Tampa Bay: Are we witnessing the best roster in the cap era?

[EroCaps]

Maybe?

Who cares.

They're the new Caps. Will win the President's, then crumble under the sheer weight of expectations.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Yeah but imagine if we had won all those games we've lost and if you hadn't won a game all season long?

TBL 35GP 35-0-0 = 70 points
TOR 34GP 0-34-0 = 0 points

Who's the better team now?

...because 1 game and 34 games are in the realm of reality. LOL.

 

[Drytoast]

I thought you “could give two ****s about small market teams”?


The effort you put into this looks like you give at least 3 full ****s to me. Liar.

Was that effort? LOL. Took me all of 2 minutes to copy paste into photoshop.

to be fair that was probably an entire minute longer than your team's jersey designer spent on your current jersey.

 

[Ivan13]

Are we pretending the Hawks, Red Wings, Kings and Pens aren't a part of the NHL?

Just looking at the Hawks they had two guys who are far better than anything Tampa has, and then on top of those guys like Seabs, Hossa, Hammer, Crawford, Buff, Ladd etc.

Then the Wings with Lidas, Pasha and Z...

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

But do they have the best top 9 ever assembled in the history of the world?!?!

In all seriousness, the Lightning, Predators and Jets are so far ahead of everyone else, I cant help but respect it.

Calgary and Washington are not as far behind as you’re acting.

 

[SoundAndFury]

The first Cup-winning Hawks team was ridiculous, Tampa isn't particularly close to it.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

I think they have to win something before we rewrite the history books.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Carlson isn't a "top Dman".

Was top pairing on the SC Champions, recorded 20 pts in 24 GP in the playoffs, 5th in Norris voting last season.


John Carlson is not Erik Karlsson, but he is a top pairing d-man on 90% of the teams in the league.

 

[Bolt32]

Eh.....I guess were decent.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Toews, Kane, Byfuglien, Ladd, Hossa, Sharp, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Keith, Seabrook, Versteeg, Crawford, Niemi on the 2010 Hawks all say hi

 

[ColbyChaos]

Actually it’s kind of close considering the Caps dominated the same exact roster 7 months ago.

When you need 7 games no one could say they dominated anybody...

 

[T REX]

Gotta win some hardware. Until they do that...not much rebuttal.

 

[kp61c]

hold your horses, that roster was crushed in the 2018 playoffs like an overripe tomato. the caps dominated them.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Around here you’re a choker if you don’t win the whole thing, regardless of how far you make it.

Some people fail to see the difference between the current Lightning and the pre-2017 Caps.

Maybe?

Who cares.

They're the new Caps. Will win the President's, then crumble under the sheer weight of expectations.

Your honor, I rest my case.

 

[stampedingviking]

You can disagree. That's fine. But the fact is the Stanley Cup is awarded to the best team every season. It's that simple. If winning the entire championship doesn't mean you're the best team, then there is no discernable way for anyone to ever say any team is the best and it's an impossible question.

Not necessarily the best team wins, luck has a lot to do with.

You could argue that the best team is the President Trophy winner because that's based on a much larger sample than the Stanley Cup.

 

[DFC]

I want to say yes, but they did get rattled by Vancouver

If getting rattled means winning by 3 goals, I'll take it every game.

 

[stampedingviking]

They are pretty deep. But I still could give two ****s about small market teams. Wake me up when you want to talk about the big boys club.

 

[GOilers88]

Not necessarily the best team wins, luck has a lot to do with.

You could argue that the best team is the President Trophy winner because that's based on a much larger sample than the Stanley Cup.

I dunno man. If winning championships doesn't mean your team is the best in the league then I don't think any team can be labeled as the best, as there's absolutely no way to quantify it. Winning the president's trophy doesn't mean anything. It means you've accumulated the most points during the season to give you an advantage going into the playoffs, but the season on a whole isn't done yet, hence the remaining 16 teams battling it out to become the leagues number 1. If simply winning the president's trophy means you're the best of the best, then why bother with the playoffs and Stanley cup?

 

[DKH]

The first Cup-winning Hawks team was ridiculous, Tampa isn't particularly close to it.

Bruins guy here and the first Chicago team is bang on

I thought the 2013 Penguins were as well once got iginla

 

[Jeti]

The 2010 Blackhawks were the best team of the cap era. They had elite players at every position except goal and they had third liners and role players who went on to be top players on other teams.

Until Tampa wins a cup they're out of the discussion. On paper they're definitely a step above Washington, Nashville, Winnipeg and Toronto, but they have to win for that to mean anything.

 

[stampedingviking]

Kinda the same way Tampa can add exceptional value on contracts in a tax friendly state. (Kuch, Macd, Stammer, Hedman, etc.) are all at least 2-3 million more in almost all markets. The fact that it was STILL possible for you to add EK was insane, and not at all parity.

I would not be surprised if Point signed for 8m per.

I still think the Cap should be after taxes are considered.

Advantages are Advantages (mind you it's not as big as some make it out to be. Most players have good accountants, play out of state games, and find loopholes to ease things, but dollar to cap, Tampa can spread it around more)

However, it is a amazingly well built team regardless

P.S I am a fan of the Bolts, great to watch, but am I salty about the value you can have on contracts?... very salty lol

But I thought Toronto had one big advantage over everyone - every player wants to play for the Leafs, don't they?

 

[The Macho King]

Toews, Kane, Byfuglien, Ladd, Hossa, Sharp, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Keith, Seabrook, Versteeg, Crawford, Niemi on the 2010 Hawks all say hi

Was Crawford on the 2010 team? And I don't know if Niemi is a mark in your favor. Plus Buff was like, a good middle-six forward (same as Versteeg) - wasn't playing D.

But overall, I'd agree that 2010 Hawks were the best roster post-lockout to date. I think the 07 Ducks had a better top 4 D, but other than that none of the other post-lockout teams come close, and they were really deep at forward.

 

[stampedingviking]

15 years without a playoff round victory and yet you still copy us.

"Tampa Bay Maple Leafs"

LOL.

At least Tampa can win in the playoffs.

 

[Drytoast]

At least Tampa can win in the playoffs.

I don't care what they do. They are irrelevant. Just get my damn team's jersey off.

 

[Lolaimbot]

When's the last team to go to the postseason and just embarrass everyone?

2012 kings I think.