Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I'm on the Sharks bandwagon this spring since the Avs are eliminated from both the '16-'17 and, somehow, the '17-'18 playoff race, too.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Pens are going to win the Cup. You heard it hear first. I have a feeling that they are going back-to-back.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

No Letang has me way off the Pens wagon.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Pens SCF appearances
91, 92

08, 09

16, 17?


I don't think we will win but if we get thru the first 2 rounds I think we at least get back to the final.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Bumping again. Fill it out if you haven't already!

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

The East is just too hard. You can get by without Letang for some time in the regular season, but in the NHL playoffs? I just don't see it. That defense is going to be beaten and busted to try and get through three rounds.

If they can survive the BJs, I just don't see how they get past the Caps. They're best hope is for the Leafs to upset the Caps.

But who knows? Weirder things have happened.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I eenie meenie minnie moe'ed my way through that. Hairy legs will be happy I have the Rags winning it all

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Seriously?

I'm pretty surprised so many are weary of the Penguins. I understand there's injuries and Letang is a big one, but let's not forget that they are the ultimate playoff tested team and their first opponent has virtually 0 playoff experience and their likely second opponent is the Caps and all the lol'ness that comes with that. I would love to say I feel even remotely confident in a series against the Pens but I don't. At all.

It won't surprise me even a little bit if the Pens end up in round 3 or further.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Haven't truly sat down to watch a Rangers game in about 2 months.

East:
Pens in 7
Caps in 5
Canadiens in 6
Sens in 7

West:
Hawks in 6
Blues in 6
Ducks in 5
Oilers in 7

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I am in!

My bracket is different than what I posted here though. Decided to let my Rangers fly in the bracket challenge! (Still don't have them winning, but going further this time!)

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I agree with all of this.

Caps are the better team this year, but until they get past the second round, I can't pick them. That said, if the Caps do get past the second round...watch out league!

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Happy playoff day!

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

In before Jamie says that, actually, the Hawks are the ultimate playoff tested team. Along with something about their blue line depth.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I'm surprised many of us have the Rangers over the Habs. National media seems ambivalent.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Yep. Definitely time to list some Hawks players.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Do this people. It makes it easier to make fun of everyone. Fix your names!

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I picked early exits for both Chicago and Pittsburgh.

Both opening series should be great. I don't see Nashville rolling over at all and hope Columbus can wear down the penguins.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I am a little surprised as well.

Breaking it down a little further:

NY Rangers as a team: It is hard to really know what this team is right now. They were bounced early last year by the eventual Cup winner. That alone makes it hard to know if they took a huge step back, or just ran into the best team early.

They also got younger, faster and scoring is way up from their norm. On the other hand, Hank looks like a solid goalie but not a great one recently, and the defense is clearly the weakest it has been in years.

The Rangers were a good team this year in the best division. They ended the last 2 months pretty poorly though. So again, it makes it hard to tell what they are right now.

Playoffs against Montreal: So the big question is what NY Rangers team will be on the ice tonight in Montreal?

There is a lot of playoff experience in that locker room. Everyone knows that this team has the potential to raise their game to a level that makes them very hard to play against in the playoffs. We will find out if last year was just an off year that they ran into the best team early, or we will find out if they really are past their window.

The other factor is Montreal of course. The Rangers don't play that well against the Habs and Price. Yes the Rangers beat them in 6 games in the 2014 ECF, but Price only played some of game 1. Outside of that series, the Habs have pretty much dominated the Rangers.

Hank is awful in Montreal, and the Rangers will need to use their stellar road record to get out of this series.

The good news is that Montreal missed the playoffs last season and are a very different team then the one that made the ECF in 2014. So we don't totally know what to expect from the Habs either. Furthermore, Montreal finished the season just 1 point ahead of the Rangers and kind of got screwed by the playoff system. Their reward for winning their division is a much harder first round. When you break down the stats, these two teams are very close and even by the numbers.

Conclusion: Hank v Price will probably win this series. The Habs will need Price to shutdown the Rangers speed and high scoring abilities. The Rangers will need Hank to make up the difference for their weaker defense. One of these two men will do a little more than the other and that will be the difference. I also think Game 1 matters more in this series for the Rangers. With the Rangers horrible home record and fantastic road record, they will want to send a message and set the tone with a quick game 1 road win. A loss in game 1 could seal their fate to a short series.

Final note, the Rangers are under a lot of pressure playing in New York, but the Habs are under even more pressure playing in Montreal. Winning their division will raise expectations on them. So I do feel like the Rangers will have less weight on their backs.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I follow the Preds somewhat closely and unfortunately, they took a step back this season. I truly believe the Webber/Suban trade will work out better for them in the long run, but in the short run, they are a worse team from last year. They lost a lot of games that they would have won last year. Add in the next level play we have seen from the Hawks at the end of the year and I feel like it is just too much for Nashville.

I think this could have been a 7 game series a year ago. This year it is looking more like 5 maybe 6 at best.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I just saw their defensive rankings and looked a little at the head to head matchups and really just took a chance.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

:lol

But I mean, seriously, the two of them are.

And on that note - if Duncan Keith were out (which is the closest comparison to Letang being out), there's no way in hell I would pick the Hawks to go far. Losing a top-tier defenseman in the playoffs is really hard to overcome. Regardless of if the team is "playoff tested" or not.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

It's a great day for hockey!

My completely unscientific and probably totally wrong first round predictions!

East:
Caps v. Leafs (Caps in 7 because they always make it interesting.)
Pens v. Jackets (Pens in 5)
Habs v. Rags (Rags in 6)
Sens v. Bruins (Sens in 7)

West:
Hawks v. Preds (Hawks in 5)
Wild v. Blues (Blues in 7)
Ducks v. Flames (Ducks in 7)
Oilers v. Sharks (Oilers in 6. I'm on the McDavid bandwagon. I think he'll get them through one series. I'm hardly discounting the Sharks though.)

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Get your stuff in people! Playoffs start today!

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Hitchcock returning to Dallas?

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/04/12/...y-as-tomorrow/

Getting my non-playoff-team news in before the games start tonight.

#mostwonderfultimeoftheyear

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Melrose picked the Caps to make a run to the Cup.

Sorry barbs, it was a good season.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Losing Letang sucks a big one, no doubt. It will likely cost the Pens a chance to repeat. But I'm not totally discounting the rest of the blue line, especially as Cole and Schultz are having career years. And with Crosby playing some of the best hockey of his career, and a healthy, hungry Malkin in full beast mode, I think they get past Columbus and have a shot against the Caps. They likely will run out of steam and feel the full effect of Letang's loss, but they'll make some noise before that.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

That just it though, if they gain some steam, I think they are a favorite again. It is hard to go back-to-back, but I just have a feeling the Pens could do it this year.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

I think we can all agree that if someone from the East wins it this year they will be from the Metro

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Totally agreed on that. Depending on what Rangers team shows up tonight, the Atlantic division teams may not even be the favorite to win their own divisional playoffs.

Although now that I think about it, part of me totally wants the ECF to be Toronto v. New York just to create chaos.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

no Letang=no repeat