I'd like to hear you guys' projections as to who will win the Stanley Cup in 2017. I'll share my thoughts. Remember, I'm only basing this off of teams who I think will make the playoffs:
3 teams I know will ABSOLUTELY NOT win the Cup:
1. Canadiens. They made a terrible decision trading Subban away to Nashville.
2. Red Wings. I think they're getting better, but they're not quite there yet.
3. Rangers. They got blasted by the Penguins in the 1st round and that might have exposed them.
3 teams that have a decent shot at winning the Cup:
1. Lightning. Their roster looks like it will be loaded this season. They signed Stamkos, Killorn, Hedman, and Vasilevskiy to my knowledge, and they are also getting close to signing Kucherov.
2. Penguins. This team was so good in the 2nd half of the season that I might consider picking them to going "nearly undefeated".
3. Blackhawks. It seems as though every other year, the Hawks win the Cup.
Who Will Win The Cup In 2016?
First off, to win the cup, you have to have a healthy roster. The Lightning were picked to get eliminated in the 2nd round by the Islanders, but nope. The Penguins lost Trevor Daley, but it still didn't matter, as they won the Cup. The Blackhawks have to stay consistent on defense and score enough goals (scoring has been a problem for the Hawks).
The Lightning nearly got to the Stanley Cup Final, taking a 3-2 lead against the Penguins, but losing the final 2. This year, I've got to go with Tampa Bay because of their loaded roster, pending that everyone stays healthy. However, it could just as easily be the Penguins or Blackhawks.