Ya, this is the team to beat again... but what are the lines until pLaYoFfS start?

The defending champ is always the team to beat until they lose. Just saying, but god damn did the west load up but in particular.

some years it's clear the cup winner is not the strongest team, felt that last with TBL vs COL but those were top 2 that year for sure

2018 Pens defs weren't the team to beat after trading away Kessel... and it felt then like the winner of WSH and TBL game 7 would beat VGK

The next year, WSH didn't feel like the strongest team at all with TBL at 128 points but it was BOS vs STL who then also didn't feel like best team in 2020 when TBL rebounded so well so...

I’m just talking that the defending champ is the team to beat till they lose but some years yes it’s obvious. Like last year COL was just decimated with injuries, the weird Nichushkin situation it wasn’t them. This year it feels very wide open where I would say there are like 8 real contenders, and it might be who hits the biggest with their TDL acquisitions year that wins it. But yeah I agree with all your points I was being cliche really.

What are your 8 teams?

Big TDL dealing teams almost never win the cup, can you think of examples for and against? VGK do seem like they won the TDL championship so we'll see

COL just didn't feel like they could compete with VGK last year [it doesn't matter the reasons, team 1 > team 2], and it doesn't feel like that this year either now

Oh I agree grading the TDL at the TDL is kind of pointless most teams obviously end up losing in the long run, but teams that have added something significant off the top of my head that help contribute to championships, VGK adding Barbashev last year, COL adding Lehkonen and Manson, TBL adding Coleman. Conversely there are a litany of teams that did big things TML last year instantly pops in my head. But I do think there is such a thing as doing to much.

COL last year got double hit losing a lot because of the cap and then getting hammered by injuries, they should have beat Seattle but they weren’t winning the cup with no Landeskog, no Nichushkin and no 2c.

This year my 8 would be, in no particular order VGK, COL, DAL, EDM, FLA, CAR, those 6 without a doubt then I would probably have VAN, WPG, NYR, and maybe LAK. No team is perfect and I don’t see a 2022 Avs team in the field and all these teams have legit question marks about part of their games, and it’s possible the teams in the East benefit the west being a gauntlet.

COL absolutely can run with VGK this year, honestly regardless of standings I think they are the 2 best teams in the west.

Not after this TDL and injuries are a part of the game, hence depth always matters



EDM prollly loses in first round even with Henrique at 3C because their team d is just that bad

Van prolly loses to any of LAK, NSH, VGK

Jets lose to COL if playoffs start today

In playoffs, PP < PK and team d wins championships which includes moving the puck up ice