Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto, battle of big fives
- Thread starter talitintti
- Start date
The team with the most depth
Pens x
Registered User
- Oct 8, 2016
- 16,226
- 8,022
Washington
Pittsburgh
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v
Leafs
(until they make it past the first round of the playoffs)
Pittsburgh
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v
Leafs
(until they make it past the first round of the playoffs)
Caps, and surprisingly by a decent margin. Mostly because Letang and Murray being atrocious in the playoffs is still fresh in my mind combined with the Caps four skaters all having 13 points through 8 games (and coming off big seasons/playoffs).
Centers: Pens > Caps > Leafs (pretty close overall though)
Wing: Ovechkin >> Marner ~ Kessel
Defenseman: Carlson > Reilly >> Letang
Goaltender: Holtby > Murray ~ Anderssen
I'm biased, but i think most people would give the edge to the Caps at W/D/G and if Kuzy/Backstrom are behind the other 2 duos it isn't by much.
So Caps > Pens > Leafs. Which kind of magnifies how much an elite Center duo can impact a game. Because nobody would expect the Caps to dominate the Pens in a series as these rankings would suggest.
Centers: Pens > Caps > Leafs (pretty close overall though)
Wing: Ovechkin >> Marner ~ Kessel
Defenseman: Carlson > Reilly >> Letang
Goaltender: Holtby > Murray ~ Anderssen
I'm biased, but i think most people would give the edge to the Caps at W/D/G and if Kuzy/Backstrom are behind the other 2 duos it isn't by much.
So Caps > Pens > Leafs. Which kind of magnifies how much an elite Center duo can impact a game. Because nobody would expect the Caps to dominate the Pens in a series as these rankings would suggest.
Stickpucker
Playmaka
- Jan 18, 2014
- 15,286
- 36,803
Forward is pretty close for all 3. Leafs way behind on D and goal.
Leafs also need a Doumolin / Orlov type.
Leafs also need a Doumolin / Orlov type.
Comparing positions:
Crosby=Matthews>Kuznetsov
Malkin>Tavares=Backstrom
Ovechkin>>Kessel=Marner
Carlson>Rielly=Letang
Holtby>Murray=Andersen
I'll take the Caps than Pens than the Leafs.
Crosby=Matthews>Kuznetsov
Malkin>Tavares=Backstrom
Ovechkin>>Kessel=Marner
Carlson>Rielly=Letang
Holtby>Murray=Andersen
I'll take the Caps than Pens than the Leafs.
The Leafs are overrated. They haven't done anything in the playoffs.
They're soft. They get out-hit every game. They can't win wall battles.
As skilled as Washington and Pittsburgh are, they are also feisty. Leafs don't have that element to their game. Just look at the hits per game stat:
Pittsburgh is #1
Washington is #4
Leafs is #21
Basically, they aren't built for playoffs style hockey.
Edit: Before I get flamed, just look at the past 2 games. Leafs were forced to play a style of hockey they weren't comfortable with and look what happened. They got dominated.
They're soft. They get out-hit every game. They can't win wall battles.
As skilled as Washington and Pittsburgh are, they are also feisty. Leafs don't have that element to their game. Just look at the hits per game stat:
Pittsburgh is #1
Washington is #4
Leafs is #21
Basically, they aren't built for playoffs style hockey.
Edit: Before I get flamed, just look at the past 2 games. Leafs were forced to play a style of hockey they weren't comfortable with and look what happened. They got dominated.
Last edited:
Okay...how does that apply to the OP at all.
Eh, i don't agree with that.
More like:
Centers: Crosby > Malkin = Matthews = Kuznetsov = Tavares > Backstrom
Wingers: Ovechkin > Kessel > Marner
D & goalies seem right.
newfy
Registered User
- Jul 28, 2010
- 14,771
- 8,326
Caps, Pens, Leafs
I think the top 2 on each team are pretty comparable and youll be splitting hairs to really say whose better. But give me Backstrom over Kessel and Kessel over Marner. Then I think Carlson is the best dman right now after his last season and start this year hes a notch above the other 2 who I have rated similarly.
The goalies are kind of a wash for me as well. Freddy is a consistent work horse, Murray isnt far removed from a couple big cup runs and Holtby isnt that far removed from a Vezina. Theyre all in that top tier of goalies who year to year could be better than the other.
SO deciding factor to me is Backstrom better than the 3rd guy on either other team and Carlson better than the other 2 dmen. Pens ahead of the Leafs because of Kessel (wouldnt think I would say that 5 years ago).
I think the top 2 on each team are pretty comparable and youll be splitting hairs to really say whose better. But give me Backstrom over Kessel and Kessel over Marner. Then I think Carlson is the best dman right now after his last season and start this year hes a notch above the other 2 who I have rated similarly.
The goalies are kind of a wash for me as well. Freddy is a consistent work horse, Murray isnt far removed from a couple big cup runs and Holtby isnt that far removed from a Vezina. Theyre all in that top tier of goalies who year to year could be better than the other.
SO deciding factor to me is Backstrom better than the 3rd guy on either other team and Carlson better than the other 2 dmen. Pens ahead of the Leafs because of Kessel (wouldnt think I would say that 5 years ago).
DDRhockey
Hockeyfan since 1986
- Oct 11, 2017
- 3,385
- 1,630
In What world is Tavares better than Backstrom?
Really the only other team I could think of that would come close would be Boston, but that’s solely basing it off their top line.
D & G caps have them beat fairly easily.
CupsOverCash
Registered User
- Jun 16, 2009
- 16,373
- 7,103
Give me Caps and Pens core before Torontos. They have won Cups while Torontos hasnt done anything yet. They could be the answer in the future but not right now.
This is uhh ehh... if you have the Leafs last, that's fine, those saying there's some huge margin are out of their minds. I'd have the Leafs five over the Capitals five, but I also am not big on John Carlson. I would have the Capitals ahead if you had Niskanen in over Carlson. Also, while he isn't playing, the only reason any Leaf fan thinks Marner is better than Nylander is because he's from the GTA, and there's a weird cult of Marner obsessives. They all also think Babcock is the greatest genius to walk the Earth, and that the team should bring in three new Roman Polaks.
Off the top of my head (haven’t thought this through) Avs (Beat at D) Stars (easily beat at G though) Bruins (have to with that top 3) and Tampa would be knocking as well but the W be a slight L
You know they just won the cup right
Spirit of 67
Registered User
McDavid?The caps just won the cup more on the strength of their big 5 than most teams. Kuz most points since Malkin 2009, Backstrom PPG despite getting injured, Ovechkin 15 goals/Conn Smythe, Carlson 20 point playoffs while being their #1 D, Holtby The Save and outplaying 4 extremely highly regarded goalies.
Their big 5 is underrated if anything
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