Predicting the 2018 Champions
01/11/2018, 12:45pm CST
By Let's Play Hockey
Let's Play Hockey's predictions for the teams to raise championship trophies at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Predicting the 2018 Champions
| League | 2017 Champion | Current No. 1 | Minnesota teams (odds/rank/win %) | Our prediction for 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL | Pittsburgh | Tampa Bay (6/1) | Minnesota (28/1) | The Minnesota Wild make a run in the second half of the season to comfortably make the playoffs, but once again fall in the first round, this time in 6 games to Nashville. Tampa Bay wins its second Cup, defeating St. Louis in 6 games in the Final. |
| NCAA D-I Men | Denver | Notre Dame | Minnesota State (8), Minnesota (9), Minnesota Duluth (15), Bemidji State (RV) | The NCHC wins its third straight national title as St. Cloud State defeats Clarkson to become the third consecutive Minnesota team to win an NCAA championship in St. Paul. |
| NCAA D-I Women | Clarkson | Wisconsin | Minnesota (5), Bemidji State (NR), Minnesota Duluth (NR), Minnesota State (NR), St. Cloud State (NR) | For the 16th time in 18 years, a team from a western school wins the NCAA Frozen Four as Wisconsin shuts out Boston College in the title game. |
| NCAA D-III Men | Norwich | St. Norbert | Augsburg (RV), St. John’s (RV), St. Thomas (RV) | Endicott captures its first NCAA Championship, defeating St. Norbert in the title game. |
| NCAA D-III Women | Plattsburgh | Elmira | Gustavus (4), St. Thomas (8), Hamline (RV), Augsburg (RV) | Plattsburgh wins its fifth straight national championship, downing Gustavus Adolphus in the title game |
| USHL | Chicago | Tri-City (.685) | n/a | Fargo captures its first ever Clark Cup, defeating Tri-City in four games. |
| NAHL | Lone Star | Shreveport (.779) | Austin (.597), MN Wilderness (.544), MN Magicians (.500) | Fairbanks wins its fourth Robertson Cup in the last eight seasons, defeating Philadelphia in three games. |
| USPHL Premier | Islanders | Charlotte (.912) | MN Blue Ox (.889), MN Moose (.850), MN Mullets (.603), Steele County (.387) | The Charlotte Rush cruises to championships at both the Premier and Elite divisions. |
| SIJHL | Dryden | Thief River Falls (.966) | Minnesota (.155) | Thief River Falls captures its first ever Salonen Cup, defeating Dryden in the finals. |
| NA3HL | Granite City | North Iowa (.948) | New Ulm (.661), Granite City (.643), Alexandria (.643), Willmar (.552), Breezy Point (.414), Rochester (.148) | North Iowa continues its 2017-18 dominance to win its fourth title in the last six years, defeating Binghamton in the finals. |
| Boys Class AA | Grand Rapids | Duluth East | Paced by the best offensive attack in the state, Edina defeats Duluth East to claim its 10th state title. | |
| Girls Class AA | Edina | Blake | Blake moves up to Class AA and doesn’t miss a beat, defeating Centennial to win its fifth state title in six years behind the strength of eight players committed to a Division I school. | |
| Boys Class A | Hermantown | Hermantown | Mahtomedi captures its first ever state championship, knocking off Hermantown in a state title game for the ages. The championship game will mark Hermantown’s final game in Class A. | |
| Girls Class A | Blake | Thief River Falls | On the shoulders of Ms. Hockey favorite Taylor Heise, Red Wing wins its first state title, edging Warroad in the championship game. |
Tag(s): State Of Hockey News
