Who is the big upset in first round?

[GoldenSeal]

Nashville

 

[RangerBlues]

Boston:
O V E R R A T E D

 

[BlueBaron]

I wouldn't be shocked at any of the underdog East teams winning their series. I don't think Boston, Tampa, Pitt and Wash are as strong as they appear.

Yes, only Toronto is, glad you can see that.

In seriousness though, yes the East has a lot of dangerous teams, anyone could win their first round match up.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

Wild

Yessir, more of this.....

And less of this please.

 

[BigEezyE22]

Tampa definitely being underrated here. The last two times they’ve gone to the playoffs they’ve made the Cup a finals and the conference finals and the core of those two teams is still together. Highest scoring team in the league by far and also the best goal differential in the league. They held the best record for 95% of the season until a late season funk.

Don’t see Tampa losing in the first round at all.

Maybe the Caps can help them shop for a banner?

 

[wadesworld]

That's kind of what I thought too, like Nashville beating Chicago was talked about like a 'catastrophic upset' when in reality I remember a lot of people prognosticating that Nashville would win.

Almost nobody picked Nashville in that series.

 

[The Duck Knight]

I don't really consider either of the Pacific match-ups an upset either way. I like Columbus for an upset. I don't think any of the other higher seeds lose in the 1st Round.

 

[MessierII]

LA will beat Vegas

 

[Hank Plank]

Almost nobody picked Nashville in that series.

I recall some talking about a Chicago sweep.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Almost nobody picked Nashville in that series.

I mean could you really blame them? Chicago coming off a first place in the conference finish heading in to the playoffs with a 3 time cup winning core versus the wild card 2 Preds.

 

[Laveuglette]

Pitts will lose to the Flyers.

 

[Maplebeasts]

The Leafs are chokers in the playoffs and they overworked Andersen, again.

Hard to choke when this is your second appearance in the last 14 years over a full season. Also we did anything but choke against a better team in the Caps last year.

 

[acor]

How can Vegas not be #1 here to be upset? This team has midnight written all over them.

Probably because no one considers Vegas losing "an upset"...

 

[Emperoreddy]

Whom ever plays NJ. Hall is on a mission.

 

[ijuka]

Well, LAKings-Vegas is the obvious "upset" candidate but as I consider Kings to be the favorite for that series, calling it an upset is a little, eh...

 

[Horse McHindu]

It happened last year. Who will it be this year?

I don’t consider Los Angeles defeating Vegas to be much of an upset, even though it’s a huge one on paper.

I think the biggest upset will be Philadelphia over Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the better team but they will be jaded in my opinion. Getting motivated after winning back to back cups isn’t easy.

Philadelphia as a city hates Pittsburgh and so I think Flyer fans and the Flyers team will be far more motivated and will be quicker to smell blood.

Flyers in 7. Kings in 5.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Whom ever plays NJ. Hall is on a mission.

I don’t trust Corey Schneider in the playoffs. Tampa reams the Devils.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

The smartest choice is Vegas. I think and hope they get crushed by LA.

 

[Nico Hischier]

I don’t trust Corey Schneider in the playoffs. Tampa reams the Devils.

Neither does the coach so that’s why he is not playing

 

[IamNotADancer]

Apparently people have Vegas pegged for the Cup, so.. they are my choice.

 

[FooteBahl]

I don’t trust Corey Schneider in the playoffs. Tampa reams the Devils.

I see you follow hockey closely

 

[Horse McHindu]

I see you follow hockey closely

lol sorry man. Not offense intended to Devils fans. And yes - I admittedly wasn't aware that Schneider had been parked.

My best wishes to the Devils..........but I still think Tampa takes it.

 

[Zippy316]

I don’t trust Corey Schneider in the playoffs. Tampa reams the Devils.

Kinkaid has been the starter for the last two months.

If you see Schneider in these playoffs, there's a good chance something went terribly wrong for NJ.

 

[Habsawce]

LA will beat Vegas

This is what I'm thinking. I just don't think Vegas has the playoff goaltending to compete with the experience of the Kings. Plus, I feel like Jeff Carter is fresh and going to take this series over.

 

[Zippy316]

With the parity, there isn't many series that would really be upsets.

Boston/TBL vs. NJ -- Devils have been playing great hockey so they should be able to put up a fight. I wouldn't bet on it, but I could see NJ pulling off an upset

VGK vs. LA -- Interesting to see how Vegas looks. They've been terrific against the Pacific all year, but they're an unknown going in.

NSH vs. COL -- Nashville should easily be able to handle COL without Johnson and Varlamov. Colorado hasn't been particularly hot either.

WSH vs. CBJ -- Blue Jackets are in the same boat as the Devils here. Terrific run to end the year that they could ride it and play spoiler.