Quoting: Barzal_Beast
I just don't think this team has what it takes.
It has the same problems as last year: no grit and no shutdown d-man.
That 4th line is brutal IMO and they are missing a RHD who can really shut it down.
As for the lines, i think Girard and Makar together would be an absolute defensive liability.
I don't think they can beat NYI or VGK
but if they somehow make the finals and its FLA or TBL i'd give them a chance actually.
Soo, the team is not as deep as last year on paper, however if byram and newhook take steps forward this team is still going to be a top contender, both VGK and TB got worse this offseason.
As per the boys who put on the dnvr avs podcast byrams defensive metrics were amazing in his short stint with the team, EJ will be back, toews makar and girard are sneaky good at defense it's just their offense is more visible.
Grit= landeskog, kadri, EJ, compher, mcdermid, sherwood, and to a lesser extent mackinnon and rantanen
The 4th line of helm, maltsev, mcdermid/oconnor isn't as bad as Tynan, Megan, and sherwood we used last year with calverts injuries and bellemares regression
As long as they don't get hit by the injury bug they have a better shot than MTL