I think this will be an incredibly close series with at least three OT games. While I really think it could go either way, I'll give the edge to the more experienced Penguins.
Pittsburgh has home ice advantage. Ottawa won the season series as meaningless as that is.
I won't be hedging my pre-playoff bet of the Sens winning the East as I think the Sens ability to roll 4 lines against a horrendous D in Pittsburgh combined with the Sens ability to smother key players with Turris, Pageau, Smith, Burrows and Pyatt will be enough.
Fleury is playing all-world for two series now and that didn't stop us from solving Lundqvist after he did the same for one series against Montreal. Fluery has single-handedly beat Columbus and Washington. The Penguins forwards and defence had nothing to do with them advancing to where they are right now. I argue they actually made Fleury's job harder.
Time for your say and predictions in the poll.
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
I think this will be an incredibly close series with at least three OT games. While I really think it could go either way, I'll give the edge to the more experienced Penguins.
Bottleneckers (12/16 in 2022)
16 team, points only. G: 2-W, 4-SO.
Top 9F, 4D & 1G . Keep 15, Max 23
F: J. Robertson, J. Hughes, Tavares, Lafreniere, Cozens, Newhook, Teravainen, Domi, R. Strome, Laine, Rossi, Raymond, Holtz, Perfetti
D: Bouchard, McAvoy, Morrissey, Heiskanen
G: Vasilevskiy
I took Pens in five. Although I was really tempted to take Pens in three (that made me lol, nice touch).
Malkin has to be having the quietest post-season of anyone who led the league in points after two rounds. Pittsburgh has four players better than a point per game. I know their defence is injured, but I think they'll go after Ceci hard and make him pay for his turnovers.
Writer of the weekly Top 10 column.
12-team Keeper pool, straight points for forwards & dmen. Goalies get: 2 points per win, 3 per shutout, 1 point per assist & 1 point per shootout loss.
League champ in 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Top 8 forwards, 5 dmen and 2 goalies count.
We keep 15 players (any position) plus two rookies.
Forwards: Panarin, Ovechkin, Kopitar, Stamkos, Tuch, Rust, Marchessault, Pavelski, Miller, Bertuzzi, Stone, Kakko, Brown, Stankoven, Kovalenko
Defence: Hedman, Fox, Matheson, Thrun, Jiricek
Goalies: Kochetkov, Talbot, Vasilevskiy, Campbell, Schmid
Does Ceci make turnovers? I never noticed. Haha
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
Writer of the weekly Top 10 column.
12-team Keeper pool, straight points for forwards & dmen. Goalies get: 2 points per win, 3 per shutout, 1 point per assist & 1 point per shootout loss.
League champ in 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Top 8 forwards, 5 dmen and 2 goalies count.
We keep 15 players (any position) plus two rookies.
Forwards: Panarin, Ovechkin, Kopitar, Stamkos, Tuch, Rust, Marchessault, Pavelski, Miller, Bertuzzi, Stone, Kakko, Brown, Stankoven, Kovalenko
Defence: Hedman, Fox, Matheson, Thrun, Jiricek
Goalies: Kochetkov, Talbot, Vasilevskiy, Campbell, Schmid
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
Pens in six.
Their D may be crippled, but I don't think Sens have the forward depth to compete with the elite talent the Pens have. Karlsson can't do it all by himself.
If you look at elite talent from only the offensive perspective, I would agree with you. But the Sens do have the pieces the smother and neutralize elite talent and find ways for their own stars and depth to chip in enough for fair results. The Sens are much better at beating teams with elite skill than they are the Carolina's, Buffalo's and Arizona's of the NHL.
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
Pens in 7.. Because I agree with alot of what notch has to say but I mean common... Its the pens... And its the Sens.. There's only one way this ends and it's with the pens advancing.
Set roster weekly in H2H (Mon to Sun) - 16 Teams - start 6F, 3D, and 1G per week - Keep 2
Points: 2 G / 2 A / 1 PPG / 1 PPA / 1 Hat Trick / 1 SHG / 1 SHA / 1 GWG - 3 Goalie Win / 2 Goalie Loss in SO or OT / 5 goalie SO
Forwards:
C. McDavid, N. Kucherov, R. O'Reilly, J. Schwartz, J. Toews, J. Huberdeau, T. Toffoli, M. Granlund
Defense:
B. Burns, J. Klingberg, R. Josi, J. Slavin
Goalie:
J. Binnington
IR (2 max):
I think you might be homerism overselling the Sens if you think their forward depth, from any aspect, is better than the Capitals.
I took Pens in 6. Karlsson is going to best some games, but I don't think Ottawa has the goaltending, forward depth, or defensive depth to keep up with Pittsburgh.
I agree. But, the reason, in my opinion, the Capitals with their better depth in all aspects over Ottawa's couldn't beat the Penguins and I think Ottawa can, is because the Caps have the mental block of never being able to beat the Pens over and over and over. Sports psychology for players is a real thing.
The Penguins don't scare the Sens. The Caps have nightmares about Pittsburgh.
I accept your homerism comment though.
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
Haha. I knew someone would select Pens in 3 for the poll.
12 Team H2H Keeper
4C~4LW~4RW~6D~2G~4 Reserves
3 FA adds per week
8 Keepers~10 minors
IR
10 Minors = Skaters <83 GP & Goalies <51 GP
Categories: G~A~P~PPP~SOG~FOW~+/-~Hits~Blk~W~Svs~S%~GAA
C-Barkov~Zibanejad
C/RW- Reinhart
LW-B.Tkachuk~Kaprizov~E.Kane~Pacioretty
RW-P. Kane
LW/RW-Svechnikov~Fiala
D-Makar~Fox~Dahlin~Bouchard-Hamilton
G-Hellebuyck~Shesterkin~Ingram
MINORS:
Forwards-Rossi~Pelletier~Holloway~Marchenko
DMen-B.Clarke~Nemec~Nikishin
Goalies-Wallstedt~Wolf~Dostal
I picked the Penguins in 3 b/c I expect the outcome to be known by then!!
With all due respect, since Crosby's first year in the playoffs, what have the Sens ever done to the Pens in the playoffs? Last I remember is a Crosby domination.
However, I wouldn't disagree if Washington's depth = Senators depth.
I just don't think it does. Their D isn't as strong or as deep, their forwards aren't as strong or as deep, and their goaltending isn't as strong.
It's not equal minus a mental block, IMO.