Which forward group would you rather take with you into the playoffs right now?

[Flamesjustwin]

It is B easily. Not surprised at all that with HF logic applied A is ahead.

 

[780il]

Team A

They've got the experience and it's not like they're behind skill wise. They also have the size which you need in the playoffs.

 

[Sam Spade]

A and it's not even close

"A" would win in five games.

 

[b in vancouver]

A easily - very very easily... but I'd change the lines

Marchand - Bergeron/Crosby
Ovechkin - Backstrom - Wheeler
Hall - Tavares - Kane
Giroux /Stamkos - Panarin

B better hope they never have to play defence. Barkov and... ?

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

It is B easily. Not surprised at all that with HF logic applied A is ahead.

Anybody who has ever coached a competitive team in any sport would take a look at that and run with Team A.

 

[Caps8112]

Crosby, Bergeron and Marchand would make up my first line and they would control games.

I would keep Ovechkin and Backstrom together as well.

Agree 100%. Wonder if throwing hall on the other side of Backstrom would give that line something ovi and Backstrom havent had. An absolute threat on the other wing

 

[bigbabybuda]

Team A has more cups than B has series wins, No? Just counting in my head.

 

[Caps8112]

Team A has more cups than B has series wins, No? Just counting in my head.

Couple of the players on A alone may have more playoff games played then all together on B. Doesnt mean B couldnt win but you really do have to learn how to win.

 

[RSPens]

Voted A, but whenever you have Marchand, Crosby and Bergeron on the same team, you must play them on the same line

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
OV - Giroux - Kane (went Giroux on the second line since Stamkos and OV are both trigger men)
Tavares - Stamkos - Wheeler
Hall - Backstrom - Panarin

 

[Nadal On Clay]

A has 4 Conn Smythes, B has 0

5 actually

Crosby 2
Malkin, Kane, OV 1

 

[Section88]

A would eat that team alive in a series. Not sure how B got any votes

 

[binop7]

A's #1C is just a beast in the playoffs.

Bergeron and Crosby as first two Cs would just be a domination

 

[jonlin]

Gimme plan B! The youngsters have speed. I really like the team.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

A

Ovechkin-Crosby-Kane
Marchand-Bergeron-Wheeler
Giroux-Stamkos-Tavares
Hall-Backstrom-Panarin

Vs.

B

Matthews-McDavid-Kucherov
Gaudreau-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Barkov-Point-Marner
Draisaitl-Aho-Pastrnak

Line combos for A are off. Why wouldn't you construct the lines based on guys who already have shown tremendous chemistry? Kane/Panarin, Crosby/Bergeron/Marchand, Ovechkin/Backstrom, etc.

Either way, A would win. Equal in skill, better in experience and proven ability to produce when it matters.

 

[Plural]

Until proven otherwise, team A for me.

 

[authentic]

Line combos for A are off. Why wouldn't you construct the lines based on guys who already have shown tremendous chemistry? Kane/Panarin, Crosby/Bergeron/Marchand, Ovechkin/Backstrom, etc.

Either way, A would win. Equal in skill, better in experience and proven ability to produce when it matters.

Wanted to switch things up and make it interesting since it's completely hypothetical anyway. I think I would go with A too but I don't think it would be a blowout like many here do. Imagine complaining about an Ovechkin-Crosby-Kane line lol.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Wanted to switch things up and make it interesting since it's completely hypothetical anyway. I think I would go with A too but I don't think it would be a blowout like many here do. Imagine complaining about an Ovechkin-Crosby-Kane line lol.

I'm not "complaining". I'm just saying logic suggests if you're going to set up a hypothetical lineup with those players, why not go with guys with proven chemistry? Since the whole idea behind the hypothetical situation is "who would win", why not set the lines up in a way to put said team in a position to "win" the hypothetical series?

Ovechkin and Crosby have zero chemistry. Granted, tiny sample sizes at the all-star games. But they don't click. Meanwhile, Crosby/Marchand/Bergeron looked like men against boys at the World Cup for Canada. Just makes sense to make logical lines, not just "put the three highest scorers on one line".

 

[tony d]

Group A for me.

 

[authentic]

I'm not "complaining". I'm just saying logic suggests if you're going to set up a hypothetical lineup with those players, why not go with guys with proven chemistry? Since the whole idea behind the hypothetical situation is "who would win", why not set the lines up in a way to put said team in a position to "win" the hypothetical series?

Ovechkin and Crosby have zero chemistry. Granted, tiny sample sizes at the all-star games. But they don't click. Meanwhile, Crosby/Marchand/Bergeron looked like men against boys at the World Cup for Canada. Just makes sense to make logical lines, not just "put the three highest scorers on one line".

I already answered why but thanks for your input.

 

[JustinCase]

I voted for the team with more Canadians, so that is clearly team "Eh".
Can't overlook the experience factor, and team A looks like it could shutdown team B pretty easily.

 

[Jack Skellington]

How many conn smythes are on A? 3? With a few guys that could’ve won them.

 

[North Cole]

What's all this nonsense about cups and smythes. Team A is like 4+ years older at almost every position... in their prime/peak you take A. Currently, I'd have a hard time taking A...

Others have already pointed out the changes to As lines. Bs lines should be:

Gaudreau-Point-Kucherov
Draisaitl-McDavid-Pastrnak
Aho-Matthews-Marner
Mackinnon-Barkov-Rantanen


HF has a huge obsession with taking the best players from teams and then pairing them with people they dont play with, even though they have a teammate in this fantasy scenario..... why would Barkov be wing, and Point/Kucherov-McDavid/Draisaitl be separated? Order of lines is irrelevant with this much talent, they are all 1st lines. Let Barkov centre the Avs duo so they can run and gun if need be, they were doing that quite successfully and driving possession at the start of the year.

 

[Regal]

What's all this nonsense about cups and smythes. Team A is like 4+ years older at almost every position... in their prime/peak you take A. Currently, I'd have a hard time taking A...

Others have already pointed out the changes to As lines. Bs lines should be:

Gaudreau-Point-Kucherov
Draisaitl-McDavid-Pastrnak
Aho-Matthews-Marner
Mackinnon-Barkov-Rantanen


HF has a huge obsession with taking the best players from teams and then pairing them with people they dont play with, even though they have a teammate in this fantasy scenario..... why would Barkov be wing, and Point/Kucherov-McDavid/Draisaitl be separated? Order of lines is irrelevant with this much talent, they are all 1st lines. Let Barkov centre the Avs duo so they can run and gun if need be, they were doing that quite successfully and driving possession at the start of the year.

Team A is still in its prime. Kane might be playing the best hockey of his career. Ovechkin is the reigning Conn Smythe winner and the Richard leader...again. Bergeron is still the best defensive forward in the league and scoring better than he ever has. Stamkos is playing his best hockey since his broken leg. Crosby is playing arguably as well as he has since 2014. Tavares might score 50 for the first time. Wheeler is 2nd in the league in assists.

As well, the fact that the 2nd group might be having slightly better seasons doesn't make them better. It's not as if players like Point, Rantanen and Aho have proven this is their norm, and off years for guys like Hall and Giroux, who won the Hart and finished 2nd in scoring last year doesn't mean they've actually regressed. Variance happens.

Besides, the difference in production between the two isn't very large. Combined, the two teams stack up like this:

GPG
Team A: 0.44
Team B: 0.49

APG
Team A: 0.73
Team B: 0.77

PPG
Team A: 1.17
Team B: 1.26

Over 82 games, that would give the average Team A player a pace of 36 goals and 96 points, and the average Team B player a pace of 40 goals and 103 points. That's a pretty minor difference when Team A is better defensively and has an edge in experience.

 

[North Cole]

Team A is still in its prime. Kane might be playing the best hockey of his career. Ovechkin is the reigning Conn Smythe winner and the Richard leader...again. Bergeron is still the best defensive forward in the league and scoring better than he ever has. Stamkos is playing his best hockey since his broken leg. Crosby is playing arguably as well as he has since 2014. Tavares might score 50 for the first time. Wheeler is 2nd in the league in assists.

As well, the fact that the 2nd group might be having slightly better seasons doesn't make them better. It's not as if players like Point, Rantanen and Aho have proven this is their norm, and off years for guys like Hall and Giroux, who won the Hart and finished 2nd in scoring last year doesn't mean they've actually regressed. Variance happens.

Besides, the difference in production between the two isn't very large. Combined, the two teams stack up like this:

GPG
Team A: 0.44
Team B: 0.49

APG
Team A: 0.73
Team B: 0.77

PPG
Team A: 1.17
Team B: 1.26

Over 82 games, that would give the average Team A player a pace of 36 goals and 96 points, and the average Team B player a pace of 40 goals and 103 points. That's a pretty minor difference when Team A is better defensively and has an edge in experience.

It's not an off year for Hall. Hall winning the hart was the outlier year of his career. He hasnt proven that's his norm anymore than the guys you've listed. Stamkos might be playing his best hockey in a while but hes fourth wheel to Hedman, Kucherov, and Point. None of whom proved anything in last years playoffs...

I doubt Tavares will score 50, and the guy driving the offense for his line is on team B. Pastrnak is the weak link for team B, but hes a scorer so I'd have him with McDavid, not that being the weak link here is a slight. Team A has a couple themselves.

Not sure how much bigger of a sample size you need for the MacKinnon Rantanen combo... we've seen their chemistry for 1.5 years and they've been torching the league. With Barkov, forget about it... I also dont see how Crosby is playing his best hockey since 2014 when hes 10th in scoring (23 points back) and 8th in ppg. His defense does not bridge those gaps... hes not playing defense like peak Pronger...

An average of seven points is not that minor when you realize team B is starting their prime and A is beginning to exit theirs. Experience and defense are quite overrated when talking about forward cores like this. These would be the absolute most potent offenses to ever touch the ice in the history of the game...by a lot. Teams like this would bring back the 80s against the average NHL teams, even if they were playing against peak Hasek.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Playoff hockey is a different beast.

I'd go with A because of its battle-hardened experience. When the going gets tough, I feel team A wouldn't wilt under the pressure.