Ranking the Canadian Teams

[CaptainCrunch]

With the season lurking just around the corner, maybe its time to look at who's the strongest in Canada and who's the weakest in Canada. Right or wrong, I think the Canadian landscape is going to change in the 15-16 season, however I don't think the Stanley Cup is coming to Canada anytime soon.

So here are my rankings, in order of best to worst.

Winnipeg - expectations are fairly high, the problem is that they play in a murderers row division. The Jets are extremely deep as an organization, with lots of prospect depth

Forwards (B-) - I'm not sure if I'm all that sold on the upper end scoring talent in Winnipeg, I think they'll be a scoring by committee team, I just don't see the super upper end talent in their top 6. If they falter they have a lot of really good skilled prospects that they can bring up.
Defense (A+) - This should be an excellent defense, a tough 4 of Myers, Enstrom, Buff and Trouba is a great combination of size and puck moving.
Goal (C) - I'm not sold on Pavelec and Hutchinson is a little inconsistent.

Calgary - I think the expectations are a bit lower, but Calgary did an excellent job of shoring up weak spots with Hamilton and Frolik. If the younger players can mature the Flames forwards will be very good. By brining in Hamilton they deepend a blueline with a potential injury problems.
Forwards (B) - As much as people want to deny it, the Flames have a lot of offense up front, the first line with Gaudreau, Monahan and Hudler have undeniable chemistry. Frolik adds a fairly skilled guy with a elite defensive game to the top 6. The bottom 6 is very solid.
Defense (a+) - The Hamilton acquisition shored up any injury concerns over the newly signed Gio. This is close to a top 5 front 4, the question is about who plays in the bottom pairing.
Goaltending (C+) - Hiller and Ramo were a bit inconsistent last year, but I expect that Ramo will be the guy with more starts. With Ortio on a one way deal it will be interesting to see if the Flames try to deal a goalie before season starts.

Montreal - I think its a toss up between Ottawa and Montreal, Montreal added some size up front with Kassian who should also help with scoring
Forwards(C) - Montreal had scoring troubles last year, and while they tried to address that, I just don't see this as a group that will fill the net. They did a nice job of ripping off Vancouver for Kassian though. After their first line they don't look very good, going as far as signing cast off reclamation project Alex Semin to provide desperately needed scoring.
Defense(C) - After Subban and Petry their defense slides downhill in a hurry kind of like their forwards. Markov is decent but you have to wonder when the slide comes for the 38 year old.
Goaltending (A+) - Price is the guy, as he goes so do the Canadians, if he slumps or gets hurt this team very quickly becomes a middling at best team.

Ottawa - The Sens like the Calgary Flames are still a rebuilding team. They made a mad rush no errors run to the playoffs last year, but can they continue that level of play
Forwards (B+) - Like the Flames the Sens are depending on young players, while their first line isn't what I would call offensively dynamic they do score. Their 2nd through 4th line are full of promise as well. Ryan is the key to the Sens success as he needs to drive the second line.
Defense (c+) - The Sens will depend heavily on Karlsson to generate offense off of the backend, and Methot works will with him as the defensively conscious member of that partnership. After that you could say that the talent sides quickly.
Goaltending (C+) - I was surprised that Andersson was still there and the Sens chose to move Lehner. The Hamburgler is probably going to be the guy this year as the Sens continue to develop the late comer.

Vancouver - This was a horrible summer for the Canucks as they started an inevitable rebuild by trying to reload. Benning didn't help this team at all.
Forwards (D) - Maybe this is harsh, but outside of the Sedins who are getting up there and Horvat While the acquisition of Sutter will help defensively this is a team that's going to be starving for offense up front putting the weight solidly on the Sedins.
Defense (D) - I'm not in love with this defense, I've never seen Hamhius as a top pairing guy, but a second first pairing tweener. Past the first pair there's nothing to be excited about.
Goal (F) - The Canucks seem to like trading goalies that do a decent job for them with Eddie Lack being shuffled out the window. Miller is that aging vet and I'm not sure if he's the guy to count on, there's not much after him with Bachman being the likely gate closer.

Edmonton - I'm thinking that Edmonton could switch with Vancouver, but with Edmonton I'll believe it when I see it. The Oilers caught a lucky break or as Chia called it genius management when they won the lottery and picked up Ra's Al McGhul).
Forwards (C) - They have a nice top 6 but they are notoriously bad defensively with RNH being the top 2 way guy there. With Yak, I'll believe that he's something when I see it. After the top 6 there's not much to get excited about, Letestu is in to replace Gordon which is pretty much a saw off.
Defense (F) - I get that they signed Sekera, but I don't think he's the answer as playing a middle pairing guy as the top pairing on your blueline is a recipe for disaster. After that it goes downhill quickly. Fayne is a good workman but nothing special, Klefbom is going to be depended on to clean up his mistakes and play on the top pairing.
Goaltending (D) - Until Talbot shows that he's different from the other backup goaltenders that the Oilers have positioned as savior ge gets no benefit of the doubt.

Toronto - Even with bringing in Babcock as their headcoach this team is going to probably be horrible.
Forwards (F) - With the departure of Kessel, Vanreimsdyke becomes the guy, Kadri has to bounce back this year on a single term contract. This is probably up three as the worst collection of scorers in the league.
Defense (D) - Reilly is going to be the lone brightspot this year, Gardiner has fallen off the map, The Leafs tried to move Phaneuf but that failed. Again there's not a lot of defensive excellence
Goaltending -(C) - This isn't a bad duo, but they aren't great either. Reimer has held this team in more then one game, but I don't think that this is an elite pair.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Calgary
Montreal
Winnipeg
Ottawa
Quebec
Red deer rebels
Vancouver
Edmonton
Toronto

[the2bears]

So you rank Calgary even or better in all 3 categories but overall less than Winnipeg? I think it's pretty close, though. Definitely the top two teams, in whatever order, in my opinion, too.

[Enoch Root]

Good: Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa

No Good: Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto

[dino7c]

Calgary is in the conversation for having the best D in the league
Montreal is for goal tending

nobody else has the best of anything or even close

Calgary and Montreal should be 1-2 on any list...wow what a difference a year makes!

[FanIn80]

I get the trying not to be a homer thing, but sometimes it's ok to put Calgary on top. This is one of those times.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Calgary is in the conversation for having the best D in the league
Montreal is for goal tending

nobody else has the best of anything or even close

Calgary and Montreal should be 1-2 on any list...wow what a difference a year makes!

Calgary and Montreal have the flashier peices now, that's true. But Winnipeg is very well rounded. And like the OP said, they play in a murderous division that will force them to elevate their game.

A piece of the wants to pick Habs as the best team because of Price, and a piece of me wants to pick Calgary as the best. But at the end of the day, I basically agree with OP's assessment that Winnipeg is the best overall - for now.

[canflip_101]

Oilers dead last in Canadian rankings and they are a bottom 5 team in the NHL.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I think the Flames, Jets and Habs are all pretty close. Canucks are trending down and they will be in a dogfight with the Oilers to see who will be worse at season's end. The Leafs should be downright terrible.

[GranteedEV]

1) Calgary

2) Montreal

3) Ottawa

4) Winnipeg

____________


____________

5A) Vancouver
5B) Edmonton

[bubbsy]

Montreal
Winnipeg
Calgary/Ottawa
Vancouver
Edmonton
Toronto

[theslymonkey]

Giving the Oilers a C for their forwards is not realistic. I hate them as much as the next guy, but that's one area where they are stocked deep with talent.

[codynw]

Cup Contenders
None, yet

Playoff Teams
Montreal
Winnipeg
Calgary

Bubble Teams
Ottawa
Vancouver
Edmonton (I almost made a separate category for Edmonton, since they're not rebuilding but I don't think they'll actually be a bubble team. Think they finish around 21-24 overall)

Rebuilding
Toronto

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

Giving the Oilers a C for their forwards is not realistic. I hate them as much as the next guy, but that's one area where they are stocked deep with talent.

Is that why they are consistently bottom 5 in goal scoring, league wide?

I'd say OP was generous with that grade even.

[N-E-B]

Calgary
Montreal
Winnipeg (Most overrated team IMO)
Ottawa
Edmonton
Vancouver
Toronto

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

Giving the Oilers a C for their forwards is not realistic. I hate them as much as the next guy, but that's one area where they are stocked deep with talent.

Lowest scoring team in the NHL over the last 5 years

By quite a bit

[polak]

Montreal/Calgary/Winnipeg
Ottawa
Vancouver
Edmonton
Toronto

[Greybeard]

Good/Make Playoffs. Calgary Winnipeg Montreal
Contender. Ottawa
No Good. Vancouver Edmonton
Awful. Toronto

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

Contender. Ottawa

wut?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by codynw

wut?

I'm sure he meant contending to MAKE the playoffs.