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CENTRES: Obviously I love Crosby and I love Aho, that's a fun match-up, I'd slightly prefer Crosby - but after that, I'd take Seguin/Shaw way over Hayes/Tierney. Two cup winners and guys with higher upsides there. Give me
VEGAS
LEFT WINGS: I like both team sets of LW - Guentzel is the best of them all, but Hoffman is still a great scorer. Lindblom is very underrated but JVR is a playoff-built guy who will help as well. I really love Hagelin as one of the best defensive wingers in the game, whereas Lemieux is a 4th liner who will make a physical impact but not near the same defensive impact. This one is close....I slightly prefer
VEGAS but it'd be fair to call this a draw.
RIGHT WINGS: Similar RWs - I'd take Williams over Connolly in a playoff scenario but I'd probably still take Kessel over Bailey in the "guys that don't know how to play D" category. I'd take Panik's two-way game over Sissons and Bennett has more upside than Nosek, so it's
VEGAS by a hair.
DEFENSE: I think Lindholm-McAvoy could do a really great job against that Crosby line - which scares me as I really don't love how the rest of the Oilers forwards would respond, as they'd STILL have to face Brodie and Trouba after that. However, the Oilers also have Muzzin-Jones which is a MONSTER pairing on its own. Dunn-Bear continues to be a very good puckmover pair, but can they defensively shutdown as well as the Vegas top 4? I don't know. I can't stress enough that the last three categories are all CLOSE to me, but I'm liking
VEGAS slightly more each time.
GOALIES: This is one where I can't take Vegas because although Matt Murray has proven he can do it before, I'd take Carey Price in this scenario to have the composure to make big saves to keep his team alive.
EDMONTON
VERDICT: Vegas has better depth overall, I believe in their PK in this series much more than Edmonton's, I have to go with
VEGAS IN 6 - in a close series.
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CENTRES: If I had to pick ANY C to shutdown Connor McDavid in the league, it would be Sean Couturier. Couturier would shadow McDavid the entire series. Saying that, I prefer Duchene to Hischier on experience, Matt would carve him on face-offs. I also think Necas/Dach is a wash. I know I love Couturier but the McDavid factor itself still gives
COLORADO a slight edge.
LEFT WINGS: Brad Marchand is easily the best of the bunch here, I'd take him over Skinner (although Skinner still has that big time goal potential with Connor). Drouin is extremely skilled and has strong playoff experience so I'd take him over Kempe but don't underestimate Kempe's speed. We just saw Boston's run last year and Johansson was much more effective than Heinen was. I think the all-around balance and Marchand's presence gives
ST. LOUIS the edge.
RIGHT WINGS: Teravainen is the best of the RWs but Meier gives him a run for his money and Meier had a slightly better playoff last year. After that, Palmieri is going to score some big goals and I'd take him well over Dzingel. Kahun vs Byron is a tough one - Byron is more usable on the PK and his speed will be an issue, Kahun is smart. I think
ST. LOUIS has a slight, slightly more well-rounded depth.
DEFENSE: I keep going back to the thought of what a Couturier/Parayko/McDonagh shutdown group could do - I think they could give McDavid fits. The Couturier/Parayko part scares me more than McDonagh though, who McDavid will easily blow by. Marchand-Couturier-Palmieri is going to destroy whoever they face in possession but Spurgeon would give them a great challenge being an awesome D on his own. Orlov-Leddy and Butcher-Vatanen both scare the crap out of me but Orlov is the best of the 4 total D. I think this goes to
COLORADO because their top pair could probably shut down enough AND break the puck out much better than St. Louis' top pair...and Orlov gives them more depth...but it's close.
GOALIES: I still have no belief in Dubnyk/Talbot, I just don't based on Dubnyk's play and Talbot's inconsistency. Rinne/Jones is also very shady but I think Rinne at 5v5 would be the best of the 4 goalies here still, ultimately I'd trust Rinne the most. Let's just say goals will be scored in this series.
ST. LOUIS.
VERDICT: BLUES IN 6 - I think their team is better built from a defensive standpoint to win enough tight games, even if McDavid gives them a run for the money.
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