so i dunno if they are any better on paper now than they were then.

on the ice, predictions or hype aside, eh, i've never thought this group was good enough to win. even when they were performing better last season, they had the exact same problems. inconsistent scoring, best players are not their best players (2004 was a long time ago for brad richards, no?), they lean way too heavily on their top pairing (have same problem SJ did in 2011) and they get worn down. the shorter season might help there, but i'm looking around the league and seeing plenty of guys banged up and tired as if it were a full season.