This week on “The Athletic Hockey Present”, Max Bultman and Corey Pronman have been joined by Scott Wheeler and FloHockey’s Chris Peters to debate which of the underside 10 groups from final season are more than likely to carry a Stanley Cup within the subsequent decade.
A partial transcript has been edited for readability and size. The complete episode is accessible on the “The Athletic Hockey Present” feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Max: I need to begin with an train Corey recommended about which of the underside 10 groups from final season are more than likely to win a Stanley Cup within the subsequent 10 years. We’re going to make use of final season as a result of these outcomes are closing. There are going to be some groups like Detroit, Philadelphia and Buffalo that weren’t within the backside 10 final yr that perhaps belong in the identical dialog. If individuals need to point out these of their solutions, I don’t have an issue with that. However simply to maintain some boundary on it, we’re going with the underside 10 from final yr. Which, simply to refresh all people’s thoughts, was San Jose, Chicago, Anaheim, Columbus, Montreal, Arizona (now Utah), Ottawa, Calgary, Seattle and New Jersey. From that pool, Scott, give me your primary group to win a Stanley Cup within the subsequent ten years.
Scott: I’ll go along with the San Jose Sharks. I’ve been actually excited by what they’ve completed this yr, regardless of how poor they’ve been within the standings and the purpose differential. Macklin Celebrini is a transformational participant for them. Will Smith has performed at a really excessive degree over the past two or three months and has me enthusiastic about his ongoing potential to be an upper-echelon level producer within the NHL. Very completely different conversations, however type of the Leon Draisaitl to the Connor McDavid or the Mikko Rantanen to the Nathan MacKinnon type of factor. I believe Will Smith has an opportunity to not be a Corridor of Famer like these guys are going to be, however to be a high-end offensive expertise. And I’m enthusiastic about what they’ve coming elsewhere within the group. Yaroslav Askarov is a stud. Sam Dickinson is a stud. They usually’re going so as to add one other participant of that Sam Dickinson, Will Smith caliber on this yr’s draft by drafting once more within the prime 5. It’s not going to be a Macklin Celebrini addition to that group, however I’d absolutely anticipate they’ll add one other high-end piece. In the event that they spend their cash properly when the time is correct — and in the event that they strike in free company — of the groups which are in a real rebuild and counting on their youth proper now like Montreal, Anaheim and Columbus, I believe they’ve bought the very best likelihood to strike when the iron is sizzling in a extra advantageous means than these different groups do.
Max: Chris, how about you?
Chris: I additionally went with the San Jose Sharks. It’s actually for one purpose and one purpose solely, that’s the centerpiece — Macklin Celebrini. You have a look at the groups which have gained Stanley Cups lately, they’ve that core participant. They’ve that man who has been a part of the group and has made a distinction. You look across the league and see the gamers which have are available by means of the draft over the past couple of years, I don’t suppose we’ve seen a participant as full and nearly as good a constructing block as Celebrini, however guys like Connor McDavid and others. However you see what he’s, and also you get that feeling that he’s what Nathan MacKinnon grew to become for Colorado. Much more so than a few of the different guys like Connor Bedard, who we expect goes to be a centerpiece for Chicago for a very long time to return, and the very best is but to return in his profession. However when you’ve that central determine, and once I take into consideration groups we’ll discuss later, like Montreal or Ottawa — though with Ottawa you possibly can argue whether or not it’s Tim Stutzle or Brady Tkachuk — there are groups within the backside 10 which have that core participant, however not a single one in all them will match what Macklin Celebrini’s final upside goes to be.
Then, as Scott talked about, they’ve these different items. Will Smith might be the Patrick Kane to the Jonathan Toews. That Batman and Robin state of affairs that finally flip-flopped over time, though I don’t suppose that’ll essentially occur between Smith and Celebrini. The truth that they’ve Yaroslav Askarov as properly is fascinating to me. As we’ve seen, groups can win with out centerpiece goaltending and elite goalies. It helps when you’ve it, however it doesn’t essentially preclude you from successful the Stanley Cup as a result of it’s far more about constructing the remainder of that group. However with Celebrini on the forefront and this yr’s draft, they’re including these items. There’s extra work to be completed for the Sharks amongst these different groups. However to me, the cheat code is Celebrini. You may’t win hockey video games with one participant, however you possibly can’t begin a rebuild with out a cornerstone, they usually have it.
Max: I attempted to do mine based mostly on replaceable items, or items that might be inconceivable to search out in any other case, and Celebrini actually matches that definition. I additionally love the place San Jose is positioned, as Scott alluded to, to get one other key piece on this draft. Whether or not it’s Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa or Porter Martone. They’re going to get one other premium piece, so I even have them at one. Is it a clear sweep, Corey?
Corey: That is the powerful factor with these sorts of workouts, as a result of once more, I really like Macklin Celebrini. He’s an elite participant and has a superb likelihood to be a prime 10, prime 5 participant within the league when he actually hits. The issue is the place they’re at this level proper now. To get from the place San Jose is correct now, which remains to be an thrilling younger group from a expertise perspective, however as an NHL group, they’re fairly poor. To get from there to win a Stanley Cup is a big climb. Take into consideration the final 10 or 15 years, what number of instances we’ve mentioned we’re excited by the younger expertise in Buffalo, or excited by the younger expertise in Columbus? And the actual marginal progress these groups took. It may be actually powerful. So I’m not going to place San Jose at one as a result of I believe they’ve a lot room to go to turn into a playoff group, not to mention a contender. Lots goes to want to go proper. Sure, we’ve preferred the event of the younger youngsters. However is Will Smith going to turn into a star? Is William Eklund going to turn into a star? Will Sam Dickinson turn into a star? Will Yaroslav Askarov turn into one? Possibly. However there’s a lot uncertainty there. It’s why the group I’ve at one is definitely a type of organisations I simply named, who we mentioned we’ve all the time been enthusiastic about, and I’m beginning to get enthusiastic about them once more — that’s Columbus.
Why Columbus? They’ve fallen off somewhat bit these days within the standings, as a result of they have been in a playoff race, however they’re slipping away from the race proper now. However I have a look at this lineup, each the present lineup and the place I believe this group goes. One, I see the elite items. Zach Werenski is within the MVP dialogue this yr, so that they have the elite participant. The best way he’s enjoying this yr, I additionally suppose Adam Fantilli goes to get to that elite degree. I don’t suppose he’s going to get to Macklin Celebrini degree, however I don’t suppose he’s going to be dramatically off. This man seems like he’s rising as a star primary centre on this league. He’s gotten snug one and a half years into his NHL profession. You additionally have a look at the expertise round him. Kirill Marchenko has elevated, Kent Johnson is having a improbable yr, and Denton Mateychuk appeared very promising as a rookie professional. The rebuild hasn’t gone completely, i.e. David Jiricek. However once more, not all rebuilds are going to go completely, there’s going to be misses. However I believe they’re quite a bit additional alongside. They’re round twelfth within the league in targets this yr, and sure, they’ve bought to shore up their targets towards. However I believe there’s numerous promise there. They’ve the elite items, they’ve the standard of younger depth, and I see a path if issues proceed to go properly for them to construct an elite group.
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(Prime picture: Christian Petersen / Getty Pictures)
