Insane the hype about Tampa.

The Lightning with average to above goaltending will have them leading the division by the time he gets back.

Tampa = Patriots of NHL. Everyone hates them and cant wait for them to fall off...but they won't.
- TrueGrit

3-38

Fair point. I am a bit more bullish on Tampa. Florida has more injury problems on their blue line to start the year. They are a greater risk to start slow than Tampa in my humble opinion.

Boston is done and no real threat. Agree with Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo making a push.

Tampa is better upfront and on the blue line then last year. Their bottom six is as fast and gritty now as it was in the cup years.

Segachev continues to evolve into a Norris trophy candidate, while Raddysh and Perbix prove more then serviceable. They already have Hedman and Cernak.

I believe the Vasi injury actually helps the team, as they start the season focusing on the 200 foot game, which won them 2 cups and got them to a third.
- TrueGrit

I'm sorry for laughing but based on what? Define done. Still have the D core, majority of the forwards and the goalie tandem. Missing a couple guys but they could still be a wildcard team. A little premature here. Sorry to spoil the fun.

Fair point. I am a bit more bullish on Tampa. Florida has more injury problems on their blue line to start the year. They are a greater risk to start slow than Tampa in my humble opinion.

Boston is done and no real threat. Agree with Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo making a push.

Tampa is better upfront and on the blue line then last year. Their bottom six is as fast and gritty now as it was in the cup years.

Segachev continues to evolve into a Norris trophy candidate, while Raddysh and Perbix prove more then serviceable. They already have Hedman and Cernak.

I believe the Vasi injury actually helps the team, as they start the season focusing on the 200 foot game, which won them 2 cups and got them to a third.
- TrueGrit

I don't think I'd quite say "Boston is done and is no real threat". They likely won't be the same team without Bergeron but they are not "done" in any sense.

Insane comparison. Brady kept NE as a top contender for unprecedented length of 15+ years. Tampa is already on the downside of their competitive window. They are a dynasty much like CHI or PIT but this cycle is the nature of the NHL in the cap era.
- jfkst1

Tampa has never been a dynasty.
Historic Dynasty = 4 cups in a row
90s Dynasty = 4 cups in 5 years
Todays Dynasty = 2 cups and 1 cup final in 3 years
Standards are really slipping. Soon every team to win a cup, and the team they beat in the finals, will be called a dynasty.

I don't think I'd quite say "Boston is done and is no real threat". They likely won't be the same team without Bergeron but they are not "done" in any sense.
- eichiefs9

Probably just hates Boston and it makes him feel good.

I don't think I'd quite say "Boston is done and is no real threat". They likely won't be the same team without Bergeron but they are not "done" in any sense.
- eichiefs9

They might be done from a contender standpoint. Their centers are the worst out of any potential playoff team outside of maybe Minnesota. And we all see how useless Minnesota is in the postseason with those centers. I do agree they could make the postseason as a pretender though.

They might be done from a contender standpoint. Their centers are the worst out of any potential playoff team outside of maybe Minnesota. And we all see how useless Minnesota is in the postseason with those centers. I do agree they could make the postseason as a pretender though.
- jfkst1

I'll take the extra week and half - 2 weeks of Hockey over nebulous football talk and the Red Sux.

Tampa has never been a dynasty.
Historic Dynasty = 4 cups in a row
90s Dynasty = 4 cups in 5 years
Todays Dynasty = 2 cups and 1 cup final in 3 years
Standards are really slipping. Soon every team to win a cup, and the team they beat in the finals, will be called a dynasty.
- TroyTech

This. Dynasty's being named way way too soon. Chicago is the closest thing to a dynasty post lockout.

This. Dynasty's being named way way too soon. Chicago is the closest thing to a dynasty post lockout.
- glove_was_stuck

Last Dynasty was the New York Islanders.

This. Dynasty's being named way way too soon. Chicago is the closest thing to a dynasty post lockout.
- glove_was_stuck

Explain how CHI is more of a dynasty than PIT. PIT had more postseasons, postseason wins, SCFs, same number of SCs, and probably same number of HOFs (4).

Last Dynasty was the New York Islanders.
- HolyDiver83

This is an insane standard. There were only 21 teams and no salary cap during the NYI dynasty. Now it's 32 teams and a salary cap. By your logic, nearly all the modern skaters suck because they don't produce like 80s players while all the goalies are gods. The game evolves and standards for anyone with a shred of logic recognizes that.

Tampa has never been a dynasty.
Historic Dynasty = 4 cups in a row
90s Dynasty = 4 cups in 5 years
Todays Dynasty = 2 cups and 1 cup final in 3 years
Standards are really slipping. Soon every team to win a cup, and the team they beat in the finals, will be called a dynasty.
- TroyTech

Yeah well there used to be 6 teams and certain teams could spend a lot more money than other teams. Now there are 32 teams and all of them have pretty much the same spending limit. A little harder for a team to win 4 cups in a row don't you think?

He’s going to DETROIT …… there now we can stop talking about foolish rumour for clicks !!!