Quarter Season Update...Rank the Canadian Teams

[zar]

The tie breaker should be their respective records against each other.

The strength of the conferences should also factor in. Its a little easier to earn points when the competition is crap.

While I don’t disagree with the premise of your statement, t this point you should be looking more at strength of schedule rather than strength of division. The Canadiens and Leafs have as many games played against the Pacifix as the Oilers do. Buffalo has played more games against the Pacifix than the Oilers... and the Oilers have played more games against the Atlantic than the Sabres. I guess my point is, don’t assume that just because a team is in a specific division should it be automatically assumed that most of their games have been against divisional foes.

 

[JPeeper]

I think the team that was 2nd in the league in points last year and made it to the Conference finals should probably be given the benefit of the doubt. 1/3 of a season playing as well as Winnipeg doesn't put Calgary in their tier. Winnipeg also has a much better roster

Based on what? Flames have a better goal differential, better goals against and same goals for (albeit played 1 more game).

Calgary has been really good this year, IMO probably the best Canadian team thus far but they don’t have the amount of high end talent Winnipeg or Toronto have. It’s not unreasonable to limit your expectations of how far the Flames can go, while still lauding them for what they have done thus far.

Flames have more PPG players than Toronto has and Gio is only 5 points behind Reilly (24 points which would tie him for 3rd among Jets players), and have 2 more PPG players than the Jets do. Flames are also the only team (or were up until 3 days ago) to have 4 players in double digit goal totals.


I ain't arguing the Flames are the top team, but the Leafs (who have had no playoff success with their core where the Flames have won a series) and Jets aren't in a tier above the Flames, especially since the Flames have beaten both teams this year. I'd rank them all in the same tier. Arguing the Jets above because of last years playoff run is valid, but to say they have a better roster when the Flames are equal to or better in every statistical category isn't valid. Personally I have all 3 at the top in the same tier.

 

[Mobiandi]

Winnipeg
Toronto/Calgary
Edmonton
Montreal
Ottawa
Vancouver

 

[The Kessel Run]

Leafs
Jets
Flames
Oilers
Habs
Canucks
Sens

 

[Regal]

Based on what? Flames have a better goal differential, better goals against and same goals for (albeit played 1 more game).

Based on a roster comparison not how they've performed this year. I don't think it's a big gap but I like their roster better than Calgary's, which is a point in their favour. They have a small advantage in their top forwards and a bigger one in their bottom 6. Calgary has a small advantage on defense. And while Helly hasn't been good this year, I still trust him more than Rittich or Smith.

As I said, 1/3 of a year of performing slightly better doesn't make them better. Winnipeg just had 114 points and made the Conference finals last year with largely the same roster. They haven't performed up to expectations yet this year, but that doesn't just go away. Calgary is a good team, and actually quite good at even strength. But their special teams have been their undoing for awhile and they don't look any better there this year.

That said, if Calgary keeps it up and Winnipeg hasn't turned it on by the 3/4 mark then I might change my tune.

 

[lomiller1]

Winnipeg is not a cup contender with Hellebuyck playing so poorly this year.

He is the reason we are losing many games.

Not the way we are playing now, but the point of my post is that the Jets have enough talent to play poorly and still win.


It's not just Hellebuyck. He's one issue but our overall defensive game isn't nearly as good as last year and discipline wrt to penalties has gone downhill as well

 

[Just Linda]

Jets
Leafs

Significant gap

Edmonton
Montreal
Calgary
Ottawa
Vancouver


I know I'll get flack for this but I see Calgary as a pretender not a contender. Tons of skill but horrible system and goalie. They are young on d and have enough youth that their immaturity will balance out but yeah, I'm not sold on them at all.

 

[qwerty]

Jets
Leafs

Significant gap

Edmonton
Montreal
Calgary
Ottawa
Vancouver


I know I'll get flack for this but I see Calgary as a pretender not a contender. Tons of skill but horrible system and goalie. They are young on d and have enough youth that their immaturity will balance out but yeah, I'm not sold on them at all.

This is a strange post. You call the Flames a pretender, but have a team that was expected to be a lottery team ahead of them. Then you say the goaltender has been horrible, but wouldn’t you expect Mike Smith to eventually play back closer to his average mid .910’s which would theoretically improve the Flames’ chances of winning? Lastly, since the 9-1 drubbing from the Pens, the Flames have the best goals against in the league even with that young D.

It’s possible they’re playing a little over their head, but they have found a way to beat all the teams who are currently ahead of them in the standings league wide.

 

[Coffey]

Three tier system still exists, at this point, maybe Montreal moved to the 2nd tier.

Leafs
Jets

Flames
Oilers
Habs

Sens
Canucks

 

[Just Linda]

This is a strange post. You call the Flames a pretender, but have a team that was expected to be a lottery team ahead of them. Then you say the goaltender has been horrible, but wouldn’t you expect Mike Smith to eventually play back closer to his average mid .910’s which would theoretically improve the Flames’ chances of winning? Lastly, since the 9-1 drubbing from the Pens, the Flames have the best goals against in the league even with that young D.

It’s possible they’re playing a little over their head, but they have found a way to beat all the teams who are currently ahead of them in the standings league wide.

I do love Mike Smith but no I don't. Age + the system they use leaving the other team way too much time and space to shoot.

I don't think Edmonton is as bad as they were last year but not as good as they were two years ago.

 

[DopeyFish]

But Calgary beat both of these teams.

you beat the leafs without their top line

congrats

 

[crackdown44]

you beat the leafs without their top line

congrats

Ironically this is exactly what you have to do to beat them in the playoffs lol

 

[tntkid]

Not the way we are playing now, but the point of my post is that the Jets have enough talent to play poorly and still win.


It's not just Hellebuyck. He's one issue but our overall defensive game isn't nearly as good as last year and discipline wrt to penalties has gone downhill as well

I agree the Jets are winning right now despite poor goal tending.

The Jets are offensively talented but it is hard to go far in the playoffs with weak goal tending from your starter.

The penalties are not helping either.

 

[perronist]

Jets
Leafs

Significant gap

Edmonton
Montreal
Calgary
Ottawa
Vancouver


I know I'll get flack for this but I see Calgary as a pretender not a contender. Tons of skill but horrible system and goalie. They are young on d and have enough youth that their immaturity will balance out but yeah, I'm not sold on them at all.

"horrible system"
5th in CF%
5th in Shots for%
6th in xGF%

and the young d have been excellent and getting better every game

 

[mix1home]

Leafs sit 4th in the league and have been missing Matthews and Nylander for a significant portion of the year. Adding Tavares plus Rielly and Andersen playing out of their minds puts the Leafs at 1st in today's rankings, despite the Jets being the better team last year. The Jets have an extremely potent roster but haven't been playing their best hockey for most of the season so far. At the end of the day, I don't think much separates either team. Andersen and Rielly will likely cool down somewhat and the Jets are hoping for better play from key contributors like Ehlers and Hellebyuck. I consider both teams strong contenders.

Hellebuyck was crap this season (perhaps long PO run?). In fact Jets are playing quite well overall and bailing him out. If he finds his game Jets will be on top of their conference like Toronto.

 

[La Masse]

As of right now

Leafs
Jets

Flames

Oilers
Habs
Sens
Canucks

 

[Fishboy*]

Legit anyone with a top 3 other than Leafs/Jets/Flames has some sort of bias happening to them.

 

[Just Linda]

"horrible system"
5th in CF%
5th in Shots for%
6th in xGF%

and the young d have been excellent and getting better every game

Good teams, bad system imo

 

[Drytoast]

Toronto is ahead in PPG by a very small margin. You're literally talking about less than a 1 game difference. Winnipeg has 13 points in their last 10 games and Toronto has 14.

WTF?

well there is the whole matter of having played winnipeg twice and having beaten winnipeg...twice.

not to mention the little tiny detail of playing within a division that houses 4 of the top 5 teams in the nhl.

so ya...explain how winnipeg is better or same level at this point?

cause your brain doesnt like toronto?

 

[CycloneSweep]

Three tier system still exists, at this point, maybe Montreal moved to the 2nd tier.

Leafs
Jets

Flames
Oilers
Habs

Sens
Canucks

I agree that it's a 3 tier system but drop the Oilers down to the one below.

There is a very healthy gap between the Oilers and the Flames.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

The Canadian teams are ranked #2 right behind the American teams and just ahead of the SEL and KHL.

 

[PhilJets]

Toronto by a slight margin against my team.
Jets in 2nd , not yet on full speed. Though they did last game against the Rangers.

Then calgary
Then the rest of the field.

 

[blankall]

well there is the whole matter of having played winnipeg twice and having beaten winnipeg...twice.

not to mention the little tiny detail of playing within a division that houses 4 of the top 5 teams in the nhl.

so ya...explain how winnipeg is better or same level at this point?

cause your brain doesnt like toronto?

Toronto has yet to actually play Tampa or Buffalo. Winnipeg has actually played Nashville and Colorado. Toronto barely beat a slumping Jets team early on in close games.

Calgary beat Toronto does that make Calgary the better team?

Toronto may still prove to be better than Winnipeg, but to call them an entirely better class of team is silly.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

Jets
Leafs

Significant gap

Edmonton
Montreal
Calgary
Ottawa
Vancouver


I know I'll get flack for this but I see Calgary as a pretender not a contender. Tons of skill but horrible system and goalie. They are young on d and have enough youth that their immaturity will balance out but yeah, I'm not sold on them at all.

Seriously man, The Oilers have 8 wins in regulation the first 27 games.

I get it you're homer but at least try.

 

[Just Linda]

Seriously man, The Oilers have 8 wins in regulation the first 27 games.

I get it you're homer but at least try.

I'm not an Oilers fan, not even close