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Originally Posted by GioforPM
No. It's based on Point being better offensively versus Barkov being better defensively. IMO it's a wash at the end of the day.
Bottom line, you can disagree on a couple players but IMO TB has more top end players and more PO experience. And this is their last kick at it, so they are going to be more desperate.
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Barkov is miles better defensively though, and offensively it's probably a wash (their point per game rates are virtually identical). Barkov is a +33 and Point is a -14.
I disagree on almost every player you compared, except Kucherov. Most of these guys have good offensive numbers because they've sacrificed their defense this year to produce. The Panthers are putting up similar numbers, but are the best defensive team in the league, and have TWO goalies that put up great numbers this year. Vasy's numbers aren't great, but I don't put a lot of that on him. That Tampa team is really weak defensively.
But then look at the depth between these teams and it's not even close. At both forward and defense, the Panthers are far more effective on their lower lines and defense pairings.
Yes, they have playoff experience, and they do still have some talent, so the Panthers will still have to play their best game to beat them, but if they play like they've played all year, it will become obvious pretty quickly that they are the far better team.