EA Sports has just released this year’s NHL Season Simulation, and has predicted that the Anaheim Ducks will beat the Montreal Canadiens to take home the 2016 Stanley Cup.
Using data and footage from the positively reviewed NHL 16, EA not only determined who will become this year’s champions, but it also predicted how well some other teams and individual players will do. Take a look at what the NHL 16 Season Simulation predicts:
Other key storylines from the 2015/16 season include:
- The Anaheim Ducks will defeat the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference Final. The Montreal Canadiens will defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final.
- After missing the Playoffs last season, the Los Angeles Kings will return to the postseason in a bid to win their third Stanley Cup® Championship in five years. The Kings’ Playoff run will end in the first round, losing seven games to the Calgary Flames.
- After finishing last in the NHL standings in 2015, the Buffalo Sabres put together a solid season and just missed out on the Eastern Conference Playoffs by a mere two points.
A number of individual players also made the spotlight in the NHL 16 simulation:
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With 55 goals under his belt, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will take home the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy scoring title for the fifth time in eight years.
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In addition to closing the season in the Top 15 in scoring, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid will establish himself as the league’s top rookie by taking home the Calder Memorial Trophy.
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Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby will pile up the awards, including the Hart Memorial Trophy, Art Ross Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.
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Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price continues his dominance in the crease and will take home his second consecutive Vezina Trophy honor. Price joins legends like Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy as goalies who have won the Vezina in consecutive years.
Of course, the simulation isn’t perfect, so let us know your thoughts on what this year’s hockey season will bring in the comments section below.
