NHL Network Radio Presents the 2022 NHL Fearless Playoff Predictions
Time once again for the World Famous SiriusXM NHL Network Radio Stanley Cup Playoff Prediction Pool. This is the 16th year we’ve foolishly laid everything on the line. There are 16 participants, all looking to hoist the “Cup”.
Bruce Bolton was the King of the Hill last time around, his second overall championship.
Only Bruce, and Joe Thistle, had tabbed the Bolts to win it all when we asked for predictions on the eve of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Only Bruce, and Mick, correctly picked the Lighting to take the Stanley Cup in 5 games. And there are your top three finishers for last season.
It should be noted that The Second Funniest Man Alive (Jessie Ralph), won the “Popular Vote Award’, correctly getting 10 out of the 15 post-season series.
Once again, flip a coin as to which team has the best chance to take home the Stanley Cup this summer. The NHL appears to be getting tighter and tighter when it comes to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Will the Tampa Bay Lightning win three Stanley Cups in-a-row? It’s a rare feat to accomplish, and living in the salary cap era, it might be impossible to pull off, even when working the cap to your advantage.
The last NHL team to win three Stanley Cups in a row were the New York Islanders, from 1981 through to 1983 (and, of course, also the 1980 Cup). Edmonton (84-85 & 87-88), Pittsburgh (91-92), Detroit (97-98), and Pittsburgh (16-17) have come close since.
Only the Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Islanders have ever pulled off the Hockey Hat Trick, while the Stanley Cup has been under the control of the National Hockey League.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup three years in-a-row (47-49). Montreal did it during their 5 in-a-row (56-60). The Leafs were there again (62-64), and then Les Canadiens once again during their four in-a-row (76-79), and, as mentioned, the New York Islanders (80-83).
A quick glance at the last time the 16 current playoff teams held a Cup winning parade…
Tampa Bay Lightning 2021
St. Louis Blues 2019
Washington Capitals 2018
Pittsburgh Penguins 2017
Los Angeles Kings 2014
Boston Bruins 2011
Carolina Hurricanes 2006
Colorado Avalanche 2001
Dallas Stars 1999
New York Rangers 1994
Edmonton Oilers 1990
Calgary Flames 1989
Toronto Maple Leafs 1967
Minnesota Wild never*
Nashville Predators never
Florida Panthers never
(*Wild the only team here yet to have been to a Stanley Cup Final)
Keep in mind this is not a bracket challenge. We will submit our predictions round-by-round. Tune in to “Under Review” on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio Channel 91, every weekday at 11 am Eastern/8 am Pacific, for the latest Fearless Playoff Predictions updates.
2021 FINAL RESULTS
1. Bruce Bolton 25 Points (9 for 15)
2. Joe Thistel 19 Points (9 for 15)
3. Mick Kern 18 Points (9 for 15)
4. Jesse Ralph 17 Points (10 for 15)
5. Jonathan Davis 16 Points (8 for 15)
6. Shane Malloy 15 Points (8 for 15)
7. Steve Kouleas 14 Points (9 for 15)
8. Scott Laughlin 14 Points (8 for 15)
9. Mike Lippa 14 Points (8 for 15)
10. Tyler Madaraz 13 Points (8 for 15)
11. Dave McCarthy 13 Points (8 for 15)
12. Jim Gordon 13 Points (7 for 15)
13. Bernie Corbett 11 Points (7 for 15)
14. Dennis Bernstein 10 Points (7 for 15)
15. Peter Berce 10 Points (6 for 15)
16. Jake Hahn 9 Points (6 for 15)
17. Gord Stellick 8 Points (6 for 15)
FEARLESS PLAYOFF PREDICTION CHAMPIONS
2022 Champion – ????????
2021 Champion – Bruce Bolton (2)
2020 Champion – Dennis Bernstein
2019 Champion – Jim Gordon
2018 Champion – Joe Thistel (3)
2017 Champion – Peter Berce (2)
2016 Champion – Mike Lippa
2015 Champions – Peter Berce & Nick Alberga
2014 Champion – Joe Thistel (2)
2013 Champion – Bruce Bolton
2012 Champion – Mick Kern (4)
2011 Champion – Joe Thistel
2010 Champions – Scott Laughlin (2) & Shawn Lavigne
2009 Champions – Scott Laughlin & Mick Kern (3)
2008 Champion – Mick Kern (2)
2007 Champions – Mike Ross & Mick Kern
46 points is the maximum number of points one can achieve. Mike Lippa set the record with 36 points back in 2016. REMEMBER: This is NOT a bracket challenge. We will make subsequent picks every round of the playoffs.
- 1 point for correctly choosing the winner of each 1st round series
- 2 points for correctly choosing the winner of each 2nd round series
- 2 points for correctly choosing the winner of each 3rd round series
- 3 points for correctly choosing the 2021 Stanley Cup winner
- 2 points for correctly choosing the 2021 Conn Smythe winner
- 1 point for correctly choosing how long a series goes, but only if one also correctly picks that series’ winning team
- 3 points for correctly choosing the 2021 Stanley Cup winner before the playoffs begin
- 3 points for correctly choosing the 2021 Conn Smythe winner before the playoffs begin
As for favoured teams this time around, here is the statistical breakdown (16 votes in all):
2022 Stanley Cup Champion:
Colorado Avalanche 6 votes
Calgary Flames 5 votes
Tampa Bay Lightning 2 votes
Florida Panthers 1 vote
Carolina Hurricanes 1 vote
Toronto Maple Leafs 1 vote
Teams that nobody picked to win a playoff series:
Nashville Predators
Dallas Stars
And Now…Our Fearless 2022 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions
Bruce Bolton
Carolina in 5
NY Rangers in 6
Washington in 7
Tampa Bay in 6
Colorado in 5
Minnesota in 6
Calgary in 5
Los Angeles in 7
Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay over Minnesota
Conn Smythe: Steven Stamkos
Joe Thistel
Boston in 7
NY Rangers in 6
Florida in 5
Tampa Bay in 6
Colorado in 5
Calgary in 6
Minnesota in 7
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Calgary over Florida
Conn Smythe: Jacob Markstrom
Mick Kern
Carolina in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Florida in 6
Toronto in 7
Colorado in 6
Calgary in 5
St. Louis in 7
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Florida over Calgary
Conn Smythe: Aleksander Barkov
Jesse Ralph
Boston in 6
NY Rangers in 7
Florida in 5
Tampa Bay in 7
Colorado in 5
Minnesota in 7
Calgary in 6
Edmonton in 7
Stanley Cup: Calgary over Florida
Conn Smythe: Jacob Markstrom
Jonathan Davis
Carolina in 6
NY Rangers in 5
Florida in 5
Tampa Bay in 6
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 6
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Colorado over NY Rangers
Conn Smythe: Cale Makar
Shane Malloy
DID NOT SUBMIT PICK
Steve Kouleas
Carolina in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Florida in 5
Tampa Bay in 7
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 7
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Colorado over Tampa Bay
Conn Smythe: Nate MacKinnon
Scott Laughlin
Carolina in 7
NY Rangers in 6
Florida in 6
Tampa Bay in 7
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 7
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Colorado over Tampa Bay
Conn Smythe: Cale Makar
Mike Lippa
Florida in 7
Pittsburgh in 6
Boston in 7
Tampa Bay in 6
Colorado in 4
Minnesota in 7
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 5
Stanley Cup: Colorado over Florida
Conn Smythe: Nathan MacKinnon
Tyler Madaraz
Florida in 5
Boston in 7
Tampa Bay in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Colorado in 6
Calgary in 5
St. Louis in 7
Los Angeles in 7
Stanley Cup: Calgary over Florida
Conn Smythe: Jacob Markstrom
Dave McCarthy
Florida in 7
Carolina in 7
Tampa Bay in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Colorado in 5
Calgary in 6
St. Louis in 7
Edmonton in 7
Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay over St. Louis
Conn Smythe: Steven Stamkos
Jim Gordon
Carolina in 7
NY Rangers in 7
Florida in 5
Toronto in 5
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 7
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 7
Stanley Cup: Carolina over Colorado
Conn Smythe: Sebastian Aho
Bernie Corbett
Carolina in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Florida in 5
Tampa Bay in 7
Colorado in 5
Minnesota in 7
Calgary in 5
Edmonton in 6
Stanley Cup: Calgary over Carolina
Conn Smythe: Johnny Gaudreau
Dennis Bernstein
Florida in 5
Carolina in 7
Tampa Bay in 6
NY Rangers in 5
Colorado in 4
Calgary in 5
St. Louis in 6
Los Angeles in 6
Stanley Cup: Colorado over FloridaConn Smythe: Mikko Rantanen
Peter Berce
Washington in 7
Boston in 6
Tampa Bay in 6
NY Rangers in 6
Colorado in 5
Calgary in 6
Minnesota in 7
Los Angeles in 6
Stanley Cup: Colorado over NY Rangers
Conn Smythe: Nathan MacKinnon
Jake Hahn
Carolina in 7
NY Rangers in 5
Florida in 6
Tampa Bay in 6
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 6
Calgary in 6
Los Angeles in 7
Stanley Cup: Calgary over Tampa Bay
Conn Smythe: Jacob MarkstromGord Stellick
Carolina in 5
Pittsburgh in 7
Florida in 6
Toronto in 7
Colorado in 5
St. Louis in 6
Calgary in 5
Los Angeles in 6
Stanley Cup: Toronto over Calgary
Conn Smythe: Auston Matthews
RELATED CHANNELS
