Depth.


Of course, what negates all of that is average at best goaltending unless Mrazek continues to keep getting better.
- BINGO!

TIL carolina is deeper than all the teams ahead of them in the standings

THIS!

Who can cook up a meme using the old Powell-Peralta skate ad "Have You Seen Him?" with Garf Chin's face on it?
- RFawkes

Where have you gone, Garf from Buffalo, Bad Headline Nation turns its lonely eyes to you...

...woo woo woo...

Depth.


Of course, what negates all of that is average at best goaltending unless Mrazek continues to keep getting better.
- BINGO!

Average goaltending is good enough to make it to the cup if team in front is good enough defensively to limit high danger chances and they have above average scoring.

TIL carolina is deeper than all the teams ahead of them in the standings
- BestRapperAlive

I'm not saying that the depth players are any good, just that they have about a dozen guys who can probably plug into the bottom 6 and they wouldn't miss a beat.

If a top guy goes down they'll be in trouble.

On defense, though, they're about as deep as it can possibly get.

I'm not saying that the depth players are any good, just that they have about a dozen guys who can probably plug into the bottom 6 and they wouldn't miss a beat.

If a top guy goes down they'll be in trouble.

On defense, though, they're about as deep as it can possibly get.
- BINGO!

plus they have those cool Hartford jerseys

Depth.


Of course, what negates all of that is average at best goaltending unless Mrazek continues to keep getting better.
- BINGO!

I don’t know them well enough to question their depth other than

No way they are deeper than Calgary and their defense may be deeper than Toronto. Though goaltending for all three of those teams can be questionable at times.

plus they have those cool Hartford jerseys
- mgriffen

I was gonna say the top team in the AHL that has an incredibly balanced attack, but yeah the Whalers jerseys are sweet.

I don’t know them well enough to question their depth other than

No way they are deeper than Calgary and their defense may be deeper than Toronto. Though goaltending for all three of those teams can be questionable at times.
- maximumcarnage

CAR doesn't have the offensive weapons to match, but they do have a ton of NHL ready guys in the AHL right now.

They weren't really supposed to be at this level yet this year. Next year is when they were supposed to actually be good.

bruins

Where have you gone, Garf from Buffalo, Bad Headline Nation turns its lonely eyes to you...

...woo woo woo...
- Atomic Wedgie

Man... i gots a bad feeling Garf has been offed.

Prime suspects?

Ek (of course)
Tanner
Botteril
Housley
Bogo
Steve Simmons

With the teams in the playoffs as of now in the east does any goalie scare you enough for them to be the reason you wouldn’t want to play them?

I'm not saying that the depth players are any good, just that they have about a dozen guys who can probably plug into the bottom 6 and they wouldn't miss a beat.

If a top guy goes down they'll be in trouble.

On defense, though, they're about as deep as it can possibly get.
- BINGO!

Right, but that perceived depth advantage hasn't translated to being a top team in the standings. Do you contend that depth becomes more important in the playoffs? I could buy that.

With the teams in the playoffs as of now in the east does any goalie scare you enough for them to be the reason you wouldn’t want to play them?
- maximumcarnage

Only Greiss because we can't ever (frank)ing score on him.

CAR doesn't have the offensive weapons to match, but they do have a ton of NHL ready guys in the AHL right now.

They weren't really supposed to be at this level yet this year. Next year is when they were supposed to actually be good.
- BINGO!

For the past few years I have this superstition where I must say “Slavin” every time his name is mentioned. My wife thinks I’m nuts lol

Only Greiss because we can't ever (frank)ing score on him.
- BINGO!

That's jesus Greiss to you, Mr. BINGO!

Right, but that perceived depth advantage hasn't translated to being a top team in the standings. Do you contend that depth becomes more important in the playoffs? I could buy that.
- BestRapperAlive

that's my belief. I doubt it means as much in round one, but the further you get into the playoffs the more it becomes a war of attrition, and if you have a couple NHL calibre guys you can rotate in just to keep some fresh legs in the bottom six, that can go a long way, I think.

Being able to plug in Martin Necas or Nicolas Roy or Julien Gauthier onto your 3rd or 4th lines just to give somebody a rest without having any drop off seems an advantage to me.

But, again, that really only counts later in the playoffs. First round it won't make much difference I don't think.

Carolina? Depends what version you get...the one where Ek had them at 101 points or the update when they had 90. Seems like a hard team to figure out.

What makes Carolina more scarer than Washington Pittsburgh Toronto Calgary San Jose and of course Philly
- maximumcarnage

IF they make it in, just the chance for a first round upset. Not talking much past that, but would still be a team that could surprise for a series.

Carolina? Depends what version you get...the one where Ek had them at 101 points or the update when they had 90. Seems like a hard team to figure out.
- uofcguy

For the past few years I have this superstition where I must say “Slavin” every time his name is mentioned. My wife thinks I’m nuts lol
- maximumcarnage

Very funny. When watching the Hawks/Bruins cup finals, I did the same, but everytime it was Seidenburg, I had to blurt out Heisenberg!

Where's that Calgary analytics Ph.D guy?

I'd like him and Ek to battle it out

TB obviously. There’s a slew of other teams that are good. Washington Defending champs. Pittsburgh might surprise. Boston has been pretty good. Jets and Preds. SJ is loaded. Vegas got a lot better. I think the real question should be who the Dark Horse is this year. I’ll throw the Blues in as my pick for the Dark Horse of the playoffs. They will have a super tough road to go thru. They will have to beat both Jets and Preds. Plus the winner of the Pacific to get to the SCF. It’s highly unlikely that they will do it but I don’t really like any other team for this particular role. St Louis has depth at every position. Except G which might be their undoing. That will be their deciding factor.

Columbus Blue Jackets:

1. Bob is playing in Vezina form right now. IF he can replicate in the playoffs, they can steal a series from anyone. Look at the 2012-2013 Caps who lost to the 8 seed montreal squad because Halak played out of his mind.

2. Remaining schedule is one of the easiest in the league. They could in theory get on a nice littler heater heading into the playoffs (win 6 out of 7 or something)

3. CBJ have the best PK in the game right now.

4. Revenge series against either Washington or Pitt where they would be extra revvvved up not that they need to.

If they can figure themselves out before the playoffs start, this team is gonna be scary confident.

I WILL NOTE, if bob returns to playoff bob form, they will lose first round in five games

LEAFS

LEAFS
- Zezel

They will be one of the easiest outs in the playoffs. Super thin D with an over worked G.