View Full Version : Champions Cup?
Dr.Lacrosse
12-05-2005, 06:39 PM
who do you think will win the big one this year?
i say roughnecks
they will dominate this year
tomahawks11
12-05-2005, 06:43 PM
i hope the roughnecks.... probably toronto tho
Hooligan
12-05-2005, 07:07 PM
Riggers are a strong team. Lewis Ratcliffe has really become a force...
Toronto is the East front runner. But they've aged another year. How will that affect them?
Buffalo is offensively sound. But Bandit ball is costly in the penalty box.
Arizona surprised the NLL last year. That won't happen again to this highly talented team.
But outside of them, there are a lot of sleepers. Tops on that list are the Philadelphia Wings and San Jose Stealth. Both teams sport young talent that can really cut you up both offensively and defensively. If you want a prediction, you have to at least consider these two as spoilers, if not real possibilities for the post-season.
Duds this year could include:
Rochester (only getting older, and more stale each year)
Colorado (same as above, include absence of Gait)
Minnesota (too young, and too soon)
Edmonton/Portland (who knows?..but not likely)
RockStar
12-06-2005, 05:30 AM
But for Edmonton, and Minnesota, Colorado might be a dark horse for last place.
NO LEFT HANDED SCORING! The old grey Gait has finally packed it in. Let's keep going - Panos is gone (cut for the Paul Gait experiment), Brad Self is gone (played mostly D, but could have produced if brought up ). Langtry will be happy - there's no one to pass to, so he doens't need to pass anymore!
Other than that, you've got a middle of the road defense and a very good goaltender, but he's also a goalie that has shown a tendency to choke a bit during big games.
Prediction - 4th place, first round playoff exit.
The east is a crap shoot. Minny owns the basement, but any other team could finish 1st to 4th. Rochester is the dark horse for 4th because they're the only east team that looks noticeably weaker on paper now than they did last year. (They just lost two of the league's best defensemen, and I don't think Ed Comeau is head coach material). Toronto held level, Buffalo improved somewhat, and Philly improved big time.....This division's going to be so tight that a 9-7 record plus a tie-breaker might win it!
#15Roadies
12-06-2005, 06:37 AM
Rock fans always say other teams have a shot, just to be polite so they will still come and play. But the easy isn't a crapshoot, it is the Rock's to lose. They may have aged another year and that is good because it only puts most of their roster closer to their prime. They are playing a system that is tough to match. I predict they will win the championship again this year. They might not win the division, but they'll definately win the prize at the end of the day.
RockStar
12-06-2005, 03:29 PM
Rock fans always say other teams have a shot, just to be polite so they will still come and play. But the easy isn't a crapshoot, it is the Rock's to lose. They may have aged another year and that is good because it only puts most of their roster closer to their prime. They are playing a system that is tough to match. I predict they will win the championship again this year. They might not win the division, but they'll definately win the prize at the end of the day.
It's Toronto's division to lose, but I still think it's going to be tougher to win this season given Philly and Buffalo's improvements over last year.
titans 43
12-07-2005, 10:58 PM
I think it's going to be the bandits, great d, with a even better transition, and a pretty good offense if you ask me. And I think darris kilgour really wants it this year, but he wants it all the time anyway.
NLLStormCA
12-08-2005, 12:34 AM
portland has a good shot, if they play the fourth period they will win games...
tomahawks11
12-08-2005, 07:58 AM
no i dont think portland will win... probably toronto tho i dont want them to win it
laxgirl45
12-08-2005, 05:34 PM
Hopefuly the riggers!!!
i wonder how the rush is going to do this year
Its going to be Riggers and Rock all the way this year. Arizona got lucky with that collapse last year at the western final, and we all saw what happened against the Rock...no chance. San Jose for some reason I think will go somewhere this year.
The riggers are so sound they have barely changed anything in the roster. Even NLL calibre players who can really play well were cut this year just because there are so many vets on the roster. This goes the same for the rock.
Good old R&R for 06!
RockStar
12-09-2005, 05:28 AM
Its going to be Riggers and Rock all the way this year. Arizona got lucky with that collapse last year at the western final, and we all saw what happened against the Rock...no chance. San Jose for some reason I think will go somewhere this year.......
Calgary was definitely a better team that just had a meltdown against the Sting, but don't sell the Sting short. They still had to capitalize on Calgary's defensive and goaltending meltdown.
They also had to beat the Mammoth, in Colorado, just to get to Calgary.
I think their finals berth was well earned, but winning that one was a huge longshot at best.
(Truth be told, since the Rock entered the league, I don't think there's been ANY team that was better equipped to win than the 2004 version of the Rock!).
You make a good point about cutting NLL quality players too. Toronto's a funny team though, I can't think of any other team in the league that could cut Nick Trudeau (capable of 30 to 40 goals with enough floor time and the right teammates) and keep Tim O'Brien (capable of 5 goals, and 100 penalty minutes). :nut:
No matter, I know what Tim's real contribution to the team is. He's the best in the league at it, and "wasting" a roster spot on him is worth more than wasting it on a FOGO.
Boxla
12-09-2005, 11:25 AM
As talented as the rock are your point is right on the money. Timmy is there for a reason, and it's not like he doesn't know that. He would be the first to say that he is there to fight, and to pump his teamates in the process. As for who is gunna win this year, I'd say either the riggers or the rock, both of them are so talented with good coaching.
And why, has every candian team except montreal started with the letter R? Is this some sort of trend they wanna keep or coincidence?
Rock
Roughnecks
Ravens
Rebel
Rush
CRAZINESS!