Contenders

[Drew4u]

These are the teams i believe can win the cup, in order of most likely.

Pittsburgh
Washington
Tampa
Nashville
Chicago
San jose
LA
St.Louis
Montreal
NYR
Anaheim
Dallas


Thoughts ?

Btw not all of these teams are true contenders.

Click to read more...

 

[LeafFever]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

 

[strictlyrandy]

Dallas shouldn't be on this list. They don't have the defense or the goaltending required to go anywhere in the playoffs. Nashville doesn't have the goaltending either unless Rinne gets younger somehow. Montreal doesn't have the defense and rely greatly upon whether or not Price is healthy. The Blues haven't gotten better by any measure and have missed their window IMO.

Pens
Caps
Sharks
Lightning

...those are the top 4 contenders right now IMO. Chicago has an outside chance if they regain form, but they've been on the slow decline and don't seem to be recovering. The rest of those teams you have up there don't belong in a list about Stanley Cup contenders.

 

[cobra427]

Dallas shouldn't be on this list. They don't have the defense or the goaltending required to go anywhere in the playoffs. Nashville doesn't have the goaltending either unless Rinne gets younger somehow. Montreal doesn't have the defense and rely greatly upon whether or not Price is healthy. The Blues haven't gotten better by any measure and have missed their window IMO.

Pens
Caps
Sharks
Lightning

...those are the top 4 contenders right now IMO. Chicago has an outside chance if they regain form, but they've been on the slow decline and don't seem to be recovering. The rest of those teams you have up there don't belong in a list about Stanley Cup contenders.

Sharks missed the playoffs a year ago, could miss again this year. 3 of 4 favorites can't be from the East.

 

[Zaddy]

I've given up on the Caps. I'd say PIT, TBL, SJ are the three big ones, with CHI and LAK rounding out the top5 as you can never count those teams out.

Below them I'd put DAL, STL, WSH, NSH, ANA and that's about it.

So to summarize:

Tier I: Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, San Jose
Tier II: Chicago, Los Angeles
Tier III, Dallas St. Louis, Washington, Nashville, Anaheim.

 

[Purity*]

CHI and LAK just don't look that threatening anymore. Chicago has lost a ton of depth and will be extremely reliant on Kane's line for scoring. Kings are the same way, they don't look like the same 4-line death machine they used to be and the Voynov loss seriously hurt them.

I think Tampa, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, Washington, San Jose and Anaheim all look like capable cup winners.

 

[Beauner]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

That's...uh... inaccurate to say the least

 

[hamzarocks]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

Disagree, the pens under MJ were a team that had no true identity, and we're playing a system that limited the effectiveness of there star players. The pens were a top 3 team I believe post johnson in the reg season and became known for there speed, and ability to control the play in the offensive zone. They only lost 3 players and I think lovejoy was the most valuable of them (meaning they didn't exactly lose anything that can't be replaced by an ahler). Guys like sheary, Wilson, rust, kuhn, Simon, etc will get more oppritunites and if some slump, the others should be able to recover for them. Sid is looking amazing at the WC and I personally expect him to sweep the 4 awards this year. Malkin is still elite player and if healthy can be top 3 in the ross race. Hagelin, kessel , Daley, bonino will all get another year under sullivan and should be able to produce at higher levels than last year (kessel played at a much better pace with sullivan than MJ like the rest of the team. They have two number one goaltenders so they aren't in a montreal like position where if one gets injured than the season is lost. I have them as the favourites and think the only player on the team that will not be better with a full year of sullivan is chris kunitz. We will see if they can repeat but I think just based on the past 50 games they have played, it's no doubt that the cup was no fluke. It was the best team in the league getting the job done.

 

[JaegerDice]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

The Pens are an insanely talented roster.

I dont think they will repeat, because repeating is ****ing difficult. But they are certainly contenders.

 

[GTislanders]

The isles, back to back 100 pts, semifinals, no shot at cup. Makes sense.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

The isles, back to back 100 pts, semifinals, no shot at cup. Makes sense.

It does, because they got worse this offseason and losing in 5 in the second round doesn't make you a contender.

 

[JaegerDice]

CHI and LAK just don't look that threatening anymore. Chicago has lost a ton of depth and will be extremely reliant on Kane's line for scoring. Kings are the same way, they don't look like the same 4-line death machine they used to be and the Voynov loss seriously hurt them.

I think Tampa, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, Washington, San Jose and Anaheim all look like capable cup winners.

You're questioning CHI and LAK offensive depth then pitting STL and ANA out there as alternatives? K.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Pens are an insanely talented roster.

I dont think they will repeat, because repeating is ****ing difficult. But they are certainly contenders.

Yeah, this sums it up really well. The Pens aren't likely to repeat because repeating is nearly impossible in the cap era. There have only been 2 instances of teams making back to back finals, and both of those teams did them in the same 2 years (Penguins-Wings in 08 and 09). That doesn't mean their roster isn't extremely deep and good though.

 

[Lshap]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

I'll join the chorus defending Pittsburgh. Their roster is very talented and, even more important, they maximized what they had using a beautiful system of speed and possession.

The one caveat is goaltending. No idea what's going on with them in nets. Murray was a great story, but hasn't played a full season. Fleury's health and ranking on the depth chart... not a clue.

 

[Crease]

Rangers fan saying the Rangers aren't contenders this year. They are sort of re-building on the fly and winning a series this year would be pretty good.

 

[Machinehead]

I think there's only like 5 or 6 teams that have a real shot.

 

[Rorschach]

Kings will need a defenseman to emerge. Chicago, the masters of finding emerging guys, should be there too.

 

[Eyeseeing]

5 solid contenders
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago
Tampa Bay
San Jose

 

[JaegerDice]

Hearing people describe the 2016 Penguins as some fluke or unrepeatable lightning in a bottle sure brings back memories of people saying the same thing about the 2012 Kings.

I guess it makes sense, since both seasons played out almost exactly the same way.

Team underperforme relative to on-paper roster expectations through first half.

Team changes coach, makes trade for significant piece (or a few pieces)

Team reaches full potential through application of appropriate systems for the specific talents of the roster

Team goes ballistic and becomes possession juggernaur

Team slaughters all in their path in playoff drive

 

[who_me?]

5 solid contenders
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago
Tampa Bay
San Jose

One is not like the others.

 

[LordNeverLose]

5 solid contenders
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago
Tampa Bay
San Jose

I agree with this. IMO there's a couple tiers:


Tier I: Legit contenders, the teams likely to win the cup: PIT, SJ, WSH, TB, CHI

Tier II: Contenders, could win the cup if stuff goes their way, they have some guys have big years, or they get a hot goalie: FLA, DAL, NSH, ANA, LA (almost didn't put them here, I feel they'll decline big and may miss the PO's, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt)

Tier III: Semi-contender, the teams likely to make the PO's but probably won't go far unless something unexpected happens: MTL, NYI, STL, NYR (once again I think there's a good shot they decline and miss the PO's, but they've earned it)

 

[JaegerDice]

One is not like the others.

I mean, yeah, Washington has yet to prove they can win more than one round, but this more of a potential-based list than history-based.

 

[Dogewow]

Sharks missed the playoffs a year ago, could miss again this year. 3 of 4 favorites can't be from the East.

Why not exactly? It wasn't that long ago that people were exclaiming how great the west was and how they had many legitimate cup contenders.

 

[strictlyrandy]

Sharks missed the playoffs a year ago, could miss again this year. 3 of 4 favorites can't be from the East.

Says who? Those are the teams I see as most likely to win the Cup this year. I don't see anyone from the West as a true contender. Chicago has been on the decline, L.A. is in the same boat, and Nashville who should have the best shot from the west doesn't have the goaltending.

You don't get to decide which favorites I think are likely to win just because they're not in the right conference.

It doesn't work that way. All west teams that should contend have glaring holes and aren't threats. I think the East produces the next 2 Cup winners before a team from the West wins it again.

 

[aufheben]

I'll be shocked if the Pens repeat. They caught lightning in a bottle. They aren't that talented.

For 6 months? k