Series Talk: Nashville Predators (6) vs Arizona Coyotes (11)

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

The last time we went against the Coyotes in the playoffs we sucked, do I think it could be different this year? Short answer, “No”. Long answer, “We are just not good against the Coyotes for some reason”. Although, even as a negative Nancy I do think this might be our best time to win a Cup cause every team is rusty so maybe we can luck into winning a Cup and be forever known as having the Covid 19 Stanley Cup

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[PredsV82]

I'm just so happy this thread exists.

And its mindboggling that we ended up the 6th seed in the West given how crappy the season "felt". (Under the traditional format we would have been WC1 so technically the 7 seed but still...)

It also feels like a million years ago that Lavy was fired.

 

[sparkle twin]

I have no idea what to expect from this "series". Lately we don't seem to play well against AZ.


Not to be Captain Obvious here, but everything will depend on how the goalies play.

Will Pekka be ready to start? The last few years the Preds have started the seasons out hot, so maybe this long layoff benefits the Preds and Pekka.

If Pekka doesn't play well will Saros be ready to play? He's been a slow starter.

So, in other words...

 

[Predsanddead24]

Not to be Captain Obvious here, but everything will depend on how the goalies play.

Most definitely. Goaltender play is always the key to the playoffs but I'd have to think in this format it'll be even more important. That's part of what scares me about the Coyotes because their goaltending started off this season so hot before injuries took hold.

 

[drwpreds]

Definitely feels good to have a series thread again. If only we didn't have to wait until August for it to start though.

This is without a doubt going to be the weirdest playoffs of all time. Every game will be played in a neutral site empty arena- completely changes the dynamics.

With the way we have played at home the past 2 years in the playoffs, I actually think this format will benefit us. I think we have a better chance of winning a series in this format than if it was the normal setup.

 

[Scoresberg]

I think we should be the favorites in this series, but the only thing that could tip the scale in Arizona's favor is their goalie tandem which is one of the best in the league whereas our goalie situation was uncertain for most of the year.

Like drw mentioned, it's a good thing for us that there aren't any home ice advantages. We are terrible in Arizona.

 

[Legionnaire11]

The Yotes will also have a training camp now to work in Taylor Hall. Him being healthy and on the same page as the rest of the team is an x-factor that we can't really define from the regular season play.

I'm hoping that a rested Rinne and a full Hynes camp does the same thing for us.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I think we're gonna need to do this poll again in, what, 2 months, whenever it is that we're actually on the eve of this thing starting.

Today, I'll actually take our team in 5. Assuming all systems go, all players in the lineup, everybody healthy and properly tuned up from camp. But I reserve the right to change that prediction depending on how things are actually looking in August if that's when this all starts up.

 

[drwpreds]

I think this series, and several other of the play in series, will be a 50/50 flip of the coin. Who knows what in the heck will happen given these unprecedented circumstances

 

[BigFatCat999]

I don't know but it had to be f***ing yotes.

 

[hockey diva]

I voted we lose in 4. Too many guys with secure paychecks and not enough hunger.

 

[maplepred]

Go Preds!!!
2020 is still the year for us to win the Cup!!!

So happy we will get to finally see some hockey and that covid has died down enough to allow this to happen and people to all be safe.

Thank you hockey gods!

 

[Kebs]

Great breakdown from AZ perspective of why they think the Yotes will win the series (warning it's a long read):

HockeyBuzz.com - James Tanner - Why the Coyotes will beat the Predators + The Top 20

I'll post it here in case you don't want to click on the HB article:

"The Coyotes will beat the Predators because the Coyotes have the best goalie in the NHL, and his name is Darcy Kuemper."

Great break down there...

...I think the biggest X factor here will be the long break and the short 5 game series. That doesn't give you a whole lot of time to solve a goalie if they come in hot. The biggest disappointment here is going to be if we lost a ton of momentum from the stoppage and how guys handled the extended break. I know after listening to the calls some of them took the time to ease off hockey or didn't bring some thing to at least practice with (Duchene). I'm hoping there was some problems during the season with some of the guys that they have taken the time to either get through or heal.

Players to watch from AZ perspective (outside of Kuemper): Hall, Kessel, and maybe Clayton Keller ?

I'm not sure how a team with some of these guys was in a position not to make the playoffs if the reg. season plays out?

 

[BigFatCat999]

My question is this; what if the time off was the best thing for Pekka Rinne? Who gets hurt at camp?

 

[predfan24]

Fun facts: The last time the Coyotes not only made the playoffs, but also won a series was 2012 against the Preds.

That one still hurts when I think about it. Preds had no business losing that series.

 

[Lennu32]

Definitely feels good to have a series thread again. If only we didn't have to wait until August for it to start though.

This is without a doubt going to be the weirdest playoffs of all time. Every game will be played in a neutral site empty arena- completely changes the dynamics.

With the way we have played at home the past 2 years in the playoffs, I actually think this format will benefit us. I think we have a better chance of winning a series in this format than if it was the normal setup.

We might see most honest playoffs ever - all players want to win, every game, every shift... this time they truly do it for themselves, like they should. I know fans bring the money, but when you take everything else but the game off - they play against each other and everyone wants to win. For us spectators it's just entertaiment.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

We might see most honest playoffs ever - all players want to win, every game, every shift... this time they truly do it for themselves, like they should. I know fans bring the money, but when you take everything else but the game off - they play against each other and everyone wants to win. For us spectators it's just entertaiment.

Or... half of them don't want to be there at all. Sounds like they're having a tough time getting the votes to even proceed. Eventually they will, because all they need is 50% for a vote, and the NHL is controlling the messaging as best they can, with a lot of player schills and peer pressure applied. So they'll eventually get it through and proceed. But behind the facade, a lot of players won't be happy about it.

And then on top of that, there were the reports about any positive Covid positive test requiring a 6-8 week IR stint. That hasn't been formalized yet either, I'm sure there were league officials getting out their calendars and doing some counting after the Auston Matthews name got out there. But so far they've tested around 1/3 of the players and got 26 positives who would ostensibly miss the first round or two if they kept that rule in place. Probably they are instead just re-thinking that rule and will scrap it. But nobody in the public knows the health details on the players affected thus far or how many more might be added to the list. There's ample room to impact the integrity of the playoffs depending on this factor as well.

We'll see how it goes, but I won't get my hopes up too high.

 

[Armourboy]

Or... half of them don't want to be there at all. Sounds like they're having a tough time getting the votes to even proceed. Eventually they will, because all they need is 50% for a vote, and the NHL is controlling the messaging as best they can, with a lot of player schills and peer pressure applied. So they'll eventually get it through and proceed. But behind the facade, a lot of players won't be happy about it.

And then on top of that, there were the reports about any positive Covid positive test requiring a 6-8 week IR stint. That hasn't been formalized yet either, I'm sure there were league officials getting out their calendars and doing some counting after the Auston Matthews name got out there. But so far they've tested around 1/3 of the players and got 26 positives who would ostensibly miss the first round or two if they kept that rule in place. Probably they are instead just re-thinking that rule and will scrap it. But nobody in the public knows the health details on the players affected thus far or how many more might be added to the list. There's ample room to impact the integrity of the playoffs depending on this factor as well.

We'll see how it goes, but I won't get my hopes up too high.

If they are going to keep that rule they might as well not have a playoff. I mean if one guy gets it and it then rolls through both teams are you just going to force them to play with unaffected AHL players and then in the next round have an AHL team going against a full NHL team? Imagine if that happened for the SCF, it would be a joke.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

There have been a fair number of additional details leaking out in various outlets lately... one interesting one is about the "opt-out" allowance. It seems a little rushed to force players to decide within the next 24 hrs, but I guess most have had lots of time to think about it over the past few months.

Breaking: NHL players that want to opt-out must inform teams by Tuesday - Forever Blueshirts: A site for New York Rangers fanatics

I would probably opt out if:
a) I was currently overseas and had a relatively complex itinerary to return for training camp, or
b) I had a young family, or at-risk members of my family, or was expecting a child, or basically if for any reason my SO didn't feel comfortable with me returning to play.

The "bubble" once enacted in Toronto or Edmonton is probably about as safe a place as you can be, but there are just so many moving parts involved in getting into that bubble.

A little over half the league has reported already for pre-camp workouts and tests, and they are up to 35 positive tests now?

I'm sure the NHL schills are giving the standard solidarity sales pitches, like c'mon, report, do it for the good of the league and your teammates, etc, etc. But in reality, this tournament is going to happen either way. With or without any individual players. So that sell is basically pointless. Players should make their own decisions and feel free to do so, and supported in doing so.

In the end, it won't surprise me if nobody opts out. The NHL is like that. But the very fact that this provision is part of the process makes me think that some segment of the PA at least must have negotiated to have it in place. I doubt the NHL would have volunteered it.

It'll be interesting to see all the final details. It's really interesting in contrast to past CBAs where details have really been argued about in public forums like here in the past, with the strain of lockouts or impending lockouts really adding tension to the debates. Whereas this one, which sounds like it's coming in a package with a new 6-year CBA, isn't generating the same kind of heat.

 

[Armourboy]

If the PA bothered trying to get it then someone has plans to stay home. The question is who and how many. You lose a couple of top 6 guys or your top Dmen you might as well just go home and stay there.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

If the PA bothered trying to get it then someone has plans to stay home. The question is who and how many. You lose a couple of top 6 guys or your top Dmen you might as well just go home and stay there.

It wouldn't shock me if in the end even those players who campaigned to have this option end up reporting. There's that kind of esprit de corps thing that seems to kick in, so players who might have been on the fence during negotiations will probably jump off on the side of joining their teams, I'd bet.

But I guess we'll know pretty soon... it's not exactly something that can be kept secret, right? If a player informs by today's deadline, I don't see what the point would be in keeping that secret. Eventually the whole world is going to see what team is on the ice, right?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Well, I just read that players who choose the opt-out option are also opting out of the entire 2020-21 season. So it sounds like the PA put in their request for an opt-out, but it got negotiated down to something that essentially means nobody is going to opt out.

 

[Armourboy]

Well, I just read that players who choose the opt-out option are also opting out of the entire 2020-21 season. So it sounds like the PA put in their request for an opt-out, but it got negotiated down to something that essentially means nobody is going to opt out.

Yeah if that is the deal you might as well have not bothered. If you are a FA next season you sure as heck don't have a choice.

 

[BigFatCat999]

six straight days of 12hrs of hockey is the planned schedule.

 

[Gnashville]

It’s been so long for all teams this is incredibly hard to predict. I would rather win the 1st overall pick this year and the cup next year.