Right. Ice the best possible roster. It was one thing at the beginning of the season when we legit didn’t have any good options for the 4th line before Simon and ZAR broke into the NHL, but now we have good options.
- Victoro311

That's all I was saying. They have plenty of evidence that Rowney and Kuhnhackl are routinely ineffective......sometimes downright bad. They got caved all season.

I disagree with a 4th line being unimportant. If they can provide some competent minutes and chip in a goal every now and then it's huge.

Philly lost, so there's that.

Who would you guys rather face in the first round, Philly, NJ or Washington?

Me personally? I'm going with Philly. I don't know why, but I just think NJ has the Pens' number. I don't think NJ is better, but sometimes some teams just know how to play certain teams.
- Rinosaur

Philly

That's all I was saying. They have plenty of evidence that Rowney and Kuhnhackl are routinely ineffective......sometimes downright bad. They got caved all season.

I disagree with a 4th line being unimportant. If they can provide some competent minutes and chip in a goal every now and then it's huge.
- madmike71

Right? They’re not gonna play as much as the other three lines, but they’re still gonna play. The argument that “the fourth line doesn’t need to be good because they won’t play that much” doesn’t hold water to me, especially when the fourth line can be good and the coach just feels like not icing his best players.

Philly lost, so there's that.

Who would you guys rather face in the first round, Philly, NJ or Washington?

Me personally? I'm going with Philly. I don't know why, but I just think NJ has the Pens' number. I don't think NJ is better, but sometimes some teams just know how to play certain teams.
- Rinosaur

Philly, always a fun matchup. Could say the same for Washington, but have to save that for the 2nd round.

Panthers just 4 points back of NJ for the top WC with 3 games in hand. Might need to figure them in if we win the division.

I'd prefer the Caps for sure. NOT NJ.

I'd prefer the Caps for sure. NOT NJ.
- powerhouse

I don't really care who we will play against in the 1st round as long as we get home ice advantage. That's it.

I kinda just want that Philly matchup, their D is young and I think we can take it to them. That's one of the teams we still owe from our terrible coaching years of Sid and Geno, the other is Boston....

I think Philly would be a ton of fun. I think we would chew up their young D. Anything can happen of course and it wouldn't surprise me if it came down to a game 7 with a double OT.

I kinda just want that Philly matchup, their D is young and I think we can take it to them. That's one of the teams we still owe from our terrible coaching years of Sid and Geno, the other is Boston....
- 668710

Bring them on!

(Although I'd be much happier with Cole in our lineup haha)

Philly, always a fun matchup. Could say the same for Washington, but have to save that for the 2nd round.
- Tojo.

This is what I was thinking. I'd hate to see one of Washington or Pittsburgh out in the first round. But, I would love to see Philly get in just to have the Pens kill their dreams on 5/6 games!

Did anyone else notice how much Letang was skating with the puck against NYI? He looked a lot more confident and fluent. It's fun to watch him when he starts to just grab the puck and go.

This is what I was thinking. I'd hate to see one of Washington or Pittsburgh out in the first round. But, I would love to see Philly get in just to have the Pens kill their dreams on 5/6 games!
- cranktheradio

dream scenario: we meet philly in the first round and crush them, then meet capitals in the second round and crush them (again), then Boston in the ECF where we roll over them and finally Vegas in the final where we go to game 7 and sid scores on fleury in triple ot with malkin and letang the assists. can't be better. oh and us being the main reason CBJ doesn't make the playoffs and ofc toews missing the playoffs cuz "leadership"

dream scenario: we meet philly in the first round and crush them, then meet capitals in the second round and crush them (again), then Boston in the ECF where we roll over them and finally Vegas in the final where we go to game 7 and sid scores on fleury in triple ot with malkin and letang the assists. can't be better. oh and us being the main reason CBJ doesn't make the playoffs and ofc toews missing the playoffs cuz "leadership"
- martox

So would everyone Be ok if the Hawks actually won the lottery & picked first?

Same with the Kings last year had they won it?

I realise there's no perfect system, having the Oil pick first again will be an absolute injustice to the system - but they qualify due to the ineptitude of the organisation & how will they get better without MORE talent thrown their way? Having the Hawks with arguably some of the better players in the NHL on their roster, why should they be given more help especially after winning Stanley so many times recently?

Should there be rules introduced with a 5 or 7 year gap (example), between Stanley Cup & draft lottery?

So would everyone Be ok if the Hawks actually won the lottery & picked first?

Same with the Kings last year had they won it?

I realise there's no perfect system, having the Oil pick first again will be an absolute injustice to the system - but they qualify due to the ineptitude of the organisation & how will they get better without MORE talent thrown their way? Having the Hawks with arguably some of the better players in the NHL on their roster, why should they be given more help especially after winning Stanley so many times recently?

Should there be rules introduced with a 5 or 7 year gap (example), between Stanley Cup & draft lottery?
- Aussiepenguin

Dahlin has said he doesn't want to be drafted by the oilers

Dahlin has said he doesn't want to be drafted by the oilers
- martox

Seriously?

What is he going to do if they win the lottery? Tell them in advance not to pick him or just don't go up when he gets selected?

Seriously?

What is he going to do if they win the lottery? Tell them in advance not to pick him or just don't go up when he gets selected?
- Aussiepenguin

I mean he will be proffesional and just play cuz what he wants most is the nhl but he has said that he is afraid of the oilers considering what happens to most of their picks

I mean he will be proffesional and just play cuz what he wants most is the nhl but he has said that he is afraid of the oilers considering what happens to most of their picks
- martox

If he's nhl ready (maybe Not #1 straight away although that's where the Oil will probably throw him ), then the Oil have enough to be ok with him if they give him a gentle entry & Not throw him to the wolves. They have their #1 already in Larsson!

So would everyone Be ok if the Hawks actually won the lottery & picked first?

Same with the Kings last year had they won it?

I realise there's no perfect system, having the Oil pick first again will be an absolute injustice to the system - but they qualify due to the ineptitude of the organisation & how will they get better without MORE talent thrown their way? Having the Hawks with arguably some of the better players in the NHL on their roster, why should they be given more help especially after winning Stanley so many times recently?

Should there be rules introduced with a 5 or 7 year gap (example), between Stanley Cup & draft lottery?
- Aussiepenguin

Haha as long as it's not teams in the metro again, how the flyers and devil's picked 1&2 just pissed me off and I feel like that has put the devil's in a playoff spot. Hall has played good with Hischier and now Patrick is starting to help the flyers.

Ive always had the attitude that if team is meant to win the Cup it doesn't matter who they face, they must be able to beat anyone. Last year they faced two of the top 4 teams in the league in the first two rounds with a beat up patchwork defense corps and made it out alive. They could also go into playoffs fully healthy this year and bow out in first round. Who knows what will happen. That's the beauty of sports, for me anyway.

Haha as long as it's not teams in the metro again, how the flyers and devil's picked 1&2 just pissed me off and I feel like that has put the devil's in a playoff spot. Hall has played good with Hischier and now Patrick is starting to help the flyers.
- 668710

Wonder how those team's fans felt about drafting Crosby and Malkin...or Fleury and Staal

Ive always had the attitude that if team is meant to win the Cup it doesn't matter who they face, they must be able to beat anyone. Last year they faced two of the top 4 teams in the league in the first two rounds with a beat up patchwork defense corps and made it out alive. They could also go into playoffs fully healthy this year and bow out in first round. Who knows what will happen. That's the beauty of sports, for me anyway.
- MattStrat

I'm more of a match-up guy myself. Pens for instance can exploit a team that's top heavy and weak at 3rd pair defensemen. Seem to struggle more with teams that can match them in speed. So while Caps are the better team, I'd rather play them than the Devils.

Blessing for the Pens last year is while they played good teams, they didn't have to face an elite skating team. The heavy teams don't care well against them.

Wonder how those team's fans felt about drafting Crosby and Malkin...or Fleury and Staal
- MattStrat

still bitter

I'm more of a match-up guy myself. Pens for instance can exploit a team that's top heavy and weak at 3rd pair defensemen. Seem to struggle more with teams that can match them in speed. So while Caps are the better team, I'd rather play them than the Devils.

Blessing for the Pens last year is while they played goid teams, they didn't have to face an elite skating team. The heavy teams don't care well against them.
- Tojo.

That Caps team last year was as balanced as it gets. There was no weakness in that lineup. They were definitely a great skating team too. The Preds were another very great skating and fast team.

EIDT: Orpik might be looked at as a weakness...

still bitter
- all-pgh