Series Talk: WCQF: Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators (VAN Leads 3-2)

[TheUnusedCrayon]

Lots of people basing predictions off of, well not knowing anything apparently.

Nashville has more than enough playoff experience, they have probably won more playoff games than Vancouver has been in over the last decade. That said I think playoff experience is way overstated until you get in the later rounds, that's where it can start showing up.

This is not a Barry Trotz coached team, it is not a team that sits back and plays defense and then hopes they get a goal. Nashville is an attacking style of offense and defense, they try and force teams to produce turnovers and then head up ice with it.

Nashville isn't a fast team, but they aren't exactly slow either.
Nashville isn't a hard checking team but they do have some guys that will lay it on you every chance they get.

My fellow Preds fans aren't going to like the prediction, and frankly I don't like it either, but its what I think. I think the Canucks win in 5.

The series comes down to 3 things in my mind:

1. Refs, based on previous years I have no faith we don't get the short end here.
2. Novak/Evangelista - if this line shows out like they can then my prediction will be off
3. Saros - I think he costs us the series.

We will compete all series long for which team can have the shittiest reffing against.

I find it hilarious that when the Canucks suck in the standings, reffing is fine, but the moment they become a good team again we saw a consistent mess of reffing.

The last month I've started recording reffing names and how well they do and of all the games I counted 1 that was acceptable (allowing a couple errors a game, not missing super egregious calls, etc.). The refs can't seem to decide if they should let the boys play or if weak crosschecking penalties to the chest where guys whip their heads back is the call they want to make.

One good thing is for Preds fans (and I hope it continues in the playoffs because it hasn't happened all year, aside from Petey just being bambi legs in general on every single play) is that the Canucks don't dive and Tocchet hates embellishment from his team and other teams. Hopefully the boys on both teams stay honest and the idiots that ref the league won't be swayed into dumb calls because they have never seen somebody go down easy or whip their heads back for no reason on sticks nowhere near the face.

 

[Armourboy]

Preds are a gritty defensive team. But they've been that for a lot of years, and for a while they also had scoring talent too. It wasn't enough then, it's sure not enough now. As they are now, the grit and defense won't take them far.

Van in 4.

You pretty much just admitted you don't know a thing about the Preds, this isn't 2004.

 

[Armourboy]

We will compete all series long for which team can have the shittiest reffing against.

I find it hilarious that when the Canucks suck in the standings, reffing is fine, but the moment they become a good team again we saw a consistent mess of reffing.

The last month I've started recording reffing names and how well they do and of all the games I counted 1 that was acceptable (allowing a couple errors a game, not missing super egregious calls, etc.). The refs can't seem to decide if they should let the boys play or if weak crosschecking penalties to the chest where guys whip their heads back is the call they want to make.

One good thing is for Preds fans (and I hope it continues in the playoffs because it hasn't happened all year, aside from Petey just being bambi legs in general on every single play) is that the Canucks don't dive and Tocchet hates embellishment from his team and other teams. Hopefully the boys on both teams stay honest and the idiots that ref the league won't be swayed into dumb calls because they have never seen somebody go down easy or whip their heads back for no reason on sticks nowhere near the face.

Yeah I don't think we have anyone anymore that is much on diving, I think that is something that got moved out with the changes to the leadership this summer.

The biggest concern for the Preds when it comes to Refs is that they decide to play favorites. It doesn't always happen, but frankly when you are a southern team playing a Canadian team you are always a bit gun shy about it.

I'm really hoping they just call the obvious stuff that needs to be called but otherwise just let the guys play. This is probably going to be a very up and down series and it should be fun to watch if the Refs don't bottle neck it down in special teams play.

 

[Czechboy]

I took the Nuck's in 7. They are beautifully built and I really enjoyed their season (other than smacking my Oil around 4 times.lol). No real weakness. The 2 main D are both small for NHL standards. The goalie is a bit unproven. However, I like everything about the team.

Preds are countering with a more proven goalie and Josi is on the same tier as hughes as an elite Dman. Hughes should win Norris but Josi is no slouch.lol

It'll be close and a really good series.

 

[Armourboy]

Perhaps, but I'd suggest it's also a mistake to assume the season series is irrelevant just because it was wrapped up before Christmas.

The reason the Canucks are finishing the season as a top team in the league is precisely because they have been consistently good from October through April. In other words, if the Canucks were good enough to beat the Preds in the first 3 months of the season, it's reasonable to assume they're still good enough now to beat them in the playoffs. As an example, the Canucks destroyed the Oilers in October but also beat them less than a week ago despite the fact that the Oilers absolutely kicked ass once they fired Woodcroft.

And let's not forget, the Preds were a sub .500 team in the final ten games of the season. Maybe they have regressed to being the same calibre of team they were in the first half of the season. If so, the season series becomes highly relevant to the outcome of the playoff series.

Problem with that is that Nashville has been consistently good from late November until now, basically the 6th best record since that time across the league. And yes we may have been sub .500, but the difference between the two teams in that stretch:

5-4-1 for Vancouver
4-5 -1 for Nashville

I wouldn't exactly call that worlds apart, the difference is one game.

We also finished the season with 3 games in 4 nights and also rested some guys, so that can skew things a bit. Not to mention in the last game Pittsburgh was desperate, us not so much.

 

[nucks88]

I think this will be a very close series with the Canucks taking it in six, but could easily go the other way. My only gripe is I can't travel to Nashville to take in the games-hear it is an awesome city....

 

[HolyGhost]

Preds in 6

 

[Lt Dan]

I think this will be a very close series with the Canucks taking it in six, but could easily go the other way. My only gripe is I can't travel to Nashville to take in the games-hear it is an awesome city....

So instead of being a Canadian you are choosing to be a Can'tnadian

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Canucks vs Preds.

Quinn Hughes - 13GP, 0G, 20A, 20Pts
Elias Pettersson - 15GP, 10G, 8A, 18Pts
Brock Boeser - 16GP, 6G, 9A, 15Pts

 

[triggrman]

Preds are a gritty defensive team. But they've been that for a lot of years, and for a while they also had scoring talent too. It wasn't enough then, it's sure not enough now. As they are now, the grit and defense won't take them far.

Van in 4.

Come on man. If you don't know, say so.

Forsberg is 6th in the league in goals with 48, 12th in the league with 94 points, top 5 ES goals with 35.
Josi is the top goal scoring defenseman in the NHL with 23,
Preds have 4 players in the top 60 in scoring, 3 players with 75+ points.

Overall the team finished 10th in the league in goals scored.


Now, could we get shutdown offensively by the Nucks? Absolutely. It doesn't change the fact your description of how the Preds play now is dated.

 

[BMOK33]

I went VAN in 6 because despite the fact the matchup strongly favors them I think the inexperience may hurt a bit, especially on the road

 

[CRDragon]

gonna be a dandy. I hope the Canucks are ready. The preds are the best team in the NHL the past 17 games. not gonna be easy.

Preds are 4-5-1 in their last 10...

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Both teams have great rosters, including excellent goalies. This series likely becomes a case of which goalie can outduel the other. I don't see a big advantage one way or the other with the skaters. Should be a close series. Nashville, like TB, is a WC team that is every bit as dangerous as a high seed.

 

[tanti9]

I cannot wait for Canuck playoff hockey again, the atmosphere in the building is up there with the best. I am a strong believer that to win the cup there is no favorable match up as you have to beat everyone to hoist Lord Stanley and there is so much parity in todays game. Preds had a great second half and at least they do not play "boring" hockey anymore (1-3-1). I think Canucks in 6 with some hard hitting hockey and Hughes and Josi fighting it out. LET''S GO VANCOUVER!!!!

 

[herzausstein]

Preds are 4-5-1 in their last 10...

Canucks are 5-4-1 in their last 10...

Should be a good matchup then

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

I expect Saros to steal at least 2 games in the series.

 

[Nucker101]

ITT: people who have watched neither the predators and Canucks this season making hilariously wrong statements

This. They're going off of team reputations. Preds are actually the more high tempo team these days while the Canucks prefer to grind it out, even the analytics guys who just look at xg% and corsi don't realize that the Canucks are 4th best in the NHL in time spent in the offensive zone, they're just coached not to take shots unless there's traffic in front so they pass up on some free xgf/corsi boosts, Berube(good friends with Tocchet) did the same with the Blues, that's why the PDO crowd hated the Blues too.


That being said, it's not like the Preds are pure run n gun, they can defend and be physical as well. They're actually a pretty complete team at 5v5, special teams are their weakness, similar to the Canucks.


I think this goes 7 but I'll take the Canucks to win simply because I think they have the better group of high end players + home ice will be big for the Canucks, that's usually the difference in a tight series. I would take Pettersson/Miller/Boeser/Hughes/Hronek/Demko over Forsberg/ROR/Nyquist/Josi/McDonagh/Saros

 

[Soundgarden]

Preds are a gritty defensive team. But they've been that for a lot of years, and for a while they also had scoring talent too. It wasn't enough then, it's sure not enough now. As they are now, the grit and defense won't take them far.

Van in 4.

One thing the Preds aren't is a gritty defensive team, maybe you're thinking of the last time we played the Canucks in the playoffs

 

[roccerfeller]

Vancouver fans haven't seen a lot of Nashivlle this year and have no clue if they think it's going to be an easy ride

I think Nashville will be one of the matchups where the "lower seed" upsets the "higher seed"

Preds are good. I'll be cheering you guys on from up here in the Vancouver area! I won't wear yellow mustard though lol

 

[Gnashville]

Come on man. If you don't know, say so.

Forsberg is 6th in the league in goals with 48, 12th in the league with 94 points, top 5 ES goals with 35.
Josi is the top goal scoring defenseman in the NHL with 23,
Preds have 4 players in the top 60 in scoring, 3 players with 75+ points.

Overall the team finished 10th in the league in goals scored.


Now, could we get shutdown offensively by the Nucks? Absolutely. It doesn't change the fact your description of how the Preds play now is dated.

Haven’t you heard the Predators are clutch and grab trap team that has to win 1-0 on a lucky goal in OT.

 

[strattonius]

Vancouver fans haven't seen a lot of Nashivlle this year and have no clue if they think it's going to be an easy ride

Oh trust me we are Canuck fans we are expecting the worst possible thing to happen. Any fan that thinks it's a free pass in the playoffs is less than 20 years old.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

The Canucks have more skill on paper, however, hard work ethic can easily trump skill. Have seen this many times (2012 Devils, 2014 Rangers, 2017 Preds, 2018 Golden Knights, 2021 Habs, and 2023 Kraken). We Canucks fans witnessed this in 2003 against the Wild.

This will not be an easy series for the Canucks. The Preds playing styles may have changed over the past 20 years, but their identity of working their asses off hasn't.

 

[roccerfeller]

Oh trust me we are Canuck fans we are expecting the worst possible thing to happen. Any fan that thinks it's a free pass in the playoffs is less than 20 years old.

I live in Vancouver area and from my interactions with Canuck fans, there’s plenty of chest thumping from people older than that, suggesting to get the brooms out for the preds

Don’t get me wrong It’s not like the canucks are a pushover either.

I just think it’s going to be a lot tighter than what I see is getting credited


This is going to be a good series

 

[Softball99]

I think this will be a very close series with the Canucks taking it in six, but could easily go the other way. My only gripe is I can't travel to Nashville to take in the games-hear it is an awesome city....

The party in the plaza...and basically 2 full blocks around Bridgestone ... you won't even need a ticket

 

[NextGoalIsHuge]

Think it goes to 7. I've been through 35+ playoffs and have learned not to assume a single thing. On paper talent is one thing, but there's a reason they play the games.

I went with Van in 7, cuz homerism.