Top powerhouses in 2014

[Bryzga lol*]

Based on the propects and young players teams have today, which team from the eastern and which team from the western conferance do you think will have the best chance of making the finals based on future talent?

The west: Los Angelas

Alexander Frolov - Anze Kopitar - Lauri Tukonen
Dustin Brown - Brian Boyle - Mike Cammalleri
Trevor Lewis

D
Jack Johnson
Richard Petiot
Joe Ryan

G
Jonathan Bernier
Jason LaBarbera


The east: Pittsburgh

Jordan Staal - Sidney Crosby - Colby Armstrong
Ryan Malone - Evgeni Malkin - Michel Ouellet
Maxime Talbot

D
Ryan Whitney
Noah Welch
Alex Goligoski
Kristopher Letang

G
Marc André Fleury



...Just added players that are around 23-24 and under (didn't really check..)

Click to read more...

 

[Skroob*]

only 1/2 that PITT team will be there.

only 2 or 3 of the five of Staal/Crosby/Malkin/Whitney/Fleury will be on the team.

welcome to the new NHL.

 

[goggog]

Oilers

Hemsky
Lupul
Horcoff
Stoll
Pouliot
Torres
Schremp
Cogliano

Smid
Greene
Bergeron
Gilbert

Dubnyk

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

only 1/2 that PITT team will be there.

only 2 or 3 of the five of Staal/Crosby/Malkin/Whitney/Fleury will be on the team.

welcome to the new NHL.

Hopefully, the new GM for the Flyers puts out an offer sheet for Jared Staal, when that time comes. He's the hulking center who will eventually come into his own, and contribute on both ends of the ice, e.g. "Conn Smythe" Keith.

 

[LeMAD]

2014?? The earth might implode before that...

 

[Bryzga lol*]

only 1/2 that PITT team will be there.

only 2 or 3 of the five of Staal/Crosby/Malkin/Whitney/Fleury will be on the team.

welcome to the new NHL.

these players will be around 25-28 years old by then, some of them not experiencing UFAgency yet...i think at least 4 could still be in the line up by then, 2016-17 would be a differant story.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I think that experience shows the predicted demise and gutting of teams is highly premature. In my opinion, also based on seeing this play out elsewhere, and assuming that we are not idiots, we eventually lose one of the big three, Malkin, Crosby or Staal. Staal most likely is the odd man out if things go as they seem. Though the Pens would get a pretty big return when he goes.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

these players will be around 25-28 years old by then, some of them not experiencing UFAgency yet...i think at least 4 could still be in the line up by then, 2016-17 would be a differant story.

I know it's going to be perceived as wishful thinking, but I think otherwise. Bergeron and Nash both signed rather large contracts, when their entry deals expired. Crosby and Malkin are looking very much like they will be paid, when that time comes (although, if there's a team who can handle a couple fat contracts it's the Pens).

 

[Porn*]

the tokyo tigers

 

[WILDTATE10]

Wild
Forwards:
Gaborik Koivu Pouliot
Bouchard Sheppard Voloshenko
Irmen/Clutterbuck

Defense:
Burns Stoner
Belle Thelen

Goalie:
Harding

 

[Eb0la11]

I love how everyone assumes their prosects are going to develop into their potential in these.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

There's no way to tell.

Just look back a few years when the NYI had a huge prospect base with some of the best prospects in the game of hockey at the time. Now look at them, they're basically where they were just a few years ago. It's simply impossible to tell, 8 years is a very long time, especially in hockey years.

 

[Adam91]

Chicago - just two many quality prospects at all positions to not have somewhat of a bright future, even if it is Chicago

 

[RightKinger]

I think it should be 2010 or 2011 instead of 2014. Which is when most of these prospects will be playing in the NHL and contributing or being busts.

 

[Hawkster]

these players will be around 25-28 years old by then, some of them not experiencing UFAgency yet...i think at least 4 could still be in the line up by then, 2016-17 would be a differant story.

It's 2006/07 and pretty much all of the Pens prospects listed are playing in the NHL already - By 2014 they'll all have 7 accrued seasons or be 27 years old, so all of them would have been UFA eligible.

The salary cap and the new UFA eligibility rules (27yo or 7 seasons) will make it very difficult to maintain that "core" until 2014.

When you add in any high paid draft picks/FA's signed between now and then, it becomes near impossible.

Keeping 2 or 3 of the "big 5" (Staal/Crosby/Malkin/Whitney/Fleury) and a few of the others listed, might be the best case scenario.

 

[Redwingsfan]

Oilers

Hemsky
Lupul
Horcoff
Stoll
Pouliot
Torres
Schremp
Cogliano

Smid
Greene
Bergeron
Gilbert

Dubnyk

please include thoresen. it would make us norwegians feel so much better. knowing that we atleast have one decent player.

 

[Rexor]

Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury... it' s no contest IMO. Hamilton Penguins
will be the strongest NHL team in 2014.

 

[Skroob*]

these players will be around 25-28 years old by then, some of them not experiencing UFAgency yet...i think at least 4 could still be in the line up by then, 2016-17 would be a differant story.

umm, take a look at some of the RFA contracts that have been getting signed, then get back to me.