from Andrew Berkshire of Sportsnet,

Injuries can’t really be predicted, but we can look at teams’ performances, and make educated guesses based on past history of the league on which teams should be on the rise in the New Year, and which ones should tail off.

Let’s get into it.

Likely to fall: Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks

The Sabres and Ducks are solidly in third place in their respective divisions, while the Canucks just outside the final wildcard spot in the West. All three teams are currently significantly higher in the standings than their play would warrant, especially the Ducks, who are getting just under 39 per cent of the high danger scoring chances at 5-vs-5....

Likely to rise: Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights

Look, Carolina, I know you’re going to make me a liar, you do this every year. Why can’t you win games? No matter what way we break it down, the Hurricanes are a dominant even strength team, perhaps even the NHL’s best at 5-vs-5. Their shot volume is exceptional, the scoring chance volume is exceptional, the shots are coming from the right places, and the shots involve more than enough pre-shot movement.

more on each of the two categories with two graphs tossed in...