from Scott Burnside of ESPN,

At the beginning of each season we project, we hypothesize and, in the end, we are sometimes -- often? -- proven horribly wrong.

Herein, 10 things we did not see coming in 2015-16.

Hands up for those who figured Jaromir Jagr, who turned 44 this season, would not just remain a useful NHL player for the Florida Panthers but would be leading a renaissance in South Florida? Dale Tallon, sorry, you don't count. Jagr might be one of the most compelling stories anywhere in sport, leading the team in points and tied for the team lead in goals. The Panthers set a franchise record for wins in a season, they might end up with the Atlantic Division crown and they have a legitimate shot at the their first real playoff success since 1996.

Watching Evgeny Kuznetsov in the playoffs last year left us in awe of the young center's skill set, but his emergence this season as one of the most dazzling players on the NHL's runaway best team, the Washington Capitals, has been an unexpected treat. Kuznetsov leads the Caps with 75 points and is a whopping plus-25. His dramatic evolution is one of the main reasons many are picking the Capitals to win their first Stanley Cup this spring.

eight more topics...