Does anyone think the West has a chance this year?

[Luigi Lemieux]

I think a lot of people really underrate the West because of how much the East gets to beat up on terrible teams all year.

Edmonton has a 16-7-2 record vs Eastern teams and a 10-2-0 record against the almighty Metro.

Meanwhile Detroit has 0-17-1 record against the Metro.

Look at the east vs west head to head records on tsn. East is pretty clearly better.

 

[viper0220]

The Blues are the obvious maybe, but have looked very meh lately.
The Avs if they figure out how to play well consistently.
Everyone else is pretty blah.

The East on the other hand

Caps - awesome
Pens - getting healthy
Bruins - awesome
Lightning - figured it out
Sabres - Scary good

The West this year is very tight and it has cost me $25 LOL.

I don't think things could get this tight that nothing passes through it.

 

[Daximus]

Look at the east vs west head to head records on tsn. East is pretty clearly better.

There are teams who have good records vs the other on either side. Pretty much like every year. But everyone said the same thing last year and the Blues won. It's all about the matchup.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

A chance? Yes. I have the Blues as the favourites once they get Tarachenko back.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

Whoever makes it out of the West will likely have had a much easier route to the finals than anybody in the East, and therefore I think any top team in the West has a legitimate chance as the Cup Finals usually ends up being a battle of attrition and luck as opposed to skill.

 

[johnnybbadd]

If the east has most of the playoff contenders, then logic dictates , the winner of the east will be a little bit banged up by the SC Finals

I agree. Nashville vs Pittsburgh was a final with 2 decimated teams. You never know.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I guarantee that 1 team in the west makes it to the finals at the very least.

 

[jabelskey]

Sure. Anything can happen and will happen in playoff hockey, so who knows?

 

[Tender Rip]

Much better chance than it ought to. After all it will have a team in the finals.

 

[valet]

Don't forget about Detroit. 2-8 in their last 10, the wheels are starting to turn right in time for a cup run

 

[McRpro]

If the West is really that bad then whoever makes it to the finals will have had an easy road getting there, whereas the eastern team will have been through a blood bath and won't have much gas left in the tank.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Any team that makes the playoffs has a chance.

The best overall teams are in the East though, Penguins, Bolts, Bruins. Taresenko comes back 90% and I put them up there as well.

Colorado is legit too. Only team along with pens, bolts, bruins that is top 10 in gf/g and ga/g.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

Colorado is a very good 5v5 team which should cater to playoff hockey . But what the f*** does anyone know about playoff hockey until it’s June.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Avalanche then Oilers

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Any team that make it from the West can win it, we’re talking about 3 rounds in a league of parity. You have to be really good to make it past 3 rounds in 2020. I wouldn’t be surprised if the West wins the Cup this year.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

50/50

 

[T-Funk]

A few more elite teams in the East this year vs West, but anything can happen in the playoffs. I'd say it's 50/50 once both teams get to the final.

 

[wabagee]

That eastern team that dominated last year went out with a whimper! And the rest fell too, what are guys even talking about? Who cares if your conference is better just worry about your team.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Clearly the West stands zero chance, as the top 4 teams currently all reside in the East. It’s why all the #1 seeds won their first round matchups last year - you can battle on the ice all you want, math will always prevail. 1>4

 

[wabagee]

Clearly the West stands zero chance, as the top 4 teams currently all reside in the East. It’s why all the #1 seeds won their first round matchups last year - you can battle on the ice all you want, math will always prevail. 1>4

Tampa was great last year playoffs?

 

[wabagee]

Clearly the West stands zero chance, as the top 4 teams currently all reside in the East. It’s why all the #1 seeds won their first round matchups last year - you can battle on the ice all you want, math will always prevail. 1>4

What does 1# mean to a mathematician like you?

 

[Palmetto]

Tampa was great last year playoffs?

What does 1# mean to a mathematician like you?

He's right, watch some hockey once in a while. #1 always wins

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

The Blues are the obvious maybe, but have looked very meh lately.
The Avs if they figure out how to play well consistently.
Everyone else is pretty blah.

The East on the other hand

Caps - awesome
Pens - getting healthy
Bruins - awesome
Lightning - figured it out
Sabres - Scary good

My prediction is that all those 'amazing' East teams will destroy each other in the first 3 rounds and the Western Conf Champ will clean up in the Finals.

 

[McFlash97]

Whoever makes it out of the West will likely have had a much easier route to the finals than anybody in the East, and therefore I think any top team in the West has a legitimate chance as the Cup Finals usually ends up being a battle of attrition and luck as opposed to skill.

The West is much more of a grind then the East. Getting out of the West is what set the Blues to grind Boston out of the finals. Luck will get you out of the East.

 

[McFlash97]

The Blues are the obvious maybe, but have looked very meh lately.
The Avs if they figure out how to play well consistently.
Everyone else is pretty blah.

The East on the other hand

Caps - awesome
Pens - getting healthy
Bruins - awesome
Lightning - figured it out
Sabres - Scary good

Wtf...