Who has the best chance to advance in the East?

[yave1964]

  The NHLs second season is mere days away, and i want to take a few minutes and rank from 8 down to 1 the teams with the best shot at claiming the Eastern conference title and going to the Finals.

 

8) LEAFS/LIGHTNING/ISLANDERS It should be the Leafs but has gotten a bit muddled over the last few days. I rank whoever comes out of this pile as the least likely to win the cup simply because if by some miracle they get past the Caps the next draw would be the winner of the Jackets/Penguins who are among the leagues elite.

 

7) Bruins. Made the playoffs in Hockey's weakest division with a decent path through their own division but too reliant on their top line and not enough depth.

 

6) Bluejackets. I HATE ranking them so low but the goofy way the playoffs are set up in spite of having the Eastern conference third best record they would have to beat the Penguins followed by the Capitals. Just too much for such a young team.

 

5) Senators. Might be healthier entering the playoffs than at any time all year and feeling it. Again easy division to try to run through.

 

4) Canadiens. Yes I know they won their division and all but they have been playing as if their skates were in cement down the stretch, i watched them down the stretch and they looked tired and i just don't see it.

 

3) Penguins. Jackets and Capitals on the Gauntlet but do not sleep on the defending champs. They always seem to have another gear this time of year.

 

2) Rangers. I do not think the Rags are one of the top two teams in the game, just saying they have an unbelievably easy schedule because of the screwy setup and could/should take advantage.

 

1) Capitals. They deserve to be ranked number one with the young Leafs the likely first round opponent and then catching the winner of the Penguins/Jackets which promises to be a bruising nasty series. If the Caps are ever gonna do it this is the year.

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

NHL Bracket Challenge time!

(almost)

[WordsOfWisdom]

1 hour ago, yave1964 said:

7) Bruins. Made the playoffs in Hockey's weakest division with a decent path through their own division but too reliant on their top line and not enough depth.

 

Picking up wins in 39 of their final 41 games......  

 

Perhaps someone can do a feature on the Boston Bruins. Why they win more games and stockpile more points than anyone else in NHL history not named Montreal. How they manage to win all the time with lackluster teams. How they always make the playoffs. etc.....   I'm not bitter....    

[Buffalo Rick]

The East is Washington's to lose.  I do not see that happening

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

I agree the East should be the Capitals' to lose...that said, SHOULD they get dropped in the 1st round (let's face it, not like that's unheard of for this team ), then the East is WIDE FRIGGIN OPEN!

 

Going by records, the Pens, Jackets, and Rangers should be dominant outside of the Capitals, but:

 

A) The Pens would have to repeat...and it is well established that is a hard thing to do in the NHL. Plus they are missing some key players....AND, despite what the media or some Pens fans may tell you, they JUST DID get by the Lightning and Sharks last season to win......they did NOT "dominate" as fanboys and girls would have you believe...just sayin.....

 

B) The Rangers have looked very hit or miss down the stretch...and their offense even disappears completely on some occasions, while their goaltending (cough LUNDQVIST...COUGH) has, at times, looked VERY ordinary.

 

C) The Jackets, while good, may find themselves in unfamiliar territory (in a deep playoff run). They certainly are talented, but many of their guys (especially the young players) are still new to the intensity that is the playoffs...they may or may not have what it takes this first go-round.

 

So yea.....either Washington remains favored, or its open season in the East as the aforementioned three teams could become faves should Washington fail (again...hehe)....... or one of the other Eastern teams makes a Cinderella run to the Finals only to be dropped by a Western battle tested powerhouse like Chicago, San Jose or maybe even Anaheim this year.

 

Rooting wise, since I don't have a dog in the East race, I can get behind either the Rangers, Senators, or Blue Jackets.

Seeing a deep run by either the Sens or Jackets would be awesome!

[hf101]

I'm thinking the Capitals and Bruins will have the easiest matchups coming out of the East.  The Rangers series can easily go longer depending on how well Price plays and the Penguins and Blue Jackets will be a disappointment if that series doesn't go 7 games.