Which team has faced more adversity? [Pens or Preds?]

[Peat]

Don't really see much point arguing over which run was harder.

But the Pens have faced two elimination games to Nashville's zero this season and have had a less stable line up, with 9 Pens playing all the games compared to 12 Preds. That sounds like more adversity to me.

As for Letang - I don't think hearing just before the play-offs that the star you expected to play wouldn't is great for the mind set. But yes, the Pens are used to playing without him. Just markedly less good when they do so.

 

[Gnashville]

What adversity has Nashville faced? Missing Johansen for 2 games?

Watching a teammate break his leg and face life threatening surgery may qualify as adversity. Losing your leading scorer is not just a little adversity either.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Not up for debate?? Maybe the other way around, sure.....

The Blackhawks were FAVORED TO WIN THE CUP going into the playoffs.

Again I love how just because the Preds played an incredible series that all of a sudden the Blackhawks are some below .500 lightweight....

Again- Hawks/Blues/Ducks is every bit as tough as Jackets/Caps/Senators

In fact, if the Preds had to play the playoffs over again I think I would rather face their schedule.

Both teams deserve to be here and both had tough roads. I think the Chicago win was super impressive, but St Louis and Anaheim are the type of slow lumbering teams that Pittsburgh carves up. I think both teams would still be here if they switched places at the start of the playoffs.

 

[JBose7]

Pens lost 1# d man, 2# d man, 3# d man ( Daley) for stretches, top 6 winger ( Hornquist) , 1 Goalie ( Murray until hurt) and had to play the #1, 3, overall seeds in first 2 rounds. Nashville lost a guy who has 0 points ( Fisher) and Johansen for 2 games......hmm ill let that sink in.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Why do people keep acting like the Preds just lucked into an easy draw to win the Conference??

Sweeping Chicago/STL in 6/Anaheim in 6.

I think Chicago and Anaheim both could have beaten Washington.

That is an impressive playoff run. I love how everyone just dismisses the Hawks now as an awful team just because we swept them...

Washington would have easily beaten both teams.

 

[Riptide]

Granted that Nashville hasn't played anybody as tough as the Washington Capitals roster is (on paper). But they have sustained two critical forward injuries in Fiala and Johansen and still have beat every opposing team in less than six games.

While in Pittsburgh, losing Letang does suck and letting Capitals take it to a game 7 is iffy. However, they have battle backed every time, still have both of their best players healthy, and are quite consistent in close game situations.

So, in the end which team has faced more adversity to have that "it" factor to come back in games, sustain the lead, and close off close games both in regular and in marathon-long overtime for the Finals?

I think each teams path was similar enough that it isn't worth discussing. As for the injuries...

Missing Fiala hurts - but not nearly as much as missing RyJo. Fortunately for Nashville he was around for most of the playoffs.

Pittsburgh missing Letang is brutal for them. The fact they have Crosby and Malkin doesn't make up for this - as they cannot pass the puck to themselves with speed in the neutral zone - that's what Letang is for. This was made even worse when they had to play 5 games without Schultz and 2 of those games with just 5D.

Overall, I think Pittsburgh has had to overcome more to get to the finals... but I think now that both teams are there, that Nashville will have to overcome more to win. I think you can (obviously) replace Letang via committee. I have a really hard time seeing a team replace RyJo and Fisher the same way.

If Fisher comes back that probably evens things out to an extent with Letang/RyJo... but I still think Nashville has one hell of a hill to climb if they're going to win. And mad props to them if they do.

 

[Riptide]

Can losing Letang even be counted for Pittsburgh at this point? He's amazing when he's healthy, but he hasn't been consistently healthy for some time (which is a damn shame). So much so, that I automatically assume that he's injured and am surprised when I hear the news that he just got injured.

When you can't replace his 7.25m cap hit and your blueline is built around him and your style of play is dependent on having very good offensive puck moving D... it doesn't matter how many games he misses it's still a massive massive loss.

 

[Riptide]

Pretty sure the big difference was MAF stepping in for an injured Murray and not sucking for a couple rounds.

No, that's why they won, not why they were out played for most of the games.

 

[Hank Plank]

Not up for debate?? Maybe the other way around, sure.....

The Blackhawks were FAVORED TO WIN THE CUP going into the playoffs.

And then laid a giant egg on the ice that the crews are still trying to scrape off. Being the favourite means nothing if you don't show up.

 

[aufheben]

Uh Pittsburgh by...a lot.

I think was I quite unbiased in my OP. I did say that Penguins did let them back into the series as well.


Also, I did say that even with their injures, they (Nashville) were still able to beat every team in 6 or less games. Additionally, Penguins haven't played against a defencive core this deep in any of this years or last years playoff series. Predators are even deeper than the Sharks last year IMHO.

What are you talking about? Johansen missed 2 games.

 

[PensandCaps]

Missing the 2nd best Dman in the NHL all playoffs, missing Schultz,Daley,Rust,Hornqvist for periods at a time, Two game 7s, Pittsburgh easily.

 

[Kasperi kapanen]

Umm the Pens by a long shot. All I got to say is Letang and let's not act like he was an average player this year bc he was stellar defensively when he played and had I think 34 points in 41 games. He's a game breaker and if he was playing then I'm sure these playoffs would be much different.

 

[Griffin6612]

We all seem to forget crosby being brained as well.

 

[aufheben]

We all seem to forget crosby being brained as well.

Yeah I don't really even understand this question. The last two rounds were disastrous for Pittsburgh. Obviously moving forward without Johansen is going to be tough but it's not like he missed the entire playoffs.

 

[RickP]

Wait, is adversity only about injuries?

The Preds faced one of the best team in the league and Cup contenders in the first round.

They faced the best defense and best team in the league since February in the second round.

They faced the dirtiest (but still very talented) team in the 3rd round in what many people consider to be the most vicious playoff series in years (I think that's a bit exaggerated but many people believe that).

Now they have to face last year's Stanley Cup champions.

Not saying the Pens faced less adversity, but the Preds sure didn't have it easy.

 

[aufheben]

Wait, is adversity only about injuries?

The Preds faced one of the best team in the league and Cup contenders in the first round.

They faced the best defense and best team in the league since February in the second round.

They faced the dirtiest (but still very talented) team in the 3rd round in what many people consider to be the most vicious playoff series in years (I think that's a bit exaggerated but many people believe that).

Now they have to face last year's Stanley Cup champions.

Not saying the Pens faced less adversity, but the Preds sure didn't have it easy.

It's not really adversity when they kick the **** out of them.

No on is disrespecting Nashville, they have a top team in the league, but Pittsburgh's path to the SCF has been very different.

 

[BlueDream]

The Preds have faced adversity by losing one player? k

 

[Griffin6612]

Yeah I don't really even understand this question. The last two rounds were disastrous for Pittsburgh. Obviously moving forward without Johansen is going to be tough but it's not like he missed the entire playoffs.

The penguins went through some crazy **** that would sink many teams. This does NOT mean Nashville played a bunch of Marshmellows. Nashville's run is impressive, fun, and an achievement deserving of a Stanley Cup Victory. If the Pens pull it off though, its into the history books for them.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Who cares?

Nashville had a more dominant run to the cup. Lost their top center with two games left in the WCF, but at the same time the ducks lost Rakell, Gibson. Not to mention Lindholm and Vatanen will be out for 5 + months. They may not have survived the RJ injury if Ducks didn't go thru that immediately after. So I wouldn't say they had to overcome a lot of adversity. I'd say they were the best team in the WC and deserve to be where they are.

The pens started without Letang. Then lost Hornqvist, Schultz, and Rust which almost cost them the ECF, being down 2-1 in the series after they went down. But they fought back without them. And now in the cup again. Not to mention, Crosby going down almost cost them the caps series(he wasn't himself til about game 4 of the ECF).

But again, who gives a ****?

The best team(and most deserving) from each conference made it to the finals and that's the type of matchup you want to see.

Gonna be a great series

 

[SotasicA]

But they have sustained two critical forward injuries in Fiala and Johansen and still have beat every opposing team in less than six games.

Only 1 (one) of their 3 series was less than six games.

 

[Riptide]

Wait, is adversity only about injuries?

The Preds faced one of the best team in the league and Cup contenders in the first round.

Probably has something to do with A) they destroyed them and B) that people have been calling out Chicago for a lack of depth since Toews/Kane/Seabrook/Panarin signed those contracts, and Nashville simply exposed that.

Secondly because I'd much rather be healthy and face whomever then facing the President trophy winners and getting to the finals without:

Letang (out for the year)
Schultz (5 GMS)
Ruhwedel (3 GMS)
Hornqvist (6 GMS)
Daley (4 GMS)
Hagelin (8 GMS)
Rust (2 GMS)
Wilson (4 GMS)
Kunitz (5 GMS)
Corsby (2 GMS)
Sheary (2 GMS)

Now outside of Ruhwedel who's a depth D... every one of those guys are regular players and top 4D for us... That's one hell of a list of players to be missing.

 

[BigEezyE22]

Not up for debate? Barry Trotz vs Chicago? Multiple Cups vs can't get past the 2nd round? Blackhawks would have steamrolled Columbus and Washington.

Mr. Intangible stopped wanting to play into the summer after getting his big payday.

 

[VirginiaBob]

The Pens did so far with all their injuries, but I think the Preds probably face more adversity in the finals.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I didn't know it was a contest.

 

[Riptide]

The Pens did so far with all their injuries, but I think the Preds probably face more adversity in the finals.

Yep. I'd much rather be missing Letang then RyJo and Fisher. The wingers, whatever it's probably a wash. But missing RyJo affects their entire game. Match-up's, faceoffs, offense, PPs - everything. Having someone like Schultz and Daley playing decently is enough to make up for a large portion of Letang - Nashville has no one like that other than perhaps Fisher (who has zero points) - and Fisher is no guarantee to play on Monday (concussion).

We saw Nashville struggle mightily in their final 2 games vs Anaheim due to a lack of center depth - I don't see that changing much unless Fisher come back. If Pittsburgh outshoots them the same way the Ducks did... odds are over a 7 game series Pittsburgh will win the series.