Dallas is a Paper Tiger

[Hockeyholic]

God? Who wins the cup this season? Hopefully an underdog. If your powers extend to other sports, I'd appreciate knowing who wins the superbowl next. Hopefully not the chiefs though

Florida.

I don't trust Georgiev against better competition. Otherwise I'd go with the Avs.

Chiefs will three peat. Not because they are necessarily some unstoppable juggernaut. I just don't trust anyone else.

The only problem I see is that there typically isn't such a thing as carry over momentum in the PO's. With 2 wins in a row, many have predicted that the Stars will win out, but the opposite of what we expect happens at least half the time, maybe more. I predict a game 7, TBH.

I believe they win the next two. Oettinger with a shutout in one of those games.

 

[lionsDen]

It’s been a good series.

 

[hangman005]

If there is a paper tiger in this series it’s Vegas.

Wet paper tiger

 

[VainGretzky]

I heard paper Tigers leave annoying cuts

 

[f7ben]

Don't hate the player hate the game.

Other teams can take advantage of the system as well, they just choose not to.

If you think the league lets the Wild or the Sens get away with anything like this you haven’t been watching hockey.

 

[wetcoast]

Dallas has no superstars. No one that can take over a game. Depth is meant to complement superstars. When depth alone is your team's core, you're screwed.

So what?

The narrative for the Oilers is that they have superstars but no depth and ironically the Stars are playing a team also with no superstars who happen to be the reigning SC champs.

Dallas is extremely well constructed and I think the OP was overstating things here a bit.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Dallas has no superstars. No one that can take over a game. Depth is meant to complement superstars. When depth alone is your team's core, you're screwed.

I wouldn’t say Vegas really had a superstar when they won the Cup last year. They had a good collection of second-tier stars like Eichel and Stone and Pietrangelo, which isn’t appreciably better than a team built around Robertson and Heiskanen and Oettinger. And both of those groups have more star power than St Louis’ Cup winning team.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

This thread has aged well. They have been the better team the entire series. Thompson has been awesome so far

 

[ijuka]

So what?

The narrative for the Oilers is that they have superstars but no depth and ironically the Stars are playing a team also with no superstars who happen to be the reigning SC champs.

Dallas is extremely well constructed and I think the OP was overstating things here a bit.

It's relevant to the thread title. When you say "paper tiger" you assume big names. Dallas doesn't really have big names. So regardless of how it performs, it's not a paper tiger.

I wouldn’t say Vegas really had a superstar when they won the Cup last year. They had a good collection of second-tier stars like Eichel and Stone and Pietrangelo, which isn’t appreciably better than a team built around Robertson and Heiskanen and Oettinger. And both of those groups have more star power than St Louis’ Cup winning team.

Why is Oettinger considered some super goalie in comparison to Hill, anyway?

 

[oconnor9sean]

Dallas has no superstars. No one that can take over a game. Depth is meant to complement superstars. When depth alone is your team's core, you're screwed.

You’re describing Seattle last year, not this Dallas team.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Why is Oettinger considered some super goalie in comparison to Hill, anyway?

Hill is also an excellent goalie, but he has a lot to prove before he earns “star” status.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Why is Oettinger considered some super goalie in comparison to Hill, anyway?

Because Hill has been fairly pedestrian for most of his career, aside from an amazing playoff run last year. He's been backup more than starter. Oettinger has some consistency issues, but has been a higher level goalie for longer than Hill has.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

You’re describing Seattle last year, not this Dallas team.

Yea, not sure what that guy is talking about.

It doesn't go from 'Superstar' ---> 'Depth' there is an entire layer of 'Good Players' in between and Dallas has probably the most 'Good players' tier in the league.

No Dallas does not have a stand out MacKinnon or McDavid, but the top 9 has the most 'good players' as you will find around the league.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

I recall NJ winning a few cups with a team that "scored by committee" with no individual superstars.

Rolling all 4 lines to keep fresh also has its advantages. I think most GMs, while they would love a superstar, would gladly prefer depth. That way, if your big star gets shut down or goes out with an injury, it isn't the death knell for the season or series. And, it's working for the Stars somewhat. I wouldn't say their top 2 centers (Hintz, Duchene) are playing well in this series, but they are still in it. Benn, Seguin, and Marchment make up a third of their top 3 lines, but they still are scoring some goals. Even the 4th line has contributed to scoring a bit.

There are a lot of ways to win in this league.......

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I wouldn’t say Vegas really had a superstar when they won the Cup last year. They had a good collection of second-tier stars like Eichel and Stone and Pietrangelo, which isn’t appreciably better than a team built around Robertson and Heiskanen and Oettinger. And both of those groups have more star power than St Louis’ Cup winning team.

Jack Eichel is very much a first tier star when healthy. He's an incredibly dominant 200 foot player, and completely took over all 3 zones during their playoff run. There are only 2 centers I would take ahead of him for a playoff run.

 

[MNRube]

Jack Eichel is very much a first tier star when healthy. He's an incredibly dominant 200 foot player, and completely took over all 3 zones during their playoff run. There are only 2 centers I would take ahead of him for a playoff run.

100%. He’s so underrated around here.

 

[Mr Positive]

Jack Eichel is very much a first tier star when healthy. He's an incredibly dominant 200 foot player, and completely took over all 3 zones during their playoff run. There are only 2 centers I would take ahead of him for a playoff run.

This was the smartest trade Vegas made. It wasn't an upgrade on the margins. Eichel is a core piece, and 1C is a hell of a core piece

 

[Ignatius]

Preliminary reports indicate that large billows of smoke are expected at LTIR Village in Las Vegas after the Dallas Stars show up on Friday

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Paper Tigers.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

They are the hipster team right now because of their drafting and that they are an NHL Southern market and that they have a lot of good players without a big hole in their team.

OP what is your understanding of the word “hipster”?

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I wouldn’t say Vegas really had a superstar when they won the Cup last year. They had a good collection of second-tier stars like Eichel and Stone and Pietrangelo, which isn’t appreciably better than a team built around Robertson and Heiskanen and Oettinger. And both of those groups have more star power than St Louis’ Cup winning team.

Vegas has no superstars besides Eichel maybe. Dallas has Heiskanen which is in that group of players I want after McDavid, MacKinnon.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

OP what is your understanding of the word “hipster”?

I think he meant “trendy”

They have been the trendy team for a while, but this year they are legitimately a contender

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Bit of irony that NYR fan started this when Dallas was down 2-0 after last year's meltdown v NJ, give teams time to adjust in the playoffs lol

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I think he meant “trendy”

They have been the trendy team for a while, but this year they are legitimately a contender

This is the first time since that insane 14-15 year they had that anyone has them this entrenched in the Cup convo though