23/24 NHL Playoff Thread

[Fuhrious]

Caps clinch the final spot in the East, playoff pairings more or less set. Any predictions for the Cup or first round upsets? Any "my team didnt make it so I'm rooting for X"? Or hell, "my team didnt make it so I definitely dont want Y to win it all!"

Some interesting matchups in the 1st round, potentially. Edmonton vs Vegas means a team with legitimate Cup hopes is going out in the first round? Ditto Boston and the Leafs?

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[The Marquis]

I don't think it matters that we don't have 2 pairings set, because I don't think it changes anything. I think both Edmonton and Dallas advance against either Vegas or LA. My confidence goes down in an Edmonton/Vegas pairing, but I still think Edmonton pulls it off. They feel like a much better team than in previous years. They could have won the president's trophy if the start of their season wasn't an utter disaster.

East:

Bruins over Leafs
Panthers over Lightning
Rangers over Caps
Islanders over Canes

I think the Isles win is my least likely, but Carolina... the playoff success just isn't there and it's a lot of the same guys. I just don't see it, but I do think that series goes the distance.

This is a SUPER interesting bracket in the east.

West

Canucks over Preds
Jets over Avs
Stars over Knights
Oilers over Kings

This is how I hope it plays out. That way, either Dallas or Vegas are gone in round one. I wouldn't be bummed by a Kings upset of the Oilers.

I think this is Dallas' to lose though. The whole thing. Dallas vs. NYR. Two teams who I hate more than any other, and it would be my luck. That said, they are the two best teams. Dallas is just so good. If neither make it, I'd choose either Boston or Florida in the east, and I'm going way out of a limb and saying the Oilers or Knights in the west.

I'll be cheering for Vancouver, for what it's worth. I've got no reason to hate on them just for being nearby.

 

[kihei]

I'll do the East now:

Boston over Toronto (sigh) in 6
Canes over Islanders in 5
Rangers over Caps in 5
Lightning over Panthers in 7

 

[sigma six]

I've never liked TML, but I feel like it may be the year they overpower their first round opponent with offense, finally climb over that hump. Even if it's Boston. The Bruins are still good but I don't like how many of their points came from OT losses. (Even more than Seattle)

 

[Scomerica]

Have a feeling this is the Rangers year. I want Vancouver to do well. At this point there's no rivalry there.

 

[Fuhrious]

It's kind of wild how the NHL playoffs has over the last decade or two seen two teams who legitimately feel like they could win the Cup knock the other out in the very first round, in multiple pairings.

Oh and my East...

Leafs over Bruins
Lightning over Panthers
Rangers over Caps
Canes over Islanders

 

[kihei]

West predictions

Edmonton over LA in 6
Vancouver over Nashville in 6
Dallas over Vegas in 7
Colorado over Winnipeg in 6

East predictions

Boston over Toronto (sigh) in 6
Canes over Islanders in 5
Rangers over Caps in 5
Lightning over Panthers in 7

All-time Prediction Accuracy: 7-196

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Well, let's see.

West predictions

Edmonton over LA in 5
Vancouver over Nashville in 7
Vegas over Dallas in 6
Colorado over Winnipeg in 7

East predictions

Boston over Toronto in 7(love that Leafs heartbreak)
Canes over Islanders in 6
Rangers over Caps in 6
Panthers over Lightning in 6

 

[Bear of Bad News]

One nice thing about this outcome is that we can watch the playoffs with no stress and just enjoy the games.

Just call me Mr. Brightside.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Wonder how Forslund feels doing Carolina games.

 

[Renopucker]

Wonder how Forslund feels doing Carolina games.

He's the consummate professional. Bolts had Rick Peckham, and he called games from everywhere. You guys are fortunate to have Forslund. Another smart pick by Lieweke.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

He's the consummate professional. Bolts had Rick Peckham, and he called games from everywhere. You guys are fortunate to have Forslund. Another smart pick by Lieweke.

I’m blessed - I used to watch Canes games just for Forslund. And now he’s doing my team’s games.

 

[Fuhrious]

Oof Leafs off to a rocky first round…

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Oof Leafs off to a rocky first round…

I am curious what they do if it is a first round exit again. They keep changing the coaches, maybe it is not the coaches.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I am curious what they do if it is a first round exit again. They keep changing the coaches, maybe it is not the coaches.

They've had two head coaches since 2015 with Mike Babcock(2015 - 2019) and Sheldon Keefe(2019 - ).

They're consistantly putting themselves in a tough financial situation paying those four forwards all that money and also don't seem to be interested in finding a real solution in net.

 

[majormajor]

I am curious what they do if it is a first round exit again. They keep changing the coaches, maybe it is not the coaches.

They haven't changed the coach yet.

I think Keefe goes. I haven't heard this anywhere but I wonder if they'd buy out Tavares.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

They haven't changed the coach yet.

I think Keefe goes. I haven't heard this anywhere but I wonder if they'd buy out Tavares.

Jiminy Christmas .. I want to say I must have been high when I posted that but was not the case. Buying out Tavares is certainly a possibility but since he has only 1 year left, they could retain 50% on him, add something small (2nd round pick +) and try to trade him.

 

[Fuhrious]

Someone on the main board mentioned Matthews only has 6 goals and 2 assists for 8 points and is -7 in 15 playoff games against the Bruins. Wonder it it’s coincidence or they have his number? Also didn’t catch until this morning that Nylander missed the game due to injury. Series far from over but not a great start for them and you wonder if it shakes Samsonov?

 

[Fuhrious]

I dont follow (or know nearly anything about) the Florida Panthers at all, but one player that consistently impresses me when I see them is Carter Verhaeghe. Wonder what clicked for him at age 26/27 to suddenly hit another gear like that? Sure seems to fly under the radar, but what a great story.

 

[kihei]

The Leafs starting goalie is 38th in the league in GA and 45th in the league in Save%. Yet his won/loss record during the regular season was 23-7-8. In the playoffs, no way you could win with porous goaltending like that. It's a problem that the organisation seems to think will just go away, but it doesn't.

 

[Fuhrious]

Wow real barn burner between the Jets and Avalanche!

 

[kihei]

That was exciting. Wow.

I'm rooting for Winnipeg, whom I don't like at all, Edmonton and Vancouver (Toronto, too, but their fate already seems sealed). Why? A Canadian team hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1993 when Montreal was victorious. That's a very long, semi-weird dry spell, and one of these teams can end it more power to 'em.

 

[Scomerica]

One nice thing about this outcome is that we can watch the playoffs with no stress and just enjoy the games.

Just call me Mr. Brightside.

In fairness we did that for decades pre-Kraken. I'd rather be in it and stressing. Last year was awesome.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

In fairness we did that for decades pre-Kraken. I'd rather be in it and stressing. Last year was awesome.

100% agreed.

So I grew up in the west sound, and hockey wasn't really on the menu growing up (I do have found memories of trying to catch the 11:10pm Bremerton ferry so that I wouldn't have to wait for the 1:55am sailing). I started playing roller hockey in Bellingham but really gravitated to ice hockey when I moved to Colorado. As such, I was seen as exotic by most of my friends and family.

My parents were always exceptionally supportive of the journey and when I'd visit them, I'd put whatever games were on and explain to them what was happening. My dad watched Black Hawks games in the early 1960s when he was in college so he appreciated the sport, but my parents would root for just about any team in any sport so long as they had "Seattle" across their chest.

As such, they were excited for the Kraken, primarily because I'd talked about rooting for a Seattle NHL team for at least thirty years but they were excited to jump in on this new thing.

My dad passed away in the spring of 2021 and my mom had a bad fall in the spring of 2023 - she passed away later last summer, but I will always fondly remember being able to sit with her in her rehab unit watching Kraken playoff hockey. I'm eternally grateful for that.

 

[kihei]

Geekie gets the opening goal for Boston against Toronto. Good to see him doing well and with a chance at a Cup.