Wow Kuznetsov has arrived

[Devil Dancer]

He'll get his one day and not a tear will be shed around the league.

They said that about Ovie for years. Never happened.

 

[tony d]

He's playing some awesome hockey this spring. Always knew he was going to be a good 1. Good to see that's happening now.

 

[bobbyking]

What a ridiculous comparison. His speed is nowhere near McDavid's and McDavid's finish is nowhere near Kuznetsov's.

McDavid''s finish is miles better then kusnetsovs . U probably dont even watch hockey or understand it

 

[EternalOptimist]

matthews is easily better than kuznetsov. He is a product of ovechkin.

Thats what everyone said about backstrom, looks like he's doing just fine on that second line

 

[Ainec]

Thats what everyone said about backstrom, looks like he's doing just fine on that second line

Kuznetsov was also the 2nd highest evenstrength scorer in the league after Crosby with Burakovsky and Williams in his breakout season

He's surpassed ddrhockey's son, Backstrom big time.

@DDRhockey funny if Elias Pettersson or William Nylander played as well as Kuznetsov you would be proclaiming them as the best player in the league

 

[JianYang]

When you look through this roster, its still a really good one. I guess we just got accustomed to them finding ways to lose so often, that we overlooked just how good they still look on paper. It starts in goal, I guess, where holtby is not crapping the bed this year, and it also helps to get a MVP type performance from your center.... a position where you have to have elite players do elite things in order to win the cup.

 

[Connor McConnor]

He's better than Drai

 

[Revelation]

When you look through this roster, its still a really good one. I guess we just got accustomed to them finding ways to lose so often, that we overlooked just how good they still look on paper. It starts in goal, I guess, where holtby is not crapping the bed this year, and it also helps to get a MVP type performance from your center.... a position where you have to have elite players do elite things in order to win the cup.

They also lost Alzner Schmidt Shattenkirk Williams Winnik and Johansson from last year, that's like half a team's worth of depth.

 

[Revelation]

He'll get his one day and not a tear will be shed around the league.

That will be a welcome change, it feels like he's harvested more tears from New Yorkers than Donald Trump

 

[JianYang]

They also lost Alzner Schmidt Shattenkirk Williams Winnik and Johansson from last year, that's like half a team's worth of depth.

The roster may not be as impressive as last year, but it's still an impressive one. Pre-requsites for the cup typically starts with competent goaltending, an elite center, and a standout d-man. Washington has it all working at the same time, and the depth is still there, even if they lost a few guys.

Some of those guys you mentioned as a loss are not much of a loss at all. Alzner for example, is addition by subtraction IMO. The game is evolving in a way which does not suit him.

 

[Portable Mink]

This thread is hilarious.
In an embarrassing fashion.

 

[Koized]

I've seen my team raise it a few times and I don't expect it every year. It's kind of disgusting that his name might tarnish a small portion, but it is what it is. IF they win, he wouldn't be the first dirtbag whose name will be on it and he probably won't be the last.

Malkin, Kunitz and Cooke for example.

 

[DDRhockey]

Kuznetsov was also the 2nd highest evenstrength scorer in the league after Crosby with Burakovsky and Williams in his breakout season

He's surpassed ddrhockey's son, Backstrom big time.

@DDRhockey funny if Elias Pettersson or William Nylander played as well as Kuznetsov you would be proclaiming them as the best player in the league

Backstrom has been better and deserves conn smythe

 

[Revelation]

Backstrom has been better and deserves conn smythe

If by Conn Smythe you mean Conn Swede

He's been our 3rd best center these playoffs.

 

[sr edler]

McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Matthews, Seguin, Bergeron, Tavares, Backstrom, Stamkos, and Kopitar are all better at the moment and that was 10.

@ Seguin, Bäckström, Stamkos and Tavares.

 

[Sergei DRW]

I don't see the equal when it comes to the hands, tbh.

Kuzya repeatedly mentioned that he takes lessons from Pavel regarding stick-handling. And his sneaky passes from beyond the goal-line to the front of the net show that.

 

[Sergei DRW]

@ Seguin, Bäckström, Stamkos and Tavares.

Is Seguin a center at all? As far as I can see it is Jamie Benn centering that line with Seguin and Radulov on the wings.

 

[ijuka]

Is Seguin a center at all? As far as I can see it is Jamie Benn centering that line with Seguin and Radulov on the wings.

You're... not wrong. Benn is more of a center than Seguin.

 

[DDRhockey]

If by Conn Smythe you mean Conn Swede

He's been our 3rd best center these playoffs.

Nope seen all games. He has been the best.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

Backstrom has been better and deserves conn smythe

Funny, but no.

 

[DDRhockey]

Funny, but no.

If backstrom scores a hattrick tonight the conn smyhte is his

 

[alphabetical]

lucic was never as fast as tom wilson. everyone looses a step as they age, and that will not hurt tom wilson as much as it hurt lucic.

 

[Crosbyfan]

If backstrom scores a hattrick tonight the conn smyhte is his

So you are saying any Conn Smythe hope for Backstrom is pretty unlikely...
I would agree, even though he has been exceptional under his circumstances.

 

[mad4comp]

If backstrom scores a hattrick tonight the conn smyhte is his

Nope. Still incorrect.

 

[bert]

I would honestly put him in the top 5.

Only McDavid, Crosby and Malkin are clearly ahead of him.

With the way he is playing right now I would agree with this. I think we all thought he would get here, atleast I did I was at the gold medal game in Buffalo he was absolutely unstopable. I was convinced he would be better than Tarasenko, and really he has only eclipsed him now.

Incredibly exciting player to watch that makes things happen all over the ice, he is so dangerous. His ability to get away from checks and into open ice is as good as any player.