Ranking the Last 4 Teams

[powderjunkie]

Top 2 D and Top 6 are based mostly on TOI and line pairings, but are obviously a little subjective. In my head everything seemed pretty tight, so i wanted to put it down on paper. I'm sure there are lots of debatable things here...which is the whole point of a message board...the thing I found is that there was little to choose between in most categories.


Goaltending

1. Quick
2. Crawford
2. Rask
2. Vokoun


Top 2 D

1.CHI: Keith & Seabrook
2. BOS: Chara-Boychuk
(I think the Chara is the best #1, but Boychuk is the worst #2...obviously injuries...)
2. LA: Doughty-Voynov
2. PIT: Letang-Orpik

Bottom 4 D

1. LA:
Scuderi-Regehr
Muzzin-Greene
(Martinez, Ellerby)

1. CHI:
Oduya-Hjarlmarsson
Leddy-Rozsival

3. PIT:
Martin-Niskanen
Murray-Despres
(Engelland, Eaton)

4. BOS:
Hamilton-Bartkowski
Krug-McQuaid
(Ference, Seidenberg, Redden) - If any of these guys get back they would be higher)


Top 6 Forwards

1. PIT:
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Neal-Malkin-Iginla

2. BOS:
Lucic-Krejci-Horton
Marchand-Bergeron-Jagr

2. LA:
Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Penner-Richards-Carter

2. CHI:
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Sharp-Bolland-Kane
(the way they have been playing lately they are probably 4th, but if they get going, they should be close to Pit and above the other 2...)

Bottom 6 Forwards

1. PIT:
Morrow-Sutter-Cooke
Kennedy-Vitale-Adams
(Bennett, Jokinen)

2. BOS:
Peverley-Kelly-Seguin
Paille-Campbell-Thornton

2. CHI:
Bickell-Handzus-Stalberg
Shaw-Kruger-Frolik
(Carcillo, Mayers)

2. LA:
King-Lewis-Clifford
Richardson-Fraser-Toffoli
(Stoll)

[PlayfulGenius]

Rask > Crawford

[GGG]

I would place LA's top 6 forwards at number 2. They are just restrained within a defensive system.

One thing I would also add is coaching / Systems

1) LA
2) Boston
3) Chicago
4) Pitt

I think that Pittsburgh relies on outscoring the opposition and can't really adjust from that so they are at the bottom there. Chicago and Boston being roughly equal and Sutter on top for out much he can get out of team.

[kyuss275]

I think Seidenberg is back for Boston D. He came back for the last game against NY. They sat Hamilton and i think they will continue to sit Hamilton until someone else gets injured.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I think Seidenberg is back for Boston D. He came back for the last game against NY. They sat Hamilton and i think they will continue to sit Hamilton until someone else gets injured.

Also heard that Ference is close to being game ready.

[#-3]

Its hard to just look at rankings like that.

I would say you have LA's bottom 4 d ranked way to high, other then that they don't look to out of order. But the big difference will be the gap between teams skill level, the only areas I really see that are;

Top 3 Goalies left





Vokoun

and

Pit Top6




All other Top6.

I think every team boasts 1 elite d-man and a few good dmen supporting him in there top 4.

There is usually vary little to pick between the bottom pairings of most team in the league, it has more to do with how they fit with the team, do they play a different roll than the top 4 guys? do they play well with your 3rd line? Are they able to raise there level for injuries/playoffs?

The bottom 6 of all 4 teams is impressive, they might have 4 of the best 6 or 7 groups in the league. Its clear how big of a difference a great 3rd line center can make, Every one of those guys would have started the season between Iginla and Tanguay/Cammaleri in Calgary.