I heard Juolevi telling Laine that they should start a Fortnite clan and that Jesse Pulljivari cant join becsuse his mouth is too big and he hurts their ears in voice chat
- Codes1087

pulijivari maybe is the game addict? He really seems to have done nothing in edmonton

well then again that's most of their roster

How many years did it take Crosby to win a cup?

Case closed, matthews is better then McDavid.
- Pres.cup

3 years. Toronto better win this year. McJesus is out.

While it was just a token stat, centremen take faceoffs. Nic Dowd has a significantly better win % than Malkin

Again, I'm not discrediting his skill, but I see him as a top 5 offensive winger rather than a top 5 C in the NHL. There are easily 5 Cs better than him in the game right now
- NorthNuck

Sure, he's easily top 10 over the course of his career. How many other centers, if they played in Pittsburgh, would push him down ti the third line? Not kopitar, not bergivan, not peak Sedin, not Getzlaf, not taveras. McDavid, Matthews, maybe stamkos and ...... who?

Sure, he's easily top 10 over the course of his career. How many other centers, if they played in Pittsburgh, would push him down ti the third line? Not kopitar, not bergivan, not peak Sedin, not Getzlaf, not taveras. McDavid, Matthews, maybe stamkos and ...... who?
- Pres.cup

If Kopitar or Bergeron or even Tavares were in Pit instead of Crosby I firmly believe that Malkin would either be on their wing or playing in the spot he does now.

3 years. Toronto better win this year. McJesus is out.
- manvanfan

Until he doesn't win it, he has a better chance of winning it in year three then McDavid, who didn't even make the playoffs in his third year.
Matthews, probability wise, a more successful player then McDavid.*


* when it comes to the probability of winning a Stanley cup in the first three years of his nhl career

If Kopitar or Bergeron or even Tavares were in Pit instead of Crosby I firmly believe that Malkin would either be on their wing or playing in the spot he does now.
- NorthNuck

Naw man, kopitar and Bergeron would play 2lc and take the defensive duties of shutting down the opposition's offense.
Tavares is slow and brittle compared to Malkin and would be his winger, at his peak he couldn't carry Malkins jock.*
When Crosby was injured Malkin carried the penguins and won a cup.

* tavaras is at his peak now, is a maple leaf, and will be carried by matthews*

wow...we'll just chalk this one up to early drinking.
- LordHumungous

think he's like that daily even without the booze

Naw man, kopitar and Bergeron would play 2lc and take the defensive duties of shutting down the opposition's offense.
Tavares is slow and brittle compared to Malkin and would be his winger, at his peak he couldn't carry Malkins jock.*
When Crosby was injured Malkin carried the penguins and won a cup.

* tavaras is at his peak now, is a maple leaf, and will be carried by matthews*
- Pres.cup

Toronto's defence and goaltending still suck.

He was essentially a 4th line C and PP specialist, and now to produce he needs to play in the top 6. That doesn’t sound like good value.
- 1970vintage

2 years he was, every other year he has gotten decent PP minutes and decent linemates.

There is a bunch of players I would prefer on my team than Gagner but I do think he is close to 40 points if healthy and playing with offensive players.
As far as top 6 minutes, I'm not sure he gets those. Horvat and Sutter's lines will get the most minutes, Beagles will get more than the avg 4th line and the last line will get easy offensive minutes would be my guess.

2 years he was, every other year he has gotten decent PP minutes and decent linemates.

There is a bunch of players I would prefer on my team than Gagner but I do think he is close to 40 points if healthy and playing with offensive players.
As far as top 6 minutes, I'm not sure he gets those. Horvat and Sutter's lines will get the most minutes, Beagles will get more than the avg 4th line and the last line will get easy offensive minutes would be my guess.
- belcherbd

Gagner played mostly with Hartnell and Sedlak in CLB mostly and then PP time. Hartnell and Sedlak are really straight forward take the puck to the net types. Bottom two lines could go as

Roussel Sutter Granlund
Schaller Beagle Gagner

Leaves Baertschi, Virtanen, Horvat, Boeser, Goldobin, Leipsic, Pettersson, Eriksson for top 6 roles.

Keep 14 forwards and wait for injuries, waive Gaunce, Biega

Gagner played mostly with Hartnell and Sedlak in CLB mostly and then PP time. Hartnell and Sedlak are really straight forward take the puck to the net types. Bottom two lines could go as

Roussel Sutter Granlund
Schaller Beagle Gagner

Leaves Baertschi, Virtanen, Horvat, Boeser, Goldobin, Leipsic, Pettersson, Eriksson for top 6 roles.

Keep 14 forwards and wait for injuries, waive Gaunce, Biega
- manvanfan

That could work but I think expecting EP to play top 6 as a C is a stretch.

https://mobile.twitter.com/averagecapsfan/status/1026332344305811456/photo/1


- belcherbd

What, what is that, only 20?? super underrated...eastern media bias

Just saying, the established veteran players have a roster spot locked up, for better or worse. It is essentially gifted to them (not that they haven’t earned a little over the years)...
- 1970vintage

Starting the circle again, always good to keep the topic relevant..

Toronto's defence and goaltending still suck.
- manvanfan

Andersen sucks?

That could work but I think expecting EP to play top 6 as a C is a stretch.
- belcherbd

According to some he is the best player outside the NHL right now. So why do you think it's stretch to play top 6 NHL minutes at center?

Hischier did last season.

Beagle will probably share a few more minutes of Sutter's shutdown. Would probably go pretty even between Sutter and EP
Horvat 18
EP 15
Sutter 15
Beagle 12

I had this debate not long ago with someone I know as he was arguing "The Penguins won back to back cups because they have 2 top 5 centers in the league" I think that's an overestimate of Malkin. He can put up lots of points yes but I don't believe he has what it takes to carry a top line the way guys like Kopitar, Crosby, Tavares can
- NorthNuck

Malkin won them that first Cup.

Andersen sucks?
- Nucker101

Not "sucks" but I don't see him as a goalie that wins you a stanley cup. It also goes along with the defence infront of him.

My brother in law actually pointed it out that he hasn't had a SV% over .920 since his first season and that the best ones are usually more consistently above that mark. He's close to it every year but not above it. He would need to be a bit better.

According to some he is the best player outside the NHL right now. So why do you think it's stretch to play top 6 NHL minutes at center?

Hischier did last season.

Beagle will probably share a few more minutes of Sutter's shutdown. Would probably go pretty even between Sutter and EP
Horvat 18
EP 15
Sutter 15
Beagle 12
- manvanfan

When was the last time EP played C? And he has never done it on the smaller ice surface. I hope he can have an Hirscher like season but that would also mean having EP play with Boeser.

Possible but a lot to ask a rookie to do.

When was the last time EP played C? And he has never done it on the smaller ice surface. I hope he can have an Hirscher like season but that would also mean having EP play with Boeser.

Possible but a lot to ask a rookie to do.
- belcherbd

Why would EP need to play with Boeser?

Made a point spread ticket for Baseball yesterday, first ticket this year. 6 games. Won the first 5 then Ari-Phi. Ari down 2-0 bottom of the 9th, quit looking. Just realized they scored 2 runs and walked it off in the 14th.

How many years did it take Crosby to win a cup?

Case closed, matthews is better then McDavid.
- Pres.cup

It's a little early in the day for the c-pipe doggy

When was the last time EP played C? And he has never done it on the smaller ice surface. I hope he can have an Hirscher like season but that would also mean having EP play with Boeser.

Possible but a lot to ask a rookie to do.
- belcherbd

They'll play on PP1 together, but I doubt EP is on the top line.

Starting the circle again, always good to keep the topic relevant..
- Makita

There is like 4 debates going on right now, its fantastic

Crosby
Malkin
Kopitar

Mcdavid is amazing but he will never ever win. To be the champ you gotta beat the champ. Crosby is top 5 ever for me as of now. May end up top 3 behind Orr and Gretz
- Jkuzzi

He's 21 dude. In the next Decade he won't win? I'll take that bet

Why would EP need to play with Boeser?
- manvanfan

You used Hirscher as a reference and he had one of the best wingers in the league playing with him.
Expecting EP to do the same with scraps is a fantasy.
I get why people are excited about EP but I do think expectations need to be tempered. He lit up a good league last year but one that is very different than the NHL and he did most his work on the PP.