Does anyone think the West has a chance this year?

[Samus44]

The East looks better because they're way more top heavy. The Oilers for example are 16-7-2 against the East and iirc have beat every top team except TB who they barely lost to sans McDavid in their 1 game against them. The West is a grind after LA there's nothing comparable to Detroit, Ottawas, or New Jersey.

 

[Samus44]

Tampa was great last year playoffs?

What does 1# mean to a mathematician like you?

Whoosh...

 

[MikeyMike01]

The West has a chance solely because the conference champion will have a much easier road than the Eastern

 

[Connor McConnor]

Nah West doesn't have a chance because Tampa is the best team ever assembled and will roll through the playoffs. Oh wait.. that was last season and they got swept 4-0 in the 1st round against a team from OHIO. And then a West team won the cup.

Yeah I think they have "a chance". Give your damn head a shake lmao.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Dallas will be a very tough out. Big, fast team that can really bring the grind.

They're my choice to come out of the west and win the cup.

 

[daver]

The East looks better because they're way more top heavy. The Oilers for example are 16-7-2 against the East and iirc have beat every top team except TB who they barely lost to sans McDavid in their 1 game against them. The West is a grind after LA there's nothing comparable to Detroit, Ottawas, or New Jersey.

When 8 of the Top 11 teams are from one conference, that is more than just top heavy.

There is a clear difference between the conferences this year.

 

[hoglund]

The West is much weaker this year than the East, but when the playoffs start it's a whole new season. Whichever team is the hottest coming in to the playoffs will likely win.

 

[The Shovel Penguin]

I don't know of anybody that had the Blues winning about a year ago, or the Jackets sweeping Tampa. So you never know.

 

[stator]

I think some of the dump on the West is not that warranted because of the changing of the guards. The perennial top contenders have burned out (Sharks, Ducks, Kings), and those teams that have been feasting on high draft picks are the new contenders.

It's an adjustment for western division hockey fans, as it is for those new contenders to get playoff experience that they lack.

 

[Helistin]

The whole premise of the thread that does 'West' have a chance would only make sense if the two teams that meet in the finals would consist of some weighted average of all the teams of the conference.

The finals match-up isn't East vs West it's one team from the east and one team from the west.

 

[mr figgles]

All it takes is for the best team in the West to be a mismatch for the best team in the East.

 

[nturn06]

Did anyone think that Columbus had a chance against Tampa last season?

 

[tony d]

The East looks to be the dominant conference this year for sure. Still there are some quality teams out west as well. Dallas is looking good as of late. As are Vegas.

 

[AvroArrow]

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

LOL.

The team that is currently in 12th

They are not even going to make the playoffs, why are they listed as a cup contender

 

[Trap Jesus]

There's so much parity in hockey that I don't know if I'd give any playoff team vs. another playoff team more than at most 2/3 odds of winning any particular series. For all the top-end team talent and overall team depth that the East has over the West, it's still going to be an East vs. West team in the end.

 

[Sgt Schultz]

Not that last year was normal, but if you look at the first round, the higher seeds won 3 of the 8 series. Of those 3, Boston had to win games 6 and 7, and San Jose had to win game 5, 6, and 7 or the higher seeds would have been 1 out of 8.

Once the playoffs start, nearly anything can happen. And it usually does.

 

[Fig]

I think some of the dump on the West is not that warranted because of the changing of the guards. The perennial top contenders have burned out (Sharks, Ducks, Kings), and those teams that have been feasting on high draft picks are the new contenders.

It's an adjustment for western division hockey fans, as it is for those new contenders to get playoff experience that they lack.

What is weird is the sudden change in guard. One or two of the California teams going down for a retool seemed reasonable starting this season. All 3 of them cratering into what looks like easy top 10 pick ranges even before the start of a retool and the Pacific as tight as it currently is, was not what not predicted by the average person with hockey knowledge at all.

IDK about other Pacific teams still in the hunt, but it's definitely been a hell of an emotional roller coaster ride and a lesson in completely confused expectation. On the Flames side, it also really shows the fan base posters real colors in terms of glass half empty and full. IMO, all opinions I've seen so far have merit, but it's definitely weird how some posters decide to portray their opinion.

For outsiders, the constant shuffle in standings isn't exciting. It's confusing and tiresome, at least for me and I'm certain quite a few other Pacific fans based on the opinions I've seen so far.

 

[deckercky]

The East for sure has more top teams, but that does not mean that the West will lose in the finals.
1.) There are still great teams in the West, just not as many top tier teams.
2.) The Western finalist should be expected to have an easier route to the Finals.
3.) Any team that makes the Finals tends to be rolling by that point.
4.) Goaltending can easily steal one series.

 

[Mikenusca]

I hate to admit it, but Vegas. is going to be the team to beat. They have a deep team that can play any style. They can play physical and they can also score 6 on you. If MAF gets hot, that’s a scary team

 

[Mikenusca]

I think some of the dump on the West is not that warranted because of the changing of the guards. The perennial top contenders have burned out (Sharks, Ducks, Kings), and those teams that have been feasting on high draft picks are the new contenders.

It's an adjustment for western division hockey fans, as it is for those new contenders to get playoff experience that they lack.

Teams would be lucky to get 2 points in the California trip. Those were good times lol

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

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

What did you think last year?

Dallas is also very good.

 

[quackquackquack]

I'd take Colorado or Vegas in a 7 game series against any team out East soooooooooo...yeah they have a chance.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

The East looks better because they're way more top heavy. The Oilers for example are 16-7-2 against the East and iirc have beat every top team except TB who they barely lost to sans McDavid in their 1 game against them. The West is a grind after LA there's nothing comparable to Detroit, Ottawas, or New Jersey.

Thats just one team. There are many more Eastern teams with dominant records against the West than vice versa.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

I think the Sabres would have a chance if they moved the Stanley Cup final to October

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

theres a pretty good chance at least one Western Conference team makes it to the Cup Final. Don't ask me why, just a gut feeling.