Better team: Atlanta or Tampa Bay

[C77]

End of season which team has more points?

[CloutierForVezina]

Needs moar poll.

Atlanta by far, though.

Their offense is surprisingly deep when you have 2 players (Afino + Peverley) making a combined 1.3 million who are both contributing over a point per game.

[CSampson]

Originally Posted by CloutierForVezina

Needs moar poll.

Atlanta by far, though.

Their offense is surprisingly deep when you have 2 players (Afino + Peverley) making a combined 1.3 million who are both contributing over a point per game.

By far? I think it'll be really close and both teams make it.

And I go with Tampa in the end. Though I do love Kovalchuk.

[C77]

Should I put whether either team will make the playoffs?

[CloutierForVezina]

Originally Posted by CSampson

By far? I think it'll be really close and both teams make it.

And I go with Tampa in the end. Though I do love Kovalchuk.

By far. I've been predicting since before the season that the Thrashers will make the playoffs, I just really like them.

I see Kovalchuk and Bogosian leading them far this year, and this is just personal opinion, but I feel the supporting cast around them of Little, White, Afinogenov, Peverley, Kane, Enstrom, Kubina and Pavelec is a little bit deeper than what the Lightning have.

Not to say the lightning are a bad team, but I think they're benefiting a LOT from Stamkos playing world class hockey right now. He is going to cool down sometime this year and I'm not sold on the rest of the team picking up the slack for him.

Next year will be Tampa's year to make themselves relevant again. Another year of development for Hedman and Stamkos will do wonders. If they can get another high-ish draft pick this year (8-12) I can see them being really dangerous really quick.

[Krejci46]

Originally Posted by C77

Should I put whether either team will make the playoffs?

No, the poll is good as is.

I say Atlanta, their team is pulling together and playing some great hockey so far this year. Some good off-season moves to bring Antropov and Kubina into town made their team better along with the progression of their young talent. I made the prediction last season that Atlanta would make the playoffs and Tampa won't. I'm sticking by that prediction and going to say Atlanta will finish ahead.

[Rhodes 10]

atlanta. out of 10 total losses only 2 were by more than a goal and 3 were overtime or shootouts. 3 of those regulation losses were without kovalchuk and mixed up lines. not to mention eventually kozlov, white, and little will break out of their line-wide slump and contribute. they also have the fewest games played of any team in the east and are still only 2 points out of a playoff spot. tampa has better defensive depth(though atlanta's isn't as bad as i thought it would be) but atlanta has better offensive depth. atlanta is also has the 5th best powerplay in the league and the 7th best penalty kill, both well above tampa. i think both teams are very even right now but i can only see atlanta improving throughout the season while i don't know how long tampa's top line can carry them

[IslesDude]

Atlanta has more depth if you ask me.

I think Tampa will be in big trouble if Stamkos cools off.