Florida Panthers are this year's Montreal Canadians

[Lshap]

None of the recent one-off SCF teams are similar to Florida. St. Louis had a similar arc, but Binnington's story was nothing like Bobrovsky. LA was a much better team that won two Cups in three years. Besides the obvious point that Florida hasn't even made the SCF.

Uh no, teams don't fluke out 3 rounds and 13 playoff wins. that team was good. They had a shitty Covid season because they were wiped out by the virus and were forced to play an even more ridiculously compacted schedule

That's correct. Habs' run was unexpected, which has nothing to do with a 'fluke'. A fluke is when a goal bounces in off the ref's ass. The 2021 Habs were hit hard during the season, but that roster was loaded with talent and earned every win in the playoffs. Unfortunately, bad contracts and injuries ensured it couldn't last.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Not really. The Panthers are actually good and just underachieved in the regular season. There is no comparison.

 

[HuGo Sham]

None of the recent one-off SCF teams are similar to Florida. St. Louis had a similar arc, but Binnington's story was nothing like Bobrovsky. LA was a much better team that won two Cups in three years. Besides the obvious point that Florida hasn't even made the SCF.


That's correct. Habs' run was unexpected, which has nothing to do with a 'fluke'. A fluke is when a goal bounces in off the ref's ass. The 2021 Habs were hit hard during the season, but that roster was loaded with talent and earned every win in the playoffs. Unfortunately, bad contracts and injuries ensured it couldn't last.

well said

 

[Team_Spirit]

Montreal had Price...Weber on the downswing of his career...and uhh that's it.

Your 2022-2023 leading scorer is not even worth listing eh

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Montreal didn't have to play a legit NHL team until the Final.

Panthers had to beat Boston.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Montreal was a turd team that got lucky and then demolished in the final. Florida is a very good team that took a while to gel in the regular season. I think their last 10-15 games are more indicative of who Florida is than their first 65.

 

[WatchfulElm]

They do also have Eric Staal on the team, though he probably does not remember ever playing for Montréal

Underrated post.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Yeah no Montreal was absolute ass on paper lets not pretend they weren't the worst team to ever make the playoffs in a while

 

[Rschmitz]

Yes but no

Weegar was so bad in every series vs Tampa, and Huberdeau has zero grit at all. The Panthers struck gold by trading for Tkachuk btw

Sure that trade helped, but the implication that the OP is making is that they are a bad team that has lucked/outplayed their way to their current position. They were one of our toughest opponents the last two years, and were certainly able to make it all the way without help.

 

[Devilsfan992]

Preseason predictions:

Ranked as 4th best team in NHL:

NHL preview: Rankings from 1 to 32 and what to know about every team

Get all of the key intel you need on every team ahead of opening night.

www.espn.com

Atlantic Division champions:

Stanley Cup predictions for 2022-23 NHL season | NHL.com

Hurricanes, Avalanche favorites among NHL.com staff preseason picks

www.nhl.com

Ranked as 9th best team in NHL:

NHL Power Rankings: Revisiting preseason expectations for each team as playoffs approach

A lot has changed over the course of 80 games

www.cbssports.com

Ranked as 8th best team in NHL:

THN Power Rankings: Pre-Season

Which teams moved up or down after last season's playoffs and off-season? Find out in the first power rankings of the season.

thehockeynews.com

What's more surprising is they were the 8th seed.

 

[Osakahaus]

Sure that trade helped, but the implication that the OP is making is that they are a bad team that has lucked/outplayed their way to their current position. They were one of our toughest opponents the last two years, and were certainly able to make it all the way without help.

They're not a bad team. They've gotten so much better as the season progressed. I still believe they underachieved hard, but this Panthers team is playing with a lot to prove.

 

[Osakahaus]

Yeah no Montreal was absolute ass on paper lets not pretend they weren't the worst team to ever make the playoffs in a while

And then absolutely lucked past the Jets, and took advantage of the biggest gaffe of Fleury's playoff career (possibly)

I think the 2012 Kings comparison is better.

This Panthers team has a lot of talent even after a mediocre season - new coach, new star player..there were a lot of changes they had to overcome and now they are.

It's really just so unlikely because their 1st rd was a Boston team that looked unbeatable this season. But we're seeing how much parity hockey has with these match ups.

Boston was very bad against the Tkachuks this season though. Beatable, and they won a LOT of games by 1 goal.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

I see this Florida team more similar to a mix of the 2011 Bruins and 2018 Caps. They are bullying their way there while simultaneously sick of being called chokers or jokes and are playing with a ton of pride combined with Bob being the amazing version of Bob.

 

[GreenLine]

Florida won the presidents trophy last year with mostly the same roster. Montreal had one outlier season. They're not really comparable.

The only part of Florida's run that seems lucky is that Bobrovsky is playing at a level we haven't seen from him in years.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

And then absolutely lucked past the Jets, and took advantage of the biggest gaffe of Fleury's playoff career (possibly)

How do you luck a four-game sweep in which you thoroughly dominate the other team?

Anyone who thinks Montreal's run was a fluke does not understand what fluke actually means and is probably an idiot.

With that said, this Florida squad is the stronger squad and I agree that it's more similar to St.Louis in '19 than Montreal in '21.

 

[EverTheCynic]

Im pretty sure the Florida Panthers are this years' Florida Panthers.

 

[Osakahaus]

How do you luck a four-game sweep in which you thoroughly dominate the other team?

Anyone who thinks Montreal's run was a fluke does not understand what fluke actually means and is probably an idiot.

With that said, this Florida squad is the stronger squad and I agree that it's more similar to St.Louis in '19 than Montreal in '21.

Price just dominated them

Also I think it was a fluke because that was the last great chance the Habs would get in at least 4-6 years. Outside of Caufield and Suzuki and I guess Guhle, it ain't looking bright right now.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Price just dominated them

Also I think it was a fluke because that was the last great chance the Habs would get in at least 4-6 years. Outside of Caufield and Suzuki and I guess Guhle, it ain't looking bright right now.

That was the series where Montreal needed Price the least. The Jets were brutal all over the ice and even in the close score game (s), they were barely hanging on. There was not one facet of the game in which the Jets played well during that series, whether offensively, defensively or in terms of composure. They were brutal and fully deserving of being swept.

Also, what you're describing isn't a fluke at all. In fact, I have no idea how you managed to arrive to that conclusion and proceed to press post reply. A fluke would entail that the Habs were an undeserving team who got by on lucky breaks, puck luck, favorable calls at crucial times, etc. None of this happened. Toronto-Montreal was a 50-50 series with a slight edge to Toronto before game 7, which Montreal dominated. The Jets got their asses kicked and the Vegas series, Montreal was clearly the better team, though Price and Lehner each stole one for their respective team.

 

[Coffee]

well said

ALLEZ MONTREAL!!!!

 

[WarriorofTime]

Now everyone acts like they knew this had a chance of happening but I was one of a few that actually speculated about them being dangerous.

 

[winnipegger]

The Toronto Maple Leafs are this year's Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[BB79]

The Toronto Maple Leafs are this year's Toronto Maple Leafs.

They need an alternate jersey with the number '67 on the maple leaf crest

 

[GOilers88]

Not even close.

This Panthers team, coming off a Presidents Trophy last season as well, is head and shoulders above the below .500 Habs team that made a run a couple years ago.

They might have gotten in as an 8th seed, but they're a much better team imo.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Price just dominated them

Montreal outshot them 107-84 for the series at 5v5, controlled 63% of expected goal for the series, and scored two shorthanded goals and 3PP goals in the same series Winnipeg didn't score a single PP goal.

Price was in his easy chair for the entire series vs Winnipeg, Montreal massively outplayed them.

 

[Osakahaus]

Montreal outshot them 107-84 for the series at 5v5, controlled 63% of expected goal for the series, and scored two shorthanded goals and 3PP goals in the same series Winnipeg didn't score a single PP goal.

Price was in his easy chair for the entire series vs Winnipeg, Montreal massively outplayed them.

I barely remember that series so damn