Desired playoff scenario

[mmk]

Other than the hope that we make the playoffs, what would be your ideal matchup and bracket?

In my opinion, the Rangers are far and away the best team in the East right now and despite our recent success against them, I would rather not have the Bruins face them early on in the playoffs. That said, the rest of the playoff teams in the Metropolitan division (Isles, Pens, and Caps) all present fairly good matchups for us and so it is not clear which wild card position would be better for us conditional on the Rangers winning the East.

I would rank our matchups, worst to best, as follows:

1) Rangers
2) Habs
3) Bolts
4) Wings
5) Isles
6) Caps
7) Penguins

Click to read more...

 

[RedBruin]

Give me the toilet seats.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Isles, Wings, Bolts would be an easy match-up

 

[8 Spokes]

Other than the hope that we make the playoffs, what would be your ideal matchup and bracket?

In my opinion, the Rangers are far and away the best team in the East right now and despite our recent success against them, I would rather not have the Bruins face them early on in the playoffs. That said, the rest of the playoff teams in the Metropolitan division (Isles, Pens, and Caps) all present fairly good matchups for us and so it is not clear which wild card position would be better for us conditional on the Rangers winning the East.

I would rank our matchups, worst to best, as follows:

1) Rangers
2) Habs
3) Bolts
4) Wings
5) Isles
6) Caps
7) Penguins

I'm by no means afraid of the Rangers. We split the season series thus far 1-1 and have one more game upcoming. The Habs are our worst matchup, no question about it.

1) Habs
2) Bolts
3) Rangers
4) Wings
5) Pens
6) Caps
7) Isles

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

My ideal playoff path this year would be

Habs-Lightning-Isles-Anybody

 

[corpfan1]

I will take the Original Six path...

Habs
Wings
Rangers
Blackhawks


Bring it on!



Most exciting would likely be:

Habs
Wings
Penguins
Kings

 

[Fenway]

I would like to see us play the Islanders in Round 1 and be the team that puts the Nassau Coliseum out to pasture.

That said I think the Rangers end up with the #1 seed in the East and Boston will wind up at #7 which would match us up with the Atlantic winner which I sense will be Tampa.

Montreal would then play Detroit and the Wings could bounce them.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Habs

Rangers

Tampa/isles


Nashville. Win cup

Pastrnak wins smythe

 

[corpfan1]

Impossible scenario...

Habs

Rangers

Tampa/isles


Nashville. Win cup

Pastrnak wins smythe

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

maybe I'm a simple dude, but my favorite playoff scenario at this point is ANY PLAYOFF SCENARIO

Let's just get in!

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

I don't us to think we have an easy road with any opponent. And what the guy above me said. We still need to get in.

 

[xStanleyCupsFor]

Worst to best:

Habs


<insert 4 pages>


Rangers/Pens(veteran teams with star power, would be a battle)

Caps(not scary, but PP/Ovie could be X factors)

Wings/Bolts/Isles(FAST teams I think the Bruins can beat)

 

[KnightofBoston]

Impossible scenario...

 

[Fenway]

maybe I'm a simple dude, but my favorite playoff scenario at this point is ANY PLAYOFF SCENARIO

Let's just get in!

Amen

 

[talkinaway]

The playoff scenario with the best odds of winning the cup in my mind would be Bruins/Penguins, with a NYI/NYR matchup that knocks the Rangers out. By some miracle, Detroit makes it two rounds in the Atlantic. And, on the other end, Nashville wins 3 rounds, has no idea what to do in the finals, and loses to the Bs.

If we add some reality into the picture while still trying to get the Bs to the cup, I'd say playing the Rangers, followed by the Isles, followed by the Habs, followed by Chicago.

If we're forced to stay in the Atlantic, I'd want to play against Tampa the first round. If we're being realistic, that means we play the Habs next, followed by a New York team.

But frankly, Chia and company have done a great job at lowering expectations for this year, starting at the beginning with the Boychuk for Connolly cap dump trade. I'd LIKE to win 2 playoff games in the first round, and I'm resigned to winning 1. Getting swept would be band, and not making the playoffs at all is completely unacceptable.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

The playoff scenario with the best odds of winning the cup in my mind would be Bruins/Penguins, with a NYI/NYR matchup that knocks the Rangers out. By some miracle, Detroit makes it two rounds in the Atlantic. And, on the other end, Nashville wins 3 rounds, has no idea what to do in the finals, and loses to the Bs.

If we add some reality into the picture while still trying to get the Bs to the cup, I'd say playing the Rangers, followed by the Isles, followed by the Habs, followed by Chicago.

If we're forced to stay in the Atlantic, I'd want to play against Tampa the first round. If we're being realistic, that means we play the Habs next, followed by a New York team.

But frankly, Chia and company have done a great job at lowering expectations for this year, starting at the beginning with the Boychuk for Connolly cap dump trade. I'd LIKE to win 2 playoff games in the first round, and I'm resigned to winning 1. Getting swept would be band, and not making the playoffs at all is completely unacceptable.

So the only way we can stay out of our division and do something like what you suggest:

A1: Montreal
A2: Tampa
A3: Detroit
W1: Boston

M1: Pits
M2: NYI
M3: Rangers
W2: Washington

A1: W2 (Montreal vs Washington)
A2:A3 (Tampa vs Detroit)

M1: W1 (Pits vs Boston)
M2:M3(Islanders vs Rangers)

We could go through Pits and then the winner of the Islanders vs Rangers. Then no matter what we're still going to get someone from Montreal/Tampa/Detroit in the conference finals.


But if the Islanders leap-frog the habs, we don't want W1 in your scenario. We want to stay in W2, where we are now. 8th.

It's *possible* that on the final game of the season, Claude Julien gets to decide which playoff branch he wants to try for. I *think* that like you suggest, he would go for the Metro branch. But I can't say for sure obviously.

 

[5Minutes4Fighting]

Bring on the Habs....need to slay the demon if you want to go anywhere.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Bring on the Habs....need to slay the demon if you want to go anywhere.

Yes, I kind of wish the playoffs started today since we have been playing awesome. My bet is we would slay those demons!

 

[Fenian24]

They have to avoid Montreal at all costs. Even as bad as they are I think they could beat Detroit and Tampa. Crossing over they can beat the Islanders.

So it would be possible for a playoff run if they get Detroit, Tampa and Long Island. Montreal, The Rangers, Penguins and Capitals would all beat them easily.

 

[SPV]

I want Monteal, because F it!

this year has been written off so many times already; why not just take them on in the first round. If we beat them, the monkey is off the back and I bet they make a deep run. If not, then everyone would have expected us to lose anyway.

we have such a tough schedule this month, we are going to be in full playoff mode a month before most teams. noticed today that we are only 4 back of Washington with 2 in hand though. closer to the 7th than we are to 9th right now.

 

[CombatOnContact]

In my opinion, hoping for any particular playoff scenario is a recipe for disaster. Just play the games to win and let the cards fall where they may. If we're going to win the Cup, we'll have to beat the best teams at some point. Doesn't matter if it's 1st, 2nd, 3rd or finals.