Hey Health Nut, I’m Matt Barbato. I’m a freshman in the College of Communication with a knack for sports. I used to play football, hockey, baseball, basketball, and currently play golf (not very well might I add).

The NHL season is in play–check out my predictions:

Eastern Conference:  The Eastern Conference will be very competitive from top to bottom this season. I believe the Flyers are the best team in the conference now that they have addressed their problem at goaltender. The Capitals are once again the most explosive team offensively and have also filled their void at goalie, but need to prove they can get past the second round of the playoffs. The defending champions should not be ignored either. The Bruins did not lose any key players from their Stanley Cup team, and still have the Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas in net. The Pittsburgh Penguins are my dark horse to come out of the east, but their success depends on the health of their star player Sidney Crosby, who missed half of the season due to a concussion.
Predicted order of finish: Capitals, Flyers, Bruins, Penguins, Canadiens, Lightning, Rangers, Buffalo

Eastern Conference Prediction: Flyers over Capitals

Western Conference: The Western Conference is the deeper than it has been in years. There are six or seven legitimate contenders to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals this season. The favorite has to be the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo, despite his playoff struggles, is one of the best goaltenders in the league, and led by the Sedin twins and Ryan Kesler, the offense is hard to slow down. Despite barely making it into the playoffs last year, the Chicago Blackhawks are going to make a serious run at the Stanley Cup. The team made numerous off-season acquisitions and has one of the deepest offenses in the entire league. The Sharks, Kings, Ducks, and Red Wings are all teams to look out for this season. The Kings are my dark horse to win the West because of their skill at all the positions but need a productive season from Jonathan Quick in net.

Predicted order of finish: Canucks, Blackhawks, Kings, Ducks, Sharks, Red Wings, Predators, Blues

Western Conference Prediction: Sharks over Canucks

Stanley Cup Prediction: Flyers over Sharks