very likely. Kreider isn't scoring 40 again. Outside of Lindgren, that defense isn't good in its own end. Trouba notoriously has issue in his own end. That depth. Trocheck has had big injuries to both legs during his time in Florida. He was very healthy last year, but does he stay healthy?

Now there are positives. Nemeth is gone. Lafreniere looks like he could take a major step forward. Miller too. But I'm just not convinced. I think for me, a team to be a lock you need to have no doubt. Carolina for example are deep enough with various talented players in each position to cope with injuries and regression. Tampa are Tampa. Colorado are Colorado. Put what I said for Carolina here for Calgary. Edmonton... yeah. I'm again fairly certain. A little worried about Jack Campbell, but even so.

I acknowledge my bias, but I think the pens are better than the rangers