2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff - predictions and discussion thread

[robyrob]

OK, playoffs for the 2017 Stanley Cup are about to start, who are your picks?

https://www.nhl.com/stanley-cup-playoffs

First Round we have:

West:

c1 Chicago Blackhawks vs wc2 Nashville Predators

c2 Minnesota Wild vs. c3 St. Louis Blues

p1 Anaheim Ducks vs. wc1 Calgary Flames

p2 Edmonton Oilers vs. p3 San Jose Sharks

East:

m1 Washington Capitals vs. wc2 Toronto Maple Leafs

m2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. m3 Columbus Blue Jackets

a1 Montreal Canadiens vs. wc1 New York Rangers

a2 Ottawa Senators vs. a3 Boston Bruins

- it all starts Wednesday April 12th - so make your picks now!!

[opus]

Finally the Capitals year?

[danderson400]

I'm kind of curious as to whom NBC will use for some of the lower level series, like SJ/EDM, BOS/OTT and NYR/MTL. I hope it an't Paul Romanuk calling the Rangers/Habs series; I've read some pretty bad complaints about his work on CBC.

[Dianne3]

Most years these hockey threads start with a lot of excitement, but because the hockey playoffs are long, the longer they go the less people post.

Can anyone explain why in Canada Sportnet pays over a billion dollars for NHL rights, yet the NHL caters to NBC who pays how much?

I'm a Sens fan by the way.

[opus]

Why does this topic title have the angry face by it? Did robyrob's team not make it in ?

[1960'sTVfan]

I would like to see Columbus vs. Nashville in the finals, but I doubt that is going to happen. Would be cool if it did happen, it would be a major league championship battle between two minor league sounding locations.

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by opus

Why does this topic title have the angry face by it? Did robyrob's team not make it in ?

although my Canucks didn't have a chance in hell of getting in this year, I have embraced the Blue Jackets and am happily following them

the angry face was more directed at getting SERIOUS about the real season starting now.

[opus]

Originally Posted by robyrob

although my Canucks didn't have a chance in hell of getting in this year, I have embraced the Blue Jackets and am happily following them

the angry face was more directed at getting SERIOUS about the real season starting now.

My team (Islanders) ended up missing out by a point, so I'm perfectly fine with the angry face representing angry

[robyrob]

my picks:

West:

c1 Chicago Blackhawks vs wc2 Nashville Predators - I'm not a big fan of the Blackhawks and I don't think they are the same team of two years ago, but I still think they will take this series in 5 games.

c2 Minnesota Wild vs. c3 St. Louis Blues - Minnesota has had a great team all year, but they have had a bad slide to end the season and the Blues have more playoff experience and want it more - so they take it in 6.

p1 Anaheim Ducks vs. wc1 Calgary Flames - the Flames have been hot to end the season, but I think the Ducks will prevail in 7 games.

p2 Edmonton Oilers vs. p3 San Jose Sharks - this is the toughest one to call in the West; I think the Oilers are capable of winning this series but somehow the Sharks do it in 6 (and if they go out in the first round this year head are gonna roll).


East:

m1 Washington Capitals vs. wc2 Toronto Maple Leafs - I have been a lifelong Caps fan, it is good to see them playing like this - Caps in 5.

m2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. m3 Columbus Blue Jackets - #CBJ all the way - they had a rough patch to end the season but when they are on they can beat anyone in the league; the Blue Jackets have nothing to lose, if they don't take it to the second round they still have gained a ton of momentum and built a loyal fan base that will be happy with everything they have done this year, whereas the Penguins as last year's champs will go home hanging their heads in shame when the Blue Jackets beat them in 7.

a1 Montreal Canadiens vs. wc1 New York Rangers - the Rangers are tough but the Habs take it in 6 games.

a2 Ottawa Senators vs. a3 Boston Bruins - the Bruins barely made the playoffs, I just don't think they have a good enough team to go anywhere this year, they should be focusing on a rebuild. Sens in 5.

2nd round - Blues beat Blackhawks, Ducks over Sharks, Caps over Blue Jackets, and Canadiens over Sens.

in the final Ducks lose to the Caps in 6 games.

[robyrob]

I usually like to root for the underdog - but mostly I want to see teams that have either never won or never made it to the Stanley Cup finally get there.

So I am hoping the Predators do better than expected and really want to see the Blues take out the Blackhawks.

I've never been a Calgary fan (too many rivalries with the Canucks) but I do like a young up-and-coming team and like to see them do well, so I'm not sure what team I'll be rooting for in that series - just want to see some good hockey. Pretty much the same scenario with the Oilers-Sharks series, although I do think if it comes to it, I'd rather see either Anaheim or the Blues go up against the Blackhawks - I really don't want to see them go to the finals again.

I've always been a Caps fan and it should be a great series against the Leafs, but I don't think the Leafs really have much of a chance.

I'll be mainly watching and rooting for the Blue Jackets, but even if they manage to squeak by the Pens I don't think they can get past the Caps, it is just too deep and talented a team this year. I think the Pens are really going to take Columbus serious but they will probably get surprised in an early game or two. I think Crosby is really overrated - he has lots of talent, but really doesn't show up every game - he seems to just only try hard when he feels like it. Whether it is a meaningless preseason game or a game seven play-off game, sometimes he just doesn't act like he cares at all. Either that or he's being a crybaby, which really gets me irked. Other than that, the Pens have a lot of injuries and even if some of them come back for the playoffs, I don't think those guys are at 100%.

Montreal vs Rangers, not really a fan of Montreal, but I hate the Rangers - especially Kreider and generally any player that sets out to intentionally injure other players.

...which brings me to the Bruins vs Sens series. I really think that Brad Marchand's recent spearing incident one week ago really deserved a lot more than a two game suspension. This guy has repeatedly shown more than just a disregard for other player's safety - that was an outright and deliberate jab at another player with obvious intent to injure, and it clearly shows that he thinks that because he is a "star" or marquee player that he can get away with just about anything with very little response from the league. His comments about it afterwards displayed how little he cared about it and showed absolutely no remorse for what he did; he was basically saying "this is hockey it's a rough game" - which is a somewhat fair statement, but he is sortof also saying "hey, sometimes I intentionally injure other guys just for fun, and if I actually substantially hurt someone or end their career, who cares - I'm a STAR." That said, I hope the Sens mop the floor with those jerks.

[MrCleveland]

I sooooo want this to be Columbus' year...

[Dianne3]

I know it's doubtful that the Sens will make it all the way, but every year my dream matchup is whatever matchup will upset the networks the most.

I don't think Ovechkin is destined to win a Stanley Cup. Just a feeling. He's more focused on leaving the NHL to play in the Olympics next winter.

[Sal]

My predictions:


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Edmonton vs San Jose - Connor McDavid vs last year's Cup finalists. Sharks aren't as good as last year and facing the NHL's newest boy wonder will test their veteran core but they will still battle hard to the end.

Edmonton in 7

Anaheim vs Calgary - Calgary hasn't won a road game in Anaheim in the last 25 games and the Ducks will have home ice advantage. Even if they do pull off a miracle win at some point, the Ducks are still better.

Anaheim in 6

Chicago vs Nashville - P K Subban's first playoff series with Nashville and he should be a big difference in the outcome --- in Chicago's favour!

Blackhawks in 6

St. Louis vs Minnesota - This series is very tough to call. The goaltending should be very good for both sides and in the end it may come down to a lucky bounce or a timely goal from a gamebreaker like the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko.

St Louis in 7


EASTERN CONFERENCE


Pittsburgh vs Columbus - The best player in the world facing a team that over-achieved in a big way. Bottom line: Crosby still rules!

Pittsburgh in 5


Montreal vs NYRangers - This should be another good series to watch featuring two of the NHL's greatest goalies, Montreal's Carey Price and New York's Henrik Lundqvist. I wonder if Chris Kreider will try to run Price like he did in their last playoff series. That would be super awesome!

Rangers in 6

PS: Bad news, Danderson! Paul Romanuk is in fact calling the series for CBC and what you've heard about him is true. He really is that bad, almost as bad as Pierre McGuire on NBC.


Ottawa vs Boston - Boston will win this in 4 games because NHL rules state that you can't finish a series after 3!


Washington vs Toronto - Alex Ovechkin can go stuff himself. His team will not be winning the Cup this year. If the Leafs don't beat them, Pittsburgh will. Still, it will be a lot of fun watching the NHL's most exciting team try to pull off a David vs Goliath type of upset. Don't be surprised if this series goes longer than you expect.


Leafs in 7

[MrCleveland]

I have some doubts with The Blue Jackets since the play against Pittsburgh...well, I also have doubts for the Cavaliers in the NBA.

[opus]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

I have some doubts with The Blue Jackets since the play against Pittsburgh...

Not looking good so far.