No. 2: Max Pacrioretty Will Score 20 Goals
At one point in the offseason, I wrote that Max Pacioretty would score 30 goals this year, which is a stretch. As a result, I've lowered that total to 20 goals, as that's a much more realistic number to hit.
Pacioretty is scheduled to start on the third line, which makes sense. Although I think Max Domi should be playing on the team's top-line instead of Matthew Knies, I do think those two deserve to be top-six wingers on this team, so Pacioretty has naturally fallen into a third-line role.
That makes a ton of sense, and as much as I'd love to see Easton Cowan in this role, I think Pacioretty can work, as long as he's healthy.
Health is the biggest question with his game, but I saw a lot of good things in the preseason to think he can contribute in the regular season.
Throughout the course of his career, Pacioretty was an elite goalscorer. He scored at over a 30-goal pace for the past decade, but injuries stopped him from that total for the past two years and he hasn't looked the same. However, with almost a full year of rehab, Pacioretty knows his time is limited in the NHL, so he's going to make the most of it with the Leafs this year.
I predict 20 goals.