I read an article about signing Bouchard last year and in it it talked about when he took over the 1st unit PP mid/late season he became a point per game player. Continued in the playoffs last year. So there were signs of him becoming this.

Sure they had cap space they just needed to bite the bullet and trade the $5 million dollar goalie away.

I see LA talk about them getting a deal done in the future, so Bouchard and Draisaitl contracts come due at the same time? $22 mil total to keep both?

So much for having any depth.
- BetweenTheDots

So which team in the final 4 don't have their bottom 6 forwards and bottom pairing defensemen littered with players that are either on their ELC's or veterans making barely above the minimum?

I agree, Dallas will win out. They are a complete team, something the Oil is far from.
- glennjpawlak22

That's the thing, they aren't that far from it anymore.

In some previous seasons they had a more flawed roster but looking a lot closer to complete now that Bouchard has risen up and they have some forwards in the bottom 6 who can play with a high compete level. Goaltending is still not 100% for them, which might be their downfall but I don't think anyone can take them lightly.

While their team has a crap first month under Jay Woodcroft, since changing coach they were the #1 team in the standings by points and points%, and it wasn't just offense driving them, they were top 5 in goals against average since Kris Knoblauch took over coaching the team.

I don't know who will win the series vs Dallas and they may fall flat, but it should be pretty competitive. I'm glad we are seeing strong teams in all the final 4 here with essentially the best team in each division facing off in conference finals right now.

I agree, Dallas will win out. They are a complete team, something the Oil is far from.
- glennjpawlak22

I don't know, is Dallas going to continue to play 5 dmen?

Are the Oilers actually going to play defense like they did last night, they were the most discipline I've seen them defensively all playoffs.

Dallas has more depth, but Oilers have more talent. Makar gave fits to the Stars D, will Bouchard do the same.

Personally i think Otto is a lot like many other goalies in the league if you don't play good defense in front of him and clean up the rebounds he's going to struggle.

That save last night on Hughes shot was fantastic.

I like all the teams that have made it this far, i think the Panthers are the most responsible with the puck of the four teams left, so i give the edge to them.

Relation to Lane?
- ObeseOprah

Yes, little brother but slightly taller...

I read an article about signing Bouchard last year and in it it talked about when he took over the 1st unit PP mid/late season he became a point per game player. Continued in the playoffs last year. So there were signs of him becoming this.

Sure they had cap space they just needed to bite the bullet and trade the $5 million dollar goalie away.

I see LA talk about them getting a deal done in the future, so Bouchard and Draisaitl contracts come due at the same time? $22 mil total to keep both?

So much for having any depth.
- BetweenTheDots

Overvaluing and overpaying Nurse, bad contracts for other players like Campbell. I hope KD is paying attention. This is why I think it’s best to stay away from potential trade targets like Marner and Zegras who command high pay days due to their regular season play.

I thought of Bouchard as a very good offensive defenseman with limited defensive ability. But he has shown he is also able to play a strong defensive game during the playoffs.

Is taking on Campbell’s contract to get a guy like Holloway and or some draft picks worth it? That $5M cap space would certainly help Edmonton but is it something Chicago can deal with? Teams bent the Hawks over and robbed them when Bowman desperately needed cap space, does Davidson think he can accommodate that cap hit to do the same to the Oilers?

IMO Dallas has by far the better goaltender, so they advance to the finals.
- LAHawk

Im picking the oil

So which team in the final 4 don't have their bottom 6 forwards and bottom pairing defensemen littered with players that are either on their ELC's or veterans making barely above the minimum?
- LAHawk

Florida, Dallas

Oilers are going to regret not giving Bouchard a big contract. He's actually gotten better on both ends of the ice.
- BetweenTheDots

As a couple years in a top four role experience does either help you swim, or sink.

He has gotten better.

I am happy with the final four teams and and am anxious tosee how they play against each other in a series.

I think both game ones are going to be full big hard physical hits to set the tone and in Marchand's words, attempts to hurt each other.

I don't know, is Dallas going to continue to play 5 dmen?

Are the Oilers actually going to play defense like they did last night, they were the most discipline I've seen them defensively all playoffs.

Dallas has more depth, but Oilers have more talent. Makar gave fits to the Stars D, will Bouchard do the same.

Personally i think Otto is a lot like many other goalies in the league if you don't play good defense in front of him and clean up the rebounds he's going to struggle.

That save last night on Hughes shot was fantastic.

I like all the teams that have made it this far, i think the Panthers are the most responsible with the puck of the four teams left, so i give the edge to them.
- BetweenTheDots

Vancouver really could have used more for Pettersson and Hughes. They combined for only one goal between them in the post-season. Those guys both playing in their second playoff run and still gaining experience, but they needed them to come up big with a timely goal or something.

Florida, Dallas
- BetweenTheDots

Flrida has 10 players going UFA next year including Reinhart, if they sign him, how do the Panthers fill out the rest of the roster.

Dallas has 6 including Pavelsi, Duchense, and Tanev. They have 13 players signed, and only $15 mil. of cap space left. for 10 slots.

Seems to me that is how playoff teams are built, you have your stars, your youngsters still on ELC's that you hope are NHL ready and contribute and the rest are veteran fill-ins or tweener NHL/AHL players. that fill out the roster. What Cup team in recent history didn't have to sell off/trade/let go as a UFA a significant piece after winning the Cup ?

IMO Dallas has by far the better goaltender, so they advance to the finals.
- LAHawk

Belfour is awesome in the playoffs.

This has got buyer beware written all over it for me.

Oilers are going to regret not giving him a big contract. He's actually gotten better on both ends of the ice.
- BetweenTheDots

Sounds like Nick Leddy to me.

Flrida has 10 players going UFA next year including Reinhart, if they sign him, how do the Panthers fill out the rest of the roster.

Dallas has 6 including Pavelsi, Duchense, and Tanev. They have 13 players signed, and only $15 mil. of cap space left. for 10 slots.

Seems to me that is how playoff teams are built, you have your stars, your youngsters still on ELC's that you hope are NHL ready and contribute and the rest are veteran fill-ins or tweener NHL/AHL players. that fill out the roster. What Cup team in recent history didn't have to sell off/trade/let go as a UFA a significant piece after winning the Cup ?
- LAHawk

But those players weren't being paid league minimum this season. Just saying if you think it's the only way to build a playoff team its the only way you will try to build one.

Overvaluing and overpaying Nurse, bad contracts for other players like Campbell. I hope KD is paying attention. This is why I think it’s best to stay away from potential trade targets like Marner and Zegras who command high pay days due to their regular season play.

I thought of Bouchard as a very good offensive defenseman with limited defensive ability. But he has shown he is also able to play a strong defensive game during the playoffs.

Is taking on Campbell’s contract to get a guy like Holloway and or some draft picks worth it? That $5M cap space would certainly help Edmonton but is it something Chicago can deal with? Teams bent the Hawks over and robbed them when Bowman desperately needed cap space, does Davidson think he can accommodate that cap hit to do the same to the Oilers?
- paulr

Right now there are too many teams with a lot of cap space and willing to spend the money. When the Blackhawks were dumping salaries teams did not have both cap space and an appetite to increase spending. They had limited options.

I agree, Dallas will win out. They are a complete team, something the Oil is far from.
- glennjpawlak22

How far away can the oil be.. theyre in the conference finals.

Overvaluing and overpaying Nurse, bad contracts for other players like Campbell. I hope KD is paying attention. This is why I think it’s best to stay away from potential trade targets like Marner and Zegras who command high pay days due to their regular season play.

I thought of Bouchard as a very good offensive defenseman with limited defensive ability. But he has shown he is also able to play a strong defensive game during the playoffs.

Is taking on Campbell’s contract to get a guy like Holloway and or some draft picks worth it? That $5M cap space would certainly help Edmonton but is it something Chicago can deal with? Teams bent the Hawks over and robbed them when Bowman desperately needed cap space, does Davidson think he can accommodate that cap hit to do the same to the Oilers?
- paulr

The Oilers will be in tough capwise next season for sure, but I don't know if they will pay the price to have a team take on Campbell's contract. I think the leading theory right now is that they will probably buy out Campbell. If Campbell had one less year on his deal I'm certain they would have found a taker. Maybe they get desperate enough, but I don't know.

They still have dead cap because of the dumb Lucic contract, which resulted in the trade/buyout of Neal, plus this Connor Brown bonus money which was not worth it. This offseason might focus on moving someone like Evander Kane who might be on his way out. I could see them trying to move Kane, Ceci, and buy out Campbell.

But those players weren't being paid league minimum this season. Just saying if you think it's the only way to build a playoff team its the only way you will try to build one.
- BetweenTheDots

Well the final 4 teams that are left are because the stars outplayed the stars of the teams they beat. I haven't seen any John Druce, Fernando Pisani, Ville Leino performances this year.

But those players weren't being paid league minimum this season. Just saying if you think it's the only way to build a playoff team its the only way you will try to build one.
- BetweenTheDots

I think if we take a step back and look, this is the salary cap at work. Winning the cup is coming down to loading up in a mini arms race of young players + rentals to get over the hump. It helps to have a really good young foundation of players, but with limited length of ELC deals, and UFA rentals, things change really fast for teams needing to stay under the cap. For the most part the NHL got what they wanted with parity. Teams that get to the top don't stay together and have to retool and get creative to try to do it again.

The Hawks(and a few others) beat the system a little bit with some of the contracts they gave out under the cap, but now with the 8 year limit and no extremely frontloaded contracts, that door is closed.

I think if we take a step back and look, this is the salary cap at work. Winning the cup is coming down to loading up in a mini arms race of young players + rentals to get over the hump. It helps to have a really good young foundation of players, but with limited length of ELC deals, and UFA rentals, things change really fast for teams needing to stay under the cap. For the most part the NHL got what they wanted with parity. Teams that get to the top don't stay together and have to retool and get creative to try to do it again.

The Hawks(and a few others) beat the system a little bit with some of the contracts they gave out under the cap, but now with the 8 year limit and no extremely frontloaded contracts, that door is closed.
- breadbag

You said it much more eloquently than I

Im picking the oil
- LFS

I don't see it. I think the Stars forward depth will eat them alive.

The Oilers to me are a better version of the Maple Leafs. Built the wrong way, top heavy at forward, weaker at D and goaltending, although their top D are miles ahead of the Leafs.

I subscribe to the theory that the team with the best third line wins. Depth and goaltending, Stars have a huge advantage. I know they're trying to play with 5 D, we'll see if that costs them.

I wanna use Nurse example here.

It as if almost all the prospects selected in the first round have agents who push for that high pay second / third deal.
Especially if, like Nurse, they have played the enire juncture as pros in a winning system.

If / when Nazar, Moore get regular minutes with good early production, their reps will try and do the same.

This draft is all about preception when selecting second-you get your guy but you decide if you want Hartley for your defense, a wanna be Kucherov on wing, or a Ranatnen like centre-wing, or gun at wing.

It is simple for me to say Cayden Linstrom come with less drama, logjam, or thinking.

It would be nice to see McDavid finally reach the summit.

Pavelski and the fact they're in the CST are the only reasons I'd pull for Dallas. (Hate those PST starts in the midwest).

I'm not sure I could handle the Ranger fans if they won it and Trouba is a wiener.

I'd like to see the Panthers win it all since they have never won a Cup but seeing some of the crap that Sam Bennett pulled makes it tough to cheer for them.

Should be fun

I don't see it. I think the Stars forward depth will eat them alive.

The Oilers to me are a better version of the Maple Leafs. Built the wrong way, top heavy at forward, weaker at D and goaltending, although their top D are miles ahead of the Leafs.

I subscribe to the theory that the team with the best third line wins. Depth and goaltending, Stars have a huge advantage. I know they're trying to play with 5 D, we'll see if that costs them.
- MartiniMan

Hawks played with 4 in 2015.

Vancouver didn’t lose because of goaltending, they seemed to run out of gas more than anything. But it’s possible they would have played more confidently in front of him? Dallas are playing hard hockey and have been able to shut down some very good players. I’ll give the edge to Dallas but it should be a great series to watch. Dallas in 6.
- paulr

I remember in our 2011 series against them, when both Luongo and the backup were injured in the same game, and Luongo had to return to the game, their defense really stepped it up a level. Nobody was going to get any real shots while this situation was happening. But that was one game. To remain in that gear for a full series, not sure anybody could pull that off. And the Boeser injury that was also mentioned, I wonder if it was a straw that broke the camel's back moment for them. They were so flat for the first half of the game that we couldn't bear to watch the rest of it. And to expect a backup to play over his head for a full series is a big ask, too.

Dallas has had a harder road to this point, also. Beating the defending champs in the first round, then beating an Avs team that, while not the level they were when they won, it's always a real challenge. I will be surprised if they don't win this series, anyway.

I think if we take a step back and look, this is the salary cap at work. Winning the cup is coming down to loading up in a mini arms race of young players + rentals to get over the hump. It helps to have a really good young foundation of players, but with limited length of ELC deals, and UFA rentals, things change really fast for teams needing to stay under the cap. For the most part the NHL got what they wanted with parity. Teams that get to the top don't stay together and have to retool and get creative to try to do it again.

The Hawks(and a few others) beat the system a little bit with some of the contracts they gave out under the cap, but now with the 8 year limit and no extremely frontloaded contracts, that door is closed.
- breadbag

Yea and no, uncle Dale screwed the whole thing up with his RFA snafu. So maybe they got away with it on one end but they paid for it with the dismantling of 2010 team.

The Blackhawks did kind of wander in the dark when they built that team. How many bad contracts did uncle Dale give out as well.

This may go sideways, but I've still never seen any team this aggressive in a rebuild, looks like a couple of other teams like the Blackhawks approach, Philly, Calgary, Montreal realizing maybe it's better to have more 1st round picks instead of 7th round picks, SJ, Utah. Oh and Buffalo to

If this works for the Blackhawks and these other teams you'll see many teams doing this in the future.

In 4 to 5 years these will probably be the better playoff teams.