Pre-Game Talk: Who would you like to or avoid in the 1st round of the playoffs?

[JetsUK]

I think the Jets are likely to be a scary playoff team (touching wood). Big, fast, skilled, consistent goaltending thus far and everyone on the team (even Buff now!) can score. They're a punishing team to play over a series, have depth on the bench and in the AHL, and they can grind or play fire-wagon hockey and everything in-between. If they make it, are decently-seeded, stay healthy and play with some discipline, they can go far. At the very least, they'll leave their mark(s) on the team that can beat them.

 

[Ducky10]

I'd rather avoid Nashville in the first round, not out of fear but I think it would make a much more exciting second round matchup.
I'd like to play the Ducks in the first round again and return the favour of a couple of years back. Beating anyone would make me happy though, I hate them all pretty equally. I most look forward to the day we play the Oilers in the playoffs again and finally get that 5000 lb gorilla off our backs.

 

[ps241]

Nobody will be easy to play but yes Nashville would be my least favorite. That being said man are they getting their fair share of injuries this year too.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I'd rather avoid Nashville in the first round, not out of fear but I think it would make a much more exciting second round matchup.
I'd like to play the Ducks in the first round again and return the favour of a couple of years back. Beating anyone would make me happy though, I hate them all pretty equally. I most look forward to the day we play the Oilers in the playoffs again and finally get that 5000 lb gorilla off our backs.

I want to stomp that gorilla into the mud! I need a different metaphor - one where I can burn down his hut and carry off his women.

 

[SoCalJetsFan]

If the Jets are fortunate and can enter into the playoffs with the team that has Perry and Army on the 4th line then I don't think it much matters.

However avoiding Nashville in the 1st round would be nice since I think they are the best team in the west and would be a better later round match-up for pure hockey entertainment value. Any other central team is going to be great series but I believe the Jets can beat any of them over 7 games.

I am also fine if they meet any of Ducks, Knights or Kings as I can go to the games.

 

[Puckatron 3000]

Add my vote to the "avoid Nashville" crowd. My reasons are similar to others - Nashville is real good, and I'd rather play a not-so-good team. That gives the Jets a better chance to win, and earn more playoff experience. That gives us fans a better chance of more playoff games to watch.

I've got another reason, too. Many of us, even those generally supportive of the management and coaching, came into this year expecting some kind of playoff success. Failing that, calls for change, probably starting with coaching, would become increasingly loud and unified.

So far, so good. But, what if we lose in the 1st round of the playoffs? For me, that will be a pretty big disappointment. And a sign that some change, perhaps beyond just simple growth, is needed for the team.

Unless... the team that beats us is Nashville.

A first round loss to Nashville, and I'm stuck in "dunno where this team is" limbo. Because my bar was set higher for this year - second round and beyond I'm increasingly cool with. But a first-round loss to the Preds could be a sign that the team needs work, or that the Preds are just really, really good. I'd prefer a little more certainty in our playoff measuring stick.

 

[nobody important]

I would prefer a weaker team fluke their way through the Eastern Conf and meet us in the final. Why not?

No, Mort. If a weak team makes it all the way to the final, they automatically acquire Team of Destiny status, and we are doomed.

 

[Georgetown Al]

We will face whoever we have too...

I am not afraid for the future of our Winnipeg Jets...

That bright light you are seeing is not the light of a coming train wreak...

Its the starry shine mirroring off the Stanley Cup being awarded to the home team at MTS Center...

 

[nobody important]

We will face whoever we have too...

I am not afraid for the future of our Winnipeg Jets...

That bright light you are seeing is not the light of a coming train wreak...

Its the starry shine mirroring off the Stanley Cup being awarded to the home team at MTS Center...

 

[KingBogo]

No, Mort. If a weak team makes it all the way to the final, they automatically acquire Team of Destiny status, and we are doomed.

Most weaker teams that make it to the cup final usually meet their maker there. A top seed from another conference also battled hardened from a long playoff run far more often than not takes care of business in these situations.

 

[Georgetown Al]

Skully is hot!

 

[KingBogo]

The more I think about it, the more I want to face Nashville.

It's not like we are a one-and-done team, when it comes to the playoffs. With the core we have, I'd assume we have a decade's worth of playoff runs in front of us. (RIGHT?!)

I want us to be put in the deep end now. That is called learning; we do not know the playoffs yet, whereas a lot of other teams do. I want us to learn what it takes to succeed in the postseason; heck, if that involves coming up against a team with four top pairing defensemen and two Finnish voodoo practitioners in net, so be it. Eventually, we will need to solve them to reach the top. Why not measure our level of play now?

But, in the spirit of this thread, I will answer the question in the OP: I'd like to avoid Anaheim if possible, but it is not like you get much of a say in how things go.

Playing Nashville in the 1st round likely means we have dropped to the 7/8th seed, and I don't know about anyone else but it would be tough sledding around here down the stretch if that should happen and would greatly want to avoid that. I want to face whoever else is in the top 3 in the Central hopefully with home ice advantage. My guess is it will be St. Louis or Dallas.

 

[Georgetown Al]

Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Center Fans....



There are a lot of Winnipeg Jets Fans up in Heaven..

My Dad, my uncles, Aunts and Friends of our family that make up Winnipeg Jets Fans in the past and in the here and now everywhere...

And they all cheer...

Go Jets Go...too...

 

[Georgetown Al]

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

No, Mort. If a weak team makes it all the way to the final, they automatically acquire Team of Destiny status, and we are doomed.

That's a very pessimistic way to see it. Flukey runs end. Lucky streaks end. It will be against us. It will be due.

 

[AlphaLackey]

You know, this is a touching good story and the kind of thing I like to point to whenever people don't appreciate how much pro athletes mean to those little kids.

Having said that, 1% of me, maybe a bit more, would have loved to see Maurice bag-skate the kid and cuss him out the whole time.

 

[AlphaLackey]

You know, this is a touching good story and the kind of thing I like to point to whenever people don't appreciate how much pro athletes mean to those little kids.

Having said that, 1% of me, maybe a bit more, would have loved to see Maurice bag-skate the kid and cuss him out the whole time.

I need help. I know.

 

[Snot Rocket]

I'd like to avoid the Ducks, not because th are talented, but because Perry the asshat might attempt to injure another one of our players with his dirty play.

 

[Whileee]

It's really hard to know how a playoff matchup will go, because a lot depends on which team is hot and firing on all cylinders, and which team has solid goaltending at the time.

But if I think stylistically, I think the Jets tend to struggle most against teams that have top-end defensive cores. I think this is perhaps because the Jets rely a lot on their forwards, so a very good D can neutralize them at times. Also, defensively the Jets tend to struggle a bit with teams that activate their D on offense, perhaps because they have a lot of young forwards that aren't yet as effective at dealing with offense from the D.

In that case, I would think that the Jets would struggle more with teams like Nashville, St. Louis and Calgary, and less against teams like the Hawks and Wild.

 

[DRW204]

avoid - the hottest team going into the playoffs or Nashvillle

 

[antiqueslivers]

its nashville right? The answer, its nashville.

 

[raideralex99]

I'm more worried about the refs than any team.

 

[GNP]

Nobody will be easy to play but yes Nashville would be my least favorite. That being said man are they getting their fair share of injuries this year too.

________________________________________________________

I agree with PS 241-- playing Nashville would be a very tough go. I'd rather the Jets play Annaheim, St.Louis, Dallas, or Minnesota. I think we can handle all those teams. Playing the Hawks if they get in the playoffs, would also be very tough.

 

[kanadalainen]

Nashville would be difficult. However the glory in somehow "driving them before us" is almost impossible to ignore.

 

[Afterburner]

The Jets are likelier to win the Stanley Cup than to miss the playoffs.