Pick Your Fantasy NHL Team To Find Out If You Could Win The Stanley Cup

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The Stanley Cup is not only the best-looking championship in all of professional sports, it's also the hardest to win. Sure, football players have to go through the grind of an arguably more physical sport, and basketball players have to win the same amount of playoff games (16), but the NHL playoffs is also a physical grind in which players battle through injuries on a daily basis to reach their ultimate goal. Look no further than Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, who, years ago, played through the Stanley Cup Finals with a broken rib, torn cartilage, and a separated shoulder. In the NBA, a player would miss the Finals with a twisted ankle or a stomach flu.

Consider these things when drafting your fantasy team. You want physicality and toughness, but don't go overboard; you need high-end skill on offense and defense to win the Stanley Cup. There's a reason the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins have won a combined six Stanley Cups in the past decade. However, picking your top line is relatively easy; it's the bottom-six forwards and third-pairing defense group that could make or break your team's chances at winning the Stanley Cup. Do you have what it takes to put together a championship team?

Question 1

Who would be your starting goaltender?

The old saying goes that defense wins championships. That's true in all sports, but in hockey it's particularly important, especially in regard to the most important position on the ice - the goaltender. There's a number of top-notch goalies in the league, but having the right one can make the difference between your team being a contender and a pretender. Choose carefully.

Question 2

Who would be your backup goaltender?

While it might not matter who your backup goaltender is if your starter remains healthy, NHL goaltenders have been known to suffer injuries at the worst possible time. Your team might be rolling into the playoffs, but if you lose your starter in the first or second round, can you rely on your backup goaltender to pick up the pieces and carry your team to glory?

Question 3

Who would be your first line center?

The first line center of a team ultimately drives the offense. While he doesn't necessarily need to be the best overall player on the team, he should, at the very least, be able to distribute the puck to his skilled wingers and play a strong two-way game. He can be a magnificent offensive player, but that means very little if he is forced to spend too much time in the defensive zone.

Question 4

Who is your first line winger?

For the wings, we won't worry so much about right or left side as most players can adapt to either position. However, keep in mind it might be more beneficial to have players play on their off wing as it allows them to streak down the side of the ice on their forehand with a better angle to create scoring chances. With the amount of talented wingers in the league, it's hard to mess this one up.

Question 5

Who is your first line winger?

We can't give you the option of picking four of the best wingers in the league to create a ridiculous first line or else it would be obvious your team could compete for the Stanley Cup. Instead, choose from these four players who are all very good in their own right and could play on any team's top line. Do you want a proven goal scorer with defensive capabilities or someone who can get under the opposition's skin?

Question 6

Who would be your first pair defenseman?

When choosing a No. 1 defenseman, you want someone who can not only provide offense from the blue line, but can help keep the puck out of his own zone. The game has changed significantly over the past 20 years and an increased value has been placed on players who can skate and move the puck creatively up the ice rather than the big physical presence teams once demanded.

Question 7

Who would be your first pair defenseman?

Your No. 2 defenseman should complement the skill set of the first defenseman you selected. If you chose a player primarily known for his offensive ability, you want to pick a defense partner who could cover for him when he rushes up ice or help him out in his own zone with a physical game. It's all about selecting a pair who could work well together throughout an 82-game regular season.

Question 8

Who would be your second line center?

The second line center of a hockey team is a lot more valuable than you might think. Many teams have dominant first-line centers, but what might set the best teams apart from the average teams is their second-line center, who, in a pinch, could play first-line duties, while providing quality play at both ends of the ice. There's no team more dangerous than one with a quality one-two punch.

Question 9

Who would be your second line winger?

All of the players listed have a great skill set, although some aren't quite the players they once were. While they could all play on a team's first line, if you're building a championship team, you're going to want a deep team with a quality second line. Line match-ups matter in the NHL and if you can get your strong second line against a team's bottom-six, you can expect some goals.

Question 10

Who would be your second line winger?

Again, you're going to want a player who can complement the skill set of the previous two second line forwards you selected. While it's enticing to pick three players who can score in bunches, it helps to add a player who is reliable in his own zone or brings another element to the game that your line is lacking. Think carefully.

Question 11

Who would be your second pairing defenseman?

While the first pairing will eat up the bulk of the minutes, especially in the playoffs, the second pairing might often be matched up against the top lines, especially on the road when the home team gets last line change. While it isn't reasonable to have a Norris Trophy candidate on the second pairing, there are some teams in the league with All-Star caliber second-pairing rearguards.

Question 12

Who would be your second pairing defenseman?

You want to build a mobile, but steady second defense pair, but that's hard to do in the modern NHL, when there is 31 teams all competing to acquire quality players and fit them under the salary cap. In reality, there's only about 50-60 quality second-pairing defensemen, and the teams that have two - or even three - usually have success well into the playoffs.

Question 13

Who is your third line center?

Your third line center should be able to chip in offensively from time to time, but ideally you want someone who is going to bring equal parts defensive ability and physicality. He should be skilled in the face-off dot and be able to eat up penalty kill minutes. A Stanley Cup-winning team generally has the best third line center in the league.

Question 14

Who would be your third line winger?

Whereas your third-line center should be able to do it all, the wingers on that line don't necessarily need to be able to play in all situations; however, you should select someone who could probably be just as effective on the power-play and penalty-kill with the ability to fill in admirably in the event of injuries. There's no All-Stars on the third line, so this is when the decisions become tough.

Question 15

Who would be your third line winger?

There's a little more skill in this grouping of players than on the previous list of third-line wingers, given most dominant third lines do have some goal-scoring ability. While the role of a third line is mostly to keep the puck out of the net, there's usually one or two players on that line who can provide offense when needed.

Question 16

Who would be your third pairing defenseman?

Your third defense pairing might only play 10-15 minutes in the regular season and even less in the playoffs, but it's still vital to have guys who can play in a higher role when needed. Depth is what separates the very good teams from the average teams, especially on defense. At the very least, your third-pairing guys should be able to play on the penalty kill and provide physicality.

Question 17

Who would be your third pairing defenseman?

Again, you're going to want someone with a decent skill set who can play between 10-15 minutes a game. It's also important to select someone with veteran experience who wouldn't have a problem with coming in and out of the lineup when necessary. Scratching a player with an ego can create a rift that could destroy a team's chemistry in the long run.

Question 18

Who would be your fourth line center?

NHL fourth lines used to mostly consist of goons and players who could barely skate. They played maybe five minutes a night and spent most of the time in the penalty box. The fourth line was where teams kept their heavyweight fighters, but with fighting slowly losing its place in the game, it's now a requirement to have skilled, speedy players on the fourth line.

Question 19

Who would be your fourth line winger?

Typically it's the wingers on the fourth line that can still drop the mitts and engage in a scrap or two, but they're becoming less and less in a league that is more about skill. Still, some teams keep one or two players with the ability to fight on its roster, while past teams like the Detroit Red Wings didn't have anyone who could fight, but still won Stanley Cups. What will you do?

Question 20

Who would be your fourth line winger?

Likewise with the other wing position, you want a player who is going to be able to play up and down your lineup, but provide energy and speed on your fourth line, or, at the very least, bring an element of physicality that players on the top three lines might not have. Every player contributes to a Stanley Cup win so don't take any decision lightly.

Question 21

Who would be your seventh defenseman?

Your team's seventh defenseman might not even play a single game in a potential playoff run, but that usually isn't the case. Whereas teams only dress six defenseman (for the most part), it's usually the case that one or more gets injured during the playoffs. Depth is crucial in a long playoff run, which is why you often see teams acquire defenseman at the trade deadline.

Question 22

Who would be your eighth defenseman?

NHL teams have a 23-man roster and, in many cases, opt to keep two extra forwards instead of two extra defensemen, but in this instance, considering a potential playoff run, we're going with eight defensemen. Remember, defense wins championships and you want to build the deepest core of blueliners possible. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of some of the players, as some are borderline NHLers after all.

Question 23

Who would be your 13th forward?

As with the seventh and eighth defense positions, you might not have much of an idea about any of the forwards listed, but expect them to play at least a handful of playoff games if you're going to win a Stanley Cup. No team ever goes through four playoff rounds without injury and that isn't going to change any time soon. Do you want veteran leadership or someone who can play up and down your lineup?

Question 24

Who would you pick as your team's top prospect?

While having a good 13th forward or seventh defenseman is important, sometimes teams instead opt to bring up a young player to fill a role and provide youthful energy in the playoffs. It has worked to varying degrees in the past. Consider whether you would want someone coming in on defense and playing a meaningful role or whether you would want an up-and-coming goal scorer making his mark on offense.

Question 25

Who would be your team's head coach?

As much as having a deep, talented roster can help you win a Stanley Cup, you ultimately won't hoist the most coveted championship in all of sports without a top-notch head coach. It's hard to remember a team without a legendary coach that won the Stanley Cup. A good coach can instill discipline among your team's players and take advantage of line match-ups throughout the playoffs.

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