Boldest Predictions

[DChero]

Luongo will never win a Stanley Cup with the Canucks or as a Starter for anyone else.

We're making bold predictions.

 

[dare2be]

Sabres will win the President's Trophy AND win the cup in 4 games.

:p

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

We're making bold predictions.

He did come within 1 game of winning the Cup you know. I think it's a bold statement.

 

[ritari330]

Don't think it's that bold when only a small percentage of players that play in the NHL actually win a cup.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Don't think it's that bold when only a small percentage of players that play in the NHL actually win a cup.

Considering the team he plays for is loaded with talent if he can't win the Cup with Vancouver he never will.

How about the Washington Capitals will NEVER win the Stanley Cup as long as Bruce Beaudreu is their head coach. Is that bold enough for you?

 

[DChero]

Considering the team he plays for is loaded with talent if he can't win the Cup with Vancouver he never will.

How about the Washington Capitals will NEVER win the Stanley Cup as long as Bruce Beaudreu is their head coach. Is that bold enough for you?

That is bold to me. I really think that team will break through. OV's too good to not win a Cup in his prime.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

That is bold to me. I really think that team will break through. OV's too good to not win a Cup in his prime.

If Beaudreau can't get it done this year he'll be FIRED.

 

[ritari330]

yeah, this is his last chance in DC.

 

[flyersfan4706]

That is bold to me. I really think that team will break through. OV's too good to not win a Cup in his prime.

True, but Id say the same thing for Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla. Yet you could add up both of their cup rings and multiply by them by 10 million and still get zero.

 

[Vadered]

Can Ovie really carry a team, though? I think we already have the answer - no. He's certainly a key component, but he's had plenty of chances to strap the team on his back, and while I would certainly agree that until recently his defense was TERRIBLE, I don't think he's a leader that can inspire others. He's like a star running back. A great talent, but not enough without somebody to block for him (in this case blocking for him is a metaphor for stop the other team from scoring).

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Can Ovie really carry a team, though? I think we already have the answer - no. He's certainly a key component, but he's had plenty of chances to strap the team on his back, and while I would certainly agree that until recently his defense was TERRIBLE, I don't think he's a leader that can inspire others. He's like a star running back. A great talent, but not enough without somebody to block for him (in this case blocking for him is a metaphor for stop the other team from scoring).

The Capitals are stacked. They got the steal of free agency in Vokoun. Boudreau is holding them back. He wants them to play a defense oriented game. That doesn't suit their top forwards.

That being said if they can't win the Cup this year, I don't know if they ever will.

 

[flyersfan4706]

I think I have been kind of quiet about this, but the Caps do indeed worry me now. A lot. Vokoun, Brouwer, Hamrlik, Wideman, and Ward. But they still have a lot just to prove. If they dont get 8 playoffs wins this year I see Bourdreau gone, but with a team like this one I really doubt he is the problem.

 

[ritari330]

It's cup or bust for BB. They have to win it this year for Bruce to keep his job.

 

[ritari330]

Can Ovie really carry a team, though? I think we already have the answer - no. He's certainly a key component, but he's had plenty of chances to strap the team on his back, and while I would certainly agree that until recently his defense was TERRIBLE, I don't think he's a leader that can inspire others. He's like a star running back. A great talent, but not enough without somebody to block for him (in this case blocking for him is a metaphor for stop the other team from scoring).

He's 25. Also with that shitty D we had in 09, we took the SC champs to 7 games. That defense was just so bad.

 

[DChero]

He's 25. Also with that shitty D we had in 09, we took the SC champs to 7 games. That defense was just so bad.

Good year.

They definitely have a legitimate defense now. I give OV a lot more credit than most. After seeing him and Crosby battle in that '09 series, they both showed that they can win a series when there team is out. Seriously, the dual-hat trick game was amazing. The Pens never seemed to be in it because of OV's domination. Crosby was the only reason they looked competitive. In the 7th game, it was a mental breakdown. Ov blinked, his defense blinked, Varly blinked. That was the only game where I really thought the Penguins were just outright better, and it may have been experience.

Deny it or not, OV is a player to build around because of the level that he can take his game to.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Good year.

They definitely have a legitimate defense now. I give OV a lot more credit than most. After seeing him and Crosby battle in that '09 series, they both showed that they can win a series when there team is out. Seriously, the dual-hat trick game was amazing. The Pens never seemed to be in it because of OV's domination. Crosby was the only reason they looked competitive. In the 7th game, it was a mental breakdown. Ov blinked, his defense blinked, Varly blinked. That was the only game where I really thought the Penguins were just outright better, and it may have been experience.

Deny it or not, OV is a player to build around because of the level that he can take his game to.

The players aren't the problem for the Caps, especially now that they have Vokoun in goal. I see Boudreau as the NHL's version of Norv Turner.

 

[Vadered]

The Capitals are stacked. They got the steal of free agency in Vokoun. Boudreau is holding them back. He wants them to play a defense oriented game. That doesn't suit their top forwards.

That being said if they can't win the Cup this year, I don't know if they ever will.

He's 25. Also with that shitty D we had in 09, we took the SC champs to 7 games. That defense was just so bad.

Guys, I'm in no way shape or form saying that Ovie is bad. He's one of the best, if not the best player in the league right now, and if I could have him on the Flyers I'd leap at it. But my comments saying he can't carry a team are related to the bolded part of this post, which I failed to quote:

That is bold to me. I really think that team will break through. OV's too good to not win a Cup in his prime.

I'm sorry, but Ovechkin can't win a Cup on his own. He's a stellar player, but he's only on the ice for 20-25 minutes a game and for the other 35 he needs a supporting cast that is not actively shooting at their own net, as the Capitals basically were in '09. There is no player in this league that is so good they are guaranteed a cup in their prime, or at all. That's all I was getting at when I said he can't carry a team.

And it's not like he's the only one either.

Or that hockey is the only sport it happens in.

 

[Destroydacre]

The Kings don't come close to living up to everybody's extremely high expectations. They finish in the bottom half of the playoff picture and go out with a whimper in the first round.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

The Kings don't come close to living up to everybody's extremely high expectations. They finish in the bottom half of the playoff picture and go out with a whimper in the first round.

That is bold. With Doughty still holding out it could happen though. Good choice.

 

[DChero]

I'm sorry, but Ovechkin can't win a Cup on his own. He's a stellar player, but he's only on the ice for 20-25 minutes a game and for the other 35 he needs a supporting cast that is not actively shooting at their own net, as the Capitals basically were in '09. There is no player in this league that is so good they are guaranteed a cup in their prime, or at all. That's all I was getting at when I said he can't carry a team.

The reason that I mentioned that I expect OV to win a Cup in his prime is because the best players seem to find a way to make it happen. It's not really based on anything specific, as every Cup team has a great supporting cast. Just a couple of recent examples to throw out there of teams winning with comparable talent:

- Tim Thomas lead a team that may not have been considered to be an all-star cast, but they feed on their backstop. He wouldn't let them go.

- Sidney Crosby's Cup team wouldn't be considered much better than the team OV has now. Crosby was the lone scoring anchor in the first two rounds, then finally got some help against the Canes.

I get what you're saying. The Blackhawks, Wings, Ducks and Lightning rosters seemed loaded (no comment on Carolina). It certainly takes the whole team to come up big, but the leaders have to perform. If OV keeps doing what he's doing, I don't see how that team doesn't put it together just one time in the next 6 years or so.