Sam Hitchcock: Who Is Better: Lightning or Penguins

First!, and for all: The Penguins!

Lightning are paper-good for 10 years now, but they can't deliver when it matters most... not against the Pens, not against the Caps... and i hope for your sake this year at least against the Tavareafs...

Lightning....easily!! (as of right now Aug 16th)

For 10 years? lol, wut?

The 2011 team was okay (overachieved). We were pitiful until 2013, and probably overachieved there, as well.

We've really only been a good team since 2014 and hit a speed bump in 2016. The team is still quite young.

Ignore the press- they just want clicks.

Leafs, not even close.

This is an easy answer.

The Leafs....

Haven't you been reading the boards here the last 2-3 months???

Regular season aside, it's all about the playoffs. The post season is usually determined by the best players on the team and Crosby and Malkin are proven, and miles ahead of the Tampa best forwards in the post season. Kucherov tends to show up but go look at Stamkos past 9 elimination game stats. Crosby Malkin > Kucherov, Stamkos, JT Miller haha, every day of the week for a big game.

The Penguins were injured, outdefended, and outcoached against the Caps. We kept pinching our D without having a forward back and they read it like a book which lead to A TON of odd man rushes against. Sullivan should’ve gone to a 2-3 forecheck if he wanted to pinch down so often, that allows us to always have 2 players back. Ian Cole was sorely missed last season and without replacing him this offseason, it appears that he will continue to be missed

The Penguins were injured, outdefended, and outcoached against the Caps. We kept pinching our D without having a forward back and they read it like a book which lead to A TON of odd man rushes against. Sullivan should’ve gone to a 2-3 forecheck if he wanted to pinch down so often, that allows us to always have 2 players back. Ian Cole was sorely missed last season and without replacing him this offseason, it appears that he will continue to be missed
- WSCTeton17

what does this have to do with Tampa vs Pitt?
Pens remain the better team because of the proven leadership, playoff confidence, and talent. I feel like Tampa always has a big injury though, either Stamkos or Bishop or whoever.

The Penguins were injured, outdefended, and outcoached against the Caps. We kept pinching our D without having a forward back and they read it like a book which lead to A TON of odd man rushes against. Sullivan should’ve gone to a 2-3 forecheck if he wanted to pinch down so often, that allows us to always have 2 players back. Ian Cole was sorely missed last season and without replacing him this offseason, it appears that he will continue to be missed
- WSCTeton17

Not to mention they hadn't had an offseason in two plus years and were gassed in that series. To say that Ian Cole was a big reason why they lost is laughable. Team had no scoring outside of the first line and still took it to game 6 OT before they were sent home. The Lightening have a great team with plenty of depth as do the Pens so if this is the Eastern Conf final matchup it will be a great series to watch and I hope it has the same outcome as 2016.

Leafs, not even close.
- Feeling_Glucky

As long as Anderson can stand on his head and stop 40+ shots a night. That D is bad...

According to Tanner, it's the Coyotes.

Last year the Pens were running on fumes and also dealing with injuries, so all things being a equal, a rested and healthy Pens team will better this year than last.

That being said I think these teams are evenly matched as whole. Offensively, the bolts are very top-heavy, but MUCH better defensively.

The Pens are a deeper scoring team, but much thinner on quality defense.

Goaltending? I’ll give an edge to Vas.

A series with these two teams easily goes the distance, but the edge goes to Tampa IMO.

According to Tanner, it's the Coyotes.
- jmatchett383

SCF Leafs-Coyotes, you read it here first! (given latter are not bankrupt till then...)

Last year the Pens were running on fumes and also dealing with injuries, so all things being a equal, a rested and healthy Pens team will better this year than last.

That being said I think these teams are evenly matched as whole. Offensively, the bolts are very top-heavy, but MUCH better defensively.

The Pens are a deeper scoring team, but much thinner on quality defense.

Goaltending? I’ll give an edge to Vas.

A series with these two teams easily goes the distance, but the edge goes to Tampa IMO.
- Rinosaur

post season is about the big guns showing up and some help from depth players, I don't see Stamkos and Kucherov out performing Crosby/Malkin. Tampa seems to always come up small, while the Penguins clearly have not.

post season is about the big guns showing up and some help from depth players, I don't see Stamkos and Kucherov out performing Crosby/Malkin. Tampa seems to always come up small, while the Penguins clearly have not.
- ClaudeFather

Kuch had a meh post season, but has a been a force in the playoffs in the past. Stammer... sadly, just hasn't shown that extra gear.

We rely too much on our 2nd tier offensive guys to be heroes in the dance. Oddly, that feels like a normalcy with Tampa (Fedotenko, Bergenheim, Johnson, et al)

Kuch had a meh post season, but has a been a force in the playoffs in the past. Stammer... sadly, just hasn't shown that extra gear.

We rely too much on our 2nd tier offensive guys to be heroes in the dance. Oddly, that feels like a normalcy with Tampa (Fedotenko, Bergenheim, Johnson, et al)
- OzBolts

I think Tampa fails is the bottom six center depth. If they upgraded their 3C at the very least I think that would take a lot of slack off of the top guys.

Tampa was a top-heavy scoring team the entire year and you just can't expect those guys to not run out of steam.

I think Tampa fails is the bottom six center depth. If they upgraded their 3C at the very least I think that would take a lot of slack off of the top guys.

Tampa was a top-heavy scoring team the entire year and you just can't expect those guys to not run out of steam.
- Rinosaur

I think it'd be fine if they spread the love a bit.
Stamkos
Point
Johnson
Cirelli

Loading those four between two lines was too "old school" for my liking. You have four strong centermen... use them as centermen.

As long as Anderson can stand on his head and stop 40+ shots a night. That D is bad...
- Mino42

Leafs D > Pitts D

Andersen > Murray

I think it'd be fine if they spread the love a bit.
Stamkos
Point
Johnson
Cirelli

Loading those four between two lines was too "old school" for my liking. You have four strong centermen... use them as centermen.
- OzBolts

I agree 100%. That's how this league is built now. MOST of the teams that make it the furthest are deep in quality centers to 3C, sometimes 4C.

Leafs D > Pitts D

Andersen > Murray
- Feeling_Glucky

Leafs D is better than the Pens D, by a little.

Andersen better than Murray? I'll reserve that until Andersen makes it passed the first round. Regular season stats are great and all, but what you do in the playoffs is what ultimately counts.

EDIT: My mistake. I forgot he did ONE year with ANA like four years ago.

Interesting Blog, but I would take issue with this statement:

In this matchup, the Lightning are the only team with a player of influence who has not reached his prime, but should imminently.

Braden Point had a great sophomore season, no doubt, but the blogger here is either forgetting or ignoring Jake Guentzel in the equation. Hard as it is to believe, Geuntzel is really only going into his second full season as an NHL player and last year he was a bit streaky during the grind of his first full season. He's got plenty of room for growth and production in the 60-70 point range is well within reach, especially as he earns more PP time. More importantly, Guentzel has already proven to be a clutch playoff performer.

I'm not saying Geuntzel is better than point, but I think ignoring him as a young impact player on the Penguins side who is still coming into his prime is a gross oversight.

Leafs D > Pitts D

Andersen > Murray
- Feeling_Glucky

I'll take Murray over Andersen any day of the week. Murray has 2 cup wins in the past 3 seasons, while Andersen hasn't won a single playoff round during that stretch.

Leafs D is better than the Pens D, by a little.

Andersen better than Murray? I'll reserve that until Andersen makes it passed the first round. Regular season stats are great and all, but what you do in the playoffs is what ultimately counts.

EDIT: My mistake. I forgot he did ONE year with ANA like four years ago.
- Rinosaur

To be fair a lot of goalies have looked good in Anaheim over the years.

Leafs D > Pitts D

Andersen > Murray
- Feeling_Glucky