Yeah that's true. I saw you reference how Washington beat up on their division, and that's a legitimate factor here.
Quite the misinterpretation there. This has nothing to do with what I said, which is that the idea of who you get to face doesn't matter because you need to beat them anyway is false, because you don't have to face more than a select group. And who that team is makes a difference, unless you want to argue that all playoff teams are the same.
You can't compare them. Each series is just one team against another. On paper it can look one way, but then you get between the boards and it's a different thing than was thought by "experts" and fans alike.
How many people had Ottawa being a post away from the Cup Finals? How many had Nashville in the Finals? Most teams likely would have been happy to draw Ottawa, but turns out they were a tough out. It comes down to matchups. Some teams matchup better than others. Some teamst have great series one roundr and then run out of gas the next You just never know until the series happens.
I've watched enough Stanley Cup Playoffs to know there is no guessing who will who a tough series. Where I want to see the Leafs go, I anticipate having four tough series. I can't say with certainty which teams will give us the toughest go, so I'll just say I'll knock out whoever gets out in front of us.
But that's my mentality in life. Other people look for shortcuts, or handouts, or just give up if a path looks difficult. So I get why some people don't see it like me.
