Gun to your head: Pens or Leafs in a 7 game series

[Varan]

Who cares if the penguins won 3 cups past is the past. It’s like saying you gonna bet against the habs, they got 24 cups!!

well the last cup winning has team was in the last millenium

the last cup winning pens team is..... still here

 

[Binister]

I take the proven one - Pens. I think that Crosby, Malkin, Kessel and Murray can turn it around when it comes to playoff time.

 

[Pucklington]

You're right. It would take a gun to my head to watch them play a 7 game series.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Penguins till proven otherwise. Despite have a great 1-2 punch, the Tavares-Crosby and Matthews-Malkin matchup would be eaten up in that match, and they don't have the defense, to stop that.

 

[The List Of Jericho]

for real? you guys are betting againsgt 3 time cup winners 4 times there and 2 of the best players our gen or any really? againgst a never pass the first round team??? ok...



now leaf fans don't for one sec think I I think your rubbish or something you guys just need exp I would take leafs over pens to go with anyday over pens future but as of RIGHT NOW pens if it could be a cup final

Your logic is flawed, the majority of guys that won those Cups with the Pens are gone

 

[Bando]

I dunno Mathews will just become a ghost again and the leafs defense is too weak over a 7 game series.

 

[Regal]

Why? Penguins have dominated in the playoffs for 3 year straight in an extremely impressive way. They always manage to be very loose and destroy teams out of the gate. Why would that change?

Assuming season ended today (and both teams qualified) and playoffs started on the Wednesday as usual - I 100% believe Pens would be ready to go and play to the best of their ability by the start of the series.

I mean - Leafs have a great roster and a ton of talent. If they get their **** together in the playoffs - they certainly have the talent to compete with even a Pens team playing to the best of their ability - so it's not like they can't win. But I think most people here picking the Leafs are doing so because they think Pens suck now, which seems dumb. Pens do not suck - they started slow last year too.

After 25 games Penguins have 25 points this year.
Last year after 25 games they had 27 points.

At the 42 game mark last year Penguins had 43 points - just 1 point above 500.

If the playoffs started the Pens would absolutely be an extremely tough out against any team in the league - even today.

Experience is important but it can also be overrated, and at a certain point the team that can "turn it on" simply isn't good enough anymore. I bought into the idea that Chicago could go for another one in '17 or that LA could last year and both couldn't make it past the first round, looking awful in the process.

Sure the team isn't in a much worse spot than they were a year ago, which is why I said we'll see where they're at by the time the playoffs roll around. But the fact that they played well in the playoffs last year doesn't mean they would have performed well had they started in December. It took time for the team to get into a groove and I don't buy that they would have played well at this time last year nor would they right now. The team looks disjointed, with terrible team defense and the depth isn't producing.

Today, Toronto is simply playing like a much better team, and it's not a paper tiger, as the roster is as solid on paper as the Pens and has been a good team for 3 years now. I don't think the Pens would get their act together that quickly and I don't think experience is enough to overcome the current advantage. There's also something to be said for youthful exuberance which can counteract experience. We saw that with the 2008 Pens.

 

[Luminiferous]

Keep living off past prosperity. Pens suck. If they come around and actually show signs of life, then them. As of now, easily the Leafs.

 

[Skolman]

Toronto

I honestly thought you would take the Pens.

 

[GlitchMarner]

I dunno Mathews will just become a ghost again and the leafs defense is too weak over a 7 game series.

And Pittsburgh's defense is amazing?

 

[Nizdizzle]

Leafs. HFBoards is notoriously slow to react to changes in the league. Pens are trending downwards after a dominant decade, Leafs are trending upwards after a.... not so good decade. Pens are a better team than they've shown this year, but they're likely a mid to high 90s point team rather than a contender. Experience can only you take you so far.

I get the whole "show me first" attitude in regards to the Leafs, I truly do. However, that just reeks to me of everyone wanting hindsight.

 

[34]

I honestly thought you would take the Pens.

The Maple Leafs are going to be ok. We will see how things go.

The NHL is finally about see the full line up in Toronto with Nylander back.

 

[tony d]

Right now the Leafs for me.

 

[IPS]

Leafs. HFBoards is notoriously slow to react to changes in the league. Pens are trending downwards after a dominant decade, Leafs are trending upwards after a.... not so good decade. Pens are a better team than they've shown this year, but they're likely a mid to high 90s point team rather than a contender. Experience can only you take you so far.

I get the whole "show me first" attitude in regards to the Leafs, I truly do. However, that just reeks to me of everyone wanting hindsight.

How much did we hear about Chicago and LA being "still in the running" when it was clear as day they were done?

 

[Bando]

And Pittsburgh's defense is amazing?

Dude, I literally put two emoticons that have a sole purpose of showing sarcasm....