Grading preseason bold predictions for all 32 NHL teams - ESPN

Before the 2024-25 NHL season, we made bold predictions for all 32 teams, ranging from individual player achievement to where teams would end up in the standings.

With almost a quarter of the season in the books, some of these predictions have already come true ... while others are teetering on the brink of being absolutely egregious.

Here's a progress report on our bold predictions. We'll rate each prediction on a 1-10 scale, with "1" indicating that the prediction absolutely will not come true and "10" indicating that I absolutely nailed it. Enjoy!

Atlantic Division

Boston Bruins

This will be Jim Montgomery's last season in Boston

Montgomery didn't have a contract beyond this season, despite GM Don Sweeney's claim that the two sides were talking extension. Sweeney said on Wednesday that it was a matter of financial disagreement, but also added several times that a performance factored into the talks.

I thought it was fairly obvious that if the Bruins didn't meet expectations of management, Monty would meet the same fate as the other Jack Adams winners (Claude Julien, Bruce Cassidy) that were dismissed by the Cam Neely regime. What I didn't anticipate was the dismissal happening after just 20 games. Montgomery was fired on Tuesday and replaced by associate coach Joe Sacco after Boston's 8-9-3 start (.475 points percentage).

Boston was 31st in team offense (2.40 goals per game) and 28th in defense (3.45 goals against per game), the latter being a product of their suddenly porous goaltending. Montgomery wasn't the reason Jeremy Swayman had an .884 save percentage through 14 games or that Boston decided to break up the best goalie tandem in the NHL by trading Linus Ullmark to Ottawa. This disappointing season is a matter of construction over coaching ... but there's no denying that Montgomery's heralded defensive system was less effective ever since Patrice Bergeron called it a career.

Montgomery did what he could to light a fire under the Bruins, including when he benched David Pastrnak recently. Now it's Sweeney trying to light a fire under the Bruins by sending Montgomery packing.

Nailed this one. Wish they could have all been this easy ...

Bold prediction confidence rating: 10