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I still think this thing could end up any number of ways with six teams having a legit shot at winning the conference and all seven having a decent to good shot at playoffs. Ottawa will not be a pushover. I don’t think they can win the conference but with some luck and some growth they could make some noise and contend for a playoff spot. They are going to be a bitch to play against. Very hard nosed group they are surrounding the kids with.
Winnipeg and Toronto have a shit ton of firepower but weak defence corps. Winnipeg has an elite goalie and Toronto has a good one. Both teams will be in the mix. Calgary has some good balance and now they have a legit top end goalie. Their record with Ward as coach was pretty impressive. Edmonton’s defence is shocking without Klefbom but they have an excellent coach and a lot of firepower up front. Goaltending is meh... The Habs will have a balanced attack and a solid D and they have Price. They can easily take this and just as easily miss the playoffs.
The Canucks have depth issues but a shit load of skill in the top half of their lineup and a good goalie tandem. They need the big boys to stay healthy though because the depth is thinner than the Chef’s thighs. They need a Rathbone, Juolevi or Hoglander make an impact or a Gaudette or Virtanen to take the next step. Canucks can win this too and I expect a playoff spot, but it won’t take much to derail things either.
All these teams are decent to good clubs but all have some pretty big holes. Let the fucking games begin!
Least hated to most hated:
Ottawa - I actually like the Sens.
Winnipeg - even when the Flames played against them in the playoffs last year - I really didn't hate them.
Montreal - I'm a former hab fan (before I knew any better) - I changed stripes when the Flames came to Calgary.
Toronto - I just ignore their fans and media.
Vancouver - this version of the Canucks is tolerable, but still hate the team that had the likes of Burrows, Bieksa and Kesler on it.
Edmonton - just hate everything about them. The fans, the team and any player that has ever played for them, especially McCovid, the city, the weather (worse than Calgary), the media - especially Dave Staples, Mark Spector and Gene Principe, the left wing voting mulleted, sweat pants wearing douche bags that make up the majority of the city's population.
Ottawa 3/10 - It would be higher, but I keep forgetting they have a team.
Winterpeg 4/10 - I kinda feel sad for anyone who lives in the "peg
Montreal 7/10 - residual Paddy Waugh hate, and the french arrogance.
Edmonton
Calgary .............. die, die, die you 3 horrible teams. May you all get crabs from a Montreal street walker
Toronto
I think I hate the Alberta teams more though. Ironically the Toronto media is more tolerable. Sure there's way too much of it, but at least they call their team shit when it's deserved. The Sportsnet crew just adores their teams, they act like a cheerleading squad. It's gross. And don't get me started on all the top 10 picks that have gone to Edmonton to die.
I only hate the Jets when we're playing them.
Montreal and Ottawa? I'm pretty indifferent on them. Habs are fun to hate when there's a co-worker, friend, or family member, in the room who lives and breathes that Francophone squad. Ottawa is just so far off the radar that I doubt anyone hates them outside of of Montreal or Toronto..
The hope for Vancouver is that a young and unproven goaltender and a veteran coming off the worst season of his career can be somewhere as good as Markstrom, who was one of the better goalies in the NHL last year. For a team that gave up the sixth-most shots on goal in the league last season, that isn’t ideal.
Witchcraft... Oh, but it IS. A dark and terrible magic...
Given the compressed schedule, travel, and mini series of the season, Canadian teams need a tandom with a backup capable of keeping the team in 20 to 25 games. That's the usual workload for a backup on a normal season but unlike a normal year where that represents 25-30% of the season, were looking at something around 40% of the season. I'm sure some teams will try to play their #2 in 10-12 games and it will be interesting to see how that works for them.
Over the Internet, you can pretend to be anyone or anything.
I'm amazed that so many people choose to be complete twats.
Replacing 3 of the 6 regular defencemen with far better defensively sound assets should greatly improve the shots against issues as well. This team has been hemmed in their own zone for a half a decade and this included supposed defensive stalwarts Tanev and Stetcher.
Theres only one way to go
Witchcraft... Oh, but it IS. A dark and terrible magic...
I can't see goaltending as being a problem for the Canucks. If they remain healthy - they will be fine. If I were a Canucks fan, I'd be worried about a key injury or 2, as the depth seems kind of thin.
BCExpat wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 2:58 pm
I can't see goaltending as being a problem for the Canucks. If they remain healthy - they will be fine. If I were a Canucks fan, I'd be worried about a key injury or 2, as the depth seems kind of thin.
Losing any one of Pettersson, Hughes or Horvat would be critical. Any other losses could be overcome.
Witchcraft... Oh, but it IS. A dark and terrible magic...