Like I said in the final 10 thread, the teams were pretty much locked, but there was some jockeying for position and one team flip in the West (ARI out, COL in).
Some positioning changes, NYI had the M1 seed, now M2 and play PIT instead of CAR. Not sure I feel they did themselves any damage, PIT is obviously skilled but they are old team trending down, and CAR (a bunch of jerks) is young and full of energy.
Anything can happen in hockey, 1 seeds lose, 2 seeds lose, it happens. So my predictions are not something I'd wager on per se, but just my feeling about the series and how they'll go.
East match-ups:
A1: TBL vs WC2: CBJ 4/10 IMO this is not a cake walk for the Lightning. Yes, they're the best team in hockey and one of the best teams in a long time, but CBJ went all-in. Not just with their acquisitions, but by the players they kept knowing there was a very low chance of keeping them (Panarin and Bobrovsky to name a couple).
Prediction: TB wins, but closer than some people think
A2: BOS vs A3: TOR 4/11 my favorite series of the 1st round, and this is why IMO the NHL changed the playoff format. they want these matchups "guaranteed" and they want them early. I love Boston to win this matchup, TOR has been coasting for a while (and they shouldn't have been) I don't love the TOR D and I don't love Andersen in the playoffs. BOS has the best line in hockey (if they keep them together) with Bergeron centering Marchand and Pastrnak. Their 2nd line is like many teams 1st line with Krejci, deBrusk and probably Heinen. He could shuffle things up, but Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak tallied 30 pts in the 7 game series vs TOR last year. I wouldn't mess with it. Toronto's fowards might even be deeper - and Boston has David Backes in their 4th line - but man that D could be exposed.
Prediction: BOS, in 6 or 7 in a great series
M1: WAS vs WC1: CAR 4/11
I like that CAR made the playoffs a year early (they just had the #2 pick in the last draft), but WAS should handle them. In the end this will provide the canes some good experience for their young team.
Prediction: WAS in 5.
M2: NYI vs M3: PIT 4/10
In a matchup of the last two stanley cup winning coaches, I think the Islanders actually helped themselves playing PIT instead of CAR, CAR is a team that I don't think anyone likes to play - highest shot total in the league. But IMO PIT with their aging skill is still a bad matchup for NYI who rely on timely scoring, solid D and stingy goal-tending, PIT PP IMO makes the difference. If the Islanders can stay out of the box, they can win this series, but it's the playoffs, and the spotlight will be on the officiating and they'll call it tight, benefiting the Pens.
Prediction: PIT in 5 or 6
West match-ups:
P1: CAL vs WC2: COL 4/11
The Flames are one of the most unheralded 1 seed I can remember. I think it's because a) they're in mountain time and b) their goalie situation is tenuous. But they have such a solid team on O and D I hope they get a long run and people get to see players like Gaudreau, Giordano, Monahan, etc. tough team in all facets. I said above the bruins have the best line in hockey, but Colorado's top line of MacKinnon, Rantanen and Landeskog isn't far behind. If Rantanen can return from injury. However, the Flames should roll.
Prediction: CAL in 5
P2: SJS vs P3: LVG 4/10
LVG team this year is MUCH better IMO, but they don't play quite the same style. SJS is everyone's pick every year to win the cup, they have probably the best D in the playoffs.
So they're mine to win this series.
Prediction: SJS in 5/6
C1: NSH vs WC1: DAL 4/10
Dallas owner publicly ripped his team - mostly stars Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn - Preds owner should have ripped his team. The Stars responded from mired in futility to make the playoffs, and they are my upset pick.
Prediction: Stars in 7
C2: WIN vs C3: STL 4/10
Love this series. Laine, Connor, Wheeler, Scheifele, Trouba, Ehlers, big Byfuglien - WIN has a star studded roster. The Blues are not bereft of talent either with Tarasenko, two-way prototype center Ryan O'Reilly (my favorite Oz character), Schenn, 19-year old Robert Thomas ans good D plus phenom goalie Jordan Binnington - yes he's a 25 year old rookie, but he's a rookie and he led the league in GAA.
Prediction, going with the HTA: Jets in 6.
Even though my team isn't in it, I'm looking forward to the playoffs. I hope the Bruins get knocked out early (doubt it), otherwise don't care who wins.
/sarcasm
a hot goalie certainly can help with an upset, but it requires more than that IMO.
The Islanders split the season series with the trash pens D and goalie, and now it's post-season where Murray has a stellar career 2.08 GAA even with last year's poor/mediocre showing.
I think the series comes down to specials like I said, and that's where I think the Pens separate.
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That vaunted pens defense and goaltending is trouble......NOT. No mention of that weak trash they trotting out there?
The Islanders split the season series with the trash pens D and goalie, and now it's post-season where Murray has a stellar career 2.08 GAA even with last year's poor/mediocre showing.
I think the series comes down to specials like I said, and that's where I think the Pens separate.
Wanna go?
Quote:
In comment 14376222 Fish said:
Quote:
That vaunted pens defense and goaltending is trouble......NOT. No mention of that weak trash they trotting out there?
The Islanders split the season series with the trash pens D and goalie, and now it's post-season where Murray has a stellar career 2.08 GAA even with last year's poor/mediocre showing.
I think the series comes down to specials like I said, and that's where I think the Pens separate.
Wanna go?
lol, it's just my opinion. you are of course free to disagree,
I appreciate your support here but as a Leads fan, I do not feel very confident today playing our nemesis, the Bruins. Pj said it alldefense plus Anderson = close your eyes.
Hey pj, sorry your boys didnt make it into the dance. What a finish though...Ryan Poehling might be that sniper your fans desperately desire.
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They haven't won in decades.
I appreciate your support here but as a Leads fan, I do not feel very confident today playing our nemesis, the Bruins. Pj said it alldefense plus Anderson = close your eyes.
Hey pj, sorry your boys didnt make it into the dance. What a finish though...Ryan Poehling might be that sniper your fans desperately desire.
Obviously I was disappointed and then 5 seconds later I was over it.
Poehling had a great debut, but he's not going to be a sniper. two of those goals were from the doorstep. He's more of a 2nd/3rd line C, and I think he'll be a good one, can score, play physical, defensively responsible, but I don't think he'll be in the race for any scoring titles.
Looking forward to the future with youth like Poehling, Kotkaniemi, Suzuki, and many more, I just wish Carey Price was 5 years younger.
It's a labor of love. lol. The West teams are hard, but the East teams not too bad. I have the NHL Center Ice package so I watch hockey every single night. While I avoided it for a long time, I was coerced into a fantasy hockey league with some of my men's league teammates. And it's helped me learn about players I normally wouldn't have otherwise. I watch all the juniors tournaments to see the younger kids come up and see what I can about the draft eligible and recently drafted players, I've even watched some KHL games
and some of it is what I read/watch/listen to from real experts.
I'm in a hockey house (wife and kids are all hockey fans), and my youngest is now very interested in it too and she (yes she) is rabid, in a good way, for anything hockey. She plays hockey on an elite club team that I coach, so it's nice to have something to bond over.
anyway, mostly what I post is purely my opinion unless I cite others, I'm not a scout, not THAT experienced as a coach (5th year coaching - all youth hockey), and I peaked as a player in high school (if not earlier) and only played D3 college, but I find the game to be the best sport on the planet and I like talking hockey with my fellow Giants fans.
Gino Reda
Verified account @GinoRedaTSN
6m6 minutes ago
Crazy Offensive season in the NHL!
Kucherovs 128pt - most in 23 years(Lemieux/Jagr)
6-100+ point players - most since 06-07
2-50 goal scorers - most since 11-12
Brent Burns - 83pts - most since Brian Leetch -95-96
#TSNHockey @7ElevenCanada #ThatsHockey #NHL
Gino Reda
Verified account @GinoRedaTSN
6m6 minutes ago
Crazy Offensive season in the NHL!
Kucherovs 128pt - most in 23 years(Lemieux/Jagr)
6-100+ point players - most since 06-07
2-50 goal scorers - most since 11-12
Brent Burns - 83pts - most since Brian Leetch -95-96
#TSNHockey @7ElevenCanada #ThatsHockey #NHL
which makes what Trotz and co. have done for the Isles all the more remarkable...
ok, enuf re. home town stuff
re. coaching your daughter, it's wonderful experience: I did that with my daughter (soccer) for three years, by which time the girls outgrew and outperformed the ability of their coach to teach and improve their play. BUT: always good to take a big step or two back from time to time to assess the bigger picture, your relationship as dad, to make sure the coach/player dynamic is not trespassing!!
Neat article in NYT this AM about how Trotz has become, within space of less than a year, a beloved figure on the Island. I would say it should be up there for one of the stories of the year in NHL. It would be a hoot if he continued to haunt Pens.
In the Athletic today there was an article by Pierre with his predicitions for the East series' and 2 unidentified Eastern Conference non playoff team coaches.
Their predictions were very close to mine.
TBL vs CBJ (all agreed TB but closer than expected)
WAS vs CAR (all had WAS)
BOS vs TOR (all had BOS - one coach said this about the Leafs D: Its amazing how many goals they give up right now, he said. I think theyve been bad defensively for a while and the goalie was masking it. But when the goalie isnt playing as well, they give up way too many goals."
NYI vs PIT: one has NYI, one had PIT, and Pierre had this: "Penguins in 7. Game 7 goes to double OT."
That's what I root for in the playoffs. OT's and Game 7's, As a fan, nothing better in any sport than NHL Playoff OT and game 7's. When the stars align and you get the rare Game 7 OT holy shit.
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about the season:
Gino Reda
Verified account @GinoRedaTSN
6m6 minutes ago
Crazy Offensive season in the NHL!
Kucherovs 128pt - most in 23 years(Lemieux/Jagr)
6-100+ point players - most since 06-07
2-50 goal scorers - most since 11-12
Brent Burns - 83pts - most since Brian Leetch -95-96
#TSNHockey @7ElevenCanada #ThatsHockey #NHL
which makes what Trotz and co. have done for the Isles all the more remarkable...
those are individual stats, league wide goal scoring is barely up from last year, how does this make anything Trotz has done more remarkable?
I simply couldn't handle this.
It does look like Cassidy has his top line back together.
Fluto Shinzawa
Verified account @FlutoShinzawa
12s13 seconds ago
Prax lines, first rotation:
Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Krejci-Kuhlman
Johansson-Coyle-Heinen
Nordstrom-Acciari-Wagner
He named Letang series MVP.
ok, I made that up, but in his write-up he did say the series could go either way and he picked the Pens because he had to pick a winner.
good luck Tony, you were very classy in victory last year and I feel like Ovie is one of the more underrated super stars of this era. Yes, he's highly regarded, but it's not enough IMO. The rate he's putting up goals in this era is Gretzky-esque (era adjusted).
Another 100 goals in his career (easy IMO) he'll be 4th all-time. Another 200 he'd be 2nd, behind only Gretzky - and not by much. He's got over 200 more goals than Crosby (Crosby leads Ovie in points).
I don't expect him to put up 50-goal seasons every year, but 4 more decent years he'll be among the all-time greats if he's not already. He has 2 years left on his contract, so we'll see what he wants to do.
And I loved seeing his "cup tour" (heck, I like seeing all the players with the cup after they win).
Lol, Tony...I hate the Caps with every fiber of my being (Fuck John Druce!) but I'm happy you got your Cup. It really, really sucks to have been rooting for lottery position for a month. Freakin' Rangers....
Dimitri Filipovic
Verified account @DimFilipovic
31s31 seconds ago
Doing some playoff prep and one of my main takeaways is that this Sidney Crosby character might have a future in this league
Quote:
Dimitri Filipovic
Verified account @DimFilipovic
31s31 seconds ago
Doing some playoff prep and one of my main takeaways is that this Sidney Crosby character might have a future in this league
Dude couldn't even have gone through the effort of breaking it down to /60 ?
Rear Admiral
@RearAdBsBlog
Per source, Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller is out for the playoffs with a LBI. For second straight year, the team loses a regular D-man prior to playoffs.
11:04 AM - 8 Apr 2019
Stars n Stripes Hockey
@StarsStripesHKY
53s53 seconds ago
Stars n Stripes Hockey Retweeted Michael Caples
Future #NTDP player Luke Hughes wins a national title with the Little Caesars 03s.
Luke is 15 and is already bigger than Jack (height at least).
Shane Wright and Luke Hughes I think in the same NHL draft (2022) (a lot of projection there though)
those are individual stats, league wide goal scoring is barely up from last year, how does this make anything Trotz has done more remarkable?
I know those are individual stats. Sorry I don't have time to go look up historical league wide scoring. Your post made it sound like we're in some golden age of scoring and I just commented that Trotz has joined the Isles and done just the opposite.
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those are individual stats, league wide goal scoring is barely up from last year, how does this make anything Trotz has done more remarkable?
I know those are individual stats. Sorry I don't have time to go look up historical league wide scoring. Your post made it sound like we're in some golden age of scoring and I just commented that Trotz has joined the Isles and done just the opposite.
No, sorry, didn't mean to make it seem that way. There was some ridiculously good individual offensive performances.
But overall goals per game were up only slightly from last year.
Make it happ'n!
NHL Public Relations
Verified account @PR_NHL
2018-19 marked the 10th time in League history and second in the past 25 years that teammates age 23 or younger hit the 100-point mark in the same season (@cmcdavid97 and Leon Draisaitl).
#NHLStats: https://atnhl.com/2TZDs2o
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the Penguins are a better team when Crosby is on the ice.
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Dimitri Filipovic
Verified account @DimFilipovic
31s31 seconds ago
Doing some playoff prep and one of my main takeaways is that this Sidney Crosby character might have a future in this league
Dude couldn't even have gone through the effort of breaking it down to /60 ?
What's your email? I have a debt to settle!
NBC Sports PR
Verified account @NBCSportsPR
Following are the @NHLonNBCSports commentary teams for the Game 1 Stanley Cup Playoff matchups this Wednesday and Thursday.
Quote:
NBC Sports PR
Verified account @NBCSportsPR
Following are the @NHLonNBCSports commentary teams for the Game 1 Stanley Cup Playoff matchups this Wednesday and Thursday.
I assume Brendan isn't doing the Isles because of potential bias? Though they do have AJ as an analyst for us...
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What's your email? I have a debt to settle!
Jay5627@gmail.com
Would ya wanna do double or nothing?
I'll take Brock Nelson over Tavares for total playoff points
#1: TB wins the Cup
#2: DAL makes it to the WCF
#3: WIN eliminated ASAP
#4: CBJ eliminated ASP
Pens defense is not trash, it's pretty deep and Murray has been great.
The Pens problem is their TEAM wide inattention to defense (forwards not covering).
Quote:
NBC Sports PR
Verified account @NBCSportsPR
Following are the @NHLonNBCSports commentary teams for the Game 1 Stanley Cup Playoff matchups this Wednesday and Thursday.
I'm upset there is no Mike Tirico.
I think he was better than ANYBODY.
Jones has been a mess and Karlsson is not healthy.
Also surprised you don't like Nashville.
I don't hate Tirico, but that is a solid list. And i hope I don't have to hear one second from Jack Edwards until next year.