So whats going on in the O'le Wells Fargo this evening so that game 4 couldn't commence? Two day breaks are garbage.
- MattStrat

Sixers played last night. Not sure if that effected something.

Strange but not definite. Also, he has shown he can play well with Sid. I think that kid is going to bring a lot of energy tomorrow night no matter where is inserted in the lineup...

...if he's inserted at all haha.
- MattStrat

Sid must love the constant rotation of wingers. I'm more worried about penalties with Simon. He's taken some bad ones that won't fly in the playoffs.

If that is the line up tomorrow, I think Sheary takes his spot 15 mins into the first. You know Sully's been dying to give his boy another shot up there.

I'm assuming Simon is in, but I'd be surprised if he's on the top line. Sully seems to really like ZAR so think he gets the bump. I'll guess:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
ZAR-Brassard-Sheary
Kuhnhackl-Sheahan-Simon

Sixers played last night. Not sure if that effected something.
- Victoro311

Could be...I always thought they (arenas that share b-ball and hockey) could to the conversion in a day.

I'm assuming Simon is in, but I'd be surprised if he's on the top line. Sully seems to really like ZAR so think he gets the bump. I'll guess:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
ZAR-Brassard-Sheary
Kuhnhackl-Sheahan-Simon
- Tojo.

I think thats all a good assumption.

Anyone know what happened to Horny? He finished the game I thought.

Could be...I always thought they (arenas that share b-ball and hockey) could to the conversion in a day.
- MattStrat

I thought the conversion from Basketball to hockey could be done in one day too. I think the other way around is harder.

I'll just answer this one because it's all similar. I say it MIGHT be an issue that they don't have the forwards who can take over a game or a series. I see that more on the teams you mentioned, especially the Kings and Hawks: Kane, Hossa, Toews, Sharp, Kopitar, Carter, Gaborik

That said, they are my Cup pick so I'm hardly discounting their chances, just see it as a weakness. Everyone has one.

Pittsburgh, Boston, Tampa, Jets are the other teams I look at. Vegas, Toronto, and Washington get mentioned. I see more game breakers up front on all of them.
- Tojo.

In this group, the only top end talent IMO is Kane and Kopitar. I see Johansen an Forsberg comparable to those two. Hossa, Toews, Sharp, Carter and Gaborik were all really good supporting guys much like Arvidsson, Turris, etc. That's just my opinion though. Also I don't think there's a team with a better top 4 D corp and I think that could balance out their lack of top end guys compared to other teams.

In this group, the only top end talent IMO is Kane and Kopitar. I see Johansen an Forsberg comparable to those two. Hossa, Toews, Sharp, Carter and Gaborik were all really good supporting guys much like Arvidsson, Turris, etc. That's just my opinion though. Also I don't think there's a team with a better top 4 D corp and I think that could balance out their lack of top end guys compared to other teams.
- j.boyd919

I think you’re overlooking Hossa. The first two cups he won in a Chicago he was nearly PPG both seasons and was a defensive force. One of the best two way wingers in the league without a doubt. That’s not flashy, but that’s too end talent.

Same goes for Toews the first two Cups, especially that first one.

By the time Gaborik won with the Kings I’d agree he wasn’t top end.

So Letang, too?

I think you’re overlooking Hossa. The first two cups he won in a Chicago he was nearly PPG both seasons and was a defensive force. One of the best two way wingers in the league without a doubt. That’s not flashy, but that’s too end talent.

Same goes for Toews the first two Cups, especially that first one.

By the time Gaborik won with the Kings I’d agree he wasn’t top end.
- Victoro311

I agree with all of that, but I don't believe their rosters were THAT much better than the Preds this year. Even in terms of top end talent. I think that Johansen, Turris, Forsberg, Ardvidsson are comparable to Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa.

So Letang, too?
- Rinosaur

Maintenance day for Tanger.

So Letang, too?
- Rinosaur

Letang is maintenance as far as I know...

In this group, the only top end talent IMO is Kane and Kopitar. I see Johansen an Forsberg comparable to those two. Hossa, Toews, Sharp, Carter and Gaborik were all really good supporting guys much like Arvidsson, Turris, etc. That's just my opinion though. Also I don't think there's a team with a better top 4 D corp and I think that could balance out their lack of top end guys compared to other teams.
- j.boyd919

We'd probably have to agree to disagree there. Guys like Toews, Hossa, Carter were monsters at a level I don't think Johansson and Arvidson can reach. Johansson in particular as a #1 center falls way short compared to Crosby, Toews, and Kopitar at that point in their careers.

Don't disagree about the top 4 D balancing it out though. They're ultimately my pick, but I can see that being their downfall.

We'd probably have to agree to disagree there. Guys like Toews, Hossa, Carter were monsters at a level I don't think Johansson and Arvidson can reach. Johansson in particular as a #1 center falls way short compared to Crosby, Toews, and Kopitar at that point in their careers.

Don't disagree about the top 4 D balancing it out though. They're ultimately my pick, but I can see that being their downfall.
- Tojo.

Toews hovered around 60-70 points per season, with one 78 point season and a few 68 point seasons. Johansen hovers around 60 points per season with a 71 point season. Still don't think the gap is way short. But I'll agree to disagree.

I agree with all of that, but I don't believe their rosters were THAT much better than the Preds this year. Even in terms of top end talent. I think that Johansen, Turris, Forsberg, Ardvidsson are comparable to Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa.
- j.boyd919

Personally, I believe that Kane is heads and shoulders better than anyone on that list so I think his presence alone makes the Chicago group a lot better than the Preds group.

But really I’m just bored. I agree that I’m not worried at all about the Preds’ ability to win the Cup. They’re a top 3 team league wide.

Personally, I believe that Kane is heads and shoulders better than anyone on that list so I think his presence alone makes the Chicago group a lot better than the Preds group.

But really I’m just bored. I agree that I’m not worried at all about the Preds’ ability to win the Cup. They’re a top 3 team league wide.
- Victoro311

I agree that Kane>Forsberg. But that Forsberg-Johansen-Ardvidsosn line was one of the best lines in the NHL. Their second line of Fiala-Turris-Smith is unreal too.

From a sportsnet article:

Why the Nashville Predators will win the Stanley Cup:
If you stack up everyone’s roster from top to bottom, Nashville looks like the team with the fewest obvious exploitable flaws for an opponent to target in a series. Where we would’ve highlighted goaltending as one of those potential red flags in the past, that appears to no longer be the case. Not only did Pekka Rinne stop the aging curve in its tracks, but he appears to have reversed it for the time being by putting together a herculean regular season that’ll likely earn him the Vezina Trophy.

Once again armed with an embarrassment of riches on the blue line, Nashville has already shown its ability to tighten the screws in high leverage situations by shortening the depth chart and essentially having a top defence pair on the ice at all times.

One potential difference maker that could separate this team from last year’s version that fell just short is the presence of a second scoring line for opponents to contend with. With the arrival of Kyle Turris, and Kevin Fiala finally realizing his endless potential en route to a much anticipated breakout season, the Predators now have an equally menacing 1-2 punch up front as well.
Time CF% SOG% GF% xGF%
518.53 56.2 56.9 68.6 55.3
545.72 59.2 57.5 72.3 60.7
^1st and 2nd lines NSH

(All stats at five-on-five, and pulled from Corsica)

As we know anything can happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but on paper the Predators look like the team best positioned to be the last one standing this season.

EDIT: formatting sucks.

Toews hovered around 60-70 points per season, with one 78 point season and a few 68 point seasons. Johansen hovers around 60 points per season with a 71 point season. Still don't think the gap is way short. But I'll agree to disagree.
- j.boyd919

Toews also had a couple more seasons close to a ppg: one injury and one lockout, and his 60 point seasons were on the high side. Johansson had only 54 this year. Toews was over-rated in his prime, but I'll take him easily over Johansen.

Toews also had a couple more seasons close to a ppg: one injury and one lockout, and his 60 point seasons were on the high side. Johansson had only 54 this year. Toews was over-rated in his prime, but I'll take him easily over Johansen.
- Tojo.

Yeah, I don't disagree with that, I just don't think the gap is that big.

I agree that Kane>Forsberg. But that Forsberg-Johansen-Ardvidsosn line was one of the best lines in the NHL. Their second line of Fiala-Turris-Smith is unreal too.

From a sportsnet article:


EDIT: formatting sucks.
- j.boyd919

I remember reading a similar article about the Caps last year. They were stocked top to bottom as well. No weaknesses.

I remember reading a similar article about the Caps last year. They were stocked top to bottom as well. No weaknesses.
- MattStrat

Oh yeah, they were.

Over on DK's site on the practice day blog/story they have a gif of the contact between Letang and Giroux...he f'n knew what he was doing there. He was also smiling at his teammates right after.

F him. F them all.

Yeah, I don't disagree with that, I just don't think the gap is that big.
- j.boyd919

That's where we'll just disagree then. Think we both have them as the favorites regardless.

I remember reading a similar article about the Caps last year. They were stocked top to bottom as well. No weaknesses.
- MattStrat

That article must have skipped mental fortitude. Caps just don't have it.

Favorites often don't win which is part of why sports are so exciting. How many of our Cup wins were we the favorite entering the play-offs? Just need to be among the teams with a shot which I believe we are. (Pens are my #2 pick after Nashville).

That article must have skipped mental fortitude. Caps just don't have it.

Favorites often don't win which is part of why sports are so exciting. How many of our Cup wins were we the favorite entering the play-offs? Just need to be among the teams with a shot which I believe we are. (Pens are my #2 pick after Nashville).
- Tojo.

I don’t see one single jeggeranugt in these playoffs. These first round matchups might not be close, but after that it’s gonna get real interesting. There are about 5 teams I think could beat any team in the league in a 7 game series which are TBL, the Preds, the Peg, us, and the B’s.

I don’t see one single jeggeranugt in these playoffs. These first round matchups might not be close, but after that it’s gonna get real interesting. There are about 5 teams I think could beat any team in the league in a 7 game series which are TBL, the Preds, the Peg, us, and the B’s.
- Victoro311

That's actually the same teams I see as well. And all of those teams but us have a 2nd round collision coming.