Dispersal Draft - Regular Season Voting - 1st place

[mikey287]

As discussed, we have opened up our Dispersal Draft for public voting on REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS ONLY.

Brief synopsis of what happened for those not following along: NHL contracted down to 12 teams for one season only. We had a dispersal draft for the 2014-15 season. You are voting on the regular season standings for how good you think those teams are. Feel free to opine, or just check the appropriate box.

You are voting for first place in each respective conference, please do not vote for two teams on one side of the "-----------" divider or vote any other number but two teams (one for each conference)...

Please read this thread for more information about the teams BEFORE VOTING (obviously) or see the easy team index below: http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB ... =6&t=64414" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Easy index:

Foster Hewitt Conference:
Hartford
Iceland
Los Angeles
New York
St. Louis
Seattle

Danny Gallivan Division:
California
Carolina
Columbus
Magnitogorsk
Montreal
Toronto

In the event that I do not get a healthy sample size, I will elicit other voters from outside sources.

Feel free to discuss your selections in here and other pertinent information. Thank you.

[meow]

Four horse race

[Letang Is The Truth]

Which team is Carolina

[Avyran]

When I think regular season champion, I think of the teams that just overwhelm with offense & a decent-enough defense/goaltending. The Sedin-led Canucks, San Jose Sharks, and the Capitals are the three that especially stick out. Even Boston, St. Louis, and Chicago have that style in a sense during the regular season. Thus, I voted for the teams that I felt had an unstoppable offense and passable defense. It'd be much different in the playoffs, where I'll probably look at line-by-line matchups & stuff.

In the first conference, the choice was between Iceland, St. Louis, & Seattle for me. My team (LA) is Boston-esque, but not 1st in the conference-esque (IMO). They're a playoff team, built for grinding down opponents. Hartford has a good team, but nothing that sticks out to me (mainly because I rate P. Kane kinda lower than I should), especially with Trotz as coach meaning a defense focus. New York's roster is incomplete. Iceland has the best skating roster in the league, in my opinion, and their goaltending is good enough. St. Louis has a great one-two punch in their top two lines, and Crosby's line cannot be overlooked. Similarly, Seattle is offense, offense, offense. Having Ovechkin on the team kinda emphasizes this.

I chose Iceland.

The second conference was more interesting. Montreal has such a strong first line, with regular season hero Semin on the 2nd line as well. California is the same way - ridiculous first line and a very strong forward depth. Columbus is more of a playoff team to me, as are the Russians. TBD/Carolina has the best workhorse goaltender in the league, as well as a defense that will really support their offense. Toronto's middle depth is great.

I chose Montreal because I think their first line (forward & defense) will likely be the highest scoring group in the league and Bobrovsky is also a regular season hero.

[mikey287]

Which team is Carolina

Yours.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

When I think regular season champion, I think of the teams that just overwhelm with offense & a decent-enough defense/goaltending. The Sedin-led Canucks, San Jose Sharks, and the Capitals...Boston, St. Louis, and Chicago...

I think you're missing a team








Though I agree with your reasoning. In the regular season, it's all about teams that can score. This last year, the top 7 teams in terms of wins were all in the top 7 in goals for (while only 3, San Jose, St. Louis and Boston) were in the top 7 in goals against. A really bad defense can screw you over (Ottawa had the 11th most goals for but is 27th in goals against) but I think our league has such concentrated talent that all the teams are at the very least average defensively.

For the FH conference, I'm choosing between St. Louis, Seattle and myself. In the end I'm going to go with St. Louis because the first two lines are going to score about a billion goals. I would say their defense is somewhat suspect but their first two lines and powerplay lines are ridiculous.

For the DG division (why is there a conference and a division?) and for the same reasoning, I'm going to go with California. Was split between them and MTL but I felt like California had more depth in their lower lines.

[Beveridge]

The Foster Hewitt conference is stacked. My bold prediction is that if these teams were to actually play games (equal against everyone), this conference would have 6 of the top 9 teams in the whole league. I'm giving the edge to St. Louis over Seattle to win this conference in the regular season. I don't really have a breakdown for this conference because I could make a case for all 6 teams (yes, I'm being lazy).

I can't say I'm falling in love with any teams in the Danny Gallivan division. I almost feel like I'm looking at West vs East in today's NHL. California is going to be a PITA to play against, Carolina has the most potential, Columbus will be the caboose, Montreal should be solid, Toronto seems like it will work really well or really poorly, and I love the defensive unit in Metallurg. I'm giving the edge to California over Montreal for the regular season conference winner.

*Note: I don't believe either team that I voted for to win each conference is the best playoff team in either conference.

[Idoit40fans]

I just went through the thread and picked 4 teams i liked the most hoping at least one would be in the other conference. I thought st louis and seattle were the best two teams.

[pcm]

Just curious, is this a full 82 game season? Because if so, these teams are going to be seeing a lot of each other. So much so (10x in each conference?) then it would begin to resemble playoff hockey a bit more.... whereas if we only play something like a 50 game season, then that have other effects on the results.

[mikey287]

Just curious, is this a full 82 game season? Because if so, these teams are going to be seeing a lot of each other. So much so (10x in each conference?) then it would begin to resemble playoff hockey a bit more.... whereas if we only play something like a 50 game season, then that have other effects on the results.

Hmm...good point. Assume a lengthy regular season. I wouldn't count on it resembling playoff hockey...like when divisional teams met 8 times a year right out of the lockout. It seemed to detract from the rivalry rather than enhance it...that was some pretty frilly hockey in those years overall...

[pcm]

Okay, how about an 80 game season.... 10*5 (intraconference) + 5*6 (interconference) = 80

[pcm]

The Foster Hewitt conference is stacked. My bold prediction is that if these teams were to actually play games (equal against everyone), this conference would have 6 of the top 9 teams in the whole league. I'm giving the edge to St. Louis over Seattle to win this conference in the regular season. I don't really have a breakdown for this conference because I could make a case for all 6 teams (yes, I'm being lazy).

I can't say I'm falling in love with any teams in the Danny Gallivan division. I almost feel like I'm looking at West vs East in today's NHL. California is going to be a PITA to play against, Carolina has the most potential, Columbus will be the caboose, Montreal should be solid, Toronto seems like it will work really well or really poorly, and I love the defensive unit in Metallurg. I'm giving the edge to California over Montreal for the regular season conference winner.

*Note: I don't believe either team that I voted for to win each conference is the best playoff team in either conference.

I think the opposite. Competition in the Danny Glover division seems much more fierce than in the Jennifer Love Hewitt conference, which is going to be a lot of pond hockey. Except LA and California seem to be in the wrong conferences...

[Mr. Colby]

The best two teams by far ars Seattle and St Louis... gave Seattle the edge because I like their depth a little more and am a huge fan of theirdefense and goaltending. St Louis also had a few too many streaky forwards and I am looking for consistency.

The danny tanner division was tougher to pick but I gave California the edge over toronto with magnitogorsk and Montreal also getring a second look... tough choice though with bylsma on the cali coaching staff but lets just hope they can get to their game. Congrats cali you have the right to get swept by the other conference

[count2infinity]

thanks all for the votes. personally I voted Seattle and Columbus.

[meow]

Kind of surprised with the votes in the Danny Bonaduce division.

[Idoit40fans]

Oh yeah i voted for toronto in the second division.

[count2infinity]

I like how symmetric the votes are... 6, 3, 3, 2, 0, 0 in each division.

[count2infinity]

great... someone broke the symmetry.

[pcm]

If I'm lucky, I might beat out Team -------------.

[count2infinity]

yessssss...symmetry is back.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

what happened to SolidSnake?

You think we should hire a interim GM for the Rangers? Who can at least throw a lineup together?

[mikey287]

I'm not sure where, SS is. Someone can PM him. But he's well aware that this is happening. I'm not going to chase anyone down. The fact that we got through the draft in a timely manner is a modern miracle...

In fact, I'm elated by the amount of participation in this to date. On the whole, you guys have been great. Thank you. (though, I guess anything is better than Pens-related right now...)

[Idoit40fans]

I can think of something worse than pens related right now.

Pens related during the season.

Also, James Neal

Also, Dan Bylsma

[Kovy27]

Sorry guys...I have had some personal things going on (2 deaths a few weeks back) and a bunch of other crap thrown at me. I put together a line-up...just no description. LOL

[mikey287]

For some reason, there is an odd number of votes now...but voting ends in a few hours...