Rank the Canadian teams going forward

MNRube

Registered User
Oct 20, 2013
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Toronto - Need help on blueline, and creativity with cap. Have helo coming on blueline and secure goaltending to go with their elite forwards. Should be contenders for awhile.

Winnipeg - Have their 1C, great wingers and a decent blueline. I think roster is a bit overrated but they will stay in the mix for awhile.

Calgary - Solid, solid team. What happens when Gio falls off? Lack the ceiling of Toronto & Winnipeg.

Vancouver - They have all cornerstone pieces. Add 1 more young D and a few veterans forwards for scoring depth and I think they are poised for a big jump. EP, Boeser, Horvat, Hughes is an excellent group to build around - no redundancy and should compliment each other well.

Montreal - Awesome calender year for Habs. If I wasnt so high on Vancouver, they'd be higher. Love their forward depth and have Kotka, Suzuki and Poehling as C depth. Brooks and Romanov's development will be key.

Edmonton - A mess currently. Need to move out salary from a slow, expensive blueline to help out up front. I think they are back in the mix next year. Just need a couple middle six forwards. The farm is actually pretty good.

Ottawa - They need to be patient. Keep stockpiling assets and focus on building a fast, relentless team like Vegas did.
 

Halla

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Jan 28, 2016
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Toronto - Need help on blueline, and creativity with cap. Have helo coming on blueline and secure goaltending to go with their elite forwards. Should be contenders for awhile.

Winnipeg - Have their 1C, great wingers and a decent blueline. I think roster is a bit overrated but they will stay in the mix for awhile.

Calgary - Solid, solid team. What happens when Gio falls off? Lack the ceiling of Toronto & Winnipeg.

Vancouver - They have all cornerstone pieces. Add 1 more young D and a few veterans forwards for scoring depth and I think they are poised for a big jump. EP, Boeser, Horvat, Hughes is an excellent group to build around - no redundancy and should compliment each other well.

Montreal - Awesome calender year for Habs. If I wasnt so high on Vancouver, they'd be higher. Love their forward depth and have Kotka, Suzuki and Poehling as C depth. Brooks and Romanov's development will be key.

Edmonton - A mess currently. Need to move out salary from a slow, expensive blueline to help out up front. I think they are back in the mix next year. Just need a couple middle six forwards. The farm is actually pretty good.

Ottawa - They need to be patient. Keep stockpiling assets and focus on building a fast, relentless team like Vegas did.

funny that they are the only canadian team left, and have two cracks to get into the 2nd rd against 8th place columbus with that D.

the three games the leafs have won this series the bruins have a whopping 4 goals (1 of which was offside)
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
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How far in advance?

Over the next 3-5 years:

Winnipeg
Toronto
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Montreal
Ottawa

This would be my ranking as well.

Although it's hard to see which of Winnipeg/Toronto/Calgary will break through.

Vancouver and Edmonton are on the next tier Montreal and Ottawa slightly behind but either one could be better than Edmonton/Vancouver in 5 years as well.

Lots of moving parts here.
 

viper0220

Registered User
Oct 10, 2008
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We should wait until after the draft and the July 1st, right now the best Team is Toronto.
 

Finn16

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Feb 15, 2018
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All that and a stacked prospect pool with Poehling, Brook, Romanov, Suzuki, Primeau, etc. We even have 3 picks in this year's draft before Toronto will even pick once. Montreal's continually getting younger and better while Toronto is trading away their picks and prospects and will soon have to start downgrading their team so they can pay 40M to 4 forwards. That 4-point difference might close faster than you think.

Montreal has certainly does not have a stacked prospect pool and has failed to add any top end talent to their system and will struggle to do so considering where they will be picking. Who cares if they have 3 more picks before the Leafs pick, when none of those are top picks which is exactly what they are lacking and is something the Leafs have already have in abundance and can actually afford to trade away picks and prospects based on their deep prospect pool like any legit contending team should be doing. Habs finishing high in the standings based a lot on older players that won't be around or out of their prime by the time the habs will truly be in a win now mode, That's really the worst possible way to rebuild a team and is likely going to put the habs in a cycle of mediocrity for a long time.
 

Gaylord Q Tinkledink

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Apr 29, 2018
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funny that they are the only canadian team left, and have two cracks to get into the 2nd rd against 8th place columbus with that D.

the three games the leafs have won this series the bruins have a whopping 4 goals (1 of which was offside)

How's the defense in those other 2 games? 10 goals (1 empty netter) against. Seems it could use another piece to solidify it.
 

MNRube

Registered User
Oct 20, 2013
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funny that they are the only canadian team left, and have two cracks to get into the 2nd rd against 8th place columbus with that D.

the three games the leafs have won this series the bruins have a whopping 4 goals (1 of which was offside)

So you think Leafs should not try to update their blueline? It is painfully obvious it is their weakspot as a team.
 

The Drop

Rain Drop, Drop Top
Jul 12, 2015
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1. American Teams
2. KHL Champion
3. Canadian Teams

Tongue-in-cheek of course. But it gets tiring having people specify "Canadian teams" like they're some elite club.
Nobody here has stated this. Youre the only one who seems to be bothered by not being included.
 
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sharks9

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Jan 16, 2012
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Canada
Montreal has certainly does not have a stacked prospect pool and has failed to add any top end talent to their system and will struggle to do so considering where they will be picking. Who cares if they have 3 more picks before the Leafs pick, when none of those are top picks which is exactly what they are lacking and is something the Leafs have already have in abundance and can actually afford to trade away picks and prospects based on their deep prospect pool like any legit contending team should be doing. Habs finishing high in the standings based a lot on older players that won't be around or out of their prime by the time the habs will truly be in a win now mode, That's really the worst possible way to rebuild a team and is likely going to put the habs in a cycle of mediocrity for a long time.

You can't honestly think Toronto has a deeper prospect pool than Montreal? It's not even close
 

ole ole

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Oct 7, 2017
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1. American Teams
2. KHL Champion
3. Canadian Teams

Tongue-in-cheek of course. But it gets tiring having people specify "Canadian teams" like they're some elite club.
Maybe we should just say
Canadian players
American players
Russian players
Rest.
 

Mike Liut

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Feb 12, 2008
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I think the Jets would beat down the Leafs. Too big and physical for them.
 

topshelf15

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May 5, 2009
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Until we get an owner that will actually spend,to keep our players put a good coach and management in place...We will remain the ahl team of the nhl here in Ottawa
 

BodaciousBeefBazooka

Go Leafs Go
Apr 4, 2013
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I clarified what I meant, check a couple posts above you.



tenor.gif
lol! Ive never seen that gif before. That hilarious
 

Harry22

Registered User
Mar 28, 2005
20,534
2,304
Montreal
I would put the Habs 3rd right now, tied with Vancouver. Both behind Calgary and Toronto.

The Habs seem to have found some center depth with the emergence of Max Domi (72 points in 82 GP), Danault is a solid number 3 center and top center prospects in Kotkaniemi, Poehling and Suzuki.
 

bert

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Nov 11, 2002
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it's such a vague statement, good right now, or good in the near future ?

if we are talking right now:

1. Toronto
2. Jets
3. Montreal
4. Calgary ( riding on Gaudreau and their random goalie is too scary for me)
5. Edmonton
6. Vancouver
7. Ottawa

But, let's ranked the teams prediction for in 3 years ranking

1. Toronto
2. Montreal
3. Vancouver
4. Edmonton
5. Jets
6. Calgary
7. Ottawa
lol Habs fans wearing some really bright red rose coloured glasses.

I would put the Habs 3rd right now, tied with Vancouver. Both behind Calgary and Toronto.

The Habs seem to have found some center depth with the emergence of Max Domi (72 points in 82 GP), Danault is a solid number 3 center and top center prospects in Kotkaniemi, Poehling and Suzuki.

There is not a sane person on this planet that would take Montreals group over Vancouvers or Winnipeg.
 

bert

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Nov 11, 2002
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funny that they are the only canadian team left, and have two cracks to get into the 2nd rd against 8th place columbus with that D.

the three games the leafs have won this series the bruins have a whopping 4 goals (1 of which was offside)

One crack now, and it appears that you are suggesting they would beat Columbus like its going to be an easy feat.
 

Plante

Devils Advocate
May 12, 2010
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The only thing funny here is that when you make that argument you only devalue the season of your 96 point Canadiens, they had a good season for sure but they aren't built for success down the middle long term, I think if you put bias aside you'd agree with me deep down.

There are 31 teams in the NHL, this season just 9 of those teams had 100 points or more, the Leafs were one of them. You Habs fans have literally been driven to the point that your only supposed insult against us is that we're a top 10 team. Lolz.

How was your middle before lucking into Tavares and Matthew's? It's like me making fun of the leafs for bozak and komarov only to find out they upgrade in only a couple of years.

I wouldn't count on your rivals to never change. We did with the leafs and now they're competing year in and year out after being the butt end of hockey jokes for a looooooooooong time.
 

razor ray

Registered User
May 8, 2011
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I might be the minority but I think the Jets are taking a step back. Major contracts are coming up and every UFA will likely walk because of cap space. The Central is also likely more stronger next year.
 

nucks88

Registered User
Jan 8, 2012
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The Left Coast
funny that they are the only canadian team left, and have two cracks to get into the 2nd rd against 8th place columbus with that D.

the three games the leafs have won this series the bruins have a whopping 4 goals (1 of which was offside)
Funny..the guy ranks the Leafs number one and it still isn't good enough eh?....Is there a special number you had in mind? Every "expert" I have read or heard has the blue line as the weak point of the Leafs.
 

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