Who are the most overrated/underrated teams going into 19-20?

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Rated teams as they pertain to the Playoffs:

Over:

DAL Odd lineup, need 2 more Top 6F & 1 more Top 4 D, otherwise...1st or 2nd round exit
COL Young, 1.5 line team, D is very green, loss of Barrie will show...1st or 2nd round exit
CHI (I still think they miss the PO's again. Cup window closed 3 yrs ago)
CAR 1st or 2nd round exit (Goaltending & F scoring depth)
PIT Bubble team unless Malkin goes beast mode, then still a 1st round exit. Aging core w/lots of hard miles on them. Questionable D.
CBJ Some people actually think they'll make the playoffs...bottom 5 in East
MTL Some decent pieces, but odd lineup. Need better C's & D's. Bubble team, just miss the playoffs.
SJ Too depleted up front now, EK will always be a ? defensively , 2nd or 3rd round exit.

Under:

NYI Should be solid defensively, well coached, young guns with more experience, 2nd round exit.
FLA Lots of talent, decent depth & great G. Quenneville & Talon. 1st or 2nd rd exit.
NSH Some pundits have them missing the playoffs... WC final or Cup final.
VGK Should trade for a #2 & #3 Dman & go all in. Alex Tuch & 1st,2nd as price? Their Top 6 F are as good as any. 2nd or 3rd round exit otherwise.
STL Have seen a few published lists with Blues as a 5-8 seed...too low. WC final or Cup final.

 

[Iggys Dome]

Overrated: Sharks, I feel losing Pavelski is going to cause that team to struggle for a bit. They'll still make the playoffs because the Pacific is trash.

Underrated: Ducks. Last year they had a horrible injury bug. This year if they stay healthy and if Gibby plays like the Vezina calibre goaler he is they could make some noise in the Pacific.

 

[hockeyguru]

overrated: avalanche. fluked out against a pretender in calgary. they have depth issues like crazy and didn't fix them despite having nearly 40 million dollars of cap space to spend. they made their already weak blueline even worse by trading their best blueliner in the offseason for a guy who needs good linemates to produce (he won't get that in colorado). their goaltending is not great either, since none of their goalies have proved to provide good consistent goaltending.

underrated: islanders. some people talk as if they barely made the playoffs last season. despite having an anemic offence, their team defence is probably still gonna be very good which will boost their goalies stats.

 

[Nihiliste]

Colorado is for sure getting overrated. We don’t have the depth on the wings and our blue line is green without Barrie

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Not Bottom 5 in the league, that is a bit harsh. I do think they have a realistic shot of being out of the playoffs though.

Re: Jets

So how do they get "over rated".
Most predictions are that they will fight for a Wild Card spot.
Maybe get in, maybe miss.

No one is predicting them to win their division or be a lock for a playoff spot.

Previous season is an example of over rated (when you're listed as a Cup favorite chances are you'll be over rated).

Bad example of an over rated team for this year.

 

[T REX]

Tampa, they didn't juse lose, they quit, they gave up, they rolled over and died, and yet people still kiss their ass like they are the greatest team of all time.

What are you talking about? Torts owned Coop. Owned. Schooled him. We just didn't have an answer.

You seem a little emotional about it.

 

[IPS]

Underrated - Leafs

Overrated - Canucks. Anyone who doesn't have them finishing bottom 3 doesn't know hockey.

 

[hockeyguru]

Colorado is for sure getting overrated. We don’t have the depth on the wings and our blue line is green without Barrie

i'm shocked more people don't know this. i guess the mackinnon hype is really getting to them

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

What are you talking about? Torts owned Coop. Owned. Schooled him. We just didn't have an answer.

You seem a little emotional about it.

That's the point they DID get owned and they are still getting their asses kissed

 

[MattySnipes]

A lot of people at sportsnet and ESPN are predicting they win the division which is kind of overrating them, don't see how they've made this giant leap over Tampa and Boston when they've had to shed some vets for cap reasons and Freddy has a lot to prove after his weak 2nd half.

All good points, I believe the reason they chose Leafs to win division is more based on Tampa probably not going so hard this regular season due to what happened in the playoffs, as well as the Bruins being one year older. I can see their side and it does make some sense but I still feel Tampa wins the division. Boston is still a helluva team. Everyone doubts them and points to age but they still do their thing. We'll see.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Overrated - Canucks. Anyone who doesn't have them finishing bottom 3 doesn't know hockey.

I see Vancouver, Edmonton & Ottawa, all in similar boats.

Sinking ones.

 

[Rude Dog]

Just curious. For all the posters suggesting the Leafs are overrated. What place do they need to come in to prove you are right? 10-30? I think they are a Top 5 team. We will see.

Overrated. Sharks

Underrated. Buffalo

 

[Brucelenok]

Overrated: Tampa/Canes
Underrated: Buffalo (think they'll do some damage this season) / Panthers

 

[Menzinger]

Overrated tossup between Tampa/Boston

Underrated: easily the Wild

 

[BrockLobster]

Underrated: NYI
Overrated: Pens

 

[OVO16]

I definitely dont think the Ducks are a bottom 5 team. So yeah,

Underrated: Ducks
Overrated: The Lightning

 

[kilowatt]

Given that the Kings are near-unanimously ranked 30th or 31st, you really couldn't underrate the Kings any more than they are. The odds are low, sure, but there are still a lot of good, motivated players on this team, a lot of youth coming up, and now a competent coach. Even a regression to average career numbers for some of the Kings players could put the team in playoff contention.

I'm not saying this will happen, but in terms of underrating teams... LA is a prime candidate to not finish dead last, as projected.

 

[DanM]

They are an elite team, top 5, but damn if I have to read another post about "I can and I will!" or "lol Dubas dumb" I'm gonna punt laptop into the sea.

I also share that sentiment, most Leaf fans cringe at the damn coverage we get.

 

[Kennedys]

I fail to see how MTL is overrated when everyone and their mothers put them out of the playoffs. I guess they're worse than "not in playoffs"

 

[DanM]

A lot of people at sportsnet and ESPN are predicting they win the division which is kind of overrating them, don't see how they've made this giant leap over Tampa and Boston when they've had to shed some vets for cap reasons and Freddy has a lot to prove after his weak 2nd half.

We shed dead weight (exception Kadri) and brought in a C to replace him. Barrie, Sandin, and Lily on the backend, plus a nice Russian import. We have the graduation of some new Marlies, and development of our core and previous marlies like like Kappy, Johnny, and Moore.

I actually think we are deeper and more dangerous.

 

[Team Cozens]

Sabres. Underrated.

 

[Pukboy5kroner]

That's the point they DID get owned and they are still getting their asses kissed

Tampa has a team that based on talent alone can win games they shouldn't during the regular season. In a seven game series, a good coach won't let that happen.

 

[DanM]

Toronto are overrated. I thought their team last year was the softest of all time, but this takes the price. Despicable. They would get tossed around by most European teams. I mean they'll make the playoffs due to their star players, but that's it.

Underrated is harder. I think some of the teams that had a great skill level but were too soft last year can make it far. Carolina for instance. Some gritty additions.

Can't wait to bump this

 

[OVO16]

Flames are also overrated as hell.

I have them missing the playoffs altogether this year

 

[Avelanche]

Leafs are def underrated here.