2019 Stanley Cup Favourites (as per HFBoards)

[sharks9]

Toronto is the best Toronto number 1 woop woop

Also I'd tend to look at the Vegas odds as there's actually money in play whereas HFboards are mostly salt based

Vegas doesn't try to be unbiased, it tries to separate suckers from their money, like the suckers who'd bet on the Leafs to win the Cup

 

[Shockmaster]

Vegas doesn't try to be unbiased, it tries to separate suckers from their money, like the suckers who'd bet on the Leafs to win the Cup

That explains why they are rating the Cleveland Browns so highly too.

 

[KCC]

Toronto is the best Toronto number 1 woop woop

Also I'd tend to look at the Vegas odds as there's actually money in play whereas HFboards are mostly salt based

Was that a Lana reference from the WWE? lol

 

[M2Beezy]

Can you be HFBlues' mascot? It's been pretty positive over there lately, we could use some demotivation to level things out.

I doubt it, from what Ive seen here many of the Blues fans cant take criticism of their team lol

 

[BlueDream]

Theyve consistently been ranked too high and seen as a team thatll go far or do something yet every year is the same dam result. This year was even worse as they failed to even make the playoffs lol. One more year of that and maybe thatll convince enough people here they shouldnt be these HFBoards darlings that get so highly ranked with NO justification

Well good luck expecting this current Blues team to miss the playoffs.

And if you think they shouldn't have been ranked top 10 in any of the previous years, well, you're wrong. Go take a look at the winningest regular season teams over the past several years... the Blues are up there.

And before you say "but I'm talking about the playoffs" - yeah, I know. But each year, the higher seeds that enter the playoffs typically have a better chance to win the Cup than the lower seeds. So the ranking of the Blues here has been accurate. It's not like people are putting them 1st. They're not even top 5. I don't think anybody overrates them at all. Everyone knows they still need to prove it. But they're not the only team that has that label (the most recent Cup winners were in the exact same spot a year ago...so just because a team doesn't have a history of winning doesn't really affect the upcoming season).

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Well this thread is a ****show

Gee, I wonder why.

 

[M2Beezy]

I ate a toad once. I was really drunk and really thirsty though so it made sense at the time. I wish I was making that up.

Really?

 

[HolyCrap]

Really?

Yup. Walking from bar my buddy is like there’s a toad. We were in a large group. He dared me. I said Bufo Americanis which is its Latin name (we were midway through vertebrate biology). I did the deed and got a few free beers. And I haven’t lived it down since.

 

[HighNote]

I doubt it, from what Ive seen here many of the Blues fans cant take criticism of their team lol

Yes. This is exactly the kind of post I want to see in the Blues board. You're a natural, dude.

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

No Pressure

 

[steveat]

The reason why Toronto is not higher is because there are still unknowns and no history to back it up. Are the Leafs better now than last season...on paper, yes...still have to see how the chemistry works out. The other part is playoff success...The Jets have shown success in the playoffs, Leafs haven't..at least not yet. No one is saying the team is crap or shit...we're all saying we haven't seen enough to tell us, Toronto can or will be able to go the distance.

 

[bobholly39]

Hey OP i just wanted to say this was a fantastically well run set of polls. Ty for doing them.

 

[bobholly39]

Winnipeg will be last year's Edmonton. I don't even think they make the playoffs.

Edmonton and Chicago have an outside chance at the cup imo (Edm for McDavid, Chi for 3 cups - perfect storm makes them strong cup contenders, above quite a few others imo). I wouldn't have them top 5 or anything, but i would list them between 10-15 max imo. Below is too low.

I personally also expect Boston to falter quite a bit, possible bubble/wildcard team.

I'd be SHOCKED if Washington wins again. SHOCKED. It's not that they're not still a great team that should be able to contend - it's just that after all the playoff underperformances, and after the crazy celebrations/displays of joy after winning - somehow they just don't strike me as only the 2nd team in the past 25 years to win back to back cups.

I expect Pittsburgh to compete HARD this year. I think Crosby and Malkin will be on a mission and will both have absolute monstrous years (Crosby especially - he seemed to have a LOT left in the tank come playoffs last year and his team didn't follow - so i think he lets it all out during the season instead of saving himself as much). I think Tampa of course always looks great, and this could be the year they put it together. Toronto with an outside chance (very curious to see Tavares effect - but i do think the East is too strong for them). In the west - I really like Nashville a lot.

So Pit, Tampa and Nashville are my top 3 right now.

bonus - if Karlsson gets traded - that's the 1 player that can EASILY tip the scales in a team's favor. He's an absolute game changer. Trade him to Dallas, SJ....some other team, and that team becomes a top 3 contender imo.

 

[Foots]

LOL at The Hockey News trying to pull a Sports Illustrated.

 

[BLONG7]

How Toronto isnt a top 3 team is beyond me. Im beginning to learn this site has some extreme bias

They are knocking on the door, but still haven't made it out of the first round...........so.............

 

[Crazed Fan]

This thread...yikes. Ranking teams doesnt mean anything. In this instance, most of those complaining had their chance to vote Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto, etc higher than Winnipeg. it didnt happen, other people voted you out. Nashville finishes above all teams last season yet where are they ranked? Certainly should be ranked higher.
Its hockey, anything can happen. Injuries, hot streaks, cold streaks, and once you make the playoffs its 1 game at a time. Look what the ranking of Vegas meant last year. 31st...ended as runner up.

 

[dubey]

Was that a Lana reference from the WWE? lol

Yes lol

 

[JianYang]

Winnipeg will be last year's Edmonton. I don't even think they make the playoffs.

Edmonton and Chicago have an outside chance at the cup imo (Edm for McDavid, Chi for 3 cups - perfect storm makes them strong cup contenders, above quite a few others imo). I wouldn't have them top 5 or anything, but i would list them between 10-15 max imo. Below is too low.

I personally also expect Boston to falter quite a bit, possible bubble/wildcard team.

I'd be SHOCKED if Washington wins again. SHOCKED. It's not that they're not still a great team that should be able to contend - it's just that after all the playoff underperformances, and after the crazy celebrations/displays of joy after winning - somehow they just don't strike me as only the 2nd team in the past 25 years to win back to back cups.

I expect Pittsburgh to compete HARD this year. I think Crosby and Malkin will be on a mission and will both have absolute monstrous years (Crosby especially - he seemed to have a LOT left in the tank come playoffs last year and his team didn't follow - so i think he lets it all out during the season instead of saving himself as much). I think Tampa of course always looks great, and this could be the year they put it together. Toronto with an outside chance (very curious to see Tavares effect - but i do think the East is too strong for them). In the west - I really like Nashville a lot.

So Pit, Tampa and Nashville are my top 3 right now.

bonus - if Karlsson gets traded - that's the 1 player that can EASILY tip the scales in a team's favor. He's an absolute game changer. Trade him to Dallas, SJ....some other team, and that team becomes a top 3 contender imo.

Winnipeg is a far more complete team than Edmonton. What is Winnipeg missing that suggests they would miss the playoffs?

It would take a goalie implosion, I guess. One thing I think they need to focus on is to reduce hellebyuck's workload. He played too much last year, and maybe that caught up to him in the 3rd round.

But there is no good reason for this team to miss the playoffs.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Winnipeg will be last year's Edmonton. I don't even think they make the playoffs.

Edmonton and Chicago have an outside chance at the cup imo (Edm for McDavid, Chi for 3 cups - perfect storm makes them strong cup contenders, above quite a few others imo). I wouldn't have them top 5 or anything, but i would list them between 10-15 max imo. Below is too low.

I personally also expect Boston to falter quite a bit, possible bubble/wildcard team.

I'd be SHOCKED if Washington wins again. SHOCKED. It's not that they're not still a great team that should be able to contend - it's just that after all the playoff underperformances, and after the crazy celebrations/displays of joy after winning - somehow they just don't strike me as only the 2nd team in the past 25 years to win back to back cups.

I expect Pittsburgh to compete HARD this year. I think Crosby and Malkin will be on a mission and will both have absolute monstrous years (Crosby especially - he seemed to have a LOT left in the tank come playoffs last year and his team didn't follow - so i think he lets it all out during the season instead of saving himself as much). I think Tampa of course always looks great, and this could be the year they put it together. Toronto with an outside chance (very curious to see Tavares effect - but i do think the East is too strong for them). In the west - I really like Nashville a lot.

So Pit, Tampa and Nashville are my top 3 right now.

bonus - if Karlsson gets traded - that's the 1 player that can EASILY tip the scales in a team's favor. He's an absolute game changer. Trade him to Dallas, SJ....some other team, and that team becomes a top 3 contender imo.

Winnipeg's got a couple of important things going for it that Edmonton didn't: depth up front, including multiple high end scorers, and offensive punch from the back end to help said high end forwards.

 

[PB12]

They are knocking on the door, but still haven't made it out of the first round...........so.............

That and the fact that defense is horrible. Anderson called the Leafs out to make changes to the defense. They did nothing. Yes they got JT, but how does that help Anderson. I'm guessing he is in a panic room, in field position, screaming for help.

 

[cobra427]

The reason why Toronto is not higher is because there are still unknowns and no history to back it up. Are the Leafs better now than last season...on paper, yes...still have to see how the chemistry works out. The other part is playoff success...The Jets have shown success in the playoffs, Leafs haven't..at least not yet. No one is saying the team is crap or ****...we're all saying we haven't seen enough to tell us, Toronto can or will be able to go the distance.

So the Jets playoff success of 1 whole year last year means they have shown playoff success? Plenty of teams have had one good year then miss the playoffs the next year. the Jets missed the playoffs the 2 years prior. I predict either Toronto or the Jets miss the playoffs just like the Oilers did last year.

 

[57special]

EDM is #19. They finished last year with 78 pts.

MN is #20. They finished last year with 101.

Both teams are returning more or less intact, and haven't had major changes over the summer.

.

 

[M2Beezy]

Hey OP i just wanted to say this was a fantastically well run set of polls. Ty for doing them.

Thanks Bob!! I enjoy doing these and love the debates we have tho i dont always agree with the results

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

EDM is #19. They finished last year with 78 pts.

MN is #20. They finished last year with 101.

Both teams are returning more or less intact, and haven't had major changes over the summer.

.

I'm sure the Oilers get the benefit of the McDavid factor. It's difficult to bet against a team when they've got the best player in the league (in the regular season at least ).

 

[57special]

I'm sure the Oilers get the benefit of the McDavid factor. It's difficult to bet against a team when they've got the best player in the league (in the regular season at least ).

So what, he'll score 200 points this year? It's not like he didn't play great last year, yet EDM only got 78 points.

The only thing that EDM has going for them is a lousy division, and the hope that Klefbom rebounds, and Pulju becomes a player.