Would team Canada and Team USA have made the playoffs this year?
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The Zetterberg Era
Ball Hockey Sucks
USA's goaltending would probably be a problem over an entire slate.
I think yes, but I will be honest Howard is really good when healthy, but that isn't very often and Hellebuyck currently isn't a playoff caliber goalie in my opinion.
Night in and night out that spells a problem especially with the inconsistencies of some of the younger players on this team.
Glad to see them doing well in this tournament.
NHL teams are really good though when evaluating this. I would expect every NHL team to make it out of the group stage at the World Championships though for instance.
I think yes, but I will be honest Howard is really good when healthy, but that isn't very often and Hellebuyck currently isn't a playoff caliber goalie in my opinion.
Night in and night out that spells a problem especially with the inconsistencies of some of the younger players on this team.
Glad to see them doing well in this tournament.
NHL teams are really good though when evaluating this. I would expect every NHL team to make it out of the group stage at the World Championships though for instance.
Jyrki Lumme
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Canada has 60 point Mitch Marner on the 4th line, they'd easily make it even with meh goaltending. The US is at least questionable, but they'd probably make it.
GareFan18
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JackSlater
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Yes, and comfortably. The Canadian team for instance would have much better depth than any team in the NHL. Neither team is exceptional in terms of goaltending, but depth would more than mitigate that issue.
Canada is like close to 20 million over the cap. They would walk into the playoffs like the Warriors.
USA would also be a playoff team but perhaps not a top seed. Not sure about their cap hit.
Sweden is likely over cap too due to the D and goaltending, which eats up close to 40 million in salary. I'd wager they have probably the most attractive roster to begin an NHL franchise in since you "build from the net out"
Past Considerations
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Bear12Good
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It is fun with over the cap teams, a bit like fantasy hockey. Yes Sweden's 6 NHL-dmen is at 27, 416667 mil. $, say 28 with Holm in on a hypothetical contract.
Islanders4Cups
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interesting responses. I didn't think of the cap implications. That said, would you agree that the hockey coming up in the World Chapionshipships final rounds will rival the Stanley Cup final rounds in terms of speed and skill?
tony d
New poll series coming from me in June
Bear12Good
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BenedictGomez
Corsi is GROSSLY overrated
Yes, but the USA roster is also VERY young.
Their average age is only 22 years old, by far the youngest team in the tournament.
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In terms of speed and skill, USA and Canada would rival any NHL hockey team
Canada
Mackinnon
Duchene
Marner
Giroux
Skinner
Konecny
Point
Simmonds
Schenn
Couturier
O'Reilly
Killorn
USA
Gaudreau
Eichel
Larkin
Schmaltz
Keller
Compher
Hayes
Lee
Nelson
Dvorak
Bjugstad
Copp
Those are pretty deep forward groups, but all the bolded buys can really skate. The other guys are either big or skilled or both.
That's a trick question because there is no speed and skill in the NHL playoffs. Just a lot of interference, slashing, clutching and grabbing and don't forget neutral zone traps. How fun!
JackSlater
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I wouldn't include Giroux among the top end skaters on either roster. He was never exceptional in that area and he seems to have regressed a bit in terms of skating. You can see it in the NHL but also at the tournament this year. He doesn't move as well as he did in 2015.
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they all kind of have their own strengths, for instance Duchene, Larkin, Eichel and Mack can blast by Marner and j.G but in tight Marner and J.G can make any player look bad.
The "big 4" (Canada, USA, Sweden, Russia) are quite possibly Playoff teams but how well they perform is anyone's guess. Most teams would be underdogs to Canada, but I think the rest will have a tough time going deep. I wonder how 2017's Team Canada would do against the Pens.
The cap hits are more to just see if these teams could even exist theoretically in the NHL. Canada can't, as they're way over cap @ something like $87 million (though Tyson Barrie on LTIR provides some cap relief
). USA is just below the cap floor of $54 million, and the Hurricanes had the closest level of expenditure and while mildly competitive, still didn't make it (and if they did, very likely first round exit). Sweden's actually likely to be a non-salary cap compliant team after running the numbers - the NHLers on the team comprise a cap hit of $71 million. I've no idea how much the 6 European non-NHL players cost in salary, but you'd figure they'd be paid at least $2 million combined.
Not enough NHLers on Russia, Finland or Czech to run the numbers.
