NHL Season - 2017-2018
- Thread starter tomalak301
- Start date
Winnipeg needs to win a playoff series before they can be called Stanley Cup favorites. Their history is marred by playoff disappointment. Nashville is the favorite, but I can't count out Vegas simply because they have managed to do everything this year.
Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh. It seems they could take a team of 4th liners with Malkin/Crosby/Murray and win the Cup. Tampa is a step ahead of Boston. As much as I would love to say Toronto is a favorite, I think their defense is still too porous to get past the second round.
Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh. It seems they could take a team of 4th liners with Malkin/Crosby/Murray and win the Cup. Tampa is a step ahead of Boston. As much as I would love to say Toronto is a favorite, I think their defense is still too porous to get past the second round.
I think a Jets/Preds series would be greatly entertaining. Other than the Sharks, that would be a series I watch every game for.
First round predictions!
East
Tampa Bay over New Jersey in 5 games
Toronto over Boston in 7 games
Washington over Columbus in 6 games
Pittsburgh over Philadelphia in 5 games
West
Vegas over Los Angeles in 7 games
San Jose over Anaheim in 7 games
Nashville over Colorado in 5 games
Winnipeg over Minnesota in 6 games
East
Tampa Bay over New Jersey in 5 games
Toronto over Boston in 7 games
Washington over Columbus in 6 games
Pittsburgh over Philadelphia in 5 games
West
Vegas over Los Angeles in 7 games
San Jose over Anaheim in 7 games
Nashville over Colorado in 5 games
Winnipeg over Minnesota in 6 games
I'll post my predictions as they were before yesterday's games:
Lightning over Devils in 6 - NJ will be feisty, Hall will be dynamite, but Tampa are just too good.
Bruins over Leafs in 6 - No revenge for Toronto this year.
Capitals over Blue Jackets in 6 - Columbus will be truly ready to contend soon, but I think they've run into the wrong opponent here.
Flyers over Penguins in 7 - This prediction looks especially bad now that the first game is over. Maybe a little wishful thinking was involved.
Predators over Avalanche in 5 - Similar to the TB/NJ series, the Avs put up a fight but Nashville are too strong.
Kings over Golden Knights in 7 - Vegas' lack of playoff experience overall will prove costly. The Kings' core are proven playoff stalwarts.
Wild over Jets in 7 - Doubting this one already, but I'm not wholly convinced the Jets are ready to shed their label of playoff underachievers.
Ducks over Sharks in 6 - Crapshoot; I just think the Ducks have been hotter recently.
Lightning over Devils in 6 - NJ will be feisty, Hall will be dynamite, but Tampa are just too good.
Bruins over Leafs in 6 - No revenge for Toronto this year.
Capitals over Blue Jackets in 6 - Columbus will be truly ready to contend soon, but I think they've run into the wrong opponent here.
Flyers over Penguins in 7 - This prediction looks especially bad now that the first game is over. Maybe a little wishful thinking was involved.
Predators over Avalanche in 5 - Similar to the TB/NJ series, the Avs put up a fight but Nashville are too strong.
Kings over Golden Knights in 7 - Vegas' lack of playoff experience overall will prove costly. The Kings' core are proven playoff stalwarts.
Wild over Jets in 7 - Doubting this one already, but I'm not wholly convinced the Jets are ready to shed their label of playoff underachievers.
Ducks over Sharks in 6 - Crapshoot; I just think the Ducks have been hotter recently.
I made mine on another board so here they are:
LA in 6 - Vegas looked really good last night though.
SJ in 7 - This is a crap shoot but I'm a Sharks fan, so I have to take them
NSH in 5 - I hope Colorado takes a game or 2 but it will be hard to beat Nashville in Smashville
Winnipeg in 6 - I thought the game last night was really entertaining. Minnesota is going to miss Suter though.
WSH in 6 - Washington has something to prove this year
PGH in 5 - I wish Pittsburgh would lose but they got gift wrapped a round one opponent
TB in 6 - I think of all the series, this one has the ability to be the most entertaining
TOR in 7 - (Toronto breaks the demons of their heartbreak the last time these two teams played a series)
LA in 6 - Vegas looked really good last night though.
SJ in 7 - This is a crap shoot but I'm a Sharks fan, so I have to take them
NSH in 5 - I hope Colorado takes a game or 2 but it will be hard to beat Nashville in Smashville
Winnipeg in 6 - I thought the game last night was really entertaining. Minnesota is going to miss Suter though.
WSH in 6 - Washington has something to prove this year
PGH in 5 - I wish Pittsburgh would lose but they got gift wrapped a round one opponent
TB in 6 - I think of all the series, this one has the ability to be the most entertaining
TOR in 7 - (Toronto breaks the demons of their heartbreak the last time these two teams played a series)
I only follow hockey when Bruins are in the playoffs, but based on their record I'm surprised how little respect they're getting here. 4th best record in the league, 2nd in the east, and top four teams separated by five points, well within one standard error. I'm curious the reason. Just a lot of Maple Leafs fans? Professional sports writers seem to have them winning the east second most often next to Tampa Bay.
I think of all the teams, Boston has the best chance of beating Pittsburgh and I hope it happens. I'm tired of seeing Pittsburgh in the final.
Vegas continues to really surprise me. It's not that whole first year luck or anything, but they are such a well coached team. If it's not the Sharks, the prospects of Vegas winning the Stanley Cup in it's first year is really amazing to me.
Vegas continues to really surprise me. It's not that whole first year luck or anything, but they are such a well coached team. If it's not the Sharks, the prospects of Vegas winning the Stanley Cup in it's first year is really amazing to me.
I mean, 3 people made picks, 2 of them picked Toronto. Is that "little respect" or "a lot of Maple Leaf fans"? I don't know.
That third period was painful to watch. Andersen was brutally weak, Gardiner looked lost, the offense couldn't get going and every time they tried to clear the puck, it ended up on a Boston stick. I could rant about what the Leafs need to do, but let's just hope they do what they need to to come back strong next year.
On to round two:
Pittsburgh over Washington in 6
Tampa over Boston in 6 (hopefully sooner just for spite)
San Jose over Vegas in 7
Nashville over Winnipeg in 6
On to round two:
Pittsburgh over Washington in 6
Tampa over Boston in 6 (hopefully sooner just for spite)
San Jose over Vegas in 7
Nashville over Winnipeg in 6
Bring on Vegas.
Welcome to the "Holy Crap, Who the hell are these Guys" club.
I'm picking Vegas to win it all now. I don't think they can be stopped.
The only way I see Washington winning this series is if Flurey is completely off and Ovechkin has the series of his life. Vegas is just that well coached and I expect Flurey to continue playing out of his mind.
Um - well, that happened. I live in the DC metro area but was rooting for upstart Vegas. Still impressive on the GK's part to even make it that far. I just hope the DC sports fans don't get big heads from this.
Yeah Washington dominated for the most part. I am happy for Ovechkin though. Cemented his induction to the hall of fame with that championship last night.
I'm glad Vegas didn't win in its first year, that would have been a little embarrassing, but them doing really well made a great story for the season.
It's interesting how the eighth best forward and fourth best defensemen on every team combine to make a cup contending team in NHL. I guess if you look at the math of the game compared to something like the NBA, a team of above average players can equal a team with more star power.
It's interesting how the eighth best forward and fourth best defensemen on every team combine to make a cup contending team in NHL. I guess if you look at the math of the game compared to something like the NBA, a team of above average players can equal a team with more star power.
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