I think I'm just going to elaborate on all of my predictions that I previously made and give explanations. I already did one series, so hear are the rest.
Eastern Conference:
2) Flyers vs. 7) Sabres Flyers: The Flyers are big, tough, and have 3 forward lines of scoring. They also have defense capable of scoring. We all know what Pronger will be able to do once he returns, but other guys like Mezaros can score as well. They are very strong on the penalty kill, but just average on the powerplay. Goal tending will be of question as usual for the Flyers. Bobrovsky has his off nights, but has been strong most of the season, and Boucher is just very inconsistent.
Buffalo: The Sabres just don't have the scoring punch that the Flyers have. Vanek will have to lead the way, and little Nathan Gerbe may be depended upon to get past Pronger. Gerbe is tiny enough to skate right under Pronger's legs without ducking so that may be an advantage. The Sabres definitely have the edge in special teams in this series. The one main question for the Sabres will be Ryan Miller. The guy is great, but it all depends on how he bounces back from his late-season injury.
Decision: Flyers in 5 games. The scoring that the Flyers have will just be too much for the Sabres to match.
3)Bruins vs 6) Canadiens Bruins: The Bruins, like the Flyers have a very good offensive team, as well as a very tough team. Guys like Horton and Lucic can kick the crap out of you, and then go and score a goal just to rub it in. They are also quite good defensively. However those defensive stats can be a bit misleading when you have Tim Thomas as your goalie. The Bruins powerplay, like the Flyers, is just average, but their penalty killing is very good. As far as goaltending, expect Tim Thomas to continue his beastly ways. The guy just set the single season save percentage record with a .938.
Montreal: The Habs don't match up very well with the Bruins in any category except special teams. As good as Carey Price has been this season, Tim Thomas has been better. And yet the Habs still won the season series against the Bruins.
Decision: Bruins in 7. This series, with all that happened between these teams in the regular season will probably be the most exciting series of the playoffs. Tough battle all the way to the end, but the Bruins prevail.
4)Penguins vs 5) Lightning. Penguins: The Penguins lost both of their star forwards for the majority of the season and yet were still able to finish 4th in the Conference and have a very strong run to the finish. There is still uncertainty as to when Sidney Crosby will come back, if he will at all. The Penguins have lacked the goal scoring touch without Crosby and Malkin, but have stepped it up defensively, and Marc-Andre Fluery has stepped up his game as well. Pittsburgh also has the top-ranked penalty kill in the league.
Lightning: Tampa has Marty St. Louis, Vinny Lacavalier and Steven Stamkos. They have the 4th ranked powerplay in the league. They have been given great goaltending down the stretch by 41 year old Dwayne Roloson. The one big question mark for the Lightning is their defense. They are very weak defensively. Tampa winning this series may come down to them scoring A LOT of goals, because they are going to give up quite a few, even with the solid Roloson in goal.
Decision: Bolts in 6. Their scoring will over power the Penguins and Fluery.
1) Canucks vs 8) Blackhawks Canucks: The Canucks had an incredible season, and finally won their first President's Trophy. Daniel Sedin won his first career Art Ross trophy this season with a 104 point season. The twin connection of Henrik/Daniel Sedin will be tough to handle as usual. Ryan Kesler has emerged as one of the top 2-way forwards in the NHL this season, and Roberto Luongo will be tough to solve as usual. The Canucks allowed the least amount of goals of any team in the league. They also boast the league's best powerplay, and 2nd best penalty kill.
Blackhawks: The defending Stanley Cup champions barely got into the playoffs, by losing their last game of the season, and having the Wild defeat the Dallas Stars. Chicago still has Kane, Toews, Sharp, Keith, and Seabrook, but no longer have Niemi, Byfuglien, and Ladd whom all three of them made life very difficult last playoffs for the Canucks. Chicago can score many goals as they are one of only 4 teams to average over 3 goals a game, but they are not that solid defensively. Their powerplay is formidable, but their penalty kill ranks in the bottom 7 of the league. Chicago has to depend on another rookie, this time it is Corey Crawford to lead them.
Decision: Even though the Hawks are my playoff team, I still see them losing this series in 6 games as much as it pains me to say it.
2) Sharks vs 7) Kings Sharks: The Sharks have gotten solid goaltending all season long from Antero Nittymaki and Antti Niemi. Their goal scoring has been good from the guys you would expect, but other players like rookie Logan Couture have been great as well. Their powerplay has been pretty good, but their penalty kill is weak. Just like Chicago, the Sharks penalty kill is in the bottom seven of the league.
Kings: The Kings have been solid all season long but have been hit by injuries at the wrong time of the year, including the loss of Anze Kopitar. Johnathan Quick has been solid this season in goal for the Kings, and it shows when you see how many goals against they average per game. The Kings powerplay is just average, but the penalty kill has been terrific and is ranked 4th in the league.
Decision: Kings cannot overcome injuries. Sharks in 5.
3) Red Wings vs 6) Coyotes Red Wings: The Red Wings have been bitten by injuries, and costly goaltender interference penalties down the stretch (I'm with you Jay lol) but have proved to be one of the top teams in the West yet again. The Red Wings have a deadly scoring touch, averaging the 2nd most goals in the league per game, and are 5th in the league on the powerplay. Defensively they have struggled, but that is due in large part to injuries and inconsistencies in goal. Osgood has been hurt throughout much of the season, and Howard has been very inconsistent. However, the Wings penalty kill has been pretty strong.
Coyotes: The Coyotes are an average team offensively and defensively, don't really have any guys other than Shane Doan and Ilya Bryzgalov in goal that leap off the page at you. Phoenix struggles in pretty much all categories compared to the Red Wings, especially in special teams. To even have a chance in this series, Bryzgalov will have to be incredible. One thing that can be expected from the Coyotes will be the as usual hilarious tweets from Paul Bissonette, aka BizNasty2.0
Decision: Red Wings in 5. Bryzgalov will win the Coyotes at least one game.
4) Ducks vs 5) Predators. Ducks: The Ducks have potential Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan on the same line, which makes for arguably the best first line in all of Hockey. Jonas Hiller has been great as usual for the Ducks as well, however they are still weak as a team defensively. But the Ducks are quite good on special teams.
Predators: The Ducks may have Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan, but the Predators have Carrie Underwood's husband, so right there the Preds have an advantage. Mike Fisher has been great for Nashville since the trade, and Pekka Rinne has just been unbelievable for the Preds, earning himself a very good shot at the Vezina Trophy. Nashville's powerplay has struggled mightily, but the penalty kill has been fantastic.
Decision: Preds in 7. Rinne is too much for the Ducks.
I didn't pick my team to win the cup, like every other one of yooz, yo.
I've been picking my team to win all year. I am not biased, I only speak troof B-)
Nobody on here is more biased than you broceefus
this is the only time I've ever guarenteed victory since I've been here. I didn't even do it last year when the Phils were favorites to win the WS. I am saying the Flyers are going to win the cup... not being biased, they just have the best team in the NHL.
I didn't pick my team to win the cup, like every other one of yooz, yo.
I've been picking my team to win all year. I am not biased, I only speak troof B-)
Nobody on here is more biased than you broceefus
this is the only time I've ever guarenteed victory since I've been here. I didn't even do it last year when the Phils were favorites to win the WS. I am saying the Flyers are going to win the cup... not being biased, they just have the best team in the NHL.
Not according to the records, the seed positions, or the betting lines, but you have to play the games.
Comments
Eastern Conference:
2) Flyers vs. 7) Sabres
Flyers: The Flyers are big, tough, and have 3 forward lines of scoring. They also have defense capable of scoring. We all know what Pronger will be able to do once he returns, but other guys like Mezaros can score as well. They are very strong on the penalty kill, but just average on the powerplay. Goal tending will be of question as usual for the Flyers. Bobrovsky has his off nights, but has been strong most of the season, and Boucher is just very inconsistent.
Buffalo: The Sabres just don't have the scoring punch that the Flyers have. Vanek will have to lead the way, and little Nathan Gerbe may be depended upon to get past Pronger. Gerbe is tiny enough to skate right under Pronger's legs without ducking so that may be an advantage. The Sabres definitely have the edge in special teams in this series. The one main question for the Sabres will be Ryan Miller. The guy is great, but it all depends on how he bounces back from his late-season injury.
Decision: Flyers in 5 games. The scoring that the Flyers have will just be too much for the Sabres to match.
3)Bruins vs 6) Canadiens
Bruins: The Bruins, like the Flyers have a very good offensive team, as well as a very tough team. Guys like Horton and Lucic can kick the crap out of you, and then go and score a goal just to rub it in. They are also quite good defensively. However those defensive stats can be a bit misleading when you have Tim Thomas as your goalie. The Bruins powerplay, like the Flyers, is just average, but their penalty killing is very good. As far as goaltending, expect Tim Thomas to continue his beastly ways. The guy just set the single season save percentage record with a .938.
Montreal: The Habs don't match up very well with the Bruins in any category except special teams. As good as Carey Price has been this season, Tim Thomas has been better. And yet the Habs still won the season series against the Bruins.
Decision: Bruins in 7. This series, with all that happened between these teams in the regular season will probably be the most exciting series of the playoffs. Tough battle all the way to the end, but the Bruins prevail.
4)Penguins vs 5) Lightning.
Penguins: The Penguins lost both of their star forwards for the majority of the season and yet were still able to finish 4th in the Conference and have a very strong run to the finish. There is still uncertainty as to when Sidney Crosby will come back, if he will at all. The Penguins have lacked the goal scoring touch without Crosby and Malkin, but have stepped it up defensively, and Marc-Andre Fluery has stepped up his game as well. Pittsburgh also has the top-ranked penalty kill in the league.
Lightning: Tampa has Marty St. Louis, Vinny Lacavalier and Steven Stamkos. They have the 4th ranked powerplay in the league. They have been given great goaltending down the stretch by 41 year old Dwayne Roloson. The one big question mark for the Lightning is their defense. They are very weak defensively. Tampa winning this series may come down to them scoring A LOT of goals, because they are going to give up quite a few, even with the solid Roloson in goal.
Decision: Bolts in 6. Their scoring will over power the Penguins and Fluery.
1) Canucks vs 8) Blackhawks
Canucks: The Canucks had an incredible season, and finally won their first President's Trophy. Daniel Sedin won his first career Art Ross trophy this season with a 104 point season. The twin connection of Henrik/Daniel Sedin will be tough to handle as usual. Ryan Kesler has emerged as one of the top 2-way forwards in the NHL this season, and Roberto Luongo will be tough to solve as usual. The Canucks allowed the least amount of goals of any team in the league. They also boast the league's best powerplay, and 2nd best penalty kill.
Blackhawks: The defending Stanley Cup champions barely got into the playoffs, by losing their last game of the season, and having the Wild defeat the Dallas Stars. Chicago still has Kane, Toews, Sharp, Keith, and Seabrook, but no longer have Niemi, Byfuglien, and Ladd whom all three of them made life very difficult last playoffs for the Canucks. Chicago can score many goals as they are one of only 4 teams to average over 3 goals a game, but they are not that solid defensively. Their powerplay is formidable, but their penalty kill ranks in the bottom 7 of the league. Chicago has to depend on another rookie, this time it is Corey Crawford to lead them.
Decision: Even though the Hawks are my playoff team, I still see them losing this series in 6 games as much as it pains me to say it.
2) Sharks vs 7) Kings
Sharks: The Sharks have gotten solid goaltending all season long from Antero Nittymaki and Antti Niemi. Their goal scoring has been good from the guys you would expect, but other players like rookie Logan Couture have been great as well. Their powerplay has been pretty good, but their penalty kill is weak. Just like Chicago, the Sharks penalty kill is in the bottom seven of the league.
Kings: The Kings have been solid all season long but have been hit by injuries at the wrong time of the year, including the loss of Anze Kopitar. Johnathan Quick has been solid this season in goal for the Kings, and it shows when you see how many goals against they average per game. The Kings powerplay is just average, but the penalty kill has been terrific and is ranked 4th in the league.
Decision: Kings cannot overcome injuries. Sharks in 5.
3) Red Wings vs 6) Coyotes
Red Wings: The Red Wings have been bitten by injuries, and costly goaltender interference penalties down the stretch (I'm with you Jay lol) but have proved to be one of the top teams in the West yet again. The Red Wings have a deadly scoring touch, averaging the 2nd most goals in the league per game, and are 5th in the league on the powerplay. Defensively they have struggled, but that is due in large part to injuries and inconsistencies in goal. Osgood has been hurt throughout much of the season, and Howard has been very inconsistent. However, the Wings penalty kill has been pretty strong.
Coyotes: The Coyotes are an average team offensively and defensively, don't really have any guys other than Shane Doan and Ilya Bryzgalov in goal that leap off the page at you. Phoenix struggles in pretty much all categories compared to the Red Wings, especially in special teams. To even have a chance in this series, Bryzgalov will have to be incredible. One thing that can be expected from the Coyotes will be the as usual hilarious tweets from Paul Bissonette, aka BizNasty2.0
Decision: Red Wings in 5. Bryzgalov will win the Coyotes at least one game.
4) Ducks vs 5) Predators.
Ducks: The Ducks have potential Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan on the same line, which makes for arguably the best first line in all of Hockey. Jonas Hiller has been great as usual for the Ducks as well, however they are still weak as a team defensively. But the Ducks are quite good on special teams.
Predators: The Ducks may have Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan, but the Predators have Carrie Underwood's husband, so right there the Preds have an advantage. Mike Fisher has been great for Nashville since the trade, and Pekka Rinne has just been unbelievable for the Preds, earning himself a very good shot at the Vezina Trophy. Nashville's powerplay has struggled mightily, but the penalty kill has been fantastic.
Decision: Preds in 7. Rinne is too much for the Ducks.