In a 6-team NHL, who makes the cut?

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 8:20 AM CDT

Suppose, hypothetically, the league was to suddenly shrink back to 6 teams and either remove the Cap or raise it massively. What would happen (other than Phoenix fans being screwed over again, obviously)? What players would make the cut? You could imagine Toews, Kane, Hossa & Sharp making it in with regards to forwards, but defense is where it gets more interesting.

We almost certainly have the best top 4 in the League; Keith makes it in, for sure, but what about Seabrook, Campbell & Hjammer? Are any of them in the top 36 D-men in the League? Hjammer's probably a no (for now, but watch this space) and Campbell's one of the best puck-moving D, so he gets a pass. Seabs? I say maybe, but even if he does, would he be paired with Keith? Does chemistry count for that much in this League, or does the possibility of Keith-Doughty or (heresy!) Keith-Lidstrom make coaches - and fans, too - salivate too much?

What Goalies make it? Based purely on Cap hit, the top 12 goalies are:

1. Lundqvist - $6.875mil

2. Ward - $6.3mil

3. Miller - $ 6.25mil

4. Giguere - $6mil

4T. Backstrom - $6mil

6. Kiprusoff - $5.833mil

7. Vokoun - $5.7mil

8. Huet - $5.625mil

9. Luongo - $5.333mil

10. Brodeur - $5.2mil

11. Thomas - $5mil

11T. Fleury - $5mil

I must say, I mostly agree with this; perhaps remove Huet, Giguere & maybe Fleury and add in Bryzgalov, Rinne & maybe Hiller/Rask, and you've got a fairly good overview of the best goalies in the League.

Another interesting concept: do coaches/GMs go purely for speed & skill, or are there a few agitators in there? Perfect example: would having 4 lines of Iginlas and Backstroms and Havlats, etc. have been the best way to go against a team of Sharks/Canucks built the same way, or would Bolland have been even more crucial than he was this postseason against such competition by taking them off their game?

Post your thoughts below, if you have any. Hell, go ahead and post the full rosters of all 6 teams if you have the time/inclination.

Note: I will freely admit that I ~~stole~~ borrowed the idea from this article that I just read, dealing with what Leafs would make it into this imaginary League. No, really. Stop laughing. You'll damage your lungs.

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Comments

Quick thought on teams

Blackhawks, Rangers, Habs, Penquins, Scum, Leafs

travel would be easy

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 9:42 AM CDT reply actions

and let the west coast teams form their own league.

easier travel on them too that way.

happy ninja is happy....and wants to share its new toy!

by puppetmasterp on Jul 22, 2010 9:47 AM CDT up reply actions

Why the Bruins being left out?

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions

that was a tough choice

Pens just built a new arena and I like the geographical locations better this way

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Scum could move there though

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions

I doubt moving out of Detroit

would be unpopular with the players.

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm thinking I like

Twin Cities over Boston now.

Habs vs Caps was a tough choice too. In the end I felt that Canada needs 2 of the teams.

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions

But

this increases the percentage of Canadian teams in the League from 20% to 33%! This is unacceptable in Bettman-land!

But yeah, I get your point; Minnesota’s a great place for hockey, and it would be a shame for fans there to be screwed over (again).

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions

Caps and Pens are teams built around their superstars. The fans show up for Lemieux/Crosby/Ovechkin. The Pens have had multiple bankruptcies. If I was going to cut down the teams to 10 or less, I probably wouldn’t include the Pens and maybe include the Caps.

If you’re going to cut down to 6, the original 6 is the most logical option.

Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger;
Our team is so much stronger
We've got Briere, Betts and Pronger...

by PursuitOfLappyness on Aug 1, 2010 3:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Gotta keep the Bruins

You’re basically going for the original six, may as well go for broke. Six teams are too few but 30 teams are too many. I wish the league was around 20 to 24 teams and no more. However, with the premise that the league is cut to six, the Hawks would be in pretty good shape, assuming they are one of the remaining teams.

39 years of pain vaporized by one OT goal.

by Badgerdano on Jul 22, 2010 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions

I've got the 20 team league

West Conf
Kings, Sharks, Nucks, Flames, Avs, Blues
Keep the team in Minnesota but name them the NorthStars again
Put teams in Winnipeg, Seattle and Kansas City

East Conf
Us, Scum, NYR, Leafs, Habs, Pens, Bruins, Caps, Flyers, Devils

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Awad's GVT for top 13 goalies....

Since Nabakov left I added a thirteenth.

Ryan Miller G BUF
Evgeni Nabokov G SJS
Ilya Bryzgalov G PHX
Henrik Lundqvist G NYR 7
Jimmy Howard G DET
Tomas Vokoun G FLA
Tuukka Rask G BOS
Jaroslav Halak G MTL
Miikka Kiprusoff G CGY
Craig Anderson G COL
Martin Brodeur G NJD
Jonas Hiller G ANA
Chris Mason G STL

Luongo is next btw…

by DaleHalas on Jul 22, 2010 3:11 PM CDT reply actions

this would be a low scoring league

nothin but smiles
my Captain is better than your Captain

by Johnny Lava on Jul 22, 2010 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Awad's GVT?

Que?

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Awad's GVT

GVT is Tom Awad’s attempt to get a stat in hockey similar to baseballs VORP (Value Over Replacement Player). People argue about parts of it, but for comparing goalies to goalies I thought it did a pretty good job.

Here are some links if you are interested:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

by DaleHalas on Jul 23, 2010 12:21 AM CDT up reply actions

Hmm, interesting

the only problem is that players like Howard & Anderson seem to me to be one-hit wonders, so including them on one good season seemed a bit unwise. Still, if they keep up their play from last year I will readily eat my words.

by Germware on Jul 23, 2010 3:48 AM CDT up reply actions

By the way

I realise the hypocrisy in saying this & including Rask as a possible top-12 Goalie in the League, but fuck it, it makes sense to me.

by Germware on Jul 23, 2010 7:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Two headed coin

Everyone thinks Niemi should be a top payed Goalie and he just won the cup. I love Nieim, don’t get me wrong, if Howard, Rask, Anderson and Halak are on here then I think Niemi might have a shot. I also think its too soon to tell. I had Howard and Niemi in fantasty going down the stretch and beat Bryzgaloz and Halak out in the playoffs.

by pnote on Jul 23, 2010 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions

Seebs

is a no-brainer.

June 30, 2010. We will rue this day.

by cliffkoroll on Jul 22, 2010 5:38 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah

the more I think about it, the more it’s obvious he’s top-36 in the League. Still, the question of chemistry over raw talent is still a pertinent one.

by Germware on Jul 22, 2010 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree that Keith and Seabs probably make each other better

but IMO their pairing might also be the reason that anyone would even question the fact that Seabs is in the league’s top 36.
Keith gets a lot of the glory while Seabs does the dirty work. Seabs is also more versatile than most people realize.

Lord Stanley's new address: Sweet Home Chicago!

by ChicagoNativeSon on Jul 22, 2010 11:25 PM CDT up reply actions