NHL TIME!!! NBA and MLB wussies need not apply, nor visor wearing french guys...
Lads and lassies, the Eastern Conference:
1. Tampa Bay\t84
2. Toronto\t84
3. Philadelphia\t84
4. Ottawa\t84
5. Boston\t82
6. New Jersey\t78
7. Montreal\t76
8. NY Islanders\t73
________________
9. Florida\t65
10. Buffalo\t63
11. Atlanta\t62
12. NY Rangers\t58
Ottawa has two games in hand, but I'd say there's good competitive product on the ice this year! Any of the top 6 could still end up anywhere, the top 7 even. The Rangers haven't a chance in Hell, but I include them to laugh, and the East may be slightly inflated because they have the Pens to beat up on at least 3X this season, but this side of the continent actually looks stronger this year.
Who's going to win it?
And what about the west:
1. Detroit\t85
2. Colorado\t82
3. San Jose\t81
4. Vancouver\t81
5. Dallas\t75
6. Calgary\t74
7. Nashville\t74
8. Los Angeles\t72
___________________
9. St. Louis\t68
10. Edmonton\t66
11. Anaheim\t63
The top teams are strong, but Dallas, Calgary, and Edmonton always show some guts down the stretch, any spoilers?
I think it's going to be a particularly good post season race this year. Some desparate older guys playing to win too, they know they ain't coming back if there's a strike.
Hey, if the playoffs started today, the buds and the habs would meet in the first round!
1. Tampa Bay\t84
2. Toronto\t84
3. Philadelphia\t84
4. Ottawa\t84
5. Boston\t82
6. New Jersey\t78
7. Montreal\t76
8. NY Islanders\t73
________________
9. Florida\t65
10. Buffalo\t63
11. Atlanta\t62
12. NY Rangers\t58
Ottawa has two games in hand, but I'd say there's good competitive product on the ice this year! Any of the top 6 could still end up anywhere, the top 7 even. The Rangers haven't a chance in Hell, but I include them to laugh, and the East may be slightly inflated because they have the Pens to beat up on at least 3X this season, but this side of the continent actually looks stronger this year.
Who's going to win it?
And what about the west:
1. Detroit\t85
2. Colorado\t82
3. San Jose\t81
4. Vancouver\t81
5. Dallas\t75
6. Calgary\t74
7. Nashville\t74
8. Los Angeles\t72
___________________
9. St. Louis\t68
10. Edmonton\t66
11. Anaheim\t63
The top teams are strong, but Dallas, Calgary, and Edmonton always show some guts down the stretch, any spoilers?
I think it's going to be a particularly good post season race this year. Some desparate older guys playing to win too, they know they ain't coming back if there's a strike.
Hey, if the playoffs started today, the buds and the habs would meet in the first round!
Comments
Seriously though, I think the EC 8 are pretty well decided barring bad injuries to one of the teams. I don't know about the exact order but the 8 won't change I don't think.
Out west I think Edmonton with the addition of Nedved will find a way in, and LA will find a way out. I also think Vancouver will win the division this year (homer alert! homer alert!)... Colorado has been pretty average all year, despite their tremendous talent. I don't think they're a hungry team, basically.
PS - As a dedicated Pens fan I would like to point out the following:
Islanders suck!
And there are good teams in the West too, but I think they'll run into the sort of gutsy competition that has them worn out by round four
I think the Avs' despite some great goaltending and always excellent offense will make it. Their D has suffered a whole lot and it's their own fault. Foote and Blake can't hold them all off, and Aebischer (had to check the spelling on that one) has been great but I have a feeling he's not quite up to dealing with the pressure of leading a Cup winner. Now I'm reading that the Avs might fire Granato and take Quenneville. While Quenneville is surely a better coach than Granato, and LaCroix's inevitable bonehead moves plus the inevitable and eventual exposing of Granato's lack of coaching experience with a Rangers-waiting-to-happen team, it would just pull the rug out from the Avs' Cup hopes this year. I'm thinking that Joseph is a good goalie, but he's never going to get over the hump and win a Cup. I think his team doesn't really think he will either. I'm thinking that San Jose might come away from it as a Cup player if Detroit implodes again.
I think it's Ottawa's year.
PS: the fire sale is officially on in Manhattan tonight.
That being said, without Stevens the Devils won't win. Boston still isn't deep enough to get past the stifling checking Thortons line will see in the playoffs (and Thorton will throw innumerable hissy fits from all the obstruction he'll see). Ottawa simply doesn't have the heart to win and will crumble if they face the Leafs early in the playoffs. That and Lalime has zero confidence. Philly has a shot but they don't have the goaltending to win it all. And if my precious Leafs lose Eddie at any point in the playoffs it's all over for the blue and white.
In the West, Vancouver versus Detroit in the conference final, Vancouver will win in 5. Joseph won't play - The Wings will go with Legace after CuJo's first shakey performance.
One thing I'm sure of - The Cup is coming back to Canada.
I wish we'd dump Turek. Of course no team would give more than a case of pucks for him right about now...
Originally posted by InactionMan
[...]
One thing I'm sure of - The Cup is coming back to Canada.
I'm not quite as sure, but I'm hoping. I would even settle for a Toronto Cup, assuming that Ottawa falls short, again.
But, speaking of falling short, how many years is it since Toronto has won the Cup? While the rest of us in Canada - especially those of us with ties to Montreal - snicker, I will pull for Leafs if they make it to the final - promise. I kinda like Toronto - lived there for a year - and would like to see a big parade down Yonge.
Oh, and it wouldn't so much be a parade as it would be a month long bloody riot. Toronto will burn if the Leafs win.
Originally posted by murbot
I wish we'd dump Turek. Of course no team would give more than a case of pucks for him right about now...
Obviously Sutter and the boys share my feelings about Turek. They just put "Large" on waivers.
Originally posted by rok
is it just me, or does anyone else feel like there are too many teams in the NHL playoffs?
Yes, any team from any location without snow on the ground at least part of the year should be disqualified before the playoffs even start. (Just kidding, folks)
Yes, the playoffs are too large. It makes the regular season almost irrelelvant. I have wanted changes to the rules in this regard for a long time.
Originally posted by BuonRotto
(a team can potentially play more than half a regular season to win the Cup -- 7 games in each of the four series)
7x4=28
There are more than 55 games in the regular season, dude.
I agree the regular season is pretty long, but limiting the playoff teams that severely would cut out a lot of good hockey... we all know that it'll never change, anyway. Might as well just try and enjoy it.
Originally posted by murbot
7x4=28
There are more than 55 games in the regular season, dude.
Holy brain cramp, Batman, I was thinking that added up to 49!
What they really need to do is start earlier, shrink the pre season down, and let teams carry 5-6 more players for the first 20 games, so that there's less emphasis on training camp. That and move the all star game to the off season. Do all of that and it might be possible to have this thing wrapped up by the end of April.
PS, the Leafs just administered a 6-2 drubbing to the Islanders. OK, so it's the Islanders, but they sure do play with a lot more comfort when Belfour minds the net. And Leetch greets TO fans with a 3 point effort.
If the old guys hold up...
I really think this is going to be a great post season. So many experienced guys across so many teams, and many of them know this is their last chance. The last team standing is gonna be a glorious collection of stitches, loose teeth, and broken bones.
If the Leafs win the cup, you're all invited to party at my place.
I'm all for a 60 game regular season and 10 teams per conference in the playoffs. There is nothing better in the world of sports than playoff hockey.