
Opening Analysis / Round 1 / Round 2 / Round 3 / Final
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Connor McDavid leads all playoff scorers, and is rapidly climbing the all-time playoff scoring chart. [(c)NHL] |
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The finals are here and it will be an exciting rematch between Edmonton and Florida. The Panthers, in the final for the third straight year and looking to defend their 2024 championship, while Edmonton looks to flip the script and bring home Canada's first Cup since 1993. No doubt it will be "Elbows Up" among the players - putting aside the Canada-USA political narrative, they just want to win. It will be an exciting round of hockey. Enjoy it and Go Oilers!
We don't see Cup rematches often these days, but both of the past two have resulted in successful revenge. Detroit and Pittsburgh battled each other twice with the Red Wings winning in 2008 and the Penguins in '09, with Marian Hossa on the losing side both times. Prior to that, Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers got their revenge over the NY Islanders in 1984 after the Isles capped their dynasty in '83 over Edmonton. Canadian hockey fans can hope for history repeating itself and Connor McDavid, the most prolific playoff scorer since Gretzky, leading the Oilers to redemption.
For the third straight year, the pool neglected the Florida Panthers only to see them reach the finals. After bowing out in the second round in 2022 when they won the President's Trophy (Jets fans take heart) and were the third-ranked team with 389 picks, they were understandably picked only 21 times in 2023.
Following that Cup Finals run, they earned little respect with just 277 picks (6th) last year when they won the Cup. And as the defending champions this year, most people inexplicably passed over them again for other teams.
Their total went down to just 174 picks, 8th out of 16 teams. They'll no doubt be underbet again next year.
With a limit of 6 players from the two finalists, the pool Dream Team will always have a minimum of three players from other teams. After solid performances despite losing in round 3, Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen (36 picks) and defenseman Thomas Harley (11) have clinched their representation on the squad of optimal pool picks. And despite a solid effort by Carolina's Seth Jarvis, it is Winnipeg Jet Kyle Connor taking the final spot with 17 points for 152 picks despite losing in round 2.
With the Edmonton scoring machine cancelling each other out among the top 50, it is the differences on the Florida scoresheet that will determine any final changes in the standings. Mitch Wexler carries a nine-point lead and is poised to win, with Adam Jamieson in second. Adam needs Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett to get nine more points than Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart to challenge for first. In an interesting battle for third, Daisy Marquez and Brandon Poitras are currently tied; it is Barkov and Reinhart for Daisy versus Bennett and Brad Marchand for Brandon.
The winning team's Cup bonus will not be relevant this year except for Jo-Anne Enzel potentially displacing Ryan Thompson for fifth if Florida wins. Ryan finished an impressive 8th last year and looks to finish 5th or 6th this year - worthy of congratulations if not any prize money. If Edmonton wins, the top beneficiary would be Tyler Dominato, potentially into the top ten, but unable to reach the podium.
Risers |
Pos. Gain (R2,R3) |
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Hot |
Rd3 Pts. |
Stacy Martin |
160 (282,122) |
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Adam Jamieson |
49 |
Paul Groba |
108 (328,240) |
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Mitch Wexler |
49 |
Siyeon Lee |
102 (224,122) |
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Tina Speciale |
44 |
Rishi Mistri |
101 (240,139) |
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Tyler Dominato |
42 |
Desmond Desrosier |
101 (329,228) |
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Fallers |
Pos. Loss (R2,R3) |
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Not |
Rd3 Pts. |
Sean Power |
100 (46,146) |
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140 People with: |
0 |
Jordan Ungerman |
100 (46,146) |
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Frank Iusi |
98 (60,158) |
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Johnny De Bartolo |
98 (60,158) |
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Top Players |
Forwards |
Team |
Pts |
Picks |
Connor McDavid |
EDM |
26 |
176 |
Leon Draisaitl |
EDM |
25 |
151 |
Mikko Rantanen |
DAL |
22 |
36 |
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins |
EDM |
18 |
1 |
Aleksander Barkov |
FLA |
17 |
44 |
Kyle Connor |
WPG |
17 |
152 |
Sam Bennett |
FLA |
16 |
9 |
Seth Jarvis |
CAR |
16 |
23 |
Matthew Tkachuk |
FLA |
16 |
26 |
Sebastian Aho |
CAR |
15 |
54 |
William Nylander |
TOR |
15 |
96 |
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Defense |
Team |
Pts |
Picks |
Evan Bouchard |
EDM |
17 |
106 |
Thomas Harley |
DAL |
14 |
11 |
Cam Fowler |
STL |
10 |
1 |
Shayne Gostisbehere |
CAR |
9 |
17 |
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Goalies |
Team |
Pts |
Picks |
Sergei Bobrovsky |
FLA |
27 |
31 |
Stuart Skinner |
EDM |
21 |
4 |
Frederic Andersen |
DAL |
18 |
3 |
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Teams |
Edmonton | 448 | 22 |
Florida | 174 | 11 |
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Here are the projected scores and rankings for after
round 4, not including the Cup winner bonus. The projection assumes (wrongly, of course) that the players you
have alive will produce in round 4 at the same average rate as in the first
three rounds. Of course, if you have no players left, you will definitely have the same score as you have now!
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