NHL Current +5 Draft Play-In Game 1 : Mebert vs Ritz

[Nosferatu]

MEBERT

1st Line
C - Peter Stastny (WC) : LW - Alexander Semin : RW - Bernie Geoffrion (WC)

2nd Line
C - Anze Kopitar : LW - Thomas Vanek : RW - Corey Perry

3rd Line
C - Henrik Sedin : LW - Andrew Ladd : RW - Wayne Simmonds

4th Line
C - Eric Staal : LW - Nick Foligno : RW - Jiri Hudler

1st Line D
Denis Potvin (WC) : Dougie Hamilton

2nd Line D
Doug Harvey (WC) : Seth Jones

3rd Line D
Dion Phaneuf : Jake Muzzin

Goalies
Patrick Roy (WC) : Sergei Bobrovsky

VERSUS

RITZ

1st Line
C - Wayne Gretzky (WC) : LW - Alex Tanguay : RW - Pavel Bure (WC)

2nd Line
C - Patrice Bergeron : LW - Patrick Sharp : RW - Brett Hull (WC)

3rd Line
C - Scott Gomez : LW - Chris Kunitz : RW - Brian Gionta

4th Line
C - Mike Ribeiro : LW - Scott Hartnell : RW - Chris Neil

1st Line D
Nicklas Lidstrom (WC) : Dan Boyle

2nd Line D
Erik Karlssonn : Anton Stralman

3rd Line D
Mike Green : Dennis Wideman

Goalies
Glenn Hall (WC) : Roberto Luongo

 

[Nosferatu]

MEBERT - 1
RITZY - 7

VOTED - Mebert, UK, Nos, Milk, Johnny, Hockey, Ritz, Femur

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I will be the first to say RItz screwed up his draft by drafting Luongo... I just didn't get that pick... He uses a WC to get a goalie and then drafts the Best or second best eligible goalie... He could have used a WC elsewhere and had a better team or instead of drafting a backup so early, he could have gotten a current skater to improve on his weaknesses...


With that said my vote is not yet decided... so...

 

[Mebert]

MEBERT -
RITZY -

VOTED -

@Nosferatu can you put Statsny and Geoffrion on line 1 please?

 

[UK Cowboy]

I think this is a very close matchup. I thought the teams had very similar talent overall. In a match this tight, having the greatest player ever had to count for something

Ritz

 

[Mebert]

My 3rd line would be punishing on anyones 1st, but as we all know Gretzky made a career out of not caring how big, fast ,athletic, or skilled anyone else on the Ice was. He was above it all somehow.

I do think Ritz has the better 1st line, but not by a huge margin with the rest of the lines being a wash. I like my defense more however.

I agree with UK that this is a very close game, but I think in Hockey the Goalie makes the difference here and I have the best in the game. I have me.

 

[Nosferatu]

I agree with Milk in Ritz took a BU Goalie too early but Mebert made the biggest mistake in the draft taking Roy first overall. I think Ritz used his WC picks much better. I don't think either of these teams is winning it all although they are both very good teams, I gotta lean Ritz here.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I got ritz winning... His first 2 lines are much better... While defense is close enough...

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I love Ritz' top line, i'm giving him my vote.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Ritz mistake in wasting the WC was cancelled out by Mebert taking a goalie first overal and giving Ritz, Gretzky. That was a big spot.

I love the 2 WCs on Meberts defense anchoring his top 2 D lines

I think ritz top line with Hull anchoring the other is the biggest edge though. He's gonna win both of the top 2 lines.

 

[Ritzarmy]

I love how I'm being knocked for having a great backup. I didn't plan on luongo being available when I picked him. Yes I could have taken better players on different lines before a backup goalie but I felt like a great backup is crucial if your starter isn't doing well or when you rest your starter ever few days. Goalie is huge for a team to win especially when they are going against all star rosters we have.

In conclusion I vote Ritz however Mebert drafted a outstanding team. He put together a great team starting with 1 of the best goalies of all time then filled his team around him. Nice team Mebert.

 

[femurov]

In my experience with hockey drafts, whoever has Gretzky, wins. I vote for Ritz

 

[mr.hockey4242]

In my experience with hockey drafts, whoever has Gretzky, wins. I vote for Ritz

Muhahahahahahaha

 

[Ritzarmy]

In my experience with hockey drafts, whoever has Gretzky, wins. I vote for Ritz

I feel whoever's name is Mr. hockey wins

 

[Mebert]

In my experience with hockey drafts, whoever has Gretzky, wins. I vote for Ritz

I can't argue that, most of the votes the only factor seems to be that I did not draft Gretzky. And here I spent all that time thinking hockey was one of those team sports I hear so much about

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I can't argue that, most of the votes the only factor seems to be that I did not draft Gretzky. And here I spent all that time thinking hockey was one of those team sports I hear so much about

It is. But your teams are so dead even that Gretzky is a bigger factor than Roy.

Which was both your guys top choices.

This isn't a sport where a Jordan can heavily win it. You play too many lines and guys.

It was basically a dead heat.

 

[Mebert]

It is. But your teams are so dead even that Gretzky is a bigger factor than Roy.

Which was both your guys top choices.

This isn't a sport where a Jordan can heavily win it. You play too many lines and guys.

It was basically a dead heat.

I get that, it would have just been nice to get a break down outside of. "No Gretzky" that seems to be the most common on here. Especially from you, Hockey, and Nos. I was very interested in the view of my roster would have been from people that follow hockey more closely than I do.

Aside from that I disagree with Gretzky being a bigger deal in a close matchup. There is a reason Roy has the most Conn Smythe trophies, because when a game is closely contested nothing matters more than the Goalie.

 

[UK Cowboy]

It is. But your teams are so dead even that Gretzky is a bigger factor than Roy.

Which was both your guys top choices.

This isn't a sport where a Jordan can heavily win it. You play too many lines and guys.

It was basically a dead heat.

I thought the problem with not taking Gretzky was using another WC pick in that #1 spot. To me, the only way you can take someone other than Gretzky is if you took the top rated non WC player in that spot. There's just no way to justify using a WC there and taking anyone over the greatest player ever

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I get that, it would have just been nice to get a break down outside of. "No Gretzky" that seems to be the most common on here. Especially from you, Hockey, and Nos. I was very interested in the view of my roster would have been from people that follow hockey more closely than I do.

Aside from that I disagree with Gretzky being a bigger deal in a close matchup. There is a reason Roy has the most Conn Smythe trophies, because when a game is closely contested nothing matters more than the Goalie.

I Said I LOVED your WC picks on defense. Those were fantastic and gave you the D edge. Your forward lines are pretty even as wel with Stastsny and Boom Boom being fantastic picks but he's got Brett Hull anchoring line two and since both his top 2 lines are stronger that gives him a solid edge at forward.

Roy was fantastic but this is the best of the best. The players are only gonna get better playing with each other. The goalies only worse because they have never faced this onslaught.

Now save% and GAA are not a criteria to just use, don't mistake me for that. But I got Braden Holtby in the final hour just hitting his prime and his #s best Roy's in that(there are many reasons why and he's not better than Roy). Now go find guys than can even come close to skating legends like Gretzky, Orr, Bobby Hull, Gordie, Mario etc.:.

A great offensive threat is hard to find. And that was the tiebreaker.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I thought the problem with not taking Gretzky was using another WC pick in that #1 spot. To me, the only way you can take someone other than Gretzky is if you took the top rated non WC player in that spot. There's just no way to justify using a WC there and taking anyone over the greatest player ever

Orr is really the only argument. But with restricted amount of WC picks you would have to be really creative.

Gretzky alone isn't winning things like MJ can in Basektball. But he's a clear choice.