BLOW IT UP 

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Two years ago the Miami Dolphins were the talk of the NFL world. They were a fun, creative offense that was scoring 70 points like it’s Madden. Two years later they’re an absolute dumpster fire of an organization that lost 31-6 to the Cleveland Browns and now sit at 1-6 on the season. Could this have been avoided? Yes, if this team had a direction and right now it’s as lost as lost can be and those two years seem like a lifetime ago. So how could they have avoided this, well you need a direction, so let’s start there.

Last season in Week 18 against the Jets, the Dolphins still had hopes for the playoffs. With a win and a Broncos loss the Dolphins would make the playoffs for the third time under Mike McDaniel. During that game Receiver Tyreek Hill pulled himself from the game and said postgame that he wanted out. Now, while I don’t like players dictating this kind of stuff, the Dolphins should have given into the demand and traded him for draft compensation. Instead they brought Hill back, and unfortunately Hill hurt his knee and will miss the remainder of the season. There are rumors Hill will be released at the start of the league year next season, so there’s a good chance the Dolphins would get nothing back in return for him. 

The Jalen Ramsey trade, which took place before the season did bring back Minkah Fitzpatrick, but it also left a glaring hole at the cornerback position. A potential trade of Hill and a trade of Ramsey could’ve given Miami a roster reset that it could use.  Now there’s a chance at redemption for Chris Grier. November 4th is fast approaching and that is the NFL trade deadline. Chris Grier needs to make the most of this opportunity, so who is available

BRADLEY CHUBB – EDGE – Chubb is a guy the Dolphins acquired when they thought they were a Super Bowl contender. Chubb so far this season has four sacks in seven games, but the most important thing is Chubb is under contract through 2028, so he is not a rental. 

JAELAN PHILLIPS – EDGE – This one hurts a little bit more. Phillips was a first round pick out of Miami. His first three seasons he had 22 sacks, but then injuries started to plague him. But at 26 years old someone might be willing to take a shot. 

JORDYN BROOKS AND ANYONE ELSE WITH AN EXPIRING CONTRACT- Unless there’s a guarantee on an extension anyone that a team calls for Grier needs to answer the phone and work something out. 

One name I am leaving out is Jaylen Waddle. While the Dolphins should rebuild, Waddle is young enough to be a foundational piece for this organization. Now while the trade deadline could be where the overhaul begins, it’ll truly end after the season. Head Coach Mike McDaniel will probably be gone. Don’t be surprised if GM Chris Grier isn’t far behind. But then what has to happen is the Dolphins have to figure a way out of the Tua contract, dead cap shouldn’t matter in this situation. They’ve tried to run for this as long as they could and now it’s time to blow it up and start it over.

OPTIONS FOR ROTATION AND BULLPEN

BY MARK HALPERN

            This past season for the Mets was the hardest to swallow. We entered the season with a very capable line up and what started off as a pitching staff. Then it all started to fall like a row of dominoes. Kodai Senga the Mets ace got injured right before the all-star game and really didn’t recover well with more injuries leading to ending his season early. Sean Manea, who last season was Mets ace in the absence of Senga,  suffered an injury during spring training that kept him out until right after the all-star break and was nothing like he was.  Bright Spots David Peterson (who was just nominated for a gold glove) had one of his most solid seasons going 9-6 with an ERA of 4.50, but hit a wall in the second half. Converted pitcher Clay Holmes in his first year as a starter went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA. These two have cemented themselves for next year but none of the four I have mentioned are not aces. 

     This Year’s free agency definitely has possibilities of adding to this rotation to make it better but there isn’t a #1 Free Agent Pitcher. However, there is one name that is on Mike Rifkin’s and mine’s wish list and that’s San Diego SP Dylan Cease. Cease has what it takes to win and has shown off his talent in San Diego and there is no secret that the Mets have him at the top of their wish list. The SP who I’d make a run at is Zac Gallen who pitched 33 games and went 13-15 with a 3.58 ERA. Gallen also is not a number one pitcher but would give this Mets team something it has been missing and that’s a pitcher with endurance and that could go more than 5 innings.

    However, the only way the Mets will get a #1 pitcher will be through a trade and one might be had sooner than expected. It is rumored that the Detroit Tigers are 250million dollars apart in his new contract negotiations. This is where the Mets can sweep in but will cost them very highly. Expectations are that the Mets would have to offer top prospects Jett Williams, Brandon Sproat, Ryan Clifford and either Brett Baty or Ronny Mauricio. Steve Cohen wants to win and win now and if Skubal is willing to sign a massive extension to stay the trigger HAS to be pulled.

   The Bullpen also started out good and then has a massive collapse with injuries all over the place. Edwin “Sugar” Diaz, one of the top closers in the league can opt out of his contract and there is no way the Mets should not re-sign him to man the closing role for the next few years. Of the Mets pick ups at the trade deadline Helsey, Gregory Soto and Rogers, I would say keep Soto and Rogers and go out and get someone like Caleb Ferguson who has been solid for the Mariners this season and make sure you re-sign left-handed specialist Brooks Raley.

    Cohen was quoted “I want to win one or two WS championships in the next 3-5 years and if we don’t it would be a wake up call for alarm.” Cohen isn’t afraid to spend money but he isn’t just going to write checks. David Stearns needs to redeem himself in this offseason and to win back this Mets fanbase and needs to make a splash early.

TO SKUBAL OR NOT TO SKUBAL

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Tarik Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, you don’t even need to look at the numbers just watch his game five performance against the Mariners in the ALDS. Skubal is probably about to win his second consecutive CY Young award after going 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings. The 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts both put him second in Major League Baseball. Skubal was also fourth in quality starts (there were three tied for first) with 21. Skubal proved his 2024 season where he was at the top of most pitching categories. Skubal sounds like a guy you want to build around right? 

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman Skubal and the Tigers are around 200 million dollars apart on a potential new deal. The question will be if the Tigers can’t come to a deal with Skubal, will they trade him? The answer is obviously yes, because they cannot afford to let the best pitcher in the game walk for nothing, or get less at the trade deadline. 

One team that should be on the phone with the Tigers are the New York Mets. The Mets missed the playoffs in 2025, after a Cinderella-like run to the NLCS in 2024. Two things are true about the Mets: Steve Cohen is not afraid of the massive move and after 2025 the team needs to get back in the good graces of the fans, because missing the playoffs should be unacceptable. Since hiring David Stearns as President of Baseball Operations, the Mets haven’t made the major pitching move, it’s been a lot of flyers. But this Winter Stearns has to be aggressive and get his ace. The Mets and Tigers could match up pretty well in a Skubal deal, but there’s only one way I’d do it and that’s Skubal needs to sign an extension with the club. Maybe the Mets could do something similar that they did when they traded for Johan Santana in 2008, where they were given a 72 hour window to get a deal done. 

So what can the Mets offer the Tigers for Skubal? The Mets have one of the better farm systems in Baseball and could offer Detroit a lot. Let’s start with the easy part: either Jonah Tong or Brandon Sproat will go in this deal. Both guys came up in September and pitched fairly well, but Tong does need more seasoning in Triple A. Could Detroit want David Peterson? What does Detroit think of Jett Williams, Carson Benge, Jacob Reimer, Ryan Clifford, etc… Then there is the current roster. Do the Tigers have interest in Ronny Mauricio or Mark Vientos? Now, while everything for me would hinge on the extension, David Stearns has to make the call. 

And there could be another massive positive that comes out of a Skubal trade/negotiation. Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, who also happens to represent someone else the Mets should be looking at this offseason. Boras is the representative of Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso, who is coming off a great year. So while negotiating a potential Skubal deal, the Mets could also negotiate a deal to bring back their first baseman. Skubal and Alonso wouldn’t be the only Boras clients on the roster if it were to happen. Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo are also both Boras clients. 

Here’s the deal the Mets need to add to the rotation this winter. Skubal would be a start, but it’s not the end because of how the Mets’ rotation let them down this season. Skubal would give them something they didn’t have in 2024 though, an ace.

NFL WEEK 7 PREVIEW

BY SIN BLITZERS

RAMS AT JAGS : London’s calling for these two teams, who will both look to move to 5-2 on the season. The Rams are coming off a 17-3 win over the Ravens. Matthew Stafford has 12 touchdowns and two interceptions on the season. He may be without his favorite target on Sunday, as Puka Nacua is dealing with an ankle injury. Tyler Higbee, who had a touchdown last week coil be a major factor. For the Jags they’re coming off a 20-12 loss to the Seahawks. Trevor Lawrence threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Lawrence was sacked seven times in that game, that might be a problem as the Rams are tied for fourth with 19 sacks. 

DOLPHINS AT BROWNS : In what might be an ugly game either because of weather or because of who is playing in it. The Dolphins are coming off a 29-27 loss to the Chargers. Even though they fought back in the last minute, the Dolphins found themselves on the losing end once again. After the game they made more headlines when Tua said players were missing meetings. The Browns are coming off a 23-9 loss to the Steelers. Dillion Gabriel played ok, but his receivers really let him down at times. Quinshon Judkins, who has been really good since he debuted should have a good game against a Dolphin defense that’s underachieved all season.

COLTS AT CHARGERS : The Colts are going into LA at 5-1 and coming off a win over the Cardinals. Daniel Jones has had a sensational start to his season but I think there are two massive keys to his success. Jonathan Taylor, who is first in the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Taylor has had one game so far this season where he has been held to under 100 yards and didn’t score. Rookie Tight End Tyler Warren has been sensational so far as he has 29 catches for 370 yards and two touchdowns. Warren is averaging almost 13 yards a reception. 

Cowboys at Commanders : This Weekend could very well be the turning point for the Dallas Cowboys as they face off against NFC East rival Washington Commanders. Both teams are coming off of very tough losses. The Cowboys will have star WR Cee Dee Lamb back in the tilt but, how much he will play and how much of a distraction he will cause we shall see on Sunday. The Commanders also might be getting Terry McLaurin back as well. The Cowboys’ Defense has to perform better than last week, if the Cowboys will have a chance. Look for this offense to continue to produce with the return of Lamb making a lot of single coverages for Pickens. The Cowboys offense is more than ready for the Challenge but, this game will fall on the Shoulders of DC Matt Ebeflus.

FALCONS AT 49ERS : The Falcons are coming off a 24-14 win over the Bills. The Falcons might be building their own triplets with Michael Penix, Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Both Robinson and London went for over 100 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons defense has given up the fewest yards per game at 253.4. The Niners are coming off a loss at the Bucs. Mac Jones was flustered by the Bucs defense as he threw two picks and was sacked six times. The offense might get a boost with George Kittle potentially returning, but the defense will be without All-Pro Fred Warner, who underwent Ankle surgery and is done for the season. 
LIONS AT BUCS : The Lions have a prime time matchup Monday night against the Tampa Bay Bucs and this will be a game to get your popcorn for. Jared Goff has been nothing short of spectacular this season and with high powered offense it’s hard to count them out at all. However, the Lions secondary has not been a very strong point this season and will be tested by the mighty Baker Mayfield. The Lions offense that ranks top five in the league this won’t be a cake walk. The Bucs defense has fallen in the middle of the pack and could cause trouble in the running game but that’s why you have St. Brown, Willams and LaPorta to help out. Look For the Lions to get the ground game going and early to force the Bucs into playing up. The Lions defensive Line has a big job to do and that’s get to Mayfield which hasn’t been simple this season has only been sacked 10 times in six games. If the Bucs line can hold down Hutchinson and Lions line then Baker will be cooking all night long. This might be a shootout folks.

Starting Where?

By : Mike Rifkin

The New York Mets suffered another miserable collapse in 2025, just like they did in 2007 and 2008. David Stearns in his end of season press conference said two words a lot in that press conference, RUN PREVENTION. When talking about run prevention, you’re talking about pitching and defense. Defensively the Mets have a few positions to upgrade for sure, but I want to talk about the pitching. 

There was a time this season where the Mets actually led all of baseball in ERA, and then it all fell apart. So, why exactly did it fall apart? In my opinion it had to do with starters being unable to go more than five innings and relying heavily on the bullpen. It also fell apart when the top three guys all fell apart at the same time. Sean Manea had elbow problems he tried to pitch through, Kodai Senga never fully recovered from his injury and David Peterson ran into a wall. So David Stearns tried to build a dominate bullpen and that didn’t work, so now it’s back to the drawing board for the Mets this winter when it comes to pitching. Nolan Mclean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong gave the Mets life. But Tong definitely needs more time in triple A, Mclean I think has earned a spot and Sproat could compete for one.  

When you look at the four teams left in the playoffs what do they have that the Mets don’t? Well, a lot of things but they all have an ace or in the case of the Dodgers multiple aces.  Here are some free agent starters the Mets should look into.

Dylan Cease – Cease is a former CY Young award winner, but this season was a struggle for him as he was 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA. Cease does have five straight seasons of 200+ strikeouts. 

Michael King – King was awesome in 2024, but 2025 was plagued with injury for him. King has pitched in the New York spotlight before as a member of the Yankees, 

Framber Valdez – Of the names I will put on here Framber is the name I least would like to see the Mets go after. I don’t mean that in disrespect, but Framber has made 25 + starts in the last four years plus what he gave the Astros in the playoffs, there’s a lot of mileage on that left arm. Framber is going to be 32 so what will the term of the deal look like and as a sinker ball pitcher he gets a ton of ground balls and as mentioned above the Mets have to improve defensively. 

Zac Gallen – Gallen, like Cease is 30 years old an is coming off a really rough season, but still managed to win 13 games. Gallen has made close to 30 starts over the last four seasons, winning double digit games each season. 

Freddy Peralta – Peralta won 17 games for the Brewers this season and was top ten in ERA and strikeouts. Peralta has made 30+ starts each of the last three seasons. But Peralta also might be the most logical answer since he already has a connection to David Stearns. 

Dustin May/Alek Manoah – Put both of these guys in the reclamation project folder, which David Stearns loves so much. May’s issues have been injury related and Manoah’s have all come after one great season. While neither one will cost much, I do believe that one of these two guys could fit the Mets backend of the rotation. 

The Mets could also venture into the trade market for a starter like Sandy Alcantara or dare I say Tarik Skubal, but that will not only cost the Mets in terms of prospects, but money as well as both are in the final years of their respective contracts. 

The Mets have a lot of glaring needs and Stearns has a lot of work to do, but a top priority must be the rotation and getting someone reliable for the top of the rotation.

Culture Change

By : Mike Rifkin

If you thought the Dolphins blowing a 17 point lead to the Panthers last week was rock bottom, well than you haven’t met the 2025 Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins lost to the Chargers 29-27 on Sunday, and that’s not what people will be talking about. The Dolphins were down 26-13 in the fourth quarter and were able to fight back and took the lead on a Darren Waller touchdown in the final minute, and what could’ve been a galvanizing win for the team turned into heartbreak once again as Justin Herbert escaped the grasp of Jaelan Phillips and hit Ladd McConkey down the sideline to setup a Cameron Dicker field goal to give LA the win. The Dolphins fall to 1-5 on the season and it’s all crumbling in front of us. 

Tua Tagovailoa had another rough day at the office going 21-32 for 205 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Tua, now has seven interceptions on the season, the same amount he had in 11 games last season. But, it’s what he said postgame that got people riled up. After the game Tua told reporters that other players have been late and or skipping some players only meetings in recent weeks and Tua added “it starts with leadership.” There are a few issues with that statement, but Mike McDaniel was asked about Tua’s comments and said this “ Player led meetings are extra things outside of what I demand. We’ve been very accountable to me. It sounds like there was something on his mind with regard to specific meetings with a couple individuals that he was trying to get corrected by being direct with communication. I think that’s the only way to lead. Clearly he’s sending a message, but from my standpoint everything that I’ve asked of the guys, they have delivered on.” 

So the team has delivered for McDaniel, but not Tua is interesting. But Tua handled this thing wrong, you don’t publicly air out your teammates like this, especially with the stuff that is going on with the fanbase wanting some form of change. “It starts with leadership” you’re the Quarterback, you should be one of the leaders, if not the leader. Look around the league at all the big time Quarterbacks they are leaders. The airing out of his teammates to the media was very immature of Tua, and not the way things should be handled. But for a team that will continue to be the team furthest away from their last playoff win the Dolphins need a culture change.  The culture change SHOULD start at the trade deadline on November 4th, but it’s gotta go past that and into the offseason. After his comments Sunday I think moving on from Tua has to be a part of the culture change.

SOUVENIRS

BY MARK HALPERN

     In sports there are ways to own Sports Memorabilia from meeting the player(s) at a sports convention or sometimes Grand Opening of new businesses. You could be lucky enough to bump into them on the street and having them sign the most random thing you have (that’s if they are even willing to) and third you could write the player and give a donation to their foundation and get something back. However, that isn’t the only type of sports souvenirs you can get. 

     In some sports such as Baseball and Hockey if a Ball or a Puck is hit into the crowd and you are lucky to get it; you can keep it and, in some situations, you could be lucky enough to see the player after the game and get a sweet auto on your game used item. However, in the case of the NFL and NBA if a ball ends up in the crowd via an errand pass or a ball thrown away into the stands after a Touchdown the fan is expected to hand it back.

   Last week during the Sunday Night game between the Patriots and the Bills Josh Allen who is the Quarterback for the Bills through a ball that was way out of the endzone and into the hands of a lucky fan. The fan was whispered by the fan next to him to stash it under his clothes and run out of the stadium because a representee from the NFL would be by quickly to collect. The fan is then seen stuffing the Ball under his shirt and running out of the Stadium. He got out without incident and is looking to have Josh Allen sign it as it would make to a fitting end to this story.

WEEK 6

BY SIN BLITZERS

CHARGERS AT DOLPHINS : Two teams that are trying to right the ship will meet Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, as the Dolphins welcome in the LA Chargers. The Chargers are coming off their second straight loss against the Commanders last week.. One major concern for LA has to be their offensive line, as Justin Herbert has been sacked six times over the last two weeks. Herbert has also thrown three interceptions in that span. Third year receiver Quentin Johnston has had a really good start to his season with 26 catches for 377 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Dolphins are looking to bounce back after blowing a 17 point lead in a loss at the Panthers. Tua Tagovailoa went 27-36 for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle had 110 yards and a touchdown on six catches. The story of the game was the Dolphin defense inability to stop the run. The Panthers had 239 rushing yards (206 from Rico Dowdle) and averaged 7.5 yards per carry. One has to wonder if the Dolphins lose again what happens to coach Mike McDaniel?

SEAHAWKS AT JAGS : This should be a fascinating game in Jacksonville as the Hawks come to visit. The Seahawks are coming off a 38-35 loss to the Bucs, in what was a tremendous game. Sam Darnold is proving that last year was not a fluke, as he has 73.1 completion percentage, averaging 249 yards per game, with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Jaxson Smith-Njigba has become one of the elite receivers in the NFL. The Jags are coming off a 31-28 win over the Chiefs. Trevor Lawrence threw for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception, Lawrence also ran for 54 yards and two touchdowns, including one in the final minute. We fell into the trap of the Jags a few seasons ago, if they win this game it’s a message to the rest of the league. 

49ers at Bucs : Two of the best in the NFC will clash in Tampa, as the Niners come to visit. The 49ers are coming off a win over the Rams in overtime. Mac Jones, who will start again threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns. Christian McCaffrey had 30 touches for 139 yards and a touchdown. Kendrick Bourne, in place of Jajuan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall had 10 catches for 142 yards. The Bucs are coming off the 38-35 win over the Seahawks. Baker Mayfield has been superb so far has he is fourth in the league with 1,283 yards, tied for third with ten touchdowns and only one interception. Emeka Egbuka has been awesome to start his career with 25 catches for 445 yards and five touchdowns. He will have to be big without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. 

COWBOYS AT PANTHERS : This week the  2-2-1 Cowboys will travel to take on the Carolina Panthers.  Weather could be a major factor in this game. The Cowboys even with having so many injuries have been playing competitive football with a trouncing of the Jets last week. This week opponent dosen’t strike much fear into teams, but they overcame a 17 point deficit last week. What Dallas needs to prepare for is a very wet field and needs to play it safe. Look for Javonte Williams and Jayden Blue to get plenty of action from the back field. I don’t expect a big air game but, Jake Ferguson has been very reliable short yardage target. The Dallas defense just has to stop Rico Dowdle (last years Cowboys Rushing Leader) and can’t let garbage/trick plays control this game. 

LIONS AT CHIEFS : The Detroit Lions will face off against the KC Chiefs this weekend. The Lions after a horrible first week loss haven’t looked back since. The running game is the most feared in the NFL and the receiving threat is top 5 in the NFL. Goff will look to keep the Lions at the head of the NFC North with the Packers having tied the Cowboys two weeks ago. The Chiefs are not the team they once were but, Mahomes can still beat you even now that the Chiefs are getting older. The Lions secondary will be very busy especially with the injury to Terrion Arnold. Despite the lack of weapons this is still Mahomes and he is dangerous. 

BENGALS AT PACKERS : The Bengals have finally made a change at Quarterback.  Joe Flacco will start on Sunday at Lambeau, replacing Jake Browning. Browning wound up with decent numbers last week, but the game was over by that point. Flacco also has already beaten the Packers when he was a Brown. The Packers are coming off a tie against the Cowboys, and if they want to go where they want to go Jordan Love needs to be great. The Bengals need to stop Josh Jacobs and make Green Bay one dimensional.

WHAT NOW?

BY Mike Rifkin

If you’re a hockey fan one of the best days of the year is July 1st. July 1st is the beginning of free agency. The 2026 free agent class was stacked. Kirill Kaprizov, Connor McDavid, and Jack Eichel were the headliners of the class. But, as we get the season going all three players have signed extensions with their respective teams. 

One of the teams that was rumored to have interest in the three players was the New York Rangers. With the cap continuing to rise, the Rangers will have approximately 29 million dollars in cap space. So with the news of the three top guys re-signing what does that mean for Chris Drury and company. Now remember they don’t have to use all 29 million, since they’re compliant with the cap, but here’s how I would look at Drury’s summer.

  1. Re-sign Artemi Panarin to a short term deal – This could be a fluent situation, if the Rangers don’t have a Panarin deal done by the trade deadline would they consider moving him? Obviously, they wouldn’t if they’re in the playoff race, but it is a thought. Panarin has been the best Ranger player not named Shesterkin the last few seasons, but at his age you don’t want to commit to a long term deal. So, a high AAV (average annual value) on a short term deal could work. 
  1. Extending Braden Schneider- Schneider has taken big leaps in his game. The former first round pick has been excellent since coming up. With the trade of K’Andre Miller, Schneider has the potential to be an anchor on the top four of the Blue Line.
  1. Look at the RFA market – With the Rangers having multiple first round picks in 2026, they could use one or both to add an impending Restricted free agent and then work out a deal. Marty Necas, Shane Pinto, Cole Perfetti, and Jason Robertson are all names that are intriguing to me. 

Let’s be honest for a second, the worst place in sports to be is in the middle. The Rangers right now kind of feel like an in the middle team. They’re not as good as the team that won the President’s trophy two years ago, and they’re not as bad as the team we witnessed last season. Yes, we are one game into the season, but this team needs to figure out the direction soon.

2025-26 NHL PREDICTIONS

BY MIKE RIFKIN

As we prepare for the NHL Season, here is how I see the season playing out. *PLAYOFF TEAMS ARE TOP THREE IN EACH DIVISION PLUS TWO WILDCARDS. 

DIVISION STANDINGS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

METRO

  1. HURRICANES – Carolina has been one of the elite teams in the NHL over the years and they just need to get over the hump. 
  2. DEVILS – Health was the big issue last season. They have Jack Hughes healthy and Nico Hischier is coming off a great season, the Devils will be a problem again. 
  3. RANGERS – Maybe I’m drinking too much Kool-Aid, but everything that went wrong last season can’t go wrong again. Having Igor Shesterkin in net is an advantage most teams don’t have. 
  4. CAPS – I love the mix of youth and veterans on this team. I wonder how much the Ovi chase took out of them, but can the goaltending do it again?
  5. ISLES – They have some great talent, and will have a healthy Matt Barzal. Ilya Sorokin should bounce back, but I still have some questions regarding their blue line, they definitely have the skill. 
  6. BLUE JACKETS – Can their young players continue to take steps forward? They were so close last season, but the goaltending let them down and didn’t really address it. They also need Zach Werenski to be healthy all season. 
  7. FLYERS – Still in the midst of a rebuild, Rick Tocchet gets to evaluate the talent going forward. 
  8. PENGUINS – The rebuild has started in Pittsburgh, and now what are the next steps that take place. Will Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Evgeni Malkin last the season in Pittsburgh?

ATLANTIC

  1. LIGHTNING – I just have a feeling about them this season. They have great depth and a winning pedigree, the Lightning are going to be a tough matchup.
  2. PANTHERS – They’ve played a ton of hockey over the last three seasons. No Matt Tkachuk until December and Barkov even longer, but they can withstand the regular season that way, that’s how deep they are.
  3. LEAFS – They’ll miss Mitch Marner, but they are a deeper team than they were. Still have questions regarding the goaltending. Most important the regular season doesn’t matter they’ll be judged in April. 
  4. SENATORS – This is the sleeper team in the Eastern Conference. They have a tremendous forward group, solid Blue line and Linus Ullmark. I have high expectations for the Sens. 
  5. CANADIENS – They might be the envy of the league with their young talent. If those guys stay healthy and get the goaltending they can compete for a Wild Card spot.
  6. RED WINGS – At this point they have to prove they can get in. John Gibson is an upgrade in net, but I have questions about him staying healthy. Steve Yzerman needs this team to step up or he’ll be out.
  7. BRUINS – Jeremy Swayman should bounce back, but outside of David Pastrnak I am not sure where they’ll get consistent offense. 
  8. SABRES – Great nucleus, but massive questions about pieces. This is also a year they have to prove something, otherwise they’ll tear it down again. 

EAST PLAYOFFS

HURRICANES, DEVILS, RANGERS, LIGHTNING, PANTHERS, LEAFS. WC : SENS AND CAPS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL : LIGHTNING DEF HURRICANES IN 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL

  1. STARS – Top to bottom this might be the most complete roster in the league. They have a great mix of vets and young guys, and they should have a chip on their shoulder. Oh and they have Mikko Rantanen for a full season.
  2. AVS – The captain is back and that’s big for the AVS. Again another loaded lineup, Mackenzie Blackwood played fine in goal last season.
  3. JETS – Yeah, losing Nikolaj Ehlers hurts, but they got Jonathan Toews to come back. He brings great leadership to a team that has the ability to win it all. 
  4. WILD – The Kaprizov contract is no longer a distraction, the Wild are solid everywhere. Brock Faber could be a darkhorse Norris candidate. 
  5. PREDS – The Preds were the toast of the town July 1st, 2024 and their season was not good. I think they bounce back, there’s too much talent, but if they start slow I wonder if Barry Trotz breaks it down.
  6. BLUES – They got hot at the end of last year, led by Jordan Binnington. I still don’t trust Binnington, and the Blues have talent but this division is hard.
  7. MAMMOTH – They’ve done a lot of good this offseason, but as I said on the Blues this division is awesome and deep. I like their future but I still question the goaltending. 
  8. BLACKHAWKS – Does anyone have a brighter future? A lot of their success will hinge on Spencer Knight in goal. A lot of young players will get valuable time. 

PACIFIC

  1. GOLDEN KNIGHTS – The addition of Mitch Marner will boost their offense, and make them deeper. They have a winning pedigree. 
  2. OILERS – McDavid’s contract no longer a distraction, and they have two of the four best players in the league. Like the Leafs I don’t care until April as they look to go to their third straight final.
  3. DUCKS – Whether you think Joel Quenneville should be behind the bench or not isn’t the question (even though I don’t think he should) but he wins. The Ducks made a lot of moves and got better. I am buying the hype.
  4. CANUCKS – They had a ton of distractions last season, now they need some bounce back guys including Elias Pettersson and Thatcher Demko, if they bounce back Vancouver is in a great spot.
  5. KINGS – Anze Kopitar’s final season, should be met with the playoffs, I don’t think it will. I think the Kings need to figure some things out, they’re still dangerous but they also need reinforcements. 
  6. FLAMES – Kind of like the Flyers, they’re in a rebuild and overachieved last season. They’re still evaluating talent, but Dustin Wolf is their cornerstone. 
  7. KRAKEN –  They disappointed last season, and I’m not sure they’re that much better. I need them to prove a lot this season, because their offseason left a lot to be desired.
  8. SHARKS – They’re on the rise, they have a lot of skill up front led by Macklin Celebrini. We’ll see some growth from this group this season. Don’t be shocked if they don’t finish last. 

WEST PLAYOFFS : STARS, AVS, JETS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS, OILERS, DUCKS : WC WILD AND PREDS 

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL : STARS DEF GOLDEN KNIGHTS IN 7

AWARDS

HART : CONNOR MCDAVID

VEZINA : ANDREI VASILEVSKIY 

NORRIS : CALE MAKAR

JACK ADAMS : TRAVIS GREEN

SELKE : ANZE KOPITAR

STANLEY CUP FINAL : STARS DEF LIGHTNING 6 GAMES