Is this the worst performance by the top seeds in both conferences in NHL history?

[c9777666]

There's something about fighting for a playoff spot vs clinching one early on. Both Columbus and Colorado were playing must win games for over a month now, so they definitely had a mental edge on both teams, and clearly Calgary and Tampa were just not prepared for playoff hockey.

Teams going forward might be better off treading water until they get to a point where they have to play must win games for a month since apparently the lower your seed, the more prepared you are for playoff hockey.

It's almost as if being third or a WC is the better alternative these days.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

Having been a Canucks fan I knew the Flames would have a rough go at things simply because I've watched enough of Monahan and Gaudreau to know they simply aren't capable matching up against the likes of the better first lines in the league. In an ideal scenario Gaudreau plays shotgun to two big, fast players who can create room for him. Monahan is the opposite of that and should be a 1b center because of his inability to drive play.

For that, I give them a pass. They're still young and they have room to grow. You can't put them on the same level as Tampa. That was just a god tier all time shitty performance by them.

 

[BMOK33]

The funny thing is once again the way teams played the final two weeks mostly told you who would get out of round 1 and who wouldn’t or in the case of series not yet decided who is playing well and who isn’t. The Flames weren’t great, the Jets weren’t great, the Bruins were great til about March 10 then cooled off, Columbus got hot late, Colorado got hot late. The only team who strayed from their late season tendency was the Isles who outside of one game against Buffalo looked awful for 2 months

 

[Matty Sundin]

I believe there's a scenario if Capitals, Sharks, Predators, and Jets lose only 2 of the top 10 teams would advance.

 

[RaginRonic]

Thought Calgary would breeze through Colorado, but thought they might struggle with their goaltending. For the team to go out in 5 with an elite goaltending performance is mindblowing.

Please...no Canadian franchise is ever the favorite in any playoff series they're in. They're underdogs, seed be damned.

>=P

 

[Newsworthy]

Yes.

 

[MomoSissokko]

Best thing what can happen to this sport - everything can happen or nothing is impossible
(even fans of Cgy and Tb will disagree)

 

[JeremyTB]

The Flames were not as good as their record indicated. Didn't they lead the league in comeback victories in the 3rd period? They had alot of stuff go right for them this season and alot of guys overachieved.

 

[Fuzzy D]

the bolts at times dominated play.

For about a period and half to two periods total. Out of 12.

 

[rosscow]

I had Colorado in 4. Calgary was smoke and mirrors all year with crap goaltending. That said I also had tampa in 4. I'm still shocked they never showed up at all.

 

[Channelcat]

I think many hockey fans thought Calgary would fall down to earth at some point. The Tampa collapse was bizarre. Offense, defense, goaltending all failing together. It was history in the making

 

[hotcarle]

I don't see how this couldn't be. They won 1 game total.

 

[SI90]

 

[Guffman]

Washington won the Metro, currently 2-2 vs Carolina
Tampa won the Atlantic, eliminated by Columbus 4-0

Nashville won the Central, currently 2-2 vs Dallas
Calgary won the Pacific, eliminated by Colorado 4-1

Its possible that all of the division winners gets eliminated in the first round,
i reckon that's never happened before either.

Yep, all four division winners can be eliminated. In fact, road teams are leading or tied in 7 of the 8 series. Only the NYI got it done.

 

[These Are The Days]

It’s Mind-Bottling.

That reference was clutch. Well done sir

 

[Leonardo87]

That reference was clutch. Well done sir

Thank you, sir.

 

[LaCarriere]

Calgary's loss is as bad as Tampa's. Getting beat by a 38 win team, talk about embarrassing. Atleast Columbus won more than half of their games. This ain't no knock on the Avs, just mad respect shutting the Flames down. Both Avs and Blue Jackets remind me of '95 Devils and '12 Kings.

Colorado shouldn't have been a 38 win team tho. They started out hot and played well the last month to reach the 8th seed, but they were bad in the middle 3rd+ of the season.

If they won just a few of their many OT losses in regular season they'd have had a very different record.

 

[Leonardo87]

Well in Stamkos and Kucherov’s defense, they were never here in the playoffs to begin with.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

Obviously.

 

[Gnashville]

The other 2 Division winners Washington and Nashville aren’t fairing much better. It’s possible all 4 wild card teams advance.

 

[Leonardo87]

Flames were 13-2-1 against the metro and swept the series against the avs. Regular season meant ****.

Look at Columbus. They were swept by Tampa and Tampa outscored them in those games 17 to 3 in the regular season. But Tampa did not face them after the trade deadline. So there is that also.

 

[Max1997]

I had Colorado in 4. Calgary was smoke and mirrors all year with crap goaltending. That said I also had tampa in 4. I'm still shocked they never showed up at all.

Yeah sure buddy lmao sweep my ass.

 

[Satire]

I think that was the majority... RIP

My prediction was SJ vs Washington at the start of the season. Honestly with the way the games have played out it feels like a huge crapshoot at this point who's going to make it.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I did predict in my bracket that the Flames would fall to the Avs, but TB losing and being swept by Columbus I do not think other than maybe a few Jackets fans no one predicted that happening.

 

[SotasicA]

I correctly predicted both series, so I am not even surprised. Bolts floated into the playoffs, Flames overachieved in the regular season.

I think a bigger shock to me would be the Capitals losing to the Hurricanes. And seeing how those games so far have been played, it's a very real possibility.