Has this been one of the worst first rounds in recent memory?

Fire Benning

diaper filled piss baby
Oct 2, 2016
6,970
8,252
Hell
Only been a handful of compelling games, a lot of the series have been complete duds. Some of the series that looked like they would close 6 or 7 game battles that were hard fought until the very end like Ducks-Sharks and Kings-Knights ended up being sweeps, every game of Penguins-Flyers have been blowouts. Caps-Jackets has produced some decent hockey but it's nothing amazing, and if the rest of the Bruins-Leafs are close games that could end up being a good and close series. But overall, this round has been a complete snoozefest in my opinion.
 

Nico the Draft Riser

Devils, Rams, Hawks, Twins fan
Nov 18, 2017
3,351
1,364
You know 90% of sports dont have exciting first rounds...

The NHL isnt always an exception. And even then Im pretty sure people like the Boston and Columbus series’
 
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HaNotsri

Regstred User
Dec 29, 2013
8,112
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I’ve really enjoyed the high level of play. An even series can sometimes end up 4-1 or with a sweep.
Boston-Toronto, NJ-Tampahave been fantastic.
 
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hansomreiste

Registered User
Sep 23, 2015
1,625
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Ankara
For me yes, it is absolutely the worst first round in recent memory. However, as a Turk who grew up as a football (soccer) and basketball fan alongside with some European hockey, I can never complain about NHL. The parity and possibilities this league has is just insane. Compared to what I grew up with, worst of NHL is still better than anything imaginable. Yes, I was almost never excited so far in this first round, but it is acceptable. Unlike recent years where we had fantastic first round series and not-so-fantastic following rounds, I feel like this time around we are gonna see better and better games as the race deepens, so not complaining. Though the answer to your question should definitely be yes.

Normally, I watch two games a night in first round - something extreme has to happen for me not to do that. This time though, I sometimes feel too lazy and agitated to sit down for a game for 3hrs. Actually, you'd have to pay me to make me watch Philly against Pittsburgh or Wild against Jets. No offense to any of those teams but their match-ups are just far from being exciting.

Yet the thought of NSH-WPG, BOS-TBL or CBJ-PIT... Oh boy. That's so good.
 

Rygu

Registered User
Dec 24, 2017
1,481
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B.C.
Let's wait and see if we get any game 7's. If not, then yeah I'll agree with you.
 

Reality Check

Registered User
May 28, 2008
16,696
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And here I was told that the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the coolest, most entertaining thing in sports.

Yeah...no

Columbus/Washington has been okay though.
 

Master Scheif

dirt nasty
Jun 7, 2014
1,798
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Winnipeg
I believe the second round will hold some fantastic matchups.

As well, Kings-Knights was great. Sometimes matchups can be really even or exciting but result in a sweep. Vegas was the better team, I am just saying labelling all sweeps "boring" is lazy. For example, Jets-Ducks a few years back was a very entertaining, heated, close series.
 

Trap Jesus

Registered User
Feb 13, 2012
28,686
13,456
I'd say so. Leafs/Bruins game will be huge tonight to add to the interest factor, but everything outside of the CBJ/WSH series has more or less been awful. Big-time anomaly of a year.
 

LarKing

Registered User
Sep 2, 2012
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Michigan
Have to agree unfortunately. Most of the games just haven’t been even hockey. Seems to be just one team dominating most games.
 

Eltuna

Registered User
Nov 12, 2017
2,240
1,913
Tough to make people happy. When a lot of series go to game 7, you get people complain that parity is too rampant in the nhl and every game is basically a coin flip, when one Team dominates, people miss the game 7’s and parity. I think the games have been pretty good if you actually sit down and watch them, even though Clb-Was has been the only series so far where a clear favourite hasn’t emerged there’s still a lot of good stories this year.
 

SniperHF

Rejecting Reports
Mar 9, 2007
42,632
21,042
Phoenix
I think the individual games, even in the lopsided matchups, have been pretty good. So it hasn't been a total loss. But as a series definitely not very compelling.

The exception to that might be Pit/Phi where the games have been lopsided.
 
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Paris in Flames

Registered User
Feb 4, 2009
15,903
7,935
Yeah this round has been....bad. There's been a bunch of blowouts and frankly, teams that looked like they don't even belong in the playoffs (Philly in 2 of the 3 games, Anaheim, Toronto in 2 of the 3 games), etc.

It's kinda messed up that the closest series might be LA/Vegas and that was a sweep. Columbus and Washington is delivering and if the Leafs can make this a series, force 7 and play like they did in 3 it should be some pretty good hockey.
 

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