Just wanted to ask your opinion (MOD: Finishing in the 1WC)

[905PENS]

Do you feel coming in first for the wild card spot was a bit of a blessing? You get to avoid Penguins Jackets or Caps in the first two rounds.... Im picking you guys to make pretty short work of Boston or Ottawa... As in my opinion, neither are as deep as NYR and... Don't have in my opinion one of the best playoff goalies of all time back stopping the net.
*if Toronto beats capitals and penguins I'm taking my ball and going home*

This is NOT taking away from your victory vs mtl. I like your team... And would LOVE to see Hank win a cup. He's one of my favorite players. *just not at the expense of the penguins lol*

Mods please delete this thread if its not welcome or legitimately upsetting people .

Here's to hopefully seeing ya in the ECF

Click to read more...

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Yes, and I hope they style all over the Penguins or Caps when they eventually meet in the ECF.

 

[Vitto79]

All year I wanted 7th and the winner of the other division . A blessing for sure but they need to change the format

 

[eco's bones]

I've always liked the idea of winning every game you play. So best in the regular season would be first overall in the standings.

As far as moving into the Atlantic bracket--it's without doubt the easiest route for us to the conference finals but we (should we advance) are still going to have to beat either the Pens, Caps or Leafs to get to the cup finals. The easiest road there would be the Leafs. If I were to guess it's going to be the Caps that comes out of that mess. We've beaten them before--we've beaten the Pens before--though last year we got walloped by them.

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

Yes, it was the best chance to go a long way. See what attrition brings to every roster during future rounds. Stay away from #1 as long as possible although #2 is pretty impressive. Let them enjoy one another for a few games first. That said, Go Leafs, Go TCats! Oskee wa wa, Holy Mackinaw!

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

All year I wanted 7th and the winner of the other division . A blessing for sure but they need to change the format

Funny thing: If the match-ups were decided on point totals only, these would be the 1st round match-ups:

Caps - Leafs
Pens - Bruins
Jackets - Senators
Habs - Rangers

 

[Hire Sather]

Yes but the only team I truly wanted to avoid is Pittsburgh.. this path was best because we get to go through the Atlantic while hoping Washington does the hard job and takes PIT out

 

[Ori]

@Vitto79 had a good point the format need to change in my opinion.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

Funny thing: If the match-ups were decided on point totals only, these would be the 1st round match-ups:

Caps - Leafs
Pens - Bruins
Jackets - Senators
Habs - Rangers

But this way we get to play OTT/BOS instead of WAS in the second round.

 

[Inferno]

obviously this side of the bracket is way easier...its not a surprise is it?

 

[Kakko]

It's certainly possible that they legitimately sucked, but it certainly seemed like the team itself spent the last quarter of the season just coasting into that spot, knowing that it would be advantageous.

 

[The Gloaming]

I've always liked the idea of winning every game you play. So best in the regular season would be first overall in the standings.

As far as moving into the Atlantic bracket--it's without doubt the easiest route for us to the conference finals but we (should we advance) are still going to have to beat either the Pens, Caps or Leafs to get to the cup finals. The easiest road there would be the Leafs. If I were to guess it's going to be the Caps that comes out of that mess. We've beaten them before--we've beaten the Pens before--though last year we got walloped by them.

No, if the Leafs are there, that means they beat Washington and Pittsburgh. No such thing as an easy ECF.

 

[Vitto79]

Funny thing: If the match-ups were decided on point totals only, these would be the 1st round match-ups:

Caps - Leafs
Pens - Bruins
Jackets - Senators
Habs - Rangers

Yea I'm thinking more 2nd round advantage . No caps or pens

 

[Zil]

Obviously only having to beat only one of PIT/WSH to make the SCF is an advantage. I don't see how it's even debatable. Let's hope we make the most of it because Hank deserves a Cup.

 

[haohmaru]

I detest the current playoff format. That being said, this was the easiest path for the Rangers to advance further.

 

[East Coast Bias]

As long as the league keeps this stupid format, teams should look to exploit it

 

[broadwayblue]

As long as the league keeps this stupid format, teams should look to exploit it

This. I absolutely hate the format. Just horrible. But like you say, no reason not to put your team into the best possible position.

 

[Fugazy]

The new playoff system is astoundingly stupid. But it benefited the Rangers path this year, so I can live with it for a little while longer

 

[Open Mind]

The answer to this question is so blatantly obvious, I have to question its motive. But I'll give benefit of doubt and assume it is somehow a serious question, rather than the passive-aggressive backhand slap it looks like, and I will ask an equally obvious set of questions to the OP:

When the Pens lost games on purpose to secure Lemieux, or when the lottery ball handed you the best player in the world right after you'd drafted Malkin, did you feel these things were a blessing?

 

[JT Kreider]

Last year we drew the spot of death against Pittsburgh, most of us were praying we would draw Florida instead. So this year we get a break with potentially having to avoid Pitt till the ECF.

Remember when AV challenged a goal against the Red Wings in the final minute. What a shmohawk.

 

[Holocene]

Metro is better than the Atlantic so of course it's a blessing. If we want to get to the finals though we've still got to go through the Caps or Pens most likely so we've got time to get our **** together before that match up should we get there.

In the end, all you can do is play and beat the teams you're matched up against.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Didn't care, have to win every round and that means meeting the best team in the ECF/SCF IF we get that far. Just get in first

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

It's not really debatable that on paper it is much "easier," if advancing in the SC playoffs is ever easy.

That said, Ottawa especially will give the NYR all they can handle. NYR should be favored, and it's better than PIT/WAS. But they have some underrated snipers and play a style that can neutralize the NYR's speed.

As was pointed out above, this format was neither an advantage or disadvantage to the NYR in Rd 1. Would have played the Habs either way. Jackets are the team that really got screwed.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Nah man, to be the best you have to beat the best..I wanted Pens and Caps the first two rounds.

Did I do it right?

 

[broadwayblue]

Nah man, to be the best you have to beat the best..I wanted Pens and Caps the first two rounds.

Did I do it right?

If you wanted to either increase your chances of your team getting bounced or so beaten up they lost in the ECF...then yes, you did it right.