No. 4: Toronto Maple Leafs Reach Stanley Cup Finals
I'm not predicting that the Toronto Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this year, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they reach the Stanley Cup Finals. I could have gone the other way and said that they were going to miss the playoffs, but this team is too good of a regular season team, not to make the playoffs.
The Leafs newest defensive additions will really help and a new coach-bump will guide this team to the Finals. However, the biggest reason I think they can get there is because nobody is expecting them too right now. There is not a single Leafs fan who believes in this team, so right when nobody thinks it'll happen and when it will.
If you look at this roster, they're very good and are a few breaks away from winning a few playoff rounds. If Nick Robertson, Max Pacioretty and Easton Cowan can all of a sudden provide depth scoring, then the Leafs top-nine is as good as anyones. The one question-mark is goaltending, but when healthy, Joseph Woll has proved that he's a legitimate no. 1 goaltender.
As such, if Woll can stay healthy and stand on his head like he's proved, why can't this team get through a few playoff rounds be competitive in the spring? This is potentially the last year for the core-four, and by all accounts they love playing with each other, so there should be even more of an incentive to play better.
As mentioned, I may be predicting the Leafs to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but I'm not predicting them to win, and in the Leafiest move ever, they'll find a way to lose the Cup Finals and it'll unfortunately be to the Edmonton Oilers, as Connor McDavid lifts his first cup in front of his hometown team.