West vs. the East

Looking at the past several Cup winners it looks as though it will be a very long wait for the East to catch up in terms of talent, grit and ability to win the big prize.

Looking back:

Detroit - Always a power house team chalk one up for the West.

Anahiem - Won on strong Defense and grit - Another one for the West.

Carolina - This was an Eastern Conference win but if you look at who they played it took a tired Cinderella team that pushed them to 7 games with their backup goalie to get that one.

Tampa Bay - See Carolina but insert banged up Flames team and change backup goalie to number 1 goalie.

New Jersey - Again another Eastern team but this was vs. the Cinderella Anaheim team and Giguere became human after an exhausting run to the finals.

My point is in the past 5 years when the East did manage a Cup win it was vs. a Cinderella team and when the best of the East comes up against the best of the West the West wins it.

I'm wondering when this trend will turn. Will it always be that the tougher rougher style resides in the West and prepares them better for a Cup final?

I think the biggest advantage the Western conference has over the East is acclimatization. they travel so much during the year, they handle fatigue soo much better than the East.

I think we'll see a shift soon - this year, the top five pick will likely go to the East, and the top two at least are franchise players. Put them on teams who have already drafted well last year (not on NYI or Atlanta) and they would change the dynamic.

With Ottawa drafting early this year, Burke changing Toronto's approach, and Gainey taking a long-term approach in Montreal, I think that the NorthEast will become much stronger. Boston has also built a powerhouse, that should stand for at least a year or two. On top of that, New Jersey is a perrenial contender.

You have to keep in mind that the sample looked at was skewed - if you go back over the last 40 years, it is heavily weighted towards the East (something like 25-14, with one lost to the lockout). If you follow the trends though, it appears that there is a tendency towards a "pendulum effect", and that right now, it has swung towards the west.

http://proicehockey.about.com/od/stanleycupbunker/a/stanley_cuplist.htm

I was only referring to recent history. I do realise it swings back and forth and was just wondering if it was a trend that will reverse itself. If so when will it happen.

Give it two or three years tops.
I'd argue that it could even swing this year, with the way Washington and Boston are playing.

Boston and Washington have a legitimate shot at the Cup this year.

Here is the Vegas betting line on the Eastern Conference leaders EW:
Boston 6-1
Washington 8-1
New Jersey 14-1
Wild card odds: Philadelphia 14-1

West Conference leaders:
San Jose 5-2
Detroit 5-2
Calgary 14-1
Wild card odds: Chicago 12-1

http://www.belmont.com/live-lines/hockey/nhl-stanley-cup-lines/

davetherave wrote:Boston and Washington have a legitimate shot at the Cup this year.

Here is the Vegas betting line on the Eastern Conference leaders EW:
Boston 6-1
Washington 8-1
New Jersey 14-1
Wild card odds: Philadelphia 14-1

West Conference leaders:
San Jose 5-2
Detroit 5-2
Calgary 14-1
Wild card odds: Chicago 12-1

http://www.belmont.com/live-lines/hockey/nhl-stanley-cup-lines/

I would put $100 on NJ to win it all. :D

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:Boston and Washington have a legitimate shot at the Cup this year.

Here is the Vegas betting line on the Eastern Conference leaders EW:
Boston 6-1
Washington 8-1
New Jersey 14-1
Wild card odds: Philadelphia 14-1

West Conference leaders:
San Jose 5-2
Detroit 5-2
Calgary 14-1
Wild card odds: Chicago 12-1

http://www.belmont.com/live-lines/hockey/nhl-stanley-cup-lines/

I would put $100 on NJ to win it all. :D

Those odds are constantly updated BTW. You might want to place that bet while Marty Brodeur is still out.
:pirat:

davetherave wrote:
Those odds are constantly updated BTW. You might want to place that bet while Marty Brodeur is still out.
:pirat:

I'd be best off not to start betting on sports to be honest. But if I did...that would be the bet.

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
Those odds are constantly updated BTW. You might want to place that bet while Marty Brodeur is still out.
:pirat:

I'd be best off not to start betting on sports to be honest. But if I did...that would be the bet.

You still have time to change your mind and start betting... Marty Brodeur is THE money goalie in the NHL.

^ I think they're gonna win it all. But it's kinda a cap-shoot. Someone needs to lay down a bet.

504Heater wrote:^ I think they're gonna win it all. But it's kinda a cap-shoot. Someone needs to lay down a bet.

Agree with you that the Devs have the best shot of all the Eastern teams if Marty B is rockin'.

davetherave wrote:
Agree with you that the Devs have the best shot of all the Eastern teams if Marty B is rockin'.

Even if he's only at 70%, they're gonna seek and destroy. How do you cover Parise, Zajac, Elias, Rolston, Holik, Shanahan, Langenbrunner and Gionta? There's just not enough D :D

Plus, Martin is starting to really impress me. They'll add someone cool on their backend, maybe even 2 guys and they'll start to dominate.

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
Agree with you that the Devs have the best shot of all the Eastern teams if Marty B is rockin'.

Even if he's only at 70%, they're gonna seek and destroy. How do you cover Parise, Zajac, Elias, Rolston, Holik, Shanahan, Langenbrunner and Gionta? There's just not enough D :D

Plus, Martin is starting to really impress me. They'll add someone cool on their backend, maybe even 2 guys and they'll start to dominate.

Plus, they have serious team toughness. Starting with Rupp and Clarkson...

BTW do you think LouLam would take Kuba...or Phillips?