You forgot excellent goaltending. Unless in Yost language "player capable of driving strong SV%" means excellent goaltending
- BestRapperAlive

It's part of it. Goaltenders are not individually/exclusively responsible for their save percentages -- they just play the primary role in them.

So, when I say driving SV%, I mean (a) getting strong goaltending; and (b) playing good hockey, more or less.

lmao, i see what you did there
- RileyB77

WOP WOP WOP

What about FO winning %? I think having capable guys down the center who can win draws is a bigger factor then some of the others you suggest

right on no mention of needing a #1 Centre.....we have a chance!

Not sayin just cuz im a fan...but leafs fit most of that...and canada rejoices!!

not saying it cuz im a fan but Tampa bay lightning have everything on this list `100%

Not sayin just cuz im a fan...but leafs fit most of that...and canada rejoices!!
- walk-talk

Canada rejoices??

Finish in the top of your Conference and you're chances are pretty good!

2013 - Chicago 1st in West
2012 - L.A. 8th in West (exception to the rule)
2011 - Boston 3rd in the East
2010 - Chicago 2nd in the West
2009 - Pittsburgh 4th in the East
2008 - Detroit 1st in the West
2007 - Anaheim 2nd in the West
2006 - Carolina 2nd in the East
2004 - Tampa 1st in the East
2003 - New Jersey 2nd in the East
2002 - Detroit 1st in the West
2001 - Colorado 1st in the West
2000 - New Jersey 4th in the East
1999 - Dallas 1st in the West
1998 - Detroit 2nd in the West
1997 - Detroit 3rd in the West
1996 - Colorado 2nd in the West
1995 - New Jersey 5th in the East
1994 - New York Rangers 1st in the East
1993 - Montreal 5th in the East

So there's the last 20 years worth of Cup Champions, only five times has the Cup champ come outside of the top three in the Conference, lowest seed was 8th, the other two were 5th.

If your team is good enough to finish in the top three of your Conference, you've got a 75% chance of winning the Stanley Cup.

Edit: 11 wins for the West - we win West is best!!

Finish in the top of your Conference and you're chances are pretty good!

2013 - Chicago 1st in West
2012 - L.A. 8th in West (exception to the rule)
2011 - Boston 3rd in the East
2010 - Chicago 2nd in the West
2009 - Pittsburgh 4th in the East
2008 - Detroit 1st in the West
2007 - Anaheim 2nd in the West
2006 - Carolina 2nd in the East
2004 - Tampa 1st in the East
2003 - New Jersey 2nd in the East
2002 - Detroit 1st in the West
2001 - Colorado 1st in the West
2000 - New Jersey 4th in the East
1999 - Dallas 1st in the West
1998 - Detroit 2nd in the West
1997 - Detroit 3rd in the West
1996 - Colorado 2nd in the West
1995 - New Jersey 5th in the East
1994 - New York Rangers 1st in the East
1993 - Montreal 5th in the East

So there's the last 20 years worth of Cup Champions, only five times has the Cup champ come outside of the top three in the Conference, lowest seed was 8th, the other two were 5th.

If your team is good enough to finish in the top three of your Conference, you've got a 75% chance of winning the Stanley Cup.
- LeftCoaster

Unless you are the Vancouver Canucks...

Eklund: The Ten Factors a Team Must Possess to Win a Cup. Who has them?
- Eklund

aside from Madden, how many other cup winners were on the 09 hawk team prior to winning the cup?

i look at this list and all i think of is montreal, but what the (frank) happened to them? out 1st rd

they had horrible seasons, they have a coach that turned them around, a good GM, carey price is capable of stealing games, they have depth on defense, they have a mix of young and old vets who work hard they have briere now who is clutch when it comes down to crunch time ,...

im not saying theyre winning the cup, i just think of them when i see this list...but yet they have struggled to prove they are true contendors, the potential is there but idk

i also think of boston bruins when it comes to key clutch performers in playoff time (kreji)
- RileyB77

1) Carey Price
2) Peter Budaj
3) a relatively thin team missing 5 regular forwards
4) Craig Anderson
5) and,according to Ottawa, they lost a few fights at the end of a blowout. MANHANDLED.

Finish in the top of your Conference and you're chances are pretty good!

2013 - Chicago 1st in West
2012 - L.A. 8th in West (exception to the rule)
2011 - Boston 3rd in the East
2010 - Chicago 2nd in the West
2009 - Pittsburgh 4th in the East
2008 - Detroit 1st in the West
2007 - Anaheim 2nd in the West
2006 - Carolina 2nd in the East
2004 - Tampa 1st in the East
2003 - New Jersey 2nd in the East
2002 - Detroit 1st in the West
2001 - Colorado 1st in the West
2000 - New Jersey 4th in the East
1999 - Dallas 1st in the West
1998 - Detroit 2nd in the West
1997 - Detroit 3rd in the West
1996 - Colorado 2nd in the West
1995 - New Jersey 5th in the East
1994 - New York Rangers 1st in the East
1993 - Montreal 5th in the East

So there's the last 20 years worth of Cup Champions, only five times has the Cup champ come outside of the top three in the Conference, lowest seed was 8th, the other two were 5th.

If your team is good enough to finish in the top three of your Conference, you've got a 75% chance of winning the Stanley Cup.

Edit: 11 wins for the West - we win West is best!!
- LeftCoaster

what happened to 2005???

Not sayin just cuz im a fan...but leafs fit most of that...and canada rejoices!!
- walk-talk

agree. they will be a powerhouse this season. should be neck and neck with Boston and PIttsburgh for the conference lead from October to April.

what happened to 2005???
- watsonnostaw

interesting

agree. they will be a powerhouse this season. should be neck and neck with Boston and PIttsburgh for the conference lead from October to April.
- scotch_tape

liar

they will be jumping off of a bridge before the end of may

agree. they will be a powerhouse this season. should be neck and neck with Boston and PIttsburgh for the conference lead from October to April.
- scotch_tape

The Leafs are playing with fire with Kadri and Franson right now. Those two should have been their focus this off season, not Clarkson, Bozak, and Bolland. In my opinion so far Nonis has made primarily bad moves. He wasn't the reason the Leafs made the playoffs last year; that was the team Burke built.

The Leafs are playing with fire with Kadri and Franson right now. Those two should have been their focus this off season, not Clarkson, Bozak, and Bolland. In my opinion so far Nonis has made primarily bad moves. He wasn't the reason the Leafs made the playoffs last year; that was the team Burke built.
- MannySilvers

this

I have six more incredibly scientific and arbitrary factors

1. Number of times the goalie poops.
2. Kessel's BMI.
3. Flavor of Gatorade on away team bench.
4. Temperature of ice.
5. Number of hockey games won as compared to other teams.
6. Richard Park.

Based on these six factors, who do you all think is in the best position to win the hockey?

Canada rejoices??
- Muskwa

Toronto IS Canada, has no one told you yet?

what happened to 2005???
- watsonnostaw

Vancouver won.

The Leafs are playing with fire with Kadri and Franson right now. Those two should have been their focus this off season, not Clarkson, Bozak, and Bolland. In my opinion so far Nonis has made primarily bad moves. He wasn't the reason the Leafs made the playoffs last year; that was the team Burke built.
- MannySilvers

pretty sure Nonis added Frazer McLaren...

I have six more incredibly scientific and arbitrary factors

1. Number of times the goalie poops.
2. Kessel's BMI.
3. Flavor of Gatorade on away team bench.
4. Temperature of ice.
5. Number of hockey games won as compared to other teams.
6. Richard Park.

Based on these six factors, who do you all think is in the best position to win the hockey?
- chadrock

Montreal Alouettes?

One thing about the playoffs is the clutch goalie has often been a guy who going into the playoffs was not a lock to be the starter and had something to prove.

Niemi, Howard, Crawford, Rask etc.

All these guys were unproven in the playoffs and had not had the start job for long and doubts they could handle things.

A goalie with something to prove and a contract to earn is part of my formula.

Toronto IS Canada, has no one told you yet?
- geta02it

Vancouver is western Toronto.