Predict the next Stanley Cup champion (I vote Montreal)

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Kale Makar

Lets go Aves?
Apr 17, 2013
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You guys are missing a strong goalie imo. You can win without one - but it would certainly help to have one.

I also think expectations for MacKinnon are too high. He was insane this playoffs, close to video game stats for a while. That's not necessarily repeatable. He can be a solid #1C who goes ppg in the playoffs, but if your path to success is him going superman, odds are he doesn't do that all the time.

I'm just nitpicking - I really like your lineup and think Colorado is one of the better teams - but just a couple of comments to really put you guys over the top.

On paper - Tampa remains a very easy #1 for me. They arguably still have the #1 offense, defense and goaltending going into next season, which is insane depth.

To be fair, I don't think anyone (at least of Avs fans especially) really expected Mack to do what he does in the playoffs, other than the fact that he's now somehow proven that we should expect it because somehow he always ups his game in the postseason. That was even a big thing about him when he got drafted, he had just destroyed in the Memorial Cup. Looking at his post season numbers just now, I'm somewhat surprised he was only just at a point per game the last 4 playoffs he's been in. Each year it's felt like this past one where he just puts up ridiculous numbers, but I guess they just didn't go in as much in past years. Pretty much idk what he'll do, but it seems to just be a safe bet that he'll go beast mode.
 

Devonator

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Jan 5, 2003
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Vegas and the Avs in the West....in the East you still have to love Tampa Bay who won the cup without Stamkos....very impressive....Flyers and Carolina perhaps and my surprise pick could be the Rangers.....
 

CrosbyMalkin

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Aug 7, 2005
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Favourites: Colorado, Tampa, Vegas, Carolina
Darkhorses: Rangers, Philly, Toronto, Columbus, Calgary, Edmonton
Disappointments: Washington, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Dallas
Better-than-expected: Buffalo, San Jose

I like our chances of being a contender and not a disappointment as you have the Pens. Pens finished with the 7th best record in the NHL last season despite long term injuries to Crosby, Guentzel, Dumoulin, and several other top tier players. Pens only had a few games with Crosby and Malkin playing at the same time and the lost their 3C for all but 10 games which he was worthless in (Bjugstad). Pens will have a full year of Zucker after adding him as a late season trade and also added Kapanen who should be a nice fit on the Crosby line. Kapanen looks to be the next Dupuis of that line who worked real well wit Crosby during those Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis strong lines. Kapanen can play the Dupuis of the line and Guentzel is much better than Kunitz ever was. I like our additions this off-season by getting rid of the old and slow and replacing them with young fast and in most cases more skilled options.
 

Price is Wright

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Feb 5, 2010
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I don't think Tampa is repeating but they might win again soon.

If Colorado gets a great goalie instead of two average ones they will secure the Cup.

I think Dallas could right now add two free agents (Kahun and Granlund) and become a Cup favourite for me.

I think the Islanders could be a piece away from going further than people expect them to.
 

psycat

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Oct 25, 2016
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In the east, the only clear contender is Tampa. Buffalo, Montreal and Toronto improved, but they don't compare to the powerhouses, most of which are in the west. On paper, Vegas and Colorado look like the class of the league.

Of course, the fun comes from the inevitable dark horse team that nobody predicted.

Not so much fun when it happens every year.
 
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wetcoast

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Nov 20, 2018
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I'm a habs fan, and I believe with the moves they made this off-season Montreal is the #1 contender going into next season. Bergevin is proving himself as one of the best GMs in the league.

What's your prediction?

Seriously I want whatever you are having.

I mean sure the Habs have improved but are they better than the Avs or Lightning overall.
 

BLONG7

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Oct 30, 2002
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Don't know about winning the cup, but if all goes well I think Montreal should compete for a playoff spot. We'll see what happens down the middle. KK and Suzuki haven't proven themselves over a full season yet.
Common sense prevails!!
Habs will challenge for a playoff spot, but will hardly be considered the #1 contender...
 

TopCheese

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Mar 16, 2016
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Think the flyers take it. Great young talent, old vets that can still play at a high level, solid defence top to bottom and a goalie that I think could win the Vezina next year. They are a very complete team
 

chamchibap

Registered User
Jun 15, 2018
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I like our chances of being a contender and not a disappointment as you have the Pens. Pens finished with the 7th best record in the NHL last season despite long term injuries to Crosby, Guentzel, Dumoulin, and several other top tier players. Pens only had a few games with Crosby and Malkin playing at the same time and the lost their 3C for all but 10 games which he was worthless in (Bjugstad). Pens will have a full year of Zucker after adding him as a late season trade and also added Kapanen who should be a nice fit on the Crosby line. Kapanen looks to be the next Dupuis of that line who worked real well wit Crosby during those Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis strong lines. Kapanen can play the Dupuis of the line and Guentzel is much better than Kunitz ever was. I like our additions this off-season by getting rid of the old and slow and replacing them with young fast and in most cases more skilled options.

Pens are always considered too old but somehow end up near the top of the league every year. With a healthy season from Sid, anything is possible.
With that said, I think you’re being a bit too optimistic with kappy. He is fast, can score big goals, and might have setup the prettiest goal of the year for the leafs (to engvall) but plays routinely die on his stick. Honestly he doesn’t seem like a really high iq hockey player that thrives with sid / geno. Doesn’t really make smart plays or cycle all too well, skates the puck into low danger areas and turns it over, either doesn’t have the vision to see open teammates or would rather shoot it himself... the list of frustrations over the years is long

idunno, he’s still fairly young and could prove me wrong. I liked his competitiveness and hope he does well for the pens
 

Rosso Scuderia

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Jun 30, 2012
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Gallagher, Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Anderson, Drouin, Toffoli, etc. that's depth.

You know there's other teams in the league right.. with better player than that. We might have a slightly better line up now.. but that's just because we were f***ing terrible before. When you're at the bottom, the only way is up.

We have a very inexperience group in the playoffs... that hasn't prove much in the playoffs.

Team like Tampa, Colorado, Vegas, Dallas, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia have a better playoffs team by experience and/or talent.

Gallagher has never been good in the playoffs.
Tatar sucks in the playoffs.
Anderson haven't proven anything in the playoffs.
Drouin is probably our best player in the playoffs.. with his 21 pts in 33 games.. which is nowhere good enough to win the SC.

That's supposed to be our best 4 wingers.
Then you have Suzuki who looked good in the last playoffs. But Danault as 2nd C doesn't help his wingers much offensively.

Even Price.. in his last two times he made the playoffs, had like a GAA of 1.83 and SV% of 0.935 in his last 16 playoffs games never made it pass the first round.

I know we got a little better in the past few weeks, you're all excited... but what makes you think that we are a better team than Tampa, Colorado, Vegas, Boston or Washington?
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
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I'm a habs fan, and I believe with the moves they made this off-season Montreal is the #1 contender going into next season. Bergevin is proving himself as one of the best GMs in the league.

What's your prediction?

Hey you're close!
 
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Bandit

Registered User
Jul 23, 2005
32,435
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Unemployed in Greenland
All it took was a pandemic and being put in quite possibly the most pathetic division in the last thirty years and they’re 50% of the way there.

Plan the parade.
 

The Gr8 Dane

L'harceleur
Jan 19, 2018
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Believe it, mon frère.
Leonardo-Dicaprio-Cheers.jpg
 
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