from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff,

...here are 32 bold predictions ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season:

Unflappable Spencer Knight will become the first goaltender since Steve Mason in 2008-09 to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. It won’t take long until it’s officially Knight’s crease in Sunrise, supplanting $10 million man Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Arizona Coyotes will relocate to Houston after 25 seasons in the desert. The City of Glendale has already notified the ‘Yotes it intends to terminate the team’s lease at Gila River Arena after this season. The Coyotes have attempted to jumpstart numerous new arena projects, all of which have fallen flat. Yes, the NHL has been patient. They don’t want to leave the fifth biggest city in the U.S., but Houston is fourth, fits in the Central Division better, has a viable NHL arena and prospective owner. Oh, yes, and can’t imagine NHL owners would mind the couple hundred million dollar relocation fee after floating players a billion during the pandemic.

Team USA will erase a 42-year drought and capture the Americans’ first gold medal in men’s hockey at the Olympics since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Buoyed in Beijing by Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane, Connor Hellebuyck and the Tkachuk Brothers, this is the year for the U.S. to break through and halt Canada’s best-on-best streak at three events.

more bold predictions...