2022 NHL Season: Five Bold Predictions

NHL 2022-23 predictions/rumors have been posted all over the internet as the new season is set to commence. Here’s our take. Some are far-fetched and seem entertaining while mostly being inaccurate. Still, it’s fun to prognosticate on trades, where teams will finish, and who the next NHL superstar may be.

The Seattle Kraken Will Just Miss The Playoffs

Some of the biggest NHL 2022-23 predictions could be long shots. One such being the Seattle Kraken being much improved and nearly making the playoffs. They finished  27-49-6 good for just 60 points and an eighth place standing in the Pacific Division last season.

They have improved their roster significantly by adding four free agents. They include Andre Burakovsky, Ryan Donato, Martin Jones, and Justin Schultz. They also traded for Oliver Bjorkstrand. Then, they have blooming prospects like Matthew Beniers, and fourth-overall pick Shane Wright.

Now, the Kraken aren’t going to win the Stanley Cup, but they should be a much better team than last season. Beniers has already shown his abilities with one goal, two assists in the first two Kraken games this season.

The biggest question may very well be can Shane Wright step up to all the hype he creates? He is his own worst critic and needs to just go out and play his game. If Wright gets going and Beniers continues on his scoring path, the Kraken could really surprise some people.

Are 85 points out of the question? Not really. Now that is one bold NHL prediction!

The Pittsburgh Penguins Will Miss the Playoffs

Last season, the Pens finished with 103 points with a 46-25-11 record. They were third in the Metro Division and because of that got in ahead of the Boston Bruins with 107 points and the Washington Capitals with 100 points.

The thing with this prediction is that the Pens are the fourth oldest team in the NHL with an average age of 28.57. The 35, or over club includes Sidney Crosby (35), Kris Letang (35), Evgeni Malkin (36), Jeff Carter (38), and Jeff Petry (35).

While experienced players are always a plus, injuries tend to happen to players who reach their mid-thirties. Last season, the Pittsburgh club survived injuries to Crosby who played 69 games, and Malkin who only managed 41 games. In addition, Bryan Rust had just 60 games and Jason Zucker participated in only 41 contests.

WIth the improvement of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Buffalo Sabres, it will get crowded for teams to make the postseason. Unfortunately, the Pens won’t be one of them.

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Dylan Guenther Will Score 20 Goals

The ninth-overall pick was acquired by the Arizona Coyotes in 2021 huge trade involving Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland in July of last year. Dylan Guenther has great potential, but one thing the Coyotes don’t want to do is push him too quickly into the NHL.

Can he play at that level? We’re about to find out as he made the roster and will make his NHL regular season debut against the Boston Bruins on October 15th. His head coach Andre Tourigny thinks he has a good chance to be an outstanding NHL player.

“Guns had a really good training camp. We’re really happy about his play with and without the puck. He’s a really smart player without the puck and he can help the team in more ways than just scoring goals. He’s obviously an offensive weapon, but he can play in different roles on the team.”

If he fails his nine-game stint he will be sent back to the WHL. He is only 19 and can’t go to the AHL.

Back to the prediction… IF he does play well in the nine games, he will stay. Can he score 20 goals? You bet.

Brent Burns Will Lead Carolina Hurricanes to Cup Final

The addition of Brent Burns to the Hurricanes club was a bit of a surprise. When one considers the return the Sharks got with a 3rd round draft pick in 2023 (conditional), Steven Lorentz and Eetu Makiniemi, it became a financial move. 

Burns carried an eight-year $64 million contract through the 2024-25 season and the San Jose team rewarded Tomas Hertl with an eight-year $65.1 million deal in March. So, Burns became expendable to keep the team out of cap space problems.

He has always been an offensive machine from the blue line. His 0.61 points-per-game average displays that quite clearly. He is a power play quarterback with 80 goals and 196 assists to his credit.

Even at 37, he has averaged 22:28 minutes of ice time and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. He can be a vital addition to the Hurricane’s blueline. He adds a whole new dimension to his new team. The Canes were the best defensive unit last season allowing just 2.42 goals a game. They were ranked 11th with 3.28 goals scored per game.

Overall, Burns is a crafty, big (6′-5″, 230 pounds) defenseman who can lead his new team to the Cup Final.

Anaheim Ducks Will Trade For Jakob Chychrun

There has been endless rumors concerning where Jakob Chychrun will land. Mostly it has been the Ottawa Senators who seem to be the favorite to win the Chychrun sweepstakes. He’s been mentioned to be going to the Toronto Maple Leafs, or the Edmonton Oilers as well.

But, here’s the bold prediction. How about the Anaheim Ducks? Granted Chychrun would like to go to a contender, but he has no trade restrictions and has an attractive $4.6 million deal good through 2024-25.

The Ducks have plenty of young hot-shot prospects to complete a deal in addition to $14.8 million in cap space. Keep in mind that John Klingberg signed just a one-year $7 million contract. If he departs, Chychrun can step right in and fortify the Duck’s blueline.

For Chychrun he would be joining an up-and-coming young team with endless potential. With players like Trevor Zegras, Mason MacTavish, and Troy Terry, the Ducks’ future is bright. It will all depend on the return and if it satisfies GM Bill Armstrong‘s vision of what Chychrun is worth in a trade.

That wraps up the NHL 2022-23 predictions. Now, let’s see how true they may or may not become.