They are. The Penguins haven't been great. Flower is the reason they're alive. People who have watched both teams would pick the Preds.
Tell me why Nashville shouldn't be viewed as the Cup favorite
- Thread starter ucanthanzalthetruth
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AMDZen
ME in the RED Circle
Exactly. I find those people who are still picking the pens to beat Preds are all east coast fans that have barely seen the western playoffs at all much less Preds games.
At this point I think that the Senz have a legitimate shot to beat them, and I would even pick Anaheim to beat the Pens if they somehow came out of the Preds series but at this point, Preds are the favorites because they are simply playing the best hockey of all the teams. And frankly, INEC.
Ps. Habs were idiots to trade Subban, wow has he picked up his game in the playoffs. I was never the biggest Subban fan but he is a perfect fit on that D and is clearly a guy that knows when to elevate his game.
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Gil Gunderson
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Everyone expected the Kings to be a contender that summer after they traded for Richards. It took them a while to get it together but then they hired Sutter and traded for Carter.
ucanthanzalthetruth
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Yeah I would also put the Ducks ahead of Pit. Leaning towards a West team winning this year.
Harry Kakalovich
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Sleepy
rEf jOsE
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ncm7772
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I think they are at this point. The media isn't going to come out and say it, but I think that most who've closely watched the playoffs would say they're the favorites.
They've been pretty impressive so far this Spring. Holding Chicago to 3 goals is no easy feat. Scoring 13 against the Hawks defense is rather impressive as well.
The Blues tried to out muscle them and that didn't work.
So far they showed a lot of poise in their first two games in Anaheim.
I think they could go all the way.
The Blues tried to out muscle them and that didn't work.
So far they showed a lot of poise in their first two games in Anaheim.
I think they could go all the way.
gordie
5x
mrzeigler
.. but I'm not wrong
To answer the OP: Because "favorites" are determined by the public at large -- just like betting odds -- and do not necessarily reflect the true likelihood of an event occurring. It's not like it's a designation that is bestowed after a passion-free deliberation of hockey experts who consult a set of irrefutable, proven statistics.
Plus, when you have the reigning champion still in the picture, you're always going to have a large number of "to be the best you have to beat the best" people siding with the known (in the context of the SCF) commodity.
Is that right or wrong this year? I dunno. Speaking of the Pens, I look at them without Letang and figure they wouldn't be the favorite against that Nashville D, but then I look at the playoff stats of the Nashville forwards, and I'm not exactly overwhelmed. So who knows, and really, who cares. What does being the "favorites" really matter, anyway?
Plus, when you have the reigning champion still in the picture, you're always going to have a large number of "to be the best you have to beat the best" people siding with the known (in the context of the SCF) commodity.
Is that right or wrong this year? I dunno. Speaking of the Pens, I look at them without Letang and figure they wouldn't be the favorite against that Nashville D, but then I look at the playoff stats of the Nashville forwards, and I'm not exactly overwhelmed. So who knows, and really, who cares. What does being the "favorites" really matter, anyway?
A lot of people say this about the Preds forwards- I get that and I know we probably do need some more production for the 2nd and 3rd lines.
But I do think a big reason for the forward stats is that we DO get such great offensive production from our D. I mean, something has to give. Assuming our D does their normal thing, if our forwards are also putting up big numbers we would have to be scoring 5 or 6 goals per game, and that is not going to happen in the playoffs.
wgknestrick
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JaegerDice
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They should be.
Against a healthy PIT maybe not, but I think this mobile D core can match up against PIT's forwards, and I think NSH forwards can do enough damage to PIT's D.
The only wild card in my mind is Rinne vs Fleury, because both are out-performing expectations. And maybe they both do until the very end, maybe they both regress, or maybe only on of them does...
Against a healthy PIT maybe not, but I think this mobile D core can match up against PIT's forwards, and I think NSH forwards can do enough damage to PIT's D.
The only wild card in my mind is Rinne vs Fleury, because both are out-performing expectations. And maybe they both do until the very end, maybe they both regress, or maybe only on of them does...
It makes no sense why anyone is picking an injury riddled Pens team struggling against all opponents vs a team steamrolling the competition. Is anyone watching these playoffs? Even if you hate advanced stats the eye test draws the same conclusions.
ucanthanzalthetruth
#CatsAreCooked
- Jul 13, 2013
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ucanthanzalthetruth
#CatsAreCooked
- Jul 13, 2013
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Empoleon8771
Registered User
Looks like they'll be making the cup finals now. They can definitely beat the Senators, but I'm pretty confident going into the series if the Penguins make it. The difference between Crosby and Malkin vs Fisher and Jarnkrok (assuming Fisher is healthy) is just too much. The Predators have a much better defense than the Penguins, but that's not as big as the difference between the two down the middle.
Hopefully Arvidsson is okay, he's a great player.
Hopefully Arvidsson is okay, he's a great player.
Goaltending is a tie based on Rinne's play. Pens forwards are much better. Preds d is much better. Does a good offence beat a good defence?
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