THE WAY TOO EARLY 2024/25 PREDICTIONS
TYN: The best top 6 and one of the best D corps in the league play in front of the G’s best goalie. The top spot is a no brainer. Can they make it work? The core has been playing tournaments together for months now without any issues and you can’t yell fire when there isn’t any smoke. Winning solves a lot of problems.
JRC: Lost their top two scorers in MM and EW and replaced them with size and grit instead of skill. Also lost EM on the back end. Good coaching will keep them in the #2 spot even with the team not being as flashy, fast, or talented. Will their goaltending get exposed? Will their new parent group gel? Don’t worry, this ship may rock but it never sinks. They’ll be fine. They also have the most experience winning games, and that counts for something.
VK: The core players stayed together and most of the kids who left were replaced with a better alternative. If AN stays focussed this group can grind its way into the top 3. A team without stars but who may work better together than any other group. Signing LT was a risky move that might turn out to be a fly in the ointment. Time will tell how that experiment works out.
TRW: You read that right! The actual TRW winter team knocked off a juiced up version of TM this weekend in a game they led from start to finish. A good forward group and an emerging star between the pipes in AS cover up for a mediocre but improving D corps. The coach is hungry to make his mark. This group has something to prove, and you know what? So far they’re doing it.
TM: Another group that’s not as talented as it was, but still has enough to compete. The big reveal this weekend was the lack of goal scoring. Can they learn to grind? Can their coaches finally figure it out? Can their parents handle losing? Months of turmoil with coaches and parents give this team the best odds to implode by Christmas. Getcha popcorn ready
REPS: Could have been the team that had the best chance to improve their position for next year…and didn’t take advantage of it. They improved their forwards and defencemen but needed a big signing or two to really compete and that didn’t happen. Solid coaching keeps them in the top 6 for now, but to take the next step SP can’t be the main man forever, they need studs.
REBELS: If Coach Lino was as good a recruiter as he is a coach, nobody would ever touch this team. They gained some players and lost a few, but overall didn’t really upgrade the talent of their C+ lineup. This group stays in seventh because of two things: great coaching and a great goalie. They’re the best bet to steal a game or two from a top team during the season. Just ask the Kings.
DMF: Coach Holly sold roster spots like they were a blue light special at Walmart. He turned the once proud Flyers into a satellite Barrie squad that is going to struggle to score goals AND keep pucks out of the net. The roster would likely require a complete rebuild to be truly competitive. The one bright spot on this team? Goalie dad KR is a really cool guy.
NYR: They improved their roster and really improved their goaltending, but can their coaches make the most of it? Will the power struggles amongst the parent group be too much of a distraction? Those factors will determine if this team finishes in 7th or 11th. Another team that would be great for reality t.v. as PP wraps up her career playing in the boys division.
TT: Good recruiting last winter has given them a more talented team this season and they will definitely be better, but how far are the current coaches really capable of taking them? This might be the team with the most interesting potential moving forward, they have some good pieces.
MM: This team has taken a step back talent wise but still has a great head coach. The team fee’s are cheap and the kids get schooled in social equality, there are a lot of great things about AS program that don’t get the recognition they deserve. It’s about more than just hockey in Markham and that’s not a bad thing.
SENS: An off-season fire sale emptied the cupboards and they weren’t fully re-stocked. The new coach definitely has his work cut out for him and 6 wins or more this season would be an impressive accomplishment. There is some hope though, the goalies both stayed and there are a few solid players for stability.
I’ll provide another detailed forecast in September before the season starts. Until then, stay thirsty my friends.
The Cigar