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 Which team will win the Stanley Cup?
Posted: Tuesday May 04, 1999 12:51 PM
CNN/SI asked users which team will win the Stanley Cup? Here is a selection of the some 560 responses:
My pick to the win the Stanley Cup is the Dallas Stars. Sure, the Red
Wings are pretty good, but I think Dallas is by far the deepest team in the
league. They have good offense in Modano, Hull, and Niewendiek, good
all-around defense, and a great goalie in Ed Belfour. I think this is
their year.
I wish the St.Louis blues would win, but if I had to bet, I would probably
put my money on Detroit. They are the champions, and until somone beats
them, they still are.
I think Colorado will win the Cup this year, defeating New Jersey in the
finals. But not before we get some great hockey entertainment from both
conference finals. In the west, it'll be a rough and tumble Detroit and
Colorado, a series with no friendships. The eastern finals will be a great
story of revenge when the Devils meet Ottawa and get some payback for
getting knocked off in the first round last year. Colorado will win and it
will be nice for Dale
Hunter to get his name on the Stanley Cup, which still hurts around
here because of last year's sweep of the Caps by the Red Wings.
The Boston Bruins will
win the Stanley Cup because they have the hottest goalie in the league
right now, Byron DaFoe. Great goaltending can make just 1 or 2 goals stand
up over 60 minutes. A great offense will score goals, a great defense will
win Cups.
Ottawa will in the Stanley Cup this year. They are a young, hungry, well
disciplined team that will make you weak and feed on you in the third
period. Ottawa will take Dallas to five games and win it at home. Yashin,
of course, will be the difference.
The Pittsburgh Penguins
were the second-least penalized team this season and will have the most to
gain from the two-referee system. As the opposition relies on clutching and
grabbing and take bad penalties, I think the Penguins will rack up
power-play goals and win the Cup.
The Philadelphia Flyers
are my pick to win the Stanley Cup. I know this is a somewhat strange pick
since most people probably have them losing to Toronto in the opening
round. The bottom line is this, the Flyers hit rock bottom about two weeks
ago and have been playing better since. With the exception of the Red
Wings, I don't see any of the teams playing consistently well. My argument
is not that the Flyers are the best team in the league by any measure, but
I think they are on the upswing after their miserable middle/end of the
season. They have some quality veterans and an excellent goalie in
Vanbiesbrouk. And it seems that playing without Lindros is sometimes better
for their club. Flyers over the Redwings 4-2.
The New Jersey Devils
will hoist Lord Stanley's Cup, defeating for the 2 time in 4 years the Detroit Red Wings. The
Devils' defense can stiffle any opposition, and although their firepower is
limited, they don't have to score much to win. Defending champion Detroit,
on the other hand, looked like they bought the Cup in the Chelios
acquisition. But the key in winning the Cup, is goaltending, and quite
simply put, Detroit has no Martin Brodeur.
The postseason that will be remembered as a year when the Great One retired
is going to be dominated by the number 39. Dominik Hašek and his
hard-working squad will beat all the odds and bring for the first time the
Cup of Lord Stanley to Buffalo. Furthemore, Hašek will finally prove to all
previously blind fans of the fastest game on earth that he is the best
puckstopper between the pipes of all time. Buffalo will meet Avalanche in
the finals –- a team that will be too tired from great battles with the
Wings and Stars. The Hašek’s and his teammates’ achievement will bring
another euphoric celebration not only to Buffalo’s vicinity but to a little
tiny town named Pardubice as well. Go Sabres!
Can't you see the story unfolding already. The story of how the 98-99
Philadelphia Flyers managed to get through the first round of the playoffs
in 6 games over the Maple Leafs. How their captain and fearless leader came
back from an almost life threatening injury midway through the second round
and led his team to winning the Stanley Cup.
The Red Wings win number three. It's not about Yzerman, or Chelios, or
Osgood, or anyone else you care to name. It's about a team where everyone
has a role to play and they play to win as a team. No stars with huge
ego's. It's hockey the way it used to be.
Eric Lindros will heroically return from near death to carry the
Philadelphia Flyers to their first cup in 24 years. After losing almost
half of his body's blood, the bulky star will rejoin a confident reborn
Flyers team in the semi-finals. It will be a comeback of the ages!
Dallas will win the Cup. Dallas is the best team, top to bottom, and has
been so all season. They have had their playoff blowouts in past seasons
already, just like the Red Wings used to, and are ready. It's a pity the
fans in Minnesota who deserved a champion won't get to see these guys win
in Minneapolis.
Detroit all the way. No one can contend with them. The Wings bring
excitement to the game and that is what a lot of teams do not bring.
Everyone wants to see the Wings. Sure the Stars had a great year, but
Detroit is the fan favorite no matter where they go.
I believe the Ottawa
Senators are going to win the Stanley Cup. My reasons in this are the
Senators have great goaltending in Ron Tugnutt and high scoring
in Alexi Yashin. Also, no one is giving them a chance to win. I think they
will shock the world.
It's the Leafs' Time! It's been since 1967, we've got the highest-powered
offence in the NHL, the best playoff goalie in the NHL in Joseph, a VERY
underrated defence corps, a rock-solid coach in Pat Quinn, and hey, the
East is wide open, so why not?
The Detroit Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup. They have won the past two
Cups, it's hard to go against a champion, they have depth in their lineup,
they have veteran players that have won and know what it takes to win the
Cup and finally they have Scottie Bowman, one of the all time great coaches
that can beat anyone in a seven game series with whatever talent he has to
work with.
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