Salary Cap: The Salary Cap Thread | Trust me... nothing has changed.

[Empoleon8771]

The Preds haven't missed the playoffs since Lavy came in.

They are making the playoffs next year. Saying they were expected to make the dance doesn't mean they are cup favorites.

I never said they won't make the playoffs next year. I said it's more likely they miss the playoffs next year than they repeat what they did last year, because the team isn't actually as good as what it did last year. It's a lower seed playoff team.

 

[ColePens]

Yep.. still not trading Sid for all of Nashville's roster.

 

[Gurglesons]

I never said they won't make the playoffs next year. I said it's more likely they miss the playoffs next year than they repeat what they did last year, because the team isn't actually as good as what it did last year. It's a lower seed playoff team.

Who exactly do the Preds have to worry about?

Let's see Bishop actually play in Dallas.

I feel like they can shutdown Edmonton because they lack a true bottom six especially if Drai is playing win.

Chicago is on the outs right now with that D.

Anaheim is getting older.

Calgary has no goalie worth a damn.

What team in the West is better than Nashville?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Who exactly do the Preds have to worry about?

Let's see Bishop actually play in Dallas.

I feel like they can shutdown Edmonton because they lack a true bottom six especially if Drai is playing win.

Chicago is on the outs right now with that D.

Anaheim is getting older.

Calgary has no goalie worth a damn.

What team in the West is better than Nashville?

St. Louis, Edmonton and Anaheim are clearly better than Nashville. Why is Nashville better than Minnesota, who is much deeper offensively and has a more consistent goalie? I don't think Nashville is any better than Dallas, swap Nashville's top-6 F and top-4 D talent (as in make their top-4 D as good as their top-6 forwards and vice versa) and you have the Stars.

My guess would be Nashville will end up in the 1st wildcard or 3rd spot in the central next year, with St. Louis or Minnesota winning the division. Just in the West in general, I'd say St. Louis, Edmonton, Anaheim and Minnesota would be favorites against the Predators in a playoff series (not saying they couldn't win, but they'd be the favorites). People forget that Nashville was just a Gibson non-injury away from losing in the WCF.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

It is only absurd on this forum. Toronto and Edmonton with their forward groups and their age would definitely think about it.

I think you can argue that Toronto has the better top 9 this year. Obviously, the depends on who we bring in as our 3C.

I don't recall Toronto or Edmonton having Letang and Murray, why does a better top 9 = a better team?

Regardless the Pens have the best top 9 in the league anyways.

 

[Shady Machine]

Anaheim is clearly better than Nashville? Weird I remember Nashville beating Anaheim without RyJo.

 

[Shady Machine]

I don't recall Toronto or Edmonton having Letang and Murray, why is a better top 9 = a better team?

Regardless the Pens have the best top 9 in the league anyways.

Ugh your reading comprehension needs work. Neither of us are saying that we would pick those rosters over ours. We are saying it's possible that the GMs of those teams would prefer their roster coming into this season. Why is that so controversial?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Anaheim is clearly better than Nashville? Weird I remember Nashville beating Anaheim without RyJo.

And Anaheim had Bernier as their starter. And wasn't Rakell hurt too? Not exactly playing a healthy Ducks team.

When healthy, I think the Ducks are clearly better than the Predaots. Better forwards, nearly as good defensemen and better goalies.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't recall Toronto or Edmonton having Letang and Murray, why does a better top 9 = a better team?

Regardless the Pens have the best top 9 in the league anyways.

Never said they have the better team.

Also statistically with the loss of Bones and the addition of Marleau Toronto had more points than us. Obviously that would change when we bring in our 3C.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Ugh your reading comprehension needs work. Neither of us are saying that we would pick those rosters over ours. We are saying it's possible that the GMs of those teams would prefer their roster coming into this season. Why is that so controversial?

No, it's not possible those GM's would prefer their rosters to the pens unless they're clinically insane.

My reading comprehension was just fine, you're just wrong.

 

[Shady Machine]

And Anaheim had Bernier as their starter. And wasn't Rakell hurt too? Not exactly playing a healthy Ducks team.

When healthy, I think the Ducks are clearly better than the Predaots. Better forwards, nearly as good defensemen and better goalies.

I don't recall how much of the series Rakell was hurt for. Fair point on Gibson but wasn't that just a game or 2? Pretty important though and the brought in Miller as a back up so that should help.

I just see them trending in opposite directions with their core players getting older.

This season, I'd put them about equal.

 

[Shady Machine]

No, it's not possible those GM's would prefer their rosters to the pens unless they're clinically insane.

My reading comprehension was just fine, you're just wrong.

Haha okay. Totally reasonable crowd in here tonight.

 

[Gurglesons]

St. Louis, Edmonton and Anaheim are clearly better than Nashville. Why is Nashville better than Minnesota, who is much deeper offensively and has a more consistent goalie? I don't think Nashville is any better than Dallas, swap Nashville's top-6 F and top-4 D talent (as in make their top-4 D as good as their top-6 forwards and vice versa) and you have the Stars.

My guess would be Nashville will end up in the 1st wildcard or 3rd spot in the central next year, with St. Louis or Minnesota winning the division. Just in the West in general, I'd say St. Louis, Edmonton, Anaheim and Minnesota would be favorites against the Predators in a playoff series (not saying they couldn't win, but they'd be the favorites). People forget that Nashville was just a Gibson non-injury away from losing in the WCF.

Obviously you are much higher on St. Louis and Minnesota than me.

I think you can definitely argue Anaheim and Edmonton will be their main competitors this year with Calgary and Dallas as maybes.

Will be cool to see some new powers rise up in the West. Which means Chicago will likely come out lol.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't recall how much of the series Rakell was hurt for. Fair point on Gibson but wasn't that just a game or 2? Pretty important though and the brought in Miller as a back up so that should help.

I just see them trending in opposite directions with their core players getting older.

This season, I'd put them about equal.

Bernier came into the net in the 2nd period of game 6, when the Ducks and Predators were tied 1-1 in the game and the Ducks were up 3-2 in the series. Bernier proceeded to have an .824 save% in game 6 and 7 combined, including 4 goals on 16 shots against in game 7. Bernier sunk that series for the Ducks, which ended up working out well for the Penguins.

Their core is aging, but their forward group is still excellent, their defense is top-5 in hockey and Gibson will likely continue to improve.

 

[Gurglesons]

Bernier came into the net in the 2nd period of game 6, when the Ducks and Predators were tied 1-1 in the game and the Ducks were up 3-2 in the series. Bernier proceeded to have an .824 save% in game 6 and 7 combined, including 4 goals on 16 shots against in game 7.

I mean if you are going to use that argument we are lucky to have come out of that Sens game 7.

Now you've got me thinking of that series ughhhh. Can we all just agree that was the worst series of the last five years.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean if you are going to use that argument we are lucky to have come out of that Sens game 7.

Now you've got me thinking of that series ughhhh. Can we all just agree that was the worst series of the last five years.

What?

 

[Peat]

Bernier came into the net in the 2nd period of game 6, when the Ducks and Predators were tied 1-1 in the game and the Ducks were up 3-2 in the series. Bernier proceeded to have an .824 save% in game 6 and 7 combined, including 4 goals on 16 shots against in game 7. Bernier sunk that series for the Ducks, which ended up working out well for the Penguins.

Their core is aging, but their forward group is still excellent, their defense is top-5 in hockey and Gibson will likely continue to improve.

*cough* You mean Game 5, not Game 6.

Rackell was missing for two games. Eaves was missing since the Edmonton series. Nashville were missing RyJo for... I forget how many games, Fiala since Round 2 I think? They were also missing Fisher for a game or two that series.

So kinda even I guess on the missing forwards stakes? But losing Gibson, that probably swung the series.

 

[Empoleon8771]

*cough* You mean Game 5, not Game 6.

Rackell was missing for two games. Eaves was missing since the Edmonton series. Nashville were missing RyJo for... I forget how many games, Fiala since Round 2 I think? They were also missing Fisher for a game or two that series.

So kinda even I guess on the missing forwards stakes? But losing Gibson, that probably swung the series.

For some reason, I thought that series went 7 games. I just knew Bernier sucked and he lost the last 2 games in that series for the Ducks.

Johansen got hurt basically at the same time as Gibson. Fiala did get hurt in round 2, I specifically remember that.

 

[Gurglesons]

What?

We spotted a clearly inferior team the chance to knock us out in double OT.

Nashville took out Anaheim in 6. Gibson is injury prone. Nashville beat them in 6 missing their #1C. That should say something about their team.

 

[Riptide]

I'll start bickering that they traded Wilson.

Kind of depends on for who... however I don't really have any issues with Wilson getting moved.

 

[ColePens]

Kind of depends on for who... however I don't really have any issues with Wilson getting moved.

I was being sarcastic bringing up an old topic this summer that Wilson isn't some dope who should be in the AHL.

 

[Peat]

For some reason, I thought that series went 7 games. I just knew Bernier sucked and he lost the last 2 games in that series for the Ducks.

Johansen got hurt basically at the same time as Gibson. Fiala did get hurt in round 2, I specifically remember that.

I googled it because I thought they had a dman injury as well. To which the answer is not in terms of missing game time that series, but both Lindholm and Vatanen had to book surgeries right after because of injuries they sustained before even getting to the semis. No idea how much that affected their play.

Although why on earth we're arguing about Anaheim vs Nashville I don't know.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Nashville essentially has one scoring line. Forsberg, Johansen, and Arvidsson. While their defense is obviously top of the league, I just don't see how they have enough depth up front to be considered a favorite in the West over teams with more depth.

 

[billybudd]

I think people think Anaheim's better than they are because the division is utter trash. They're super top-heavy (and the top is old) at forward and the goaltending is questionable. Division play throws season point totals out of whack in the Pacific.

The only club in the Central which is definitely garbage (and looks it) is Colorado. In the Pac, Vancouver, Calgary and Arizona are all garbage and the Kings can't score, even against the shoddy goaltending of their division. Between the four of them, they averaged ~75 points. In the Central, I don't think any of them matches Nashville's 94. In the Metro, I don't know that any one of those teams wins enough games to hit that 75 point average.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nashville essentially has one scoring line. Forsberg, Johansen, and Arvidsson. While their defense is obviously top of the league, I just don't see how they have enough depth up front to be considered a favorite in the West over teams with more depth.

If you are going to argue they are a one line team (which is totally fine) and they lost the pivot of that line and were still able to out chance the best offense in the league, wouldn't that mean they are pretty good?