The top 2 Stanley cup favorites are Colorado and Tampa Bay - agree or disagree?

[SensFan4lyfe]

Easily yes, especially with how thr embarrassed Toronto in their sleep.



You're talking like Mackinnon is done for the season, I mean you probably wish so but anyone with reading skills would tell you he's back within 4 weeks.

Even if he does come back in a month they still need to replace Kadri

The only players that could have an impact like kadri that are available are

Horvat
ROR

Maybe to a lesser extent Mohannan

Plus I also think they need another top 9 forward

the AVS won a cup and I respect that

but there not as deep as last year and there a team with flaws

As for boston Mcavoy, Lindholm and Carlo is a great top 3 but they still need to shore up there defense

This is an excellent point. Most playoff teams with have their 7th and 8th defensemen far more experienced than Boston's, with the relatively green Mike Reilly and Anton Stralman and their near 1,400 NHL games played.

I mean I'd prefer younger guys with fresh Legs

And im not talking about 7th dman

I feel like boston needs a top 4 guy this is just my oppinion

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Tampa, at no point in the series, deserved to beat the Leafs.

They were otchanced at even strength, and their best players were neutered.

If not for 4 instances of 5 on 3, and a litany of questionable calls, Tampa loses the series in 6 games.

So, I don't see how they are favourites.

Least in denial Leafs fan on HF

 

[bobholly39]

no one made anything about the leafs all i said is i think there a favourite

if they add some pieces

the hate for the leafs astounds me

there a good team i like what they have im a sens fan but i can be realistic and biased in my approach


you need depth to win a cup, i think boston needs to shore up there D

It's not your post they're referring to. It's literally the first reply in the thread

 

[nbwingsfan]

Going into the season, I think an overwhelming majority had these two teams as the top 2 cup favorites. Their arguments were pretty clear:

Colorado - defending cup champions. Stacked core of MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen, etc. Very deep team, in what seemed to be another "weak" western conference

Tampa Bay - 2 cups and 3 straight finals. And they lost in the finals without their #1C. A few off-season changes, but still an extremely strong team with a terrific playoff pedigree

Both teams are doing good enough in the regular season so far, but not necessarily world beaters:

Colorado - 9th in the west and 19th in league for points, but 5th in west on p%. Obviously a few injuries, but I think most still expect them to easily make the playoffs, if not as #1 seed.

Tampa Bay - Was a bit of a rough start, but they've been doing better lately and are up to 6th in the east, and 9th overall in league.

Some other teams have manifested themselves so far in 2022. Boston and NJ are having insane regular seasons. Toronto and Vegas are doing well, Pittsburgh is hot again lately, etc.

So what would you say, roughly one third of the season in, do you still consider Tampa Bay and Colorado the top 2 Stanley Cup favorites for this year? Or has another team surpassed them? Have another 2 team surpassed them and neither/nor are a top 2 favorite anymore?

Colorado will still be a force when they get healthy.

Tampa lost way too many kept pieces and depth to make another run IMO.

Tampa, at no point in the series, deserved to beat the Leafs.

They were otchanced at even strength, and their best players were neutered.

If not for 4 instances of 5 on 3, and a litany of questionable calls, Tampa loses the series in 6 games.

So, I don't see how they are favourites.

Except for the part when they did win the series. That part is pretty important.

Funny how every year it’s never the Leafs fault they lost. Excuses for 6 seasons now.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Tampa is starting to fall off

Colorado needs to replace Kadri and also they just lost Mackinnon

In the West I think Vegas is the favorite right now

In the east

Boston and New Jersey

But I think these two teams have there weak points also

Boston has a weak D but it can be fixed

Im not sure if New Jersey is ready yet, I think the Devils are going to win a few cups with that team I really like it

teams I consider close

Toronto I think it depends on what they do at the deadline if they add scoring depth I put them up there with Boston and New Jersey

Carolina if they get there shit together

Calgary
Florida

They've fallen off quite a bit

This is a perfect year for a dark horse team to make a move at the deadline and make a deep run and win the cup

To me that team is Winnipeg

I think an interesting stanley cup final would be

Winnipeg VS Toronto

Boston might have the best D in the entire league… have you even watched hockey this season?

 

[nbwingsfan]

Oh thats not good then I thought they had some injuries

I havent been Paying much attention to boston

but yeah I think they need to add on Defense

“I haven’t been paying much attention to Boston”

“They need to add on defense”

How do you know they need to add on defense then? You do know they have the least GA in the league and wildly regarded as a top 3 defensive team in the NHL, yea?

 

[wintersej]

Losing Kadri, Palat and McD brings them back to a pile of teams that have a legit chance, but they are still in the top contending tier. Assuming full health, Colorado probably closer to still being a singular favorite in the West just because it's not a very good conference. But, I could hear an argument that Vegas is their equal.

 

[Sheppy]

This is an excellent point. Most playoff teams with have their 7th and 8th defensemen far more experienced than Boston's, with the relatively green Mike Reilly and Anton Stralman and their near 1,400 NHL games played.

They won't be anywhere near this team in the playoffs, at least i hope.

 

[nbwingsfan]

They won't be anywhere near this team in the playoffs, at least i hope.

I think that’s his point though. Most teams don’t have that luxury of having those guys as your #7/8D.

Boston has the best top 6 in the league and the guy he’s responding to has no idea what he’s talking about.

 

[cneely]

you need depth to win a cup, i think boston needs to shore up there D

Carlo, Forbort, Grzelcyk, Clifton, Zboril, Reilly...

And they've given up the fewest goals in the league. In fact, they are 9 goals ahead of second, almost a third of a goal per game.

I think they'll be okay.

 

[Painful Quandary]

I only voted yes because I don't think it is safe to say any team has decisively overtaken them and that will likely change come as a result of this year's playoffs results. That said, neither look like world beaters, but the flat cap has taken its toll on all teams.

 

[SensFan4lyfe]

I think that’s his point though. Most teams don’t have that luxury of having those guys as your #7/8D.

Boston has the best top 6 in the league and the guy he’s responding to has no idea what he’s talking about.

they dont have the best top 6, stop your homerism

 

[BB88]

Oh thats not good then I thought they had some injuries

I havent been Paying much attention to boston

but yeah I think they need to add on Defense

I mean it’s elite and then they have guys like Bergeron& Marchand up front as well

 

[Czechboy]

Avs IF they are healthy by then are the fav. Good dcore and a decent 1-2 punch in net.

B's, IF they stay healthy as they have a beaut 4 line time with a great 1-2 punch in net and a nice deep D.

Darkhorse - Canes (big fan of their backup) have a beautiful team.

Tampa is a great team but the East is brutal to get out of and I don't think they are as deep as they used to be.

 

[nbwingsfan]

they dont have the best top 6, stop your homerism

Not a Bruins fan, so homerism doesn’t even make sense.

They have the least goals scored against in the NHL by a decent margin. Why does THAT team need more D?

Please name the teams who have a better D core?

 

[cneely]

they dont have the best top 6, stop your homerism

Who has better?

 

[jetsforever]

I think maybe Colorado and Boston right now.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Boston
Toronto
New Jersey
Vegas

 

[North Cole]

Play that series a dozen times in a simulator, with all the same stats, shots, hits, etc and Toronto wins 7 or 8 if those series.

It's not that Tampa was blown out by any stretch, but I see no reason why an even weaker Tampa would be favourited over an equal or arguably stronger opponent.

They would more heavily favourited against Florida, yes. Ditto with the Rangers.

But Boston would also be nearly equal

Lmao so in a simulation you expect to win 7/12 series' and this some equates to - "at no point did the other team deserve to win the series". Some cognitive dissonance going on there.

 

[MardyBum]

I wouldn't call Tampa "the" favorite anymore, but it would not surprise me at all if they were in the finals at the end of it all. I'd probably have Boston in the east as the fav.

 

[bobholly39]

Boston
Toronto
New Jersey
Vegas

You'd have New Jersey above both Tampa and Colorado? Toronto too?

You don't think playoff experience (NJ has none, Leafs have negatives only with round 1 losses) should be a factor in favorites? I can understand Boston/Vegas.

 

[leafsfan5]

I still put Colorado/TB, but the gap has shrunk

Only issue for the Avs is health, imo. They're in a weak conference where the only real contender is VGK who they'd meet in the WCF. There is a clear path for them

TB I'm always high on. The regular season doesn't mean much, come playoff time they'll turn back into the defensive machine with Vasi providing timely stops. They are definitely more vulnerable now than ever before with the losses of Palat/McDonagh, but their experience and comfort with who they are as a club still puts them at the top

Easily yes, especially with how thr embarrassed Toronto in their sleep.



You're talking like Mackinnon is done for the season, I mean you probably wish so but anyone with reading skills would tell you he's back within 4 weeks.

Embarrassed? You guys were dead in the water in game 6 until the refs saved you

TB/TOR was a war in round 1 last year, a game of inches that could have gone either way

 

[AvroArrow]

How on Earth is this current Avs team the favorite ? That rosters been decimated. Boston is the easy answer, and then a few teams for #2.

 

[Sheppy]

I think that’s his point though. Most teams don’t have that luxury of having those guys as your #7/8D.

Boston has the best top 6 in the league and the guy he’s responding to has no idea what he’s talking about.

I would agree.

I'd like to see the Bruins make a play for Luke Schenn.

 

[nbwingsfan]

How on Earth is this current Avs team the favorite ? That rosters been decimated. Boston is the easy answer, and then a few teams for #2.

They’re still very likely to make the playoffs and their injured players should be back by then