Who Is The Toughest Team 2013

[SabresFanatic]

This may be a homer call, but you have to take the Buffalo Sabres seriously this year. With the additions of Steve Ott and John Scott the Sabres added a legit heavy and middle. Combine these two with Cody McCormick and Patrick Kaletta and you have a formidable team. Add in rookie Marcus Foligno with Nick Tarnasky and Joe Finley in Rochester, waiting to fill in, and this team is downright frightening.

I give Chicago the nod in the west:

Brandon Bolling
Daniel Carcillo (if healthy)
Jamal Mayers
Steve Montador

What do you think?

[Gunslinger]

John Scott will be lucky to see the ice very much in a shortened season. Steve Ott is an agitator but I would'nt consider him a legit middleweight. Cody is who he is and he is servicable. They are tougher in a grinding abrasive sense but not neccesarily in a fighting sense, unless Scott see's steady ice time and that ain't happening. Tougher than last year, but not toughest.

[lilburtis9363]

Sabres will be fun to watch for once no doubt, but Ott sucks at fighting he got KO'd by the biggest punching bag Kostopoulos. Kaleta has had some decent performances, but usually will turtle rather than fight. Cody is getting old, don't expect a lot more from him. I would like to see Scott prove himself this year and get in some fights with bigger names. Not the Dorsett's, Janssen's, and Brookbank's. Those are all light heavies, would like to see him against Carkner, Godard, Macintyre..guys like that

Bollig has been great to watch. Montador?? When's the last time he won a fight?

Isles are going to be tough with Eric Boulton, and Matt Carkner two heavies that can throw em and Matt Martin a LHW to back them up.

Rangers will be another tough roster with new additions Arron Asham and Micheal Haley. They'll also have Mike Rupp and Stu Bickel to back them up, and if any D are injured there's always a chance for Dylan McIlrath.

Bruins with another tough roster with Thornton, Looch, and Lane Macdermid if they call him up.

NJD got rid of Boulton, but replaced him with Krys Barch who will be a good one-two punch with Can Janssen. Ryan Carter and Bryce Salvador are also capable of going.

The east is looking good! Toughest team won't be determined till they start playing

[ValJamesRules]

Originally Posted by lilburtis9363

Sabres will be fun to watch for once no doubt, but Ott sucks at fighting he got KO'd by the biggest punching bag Kostopoulos. Kaleta has had some decent performances, but usually will turtle rather than fight. Cody is getting old, don't expect a lot more from him. I would like to see Scott prove himself this year and get in some fights with bigger names. Not the Dorsett's, Janssen's, and Brookbank's. Those are all light heavies, would like to see him against Carkner, Godard, Macintyre..guys like that

Bollig has been great to watch. Montador?? When's the last time he won a fight?

Isles are going to be tough with Eric Boulton, and Matt Carkner two heavies that can throw em and Matt Martin a LHW to back them up.

Rangers will be another tough roster with new additions Arron Asham and Micheal Haley. They'll also have Mike Rupp and Stu Bickel to back them up, and if any D are injured there's always a chance for Dylan McIlrath.

Bruins with another tough roster with Thornton, Looch, and Lane Macdermid if they call him up.

NJD got rid of Boulton, but replaced him with Krys Barch who will be a good one-two punch with Can Janssen. Ryan Carter and Bryce Salvador are also capable of going.

The east is looking good! Toughest team won't be determined till they start playing

Well put! But Godard retired, so we won't see Scott against him.

Sabres ARE much tougher and abrasive, but not really the toughest. I would have to agree with the Isles being the toughest. Carkner, Bolts and Martin are definitely going to supply some fisticuffs.

The East is going to be fun to watch. With Parros being in Florida, there are a lot of guys willing to drop the gloves, and with games only being played within the division and conference, there should be some bad blood fast.

I hope we see a lot more home-and-homes!

[slashtrey]

The Rangers definitely have a case for toughest team. If they roll Haley-Rupp-Asham on 4th line that would make for some great games vs PHI, NYI. Bickel will get plenty of minutes on D and he is another solid MW. It's very doubtful but if McIllrath got up to the NHL and all 5 of those guys were dressed, that would probably be the toughest lineup in the league.

[Philly Fan 27]

ottawa should get mentioned w/ neil and carkner

[lilburtis9363]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan 27

ottawa should get mentioned w/ neil and carkner

carkner is on the isles now with boulton and martin

[farcyde21]

B's should def have MacDermid on the roster this year. Even as a low scoring bruiser, he's more useful and effective than Caron. Would love for Lucic to lay some massive hits this year instead of trying to play the lame finesse game he went for last year. Thornton will be Thornton. And never forget Chara, he wont fight a lot but when he does there aren't many that will take him on. Outside of that, not too many pugilistic tendencies but they will stick up for each other. Overall, prob a mid to high contender for this discussion but not the toughest.

[Philly Fan 27]

Originally Posted by lilburtis9363

carkner is on the isles now with boulton and martin

well then i think the isles should be in the convo!

[Kid Roberts]

The Pens! No...Sadly.

[cookie monster]

The Blue Jackets may not be toughest team, but I bet they lead the nhl in fighting majors this year.

[solidus12]

Rangers will be another tough roster with new additions Arron Asham and Micheal Haley. They'll also have Mike Rupp and Stu Bickel to back them up, and if any D are injured there's always a chance for Dylan McIlrath.

Haley will most likely be in the minors, Rupp is overrated, Bickel is very game but an average fighter. Asham is a very nice addition though.

[Phila26Flyers]

Originally Posted by SabresFanatic

This may be a homer call, but you have to take the Buffalo Sabres seriously this year. With the additions of Steve Ott and John Scott the Sabres added a legit heavy and middle. Combine these two with Cody McCormick and Patrick Kaletta and you have a formidable team. Add in rookie Marcus Foligno with Nick Tarnasky and Joe Finley in Rochester, waiting to fill in, and this team is downright frightening.

If, by toughest, you mean most fighting majors, then maybe Buffalo. In terms of actual toughness, aside from Scott, those guys are all punching bags. They will be fun to watch, however. Buffalo/Boston games should be very interesting.

[AVP]

Rangers

Wild (Kassian, Konopka, Stoner, Dowell, Veilleux, Bagnall in aeros)

[Boston Garden]

East-Boston
West-Chicago or Minnesota