If the Playoffs started today.....

[yave1964]

If the Playoffs started today:

There would be a lot of confused people because its only November.

That's it. That's all I got.

[ihabs1993]

I would be confused, but surprisingly ok with it

[J0e Th0rnton]

And yet, the ice would be much better than in june

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

"....If the playoff started today............"

 

....then I know the idiots who know absolutely NOTHING about the NHL and hockey  have taken over as they would have decreed that the 'regular season doesn't matter' and we should just go right to the playoffs where people are MORE interested in what happens.

 

Seriously. I have heard that argument many times.

And if I were a knuckledragging male with no self control, I would take such people out back somewhere and pummel them with a goalie stick.....one hit for every game they cut off the schedule starting from today....

 

Buuutttt, back on topic, if the playoffs started today, assuming 82 games have been played, then the teams currently in playoff positions probably wouldn't be too much different than they would be in April.

Montreal, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto, Pittsburgh, NY Islanders, New Jersey out of the East? Ok, ok...maybe the Leafs being there IS a bit of a stretch...

 

St. Louis, Nashville, Winnipeg, Anaheim, Vancouver, Calgary, Los Angeles, San Jose out West....though the inclusion of Calgary and Winnipeg and exclusion of Chicago and Minnesota would CERTAINLY be a surprise....though feasible...the way teams have been playing.

[yave1964]

"....If the playoff started today............"

 

....then I know the idiots who know absolutely NOTHING about the NHL and hockey  have taken over as they would have decreed that the 'regular season doesn't matter' and we should just go right to the playoffs where people are MORE interested in what happens.

 

Seriously. I have heard that argument many times.

And if I were a knuckledragging male with no self control, I would take such people out back somewhere and pummel them with a goalie stick.....one hit for every game they cut off the schedule starting from today....

 

Buuutttt, back on topic, if the playoffs started today, assuming 82 games have been played, then the teams currently in playoff positions probably wouldn't be too much different than they would be in April.

Montreal, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto, Pittsburgh, NY Islanders, New Jersey out of the East? Ok, ok...maybe the Leafs being there IS a bit of a stretch...

 

St. Louis, Nashville, Winnipeg, Anaheim, Vancouver, Calgary, Los Angeles, San Jose out West....though the inclusion of Calgary and Winnipeg and exclusion of Chicago and Minnesota would CERTAINLY be a surprise....though feasible...the way teams have been playing.

Very nice TFG.

No seriously, when i started this I was going to post who was in and who was out but then my night time pills kicked in so I stopped, lol. Thanks for finishing the train of thought.

Mickey Redmond, who has been with the Wings organization for 40 plus years in some capacity or another always preaches a fast start to a season. I meant this to be, as we are approaching the quarter stretch type of thing.

Surprises in:

WEST: Nashville, Calgary Winnipeg.

EAST: Ottawa, Islanders

SURPRISES OUT

WEST: Chicago, Minnesota

EAST: Rangers, Bruins and Jackets.

I truly thought Boston would take a step back, middle of the pack, and quite frankly they are playing about as well as can be expected with no Wingers. The Rangers have a bit of a cup hangover, the Jackets are decimated with injuries.

In the West I have a hard time explaining the Wild and Hawks. Yes, Parise has been in and out but the way that Kuemper started it looked like nothing would matter, but they have really come back to earth.

The Hawks are the biggest surprise to me, I watched the Wings/Hawks last night, the Wings won 4-1 and the Hawks looked lifeless at times. I don't know if they are going with the Kings Philosophy, sleepwalk thru the season and get ready for the postseason. Toews as usual played his rear off but other than that I was unimpressed with Chicago last night. And Crawford, to me has always been a system goalie, on a good team he will win, on a bad team he wil lose. Kind of a modern day Chris Osgood, he wont carry the team he will just go along for the ride.

[jammer2]

@yave1964   SURPRISES OUT

WEST: Chicago, Minnesota

EAST: Rangers, Bruins and Jackets. 

 

  I can't see the Jackets finishing any lower than 3rd in the "MightyMetro" ™ jammer2!!!

[J0e Th0rnton]

It might suck if it started today.

That being said, the Sharks have played 5 Home games and 15 road games and are 7th in the West.

 

2 more points and they are tied for 3rd, 2 less points and they are 10th. Tight race as usual in the west.

[Yorick]

Pens would play against Bruins. OK.

 

Also, Atlantic Division 5 teams, Metropolitan 3 teams. Shame on Flyers!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Giving this thread a

 

 

As it is obviously an evolving topic as teams shift and jockey for position (hmm...don't often find an occasion to use the word 'jockey' but ahh, here is one!).....and I will focus my particular post on the Eastern Conference.

 

The 8 teams currently holding playoff spots, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Montreal, Boston, NY Islanders, Pittsburgh, NY Rangers, and Washington.

 

Might they be the 8 that we will see come the post season representing their divisions and conferences? They are gonna shift positions around, these 8, so matchups wouldn't be set for a long time, but I think we may have the 8 from the East already.

 

Why?

Well, the closest pursuers to the WC Boston and Washington teams are Florida, who are 7 points out, Ottawa/Toronto who are 10 points out, and Philly who are 12 points out.

 

And the way the the teams are constructed and how the fortunes have gone for teams like the Sens, Leafs and Flyers, I just can't see them suddenly stringing together a winning streak that will enable them to overcome those somewhat large deficits.

 

Florida remains an interesting darkhorse though.

7 points out...they play hard every night, have some nice talent...do they become buyers to help improve their offense (IMO their main weakness)?

Do they sell off any veterans who might be of use to other teams and reap the rewards of picks or young players?

Or just stand pat, do what they do, and let the chips fall where they may?

 

I just don't think the Panthers score enough as currently built to catch any of the top teams in the Atlantic, nor the Bruins or Capitals who hold WC spots...unless one of those teams goes into some gawd awful scoring slump and forgets how to win games suddenly.....not likely.

 

Thoughts on the group currently in place in the East?

 

Haven't really examined the West yet, but would be glad to hear anything on those as well.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Yet another THREAD BUMP

 

Honestly not sure why we haven't been using this thread more often down the stretch.....with teams shifting positions and playoff possibilities going in all sorts of directions, we could have had quite a thread going.

 

At any rate, let's have a look at our current playoff matchups....IF the season ended today of course  :

 

Eastern Conference:

 

WC2-Ottawa at 1-Montreal

 

The Hamburglar vs Carey Price. You want some hot goaltending to open a series, look no further. And this matchup would also be a classic offense (Sens) vs defense (Habs) and maybe it would spark that "non existent" rivalry many Habs fans don't want to acknowledge....hehe.

Also worth noting, the Senators went 3-1 against the Canadiens this season.

 

WC1-Washington at 1- NY Rangers

 

Past playoff rivals collide once again, but this time, the Caps have a bit of defense to back them up.

And Braden Holtby is overshadowed by a number of other goalies in the league, but one look at his numbers and one can easily see he is right among the league's best....plus, he has some playoff experience to draw on himself.

 

Would this be the series that Alex Ovechkin finally helps get his Caps 'over the hump'?  Not if a returning and refreshed Henrik Lundquist have anything to say about it...

 

3- Detroit at 2- Tampa Bay

 

Bolts have owned Detroit this season (3-0) and match up quite well against the Wings. 

As much as I figure Steve Yzerman loves his former organization, I bet he would absolutely RELISH the thought of being able to beat them in a best of seven set.

Yzerman was always a proud and competitive player, I see no reason he shouldn't be so as a GM.

Classic skill series here with two teams who do things from playing to developing (thanks to Yzerman importing over some 'Wings habits') quite similar, yet only one would be able to move forward.

 

3- Pittsburgh at 2 NY Islanders

 

Pens have had the Isles number for a number of seasons, but obviously, these aren't the same ol, same ol Islanders.

And with the Pens having some issues (in generating goals of all things!) right now, the Isles would be poised right now to eliminate a team like the Penguins.

However, because it is the playoffs, one has to figure that the stars will shine the brightest and Pitts has two very good ones on the forward lines, one on the defense, and say what you want about the goalie, one in net.

 

Isles HAVE handled Pittsburgh to the tune of 3-1 on the year, but Isles fans can consider this a rite of passage of sorts if their team really can beat Pitts in a best of seven.

 

 

Will list the Western matchups a bit later....unless someone wants to go ahead and list and talk about those before I can get back

[Polaris922]

Yet another THREAD BUMP

Honestly not sure why we haven't been using this thread more often down the stretch.....with teams shifting positions and playoff possibilities going in all sorts of directions, we could have had quite a thread going.

At any rate, let's have a look at our current playoff matchups....IF the season ended today of course :

Eastern Conference:

WC2-Ottawa at 1-Montreal

The Hamburglar vs Carey Price. You want some hot goaltending to open a series, look no further. And this matchup would also be a classic offense (Sens) vs defense (Habs) and maybe it would spark that "non existent" rivalry many Habs fans don't want to acknowledge....hehe.

Also worth noting, the Senators went 3-1 against the Canadiens this season.

WC1-Washington at 1- NY Rangers

Past playoff rivals collide once again, but this time, the Caps have a bit of defense to back them up.

And Braden Holtby is overshadowed by a number of other goalies in the league, but one look at his numbers and one can easily see he is right among the league's best....plus, he has some playoff experience to draw on himself.

Would this be the series that Alex Ovechkin finally helps get his Caps 'over the hump'? Not if a returning and refreshed Henrik Lundquist have anything to say about it...

3- Detroit at 2- Tampa Bay

Bolts have owned Detroit this season (3-0) and match up quite well against the Wings.

As much as I figure Steve Yzerman loves his former organization, I bet he would absolutely RELISH the thought of being able to beat them in a best of seven set.

Yzerman was always a proud and competitive player, I see no reason he shouldn't be so as a GM.

Classic skill series here with two teams who do things from playing to developing (thanks to Yzerman importing over some 'Wings habits') quite similar, yet only one would be able to move forward.

3- Pittsburgh at 2 NY Islanders

Pens have had the Isles number for a number of seasons, but obviously, these aren't the same ol, same ol Islanders.

And with the Pens having some issues (in generating goals of all things!) right now, the Isles would be poised right now to eliminate a team like the Penguins.

However, because it is the playoffs, one has to figure that the stars will shine the brightest and Pitts has two very good ones on the forward lines, one on the defense, and say what you want about the goalie, one in net.

Isles HAVE handled Pittsburgh to the tune of 3-1 on the year, but Isles fans can consider this a rite of passage of sorts if their team really can beat Pitts in a best of seven.

Will list the Western matchups a bit later....unless someone wants to go ahead and list and talk about those before I can get back

I think the standings could change pretty drastically so people don't look at the matchups too much yet. Will be a great discussion the few days after the season as the playoffs start though!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Here are the Western set as they stand....and they are probably more volatile than the Eastern ones at this stage....

 

WC2- Winnipeg at 1-St. Louis

 

Heavy vs heavy...but the Blues have had the better of it throughout the season with a 3-0-1 edge.

Blues have also been touted as "it's their year" for couple post seasons now...but umm, well, we know how far that has gotten them, right?

Jets meanwhile, are slowly looking like a team that could be contender for quite a while to come...but are they there yet? And if they do meet the Blues in round 1, what could they do different that would change the outcome vs the regular season's failures against St. Louis?

Also, from the Winnipeg side:  Pavalec or Hutchinson?

 

WC1- Minnesota at 1-Anaheim

 

Ducks are that big, tough, loaded Stanley Cup ready team, right?

Then why do I get the feeling the Wild aren't fazed by these guys?

Wild probably SHOULD....Ducks are 3-0 vs. Min this season, but just seems lately, no one is scary for Minnesota......maybe the team, as well as some of their fans (me..lol) are to delusional to think anyone could beat us as long as Dubnyk holds the secret of everlasting life!

 

At any rate, it would be a tough series against Anaheim for Minnesota, but in NO WAY do I say the Ducks take this easily...if at all.

 

 

3-Chicago at 2-Nashville

 

A bit ago, this series might have looked like Clash of the Titans.....well, it might still be if it came to be....but these days, the Preds look pretty ordinary.

And sorry, but no matter what issues the Hawks may or may not have, "ordinary" isn't going to cut it.

Perhaps the Preds have another gear in them for the post season....or maybe they just hit their slump late and will bounce back in time for the playoffs...either way, Nashville may have finished ahead, but still feels like THEY gotta beat Chicago and not the other way around....

 

3-Calgary at 2-Vancouver

 

Two teams out of the playoffs last year, but making noise this year, and if both get in, one will be sorely disappointed.

Canucks are probably more or less where many expected them to be ( in the playoffs, though not necessarily rated #2), but the Flames, well, some expected them to be improved, but how many REALLY thought they could make the post season THIS year?

Probably not too many.

 

The Western half of an all Canadian series (Ott vs Mon in the East, naturally), the winner here could still find themselves as the underdog in R2 against either Anaheim or Minnesota...imagine that.

Watch those Flames though...this year could be the start of a nice competitive run for them for the forseeable...

[yave1964]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

Statologists (to coin a word if it already hasn't been) absolutely HATE the Ducks, for the same reasons that they hated the Leafs a few years ago, their secondary stats are terrible, tome of possession in their own end is awful, and they have a ridiculously good record in one goal games, with the thinking being that luck will even out over the course of a season. A team like the Wild who have peaked at the right time might just surprise them if they meet in the first round.

No offense to the Jets but i don't see them having a chance against the best, most fun to watch Blues team in memory, especially if Shatty is back by then.

Chicago Nashville, same thing, a five game series if Kane comes back even money if not.

The fun series is the Canucks and Flames, provided they hold off the Kings. Two Western Cadadian teams going head to head, my God Cherry might have an aneurism.