• Moderators, please send me a PM if you are unable to access mod permissions. Thanks, Habsy.

2016 Playoff Thread

I don't really care how Tampa does, because it's sort of impossible to guess what Tampa's performance on the ice is going to mean to Stamkos. If they do really well without him, then sure, maybe that increases his desire to stay for a better chance to win the Cup. Or maybe, because they're still good without him, he doesn't feel as bad about leaving them?

As for the Pens though, them losing as quickly as possible is definitely what we're all cheering for.

Ideally, they lose in one of the first two rounds, and then all the teams that make it into the third round are teams that finished behind them in the regular season standings (so, anyone except St-Louis, Dallas or Washington). That scenario could push their pick as high as 23rd overall.
 
LeafGm said:
Do you have some personal connection to the city of Nashville, Habitants? Because it continues to baffle me how butthurt you are that a decent, but not blue-chip prospect decided to exercise his right to play wherever he wants instead of signing on to spend the next seven years living in Tennessee, playing for a small-market hockey team.

And I mean, they're not even your favourite hockey team either.

Anyways, that aside, while a two game lead doesn't mean a series is over by any stretch of the imagination, it would be funny if San Jose was the only California team to avoid getting knocked out in the first round. And I wouldn't mind at all if we got to see a completely different crop of teams in the semi-finals this year.
Click to expand...

They are my second favorite hockey team behind the Habs. Simple enough.

And I just find it amusing to watch these playoffs when I think back to everyone saying why would vesey sign in Nashville just to be knocked out in the first round.

I guess Anaheim didn't get the memo that the Predators suck or something.
 
And I just find it amusing to watch these playoffs when I think back to everyone saying why would vesey sign in Nashville just to be knocked out in the first round.
Click to expand...

Nashville hasn't made it out of the 1st round yet. This is at best petty and at worst entirely premature. If you remember back to that conversation, that point you're slamming a whole 2 games into the 1st round was a rebuttal for your disbelief as to why he wouldn't want to sign with Nashville. If they make it to the WCF maybe you've got a point here. At the end of the day he turned down a bit of money and the opportunity to play for free for a few weeks, so that he could choose which city and organization he wanted to play for. Get over it.
 
MindzEye said:
Nashville hasn't made it out of the 1st round yet. This is at best petty and at worst entirely premature. If you remember back to that conversation, that point you're slamming a whole 2 games into the 1st round was a rebuttal for your disbelief as to why he wouldn't want to sign with Nashville. If they make it to the WCF maybe you've got a point here. At the end of the day he turned down a bit of money and the opportunity to play for free for a few weeks, so that he could choose which city and organization he wanted to play for. Get over it.
Click to expand...

This isn't about vesey.

It's me laughing at TML fans who thought the Predators would be pushovers and first round fodder.
 
The Preds don't "suck". They're a competitive team, as they have been throughout almost the franchise's entire history.

They're just not a Cup contender. And with their budget constraints, it's unlikely they ever will be, barring some great luck or inspired moves by their management.

As for their series against Anaheim, they've done a great job so far. But two games is a little early to be crowing about the Preds avoiding their usual first-round exit.
 
LeafGm said:
The Preds don't "suck". They're a competitive team, as they have been throughout almost the franchise's entire history.

They're just not a Cup contender. And with their budget constraints, it's unlikely they ever will be, barring some great luck or inspired moves by their management.

As for their series against Anaheim, they've done a great job so far. But two games is a little early to be crowing about the Preds avoiding their usual first-round exit.
Click to expand...

Yes, let's take a glance at how the cup contenders are doing, shall we?

Chicago down 2-1

LA down 0-2

Anaheim down 0-2.

Should those series continue to go the way they have gone, the west suddenly looks wide open.

MindzEye said:
At best petty, at worst hilariously premature.
Click to expand...
Maybe.
I like my chances of it being petty right now though.
 
Should those series continue to go the way they have gone, the west suddenly looks wide open.
Click to expand...

You know that in your scenario the #1 & #2 teams in the west go through to the 2nd round, right?
 
Habitants87 said:
People are seriously looking at St Louis as cup contenders?

OK then.
Click to expand...
So, let's get this straight.

If Chicago & LA go out in the first round, the West is "wide open" for the Preds, who squeaked into the playoffs as the 15th ranked team out of the 16 that made it in, but not for the NHL's #2 regular season team, who would have just finished knocking the defending Cup champions out of the playoffs to get to the second round?
 
LeafGm said:
Which do you think will be better?

His "Vesey didn't sign in Nashville after all" meltdown, or his "Nashville got knocked out of the playoffs early again" meltdown?
Click to expand...

Ill take option 3: "Vesey signs in Toronto... TAMPERING!!!!!!!!!!!!"
 
The West does look a lot better than the East again though. San Jose and St. Louis are showing that they are right there with Chicago and LA. And the Stars haven't really been tested.

IMO there will be 3 legit contenders in the West in the 2nd round... and the winner of Anaheim/Nashville.

The only team that I have been impressed with so far in the east is Washington. They are looking great though. Backstrom/Kuznetsov is as good of a 1/2 punch down the middle as anyone other than Pittsburgh. And Holtby might be the best goalie in the league. I like Tampa but Stamkos and Stralman are big losses.
 
LeafGm said:
So, let's get this straight.

If Chicago & LA go out in the first round, the West is "wide open" for the Preds, who squeaked into the playoffs as the 15th ranked team out of the 16 that made it in, but not for the NHL's #2 regular season team, who would have just finished knocking the defending Cup champions out of the playoffs to get to the second round?
Click to expand...
You go with the pundits, and the average fan about who wins between st louis and Chicago and the vast majority takes Chicago, it's hard to put st louis in the contender category.

That's just my opinion of course. I guess I shouldn't judge them though, the pundits had Anaheim in a cakewalk as well.
 
The issue the Ducks are having is that they're playing against a team that is both big and mobile(something they aren't quite as good at imo..they would love a smaller team or a bigger team that can't skate as well). I don't think they have a shot at beating the Preds but they'll probably win 1 game.

Preds on the other hand it's a perfect matchup for them even though overall they don't have as much talent.

Any of the other teams with more skill and speed(and some of them have decent size as well) and they're pretty much done.

Really enjoyed Isles win over Panthers(great comeback by Islanders). I think they have a shot at winning that series if they can just tighten up a bit defensively.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top