So I think a good rule of thumb is that a 2-0 deficit for LA ensures they will win. Happened twice against the Hawks (and a third time went into OT with the Hawks), and now twice in a row against NY. Unbelievable.
I thought they were done for sure after going down 4-2.
Richards will be bought out this summer under the old CB deal, so that’s not a relevant cap hit, and the guys you listed there are all very replaceable.
Don’t forget what Chicago did in the summar of 2010…or maybe you forgot that they traded/waived/let walk 50% of their Cup winning roster. Or did you forget that Chicago won with the help of
Byfuglien
Ladd
Eager
Sopel
Fraser
Versteeg
all of those guys were dumped a month later. These are the same blackhawks you guys aer saying are doing great, remember.
They don’t have Stan Bowman managing their cap. What he has done after the 2010 capocalypse and the new team he assembled is a product of scouting and proper cap management.
Can’t really compare the two teams as the Rangers don’t have Toews/Kane and also don’t have the core the Blackhawks have or had, nor do they have the prospects or guys in the Ahl the hawks had to replace the depth guys we let walk. (bickell, Kruger, shaw, saad, leddy, smith)
And you don’t lose guys like Zuccarello or Kreider.