The Avs had a much stronger supporting cast to plug their high draft picks into. The Oilers stripped everything bare, and have struggled to get decent role players into the mix.
- BINGO!

This is the biggest factor imo. I also agree that Roy has been drastically more effective than Eakins thus far too. It would also appear that the Avs draft picks are reaching their potential much faster than the Oilers picks (RNH, Yak vs. Landy, Mac). These factors are all coupled with each other too so it's not really sensible to weigh them in isolation.

Canes add Sergei Samsonov as a scout.

Front office/coaching staff now features:

Ron Francis, Joe Nieuwendyk, Rod Brind'amour, Glen Wesley, Cory Stillman, Sergei Samsonov, etc etc

Bryzgalov?


- BINGO!

Probably their best bet aside from trading for a new starter. Slim pickings in the FA. According to CapGeek their options are:

Brodeur
Tim Thomas
Khabbibulan
Cal Heeter (Flyers minor league goalie last season)
Nathan Lawson (Minor league goalie for OTT)
Bryzgalov

I know. And your team has lost 9 of the last 10 times we've played, so it must suck to be you, having a low opinion of the Blues but knowing the Wild can't compete with them.
- Antilles

Oooh... ouch. Only thing that really means anything in hockey is post season bud. And right now, the Wild have won one more playoff series and 4 more post season wins in the past two seasons than the Blahs. The Wild can go 0-fer against the Blahs for all I care if they continue to out perform them in the post season.

Mmmkay there paper champ?!

This is the biggest factor imo. I also agree that Roy has been drastically more effective than Eakins thus far too. It would also appear that the Avs draft picks are reaching their potential much faster than the Oilers picks (RNH, Yak vs. Landy, Mac). These factors are all coupled with each other too so it's not really sensible to weigh them in isolation.
- RonPielep

Pretty much.

EDM has been a rotating surfboard of death for coaches. A little more stability on that end would have helped.

But I mean, Colorado had Paul Stastny and Erik Johnson on the squad already. They were competitive, but lacked scoring punch. Insert free-wheeling firepower in Duchene and Mackinnon, and a power winger in Landeskog. All Roy really had to do was bring them all together and let'em go.

Probably their best bet aside from trading for a new starter. Slim pickings in the FA. According to CapGeek their options are:

Brodeur
Tim Thomas
Khabbibulan
Cal Heeter (Flyers minor league goalie last season)
Nathan Lawson (Minor league goalie for OTT)
Bryzgalov
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

We'll trade them Ward.

I'd really really like to trade them Ward.

Oooh... ouch. Only thing that really means anything in hockey is post season bud. And right now, the Wild have won one more playoff series and 4 more post season games in the past two seasons than the Blahs. The Wild can go 0-fer against the Blahs for all I care if they continue to out perform them in the post season.

Mmmkay there paper champ?!
- MnGump

Yes yes, everyone knows you got lucky enough to play an easy opponent who had a top guy injured in the first round. If you think that means you were actually performing better than Blues in the playoffs, enjoy your delusions. There is a reason Toews talked about how tough the series were against the Blues and Kings, but didn't mention the Mild. Just keep praying you get another easy first round matchup and don't have to face a team you can't beat like St. Louis. If you manage to squeeze into the playoffs again, that is.

No - they lost their number one center and are going to rely on a 2nd year rookie, who may or may not endure a sophomore slump and has never played center for a full 82 games, there are better top six's for sure!!
- LeftCoaster

We lost Duchene?

We lost Duchene?
- Drij

Technically Stastny played on the 1st line last season Duchene 2nd.

overall scoring depth... its between LA and tampa for deepest in the league. we have a calder finalist last year playing as our 3rd line center in johnson. after those top 6 in colorado that thing falls off a cliff for their bottom 6. tampas bottom 6 is kucherov johnson connolly and brown boyle morrow. and LAs is better with mike richards as their 4th line center or whatever he was last year.

final 4 this year will be LA/CHI and TB/PIT. just my gut feeling.
- boltsfan48

Really? Take a look at LA's regular season stats for the past three years - bottom half.

Yep.. and finished ahead of Chicago and St. Louis in the process. Man we suck.
- DutchCanSaveUs

It's all about the playoffs....

Toronto:
Insert Name Here-Insert Name Here-Insert Name Here
Insert Name Here-Insert Name Here-Insert Name Here

that top two always seems to be praised by TSN
- l3ig_l2ecl

who is that guy the have that's always around top 5 in goals and points....can't remember his name.

my vote is for the habs top 6

Pacuioretty-Desharnais-40 pt guy
30 pt guy-Plekanek-25 pt guy

jokes aside I think San Jose has the best top 6.

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Burns(possibly)

Probably their best bet aside from trading for a new starter. Slim pickings in the FA. According to CapGeek their options are:

Brodeur
Tim Thomas
Khabbibulan
Cal Heeter (Flyers minor league goalie last season)
Nathan Lawson (Minor league goalie for OTT)
Bryzgalov
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

He is in the leafs camp, so they can't even invite him to a PTO first

Absolutely they do...that's scary as a top 6, My Oil will have a good top 6 hopefully sooner than later

Hall-RNH-Eberle
Perron-Draisaitl-Yakupov
- yakattack

Draisaitl hasn't played a game in the NHL yet.

My list of top 2 lines are:

Saad-Toews-Hossa
Sharp-Richards-Kane

Landeskog-Duche-Iggy
Reilly-MacKinnon-Tanguay

Benn-Seguin-Nich
Cole-Spezza-Hemsky

Parise-Koivu-Pommer
Vanek-Granlund-Coyle

Schenn-Giroux-Voracek
Simmonds-Couturier-Read

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Neito

Steen-Backes-Oshie
Schwartz-Stastny-Tarasenko

Honestly I like St.Louis the best. They are the only line IMO that doesn't have one guy you aren't sure of. Richards on CHI, Tanguay on Col, Cole on DAL, Coyle on MIN, Schenn on PHI and Neito on SJS are all guys that I am not sure will succeed where they are.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I like your first three. Philly? I don't think they are that high. I like Giroux and Simmonds but I would pick St. Louis' top 6 over Philly.

Canes add Sergei Samsonov as a scout.

Front office/coaching staff now features:

Ron Francis, Joe Nieuwendyk, Rod Brind'amour, Glen Wesley, Cory Stillman, Sergei Samsonov, etc etc
- BINGO!

Not very much experience of high level hockey.

I like your first three. Philly? I don't think they are that high. I like Giroux and Simmonds but I would pick St. Louis' top 6 over Philly.
- ShayneCorsi

These aren't in any particular order. I have Philly because those players all scored 20-30 goals last season with exception of Couturier.

who is that guy the have that's always around top 5 in goals and points....can't remember his name.

my vote is for the habs top 6

Pacuioretty-Desharnais-40 pt guy
30 pt guy-Plekanek-25 pt guy

jokes aside I think San Jose has the best top 6.

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Burns(possibly)
- GardinerExpress

I think Burns is overrated. The guy played beside Thornton and barley hit 20 goals. Cheechoo got 30-56 goals playing with Joe and he can't even get a job in the NHL. Even Setoguchi got 30 goals beside Thornton.

I think Burns is overrated. The guy played beside Thornton and barley hit 20 goals. Cheechoo got 30-56 goals playing with Joe and he can't even get a job in the NHL. Even Setoguchi got 30 goals beside Thornton.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

to be fair he got 22 in 69 games, and he wasnt on the first pp unit.

This has probly already been done, but...

Sharp > Landeskog
Toews >> MacKinnon
Hossa >>> Tanguay
Saad = O'Reilly
Richards <<< Duchene
Kane >>> Iginla

Thats 9 arrows for the Hawks, and 3 for the Avs. Hawks have the advantage at 4 spots, Avs at 1, and even at 1.

So, unless im missing something, the Hawks top 6 is better. No?

who is that guy the have that's always around top 5 in goals and points....can't remember his name.

my vote is for the habs top 6

Pacuioretty-Desharnais-40 pt guy
30 pt guy-Plekanek-25 pt guy

jokes aside I think San Jose has the best top 6.

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Burns(possibly)
- GardinerExpress

Idk, lets use the arrow test again and find out.

Sharp >> Hertl
Toews >> Thornton
Hossa = Pavelski
Saad < Marleau
Richards <<< Couture
Kane >>> Burns

Thats 7 arrows for the Hawks, and 4 for the Sharks. Hawks have the advantage at 3 spots, Sharks at 2, and even at 1.

Hawks win again.

Who are your top 5 picks in a prospect draft? 40 nhl games or less, Hertl qualifies

This has probly already been done, but...

Sharp > Landeskog
Toews >> MacKinnon
Hossa >>> Tanguay
Saad = O'Reilly
Richards <<< Duchene
Kane >>> Iginla

Thats 9 arrows for the Hawks, and 3 for the Avs. Hawks have the advantage at 4 spots, Avs at 1, and even at 1.

So, unless im missing something, the Hawks top 6 is better. No?
- SimpleJack

Aside from wrong in your thinking Saad is =ORielly ( he's not, not even close) it's all in the way you lined it up.
Toews>Tanguay
Kane>Iginla
Sharp < Duschene
Hossa =ROR
Saad< Landeskogg
Richards < Mackinnon

Any donk can play this game if you don't go by position or best on best.

Aside from wrong in your thinking Saad is =ORielly ( he's not, not even close) it's all in the way you lined it up.
Toews>Tanguay
Kane>Iginla
Sharp < Duschene
Hossa =ROR
Saad< Landeskogg
Richards < Mackinnon

Any donk can play this game if you don't go by position or best on best.
- Jeropotato

My list of top 2 lines are:

Saad-Toews-Hossa
Sharp-Richards-Kane

Landeskog-Duche-Iggy
Reilly-MacKinnon-Tanguay

Benn-Seguin-Nich
Cole-Spezza-Hemsky

Parise-Koivu-Pommer
Vanek-Granlund-Coyle

Schenn-Giroux-Voracek
Simmonds-Couturier-Read

Hertl-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Neito

Steen-Backes-Oshie
Schwartz-Stastny-Tarasenko

Honestly I like St.Louis the best. They are the only line IMO that doesn't have one guy you aren't sure of. Richards on CHI, Tanguay on Col, Cole on DAL, Coyle on MIN, Schenn on PHI and Neito on SJS are all guys that I am not sure will succeed where they are.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

So at the risk of sounding like a homer, I just have to ask...you guys are really going to snub the top 2 lines of the team that just won the Cup? They're probably not quite as good on paper as Chicago, but they're just as high as any of the other teams you listed.

Gaborik-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli

Hell, the reigning Conn Smythe winner can't even crack the top six on the Kings.