The Canadian NHL team most likely to end Stanley Cup drought?

[BurningSteel]

Hartford Whalers?

[Resolute 14]

"It's not a question of if they win the Cup. But when, and how many."

-Jets4Life (probably)

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Mike Teavee

You could easily say it's difficult to make a convincing argument for any team outside Montreal. However, the title of the thread is what team is most likely to win first and I listed in order my top 3.

Sure, but why pick Vancouver? They're trending down and I don't think they'll be able to "re-tool" quickly and turn that around before, for example, the Flames.

[codynw]

To be fair, I think if Winnipeg had a legit starting goalie (or even someone that doesn't belong in the AHL) they would be a lot better, possibly even a wildcard playoff team. Pavalec is terrible.

[Resolute 14]

I don't think that's even enough. Even with decent goaltending, they aren't better than Chicago, Colorado, St. Louis, Minnesota or Dallas. They would need someone at Price/Lundqvist level to get near that group.

[Arya Stark]

The expansion Nordiques likely will have a better shot than the Jets.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Psytic

We win the cup every year most teams have over 50% Canadian born players

This isn't really directed at your, Psytic, but hearing this always drives me nuts.

Usually comes from the non hockey fans as well "who cares? most of the players are Canadian anyways!"

I care....I would like to see MY CITY celebrate a cup. Or at least another Canadian one if it can't be mine.

I think Canadian fans have gone faaaaaar too long without getting the opportunity to finally watch their team hoist the cup. Sure, Canadian players celebrate all the time and I'm happy for them.

Time for a Canadian market to get to do the same.

[cKy]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

This isn't really directed at your, Psytic, but hearing this always drives me nuts.

Usually comes from the non hockey fans as well "who cares? most of the players are Canadian anyways!"

I care....I would like to see MY CITY celebrate a cup. Or at least another Canadian one if it can't be mine.

I think Canadian fans have gone faaaaaar too long without getting the opportunity to finally watch their team hoist the cup. Sure, Canadian players celebrate all the time and I'm happy for them.

Time for a Canadian market to get to do the same.

Totally off-topic, but I disagree with this. My idea is if my teams cant win it, then I want the team that helps expand the game best to win it - which means some southern american team. If my team cant win, then lets grow the sport to make it better for everyone.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

This isn't really directed at your, Psytic, but hearing this always drives me nuts.

Usually comes from the non hockey fans as well "who cares? most of the players are Canadian anyways!"

I care....I would like to see MY CITY celebrate a cup. Or at least another Canadian one if it can't be mine.

I see it as the other way. Also not directed at you, but I perceive it as non hockey fans who are the biggest demographic about wanting to see any Canadian team win it. As a Flames fan, I will gladly GLADLY take a Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricane Stanley Cup victory over the Oilers or Canucks.

[Resolute 14]

Exactly. Of the other six Canadian teams, I hate two, dislike two and am indifferent to two. I'm not going to change my viewpoints on any of them come playoff time out of some misguided manifestation of the Canadian inferiority complex. The Stanley Cup is not, and never has been an international championship. It is a club trophy, and the prospect of Winnipeg or Ottawa winning is little different than the prospect of Nashville or Carolina winning.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

This isn't really directed at your, Psytic, but hearing this always drives me nuts.

Usually comes from the non hockey fans as well "who cares? most of the players are Canadian anyways!"

I care....I would like to see MY CITY celebrate a cup. Or at least another Canadian one if it can't be mine.

I think Canadian fans have gone faaaaaar too long without getting the opportunity to finally watch their team hoist the cup. Sure, Canadian players celebrate all the time and I'm happy for them.

Time for a Canadian market to get to do the same.

I feel the opposite. The only people I know who cheer for "Canadian" teams are the none passionate fans who just want a Canadian city to win because they confuse the NHL with a national event where it's the US against Canada.

[Finger Cookin]

The only other two Canadian teams I could tolerate winning the Cup are Montreal and Ottawa.

That said, I don't like the logic that Pystic posted either.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"It's not a question of if they win the Cup. But when, and how many."

-Jets4Life (probably)

Not one, not two,...

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

I see it as the other way. Also not directed at you, but I perceive it as non hockey fans who are the biggest demographic about wanting to see any Canadian team win it. As a Flames fan, I will gladly GLADLY take a Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricane Stanley Cup victory over the Oilers or Canucks.

I probably posted a bit in haste. I was very much behind Boston when playing the nucks in the Finals. I have my limits too, I just think it would be very cool to watch a Canadian city celebrate a Stanley Cup. It's been faaaaar too long.

If it's not the Flames, I'd be happy to see one of Ottawa, Montreal or even Winnipeg.

Not Vancouver or Edmonton though......I'm not THAT crazy.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

it's always the team that you nleast expect to bring home the bacon. Having said that, I believe in the Jets. They need to tweak the team somewhat. Letting Montoya walk, and not buying out Pavelec looks like it could be a bad move. However, from all accounts, Pavs is in the best shape of his life, and finally may turn the corner.

Trouba? Future Norris Trophy candidate?
Scheifele? star forward
Ehlers? upcoming star
Morrisey? top 6 defensemen.
Kane finally has the help he needs to have a breakthrough year.
Byfugelien is also in the best shape since coming from Chicago
The upcoming young goalies (Hutch/Hellebuyck/Comrie) could blossom into the finest netminders in the league.

Winnipeg is a team on the rise.

Wish I could agree with you but Kevin Cheveldayoff is an idiot and Pavelec is still our starting goaltender. Going to be a long time before the Jets are relevant again.

[Resolute 14]

^It still boggles my mind that, given the number of goalies available last year and this off-season, that the Jets didn't try for any of them.

[trackercowe]

I think the real question is there any (in-demand) goalie in the league that would be willing to play for the Jets? I just don't see that happening, unless they drastically over-pay or if they pick one up through the draft. Still they should've picked up somone better to tandem with Pavelec (who is barely a top 60 goalie anyway). Maybe they shouldn't gone after Hiller for the decent rate he signed for. I have no idea who their backup even is (Michael Hutchison... who is that?).

[CliffFletcher]

The Habs aren't quite in the upper echelon of the league, but they haven't peaked yet. And they play in a weak conference. The Bruins have peaked. The Pens have big question marks. Tampa are on their way up, but not there yet. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Habs make the Finals once or twice in the next five seasons.

They have a Vezina quality goalie who is 27. A Norris quality defenceman who is 25. And the forward ranks show lots of promise:

Galchenyuk 20
Pacioretty 25
Eller 25
Gallagher 22

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Exactly. Of the other six Canadian teams, I hate two, dislike two and am indifferent to two. I'm not going to change my viewpoints on any of them come playoff time out of some misguided manifestation of the Canadian inferiority complex. The Stanley Cup is not, and never has been an international championship. It is a club trophy, and the prospect of Winnipeg or Ottawa winning is little different than the prospect of Nashville or Carolina winning.

Can't agree: I have nothing personally against Winnipeg or Ottawa (the city, not the gov't that's for sure!). Nor particularly against Montreal. So any of those could win and I'd be "happy". OTOH, I really would be peeved if the guys to the north or west won, and I guess Toronto fits in the same class. I'd be "ecstatic" if Calgary won, of course.

Any American team: meh.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I think the real question is there any (in-demand) goalie in the league that would be willing to play for the Jets? I just don't see that happening, unless they drastically over-pay or if they pick one up through the draft. Still they should've picked up somone better to tandem with Pavelec (who is barely a top 60 goalie anyway). Maybe they shouldn't gone after Hiller for the decent rate he signed for. I have no idea who their backup even is (Michael Hutchison... who is that?).

Winnipeg hasn't really had any issues at all re-signing our youngsters and even attracting some fa's like Olli. I don't really think that's the problem here. The problem is Chevy thinks hes the smartest man in the room and is convinced something is there with Pavelec.