Whilst logic like this is often flawed, for the most part, you can look at the previous season’s standings, check where each team was on the holiday weekend and draw a direct line between being in contention then and at the end of the year. If key guys like Mikael Granlund keep pace for the Minnesota Wild, it certainly will be the case this year.
The key in the logic is to have a strong start to the year and be able to maintain it. The Vegas Golden Knights were the best example last year; so many people didn’t expect them to maintain a start fuelled by a ground-swell of emotion.