B/R Experts' Twitter Debate: Who's the 2015 Stanley Cup Favorite?

Some would say it's too early to start debating the victor of the 2015 Stanley Cup. After all, we have 82 regular-season games and four rounds of the playoffs to go before the answer is revealed, and a lot can happen in that time.

Others would say that with four of the last five Cups going to either Chicago or Los Angeles, there's no need to wait through the regular season to pick a clear favourite. They argue it will be the Kings or the Blackhawks, and those teams from the godless East need not bother even showing up in the Final. 

In this case, "some" is represented by yours truly, the writer with the humility to look at the unfolding season and acknowledge that things are going to happen that simply cannot be predicted and trying to put a name to a clear favourite is an exercise in futility.  

Taking to Twitter to debate this point with me are B/R's excellent Dave Lozo and Lyle Richardson. For all their good points, Lozo and Richardson are here like veteran, accomplished actors being cast in a Michael Bay film: No matter how well they perform, they're starting from a doomed position. Lozo thinks the Kings will win it all, while Richardson argues in favour of the 'Hawks, but both make the mistake of picking a single option versus my 28. 

(Incidentally, for those wanting to know exactly how those 28 teams stack up, check out Bleacher Report's complete Stanley Cup odds from last week.)

However, while I should be able to unilaterally declare victory based on our starting positions alone, the editors here insist that I present the entire debate and allow our readers to determine the answer for themselves. 

The Debate

Here's how the arguments unfolded. Scroll down in the box below to see the entire conversation. 

Weigh In

Who do you think will be the 2015 Stanley Cup champion? Choose your answer in the poll below, and leave any additional thoughts in the comments. And be sure to follow the debaters on Twitter: 

@Jonathan Willis @DaveLozo @SpectorsHockey