I’m calling Boston, Tampa, Winnipeg, and Colorado.
But I’d prefer to see NYI, Carolina, Winnipeg, and Vegas, hahaha.
But I’d prefer to see NYI, Carolina, Winnipeg, and Vegas, hahaha.
Offical 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff Thread
- Thread starter mikethompson
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Just a realist, man. Seeding aside those teams looked the strongest in their round 1 series to me.
Rest assured, I’ll be wrong.
If I had to flip a couple, I could see NYI beating Boston, or Car beating Tampa.
True. But the teams against which they played should be considered. For example, Florida has another hockey team?
Haha thats true. I would argue the other three had pretty legit opponents though.
As you know, you never know in the playoffs! The Canadiens have won three games.
As an avs fan, I see us as an underdog for 10 years and dismissed for 5 years after that. When we had heroes like Roy we had a chance unless the redwings thugs did their thing and sidelined the best players. We're only now coming back from losing a string of goalies.
Yeah, I really don’t see wither TOR or MTL taking down WPG. But, as you said, the NHL Playoffs are about as predictable as a flipping lotto machine.
The Avs have a perfect mix of talent and experience right now. Guys like Saad, Burakovsky, Nichushkin, Calvert, etc. are some of the best and most experienced “glue guys” in the league, some of which have experience with deep playoff runs. Their defensive core is strong, and they certainly have at least two capable goaltenders, if they can keep their momentum.
And then there is Nathan MacKinnon.
If I were facing them right now I’d be VERY intimidated. If you put a gun to my head right now and pick the champs I’d say Avalanche. They just look like it’s their time as a team.
Which means of course, they won’t win! Hahahaha.
I agree with all of this, but I’d give the nod to the Lightning. They’re hitting on all cylinders, defending the title*, and really making the best of their last years of glory. Now that Yzerman is back in Detroit, all Tampa can do is hope his wake carries them a little bit longer before this flash in a pan is a thing of the past.
In fact, I’m confident enough in those two teams to say they’ll meet for the finals.
Haha, it’s been quite a long flash! I think they’ll be a force to be reckoned with for a while.
And while I do agree they appear to be hitting on all cylinders right now, their history of epic choking makes me skeptical. Additionally, I hold defending a title as a detriment. Repeat championships are rare for a reason. 2017 shocked me to the core.
title*
They also scheduled a Toronto/Montreal back to back as well. Back to backs in the playoffs make no sense to me, and it is especially bad when the first game goes into overtime.
Speaking of overtime, Leafs lose another in OT and now its anyone's series.
Well, I kind of thought Boston would overpower the Islanders. Looking forward to the Canes game tonight, hopefully they can keep on rolling.
“Flash in the pan?” 7 of last 8 seasons make the playoffs, won at least one series in each of those years. Advanced to SC finals twice in that time, and won it once. I can think of plenty of teams that would LOVE to be that kind of “flash in the pan”..... Buffalo, Anaheim, Philly, NJ, NY, Arizona, Minnesota, COLORADO, Dallas, Columbus, etc.
And it makes no sense. If they’re worried about border crossing and possible quarantine delays, they should have accelerated the regular season scheduling, and dropped the meaningless games for the qualifying teams. (But Bettman wanted every last cent from CBC, thus Vancouver and Calagary playing Regular season games after the start of playoffs).
Supposedly the plan is for an American city to be deemed the “home” city for the Canadian representative. I’m sure that’ll go over well. But it illustrates the insanity of NHL leadership. Last night was first Canadian game with fans, so why bother playing those games in Canada in the first place? You’d actually have MORE fans at designated US sites.
Nonsensical. There’s no rhyme or reason behind what they do. It’s why it’ll always be an afterthought league.
Yep, flash in a pan. The Yzerman era is over. And so begins their painful return to mediocrity!
You do realize they were a Stanley Cup winner and annual playoff competitor BEFORE Yaz got there right??
Of course. Another of their flashes!
But let me revel in his return to Detroit. It obviously means all other teams are destined for failure and the Wings will reign supreme again.
I have to be particularly salty, unwarranted as it may be, since the bolts are playing the Canes in round 2.
Are you hoping for another “Russian wave” to usher in another Wings Run?
That ship sailed, and they lost their mojo when Bowman left and brought his magic to Chitown (which they’re starting to regret as they’ve discovered his kid is more Dale Tallon than Scotty B)??
- Status