First round has been terrible, but next round will benefit

[Ezekial]

Outside of Washington NYR there have been a lot of close games.

Tampa vs Panthers could've started out completely different, Tampa could've easily been up 2-0 leaving Sunrise.
Canes Isles had a couple really good games in the middle there
Oils and Kings had a ot game and a 1-0 tight one that oils had no business winning.
Van and Nashville are going to 7 I can feel it in my bones, it's been a great series these last 3 games have been awesome.
Boston and Toronto always has to go to 7 for peak disappointment
Ironically everyone poo pooed the Stars and said they were toast and a joke only to go to Vegas and take both those games and control of the series once again.

Now it's not the greatest 1st round ever, and it hasn't been as compelling as it maybe could be, but as always there's plenty to follow and enjoy.

 

[thaman8765678]

It hasn't been that bad.

The Islanders, Caps, Kings and Jets all suck and probably miss the playoffs most years. But somebody has to be eliminated first round.

The other series are competitive.

 

[Chet Manley]

HF always seems in such a hurry to discuss things that haven't happened yet.

 

[bobholly39]

I'm keeping out hope for Toronto eliminating the ennemy in round 1.

If you want to talk entertaining - I'd love to see my initial prediction come true, and having us end up with a Toronto/Edmonton final.

Even if you're the biggest Toronto or McDavid hater in the world - you can't deny this would be entertaining to follow.

As for round 2....

NYR vs Carolina will be a closer series than their round 1 matchups were, but it doesn't stirke me as a particularly entertaining one....

I don't find Florida's style all that entertaining. But I suppose either Boston or Toronto would both want revenge from last year, so could make it fun to watch.

Colorada vs either Dallas/Vegas will be great, yes. Just as the rest of Dallas/Vegas will be great.

Neither Vancouver nor Edmonton have advanced yet - but if they both do (and I think they will), I agree it would be a wild one. But probably shouldn't count LA nor Nashville completely out until it's done...

 

[Magic 8 Ball]

There's been no hate this round. Things don't get interesting until something nasty happens that gets everybody riled up.

 

[Danarqhy]

As a neutral, this has been the worst first round in maybe 10-15 years. Barely any drama at all.

 

[thegazelle]

I would agree with you to an extent but disagree to another extent.

My youngest son and I were discussing this over breakfast this morning before I whisked him to school. We looked at the bracket and he said several teams bombed in the first round. Hard to disagree with that.

BUT I did tell him, that by these teams being weeded out, the cream of the crop is really showing. Honestly, to have anything other than NYR and CAR on the second round would be a travesty. And assuming the Oilers and Canucks win, you really don't have a bad matchup in the second round, irrespective of how the Bruins-Leafs or the Dallas-Vegas series go.

I would prefer to have the weak teams bounced in round 1 this way rather than see a major upset of a team that somehow squeaks into the second round or just by sheer ball bouncing a certain way, they get in. I'd prefer to see amazing matchups in the second round rather than the first.

 

[paragon]

Let's be honest, this has been a historically bad opening round of the playoffs. Only one series is tied after 4 games, everything else is 3-1 (except for NYR who went 4-0). Unless some teams pull off a miracle, this opening round will go down as one of, if not the most, lopsided opening rounds in playoff history. Last year we had 3 game 7s in the opening round, this year we'll be lucky to get one. You have to go back to 2017 to find an opening round as lopsided as this one (not counting 2020 bubble which I refuse to acknowledge as a real playoff)

Ironic considering the almost historic level of parity displayed in the regular season.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Round 2/3 will be insane. Just have to weed out the teams that were one dimensional. The East bubble was pretty tragic this year so it's no surprise that the East round 1 was going to be garbage besides the Leafs/Bruins series which was the closest series point wise. NYR CAR will be fantastic and TOR or BOS v FLA will be good just on the basis of the revenge series for the former

 

[nyrallday]

1st round was like a training round. Get your feet wet and stretch a little. Get rid of the dead weight asap and move on to the real shit

 

[Machinehead]

The whole tournament sucked last year, so this tracks.

 

[FrailSwan]

I would rate the first round a solid 3.6 roentgen. Not great, not terrible.

 

[Oak]

I've actually really enjoyed every series in the West so far besides a game or two in the Nucks series.

Eastern conference games have been very boring in comparison outside of Bruins/Leafs. Although last nights game was a snoozer.

It's almost like two different hockey leagues. West has been faster with a LOT more hitting. Almost unfair how much harder it is to make the final coming through the west.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

There's been lots of good series.

Vancouver v Nashville the grind fest.

Toronto v Boston going to game 6

Florida v Tampa may have been only 5 games but that series was crazy entertaining.

 

[JimmyG89]

The cup contenders are doing their jobs in round 1. The only exception is Dallas/Vegas playing each other. There has been a clear cutoff after the top 10 and has resulted in these series outcomes.

The top 3 teams in the east won their series convincingly. Colorado ramped their game up and Georgiev seemingly has figured some things out. Edmonton is close to closing theirs out too.

I agree with the OP. The 2nd round has the chance to be amazing. We're going to see 7 of the 8 contenders for the cup in R2. I do not believe that Vancouver or Nashville can win the cup, that is the reason for 7 of 8. The bracket has really set Edmonton up to go to the final IMO.

Canes/Rangers screams 7 games again. Colorado vs Dallas/Vegas will be intense. Florida/Boston after last season? Could be an all timer (sorry leafs fans, I have to see you win a game 7 before believing it can happen).

 

[tucker3434]

Not a lot of stolen games this year. You'd have thought with Vasilevskiy, Sorokin/Varly, and Hellebuyck, they'd have found ways to get their teams to at least 6 games, even if the overall roster construction wasn't up to the standard of the team across the ice. The teams that didn't have it this year, really didn't have it, just nothing was going right for them.

 

[Miri]

I disagree slightly. While the series scores aren’t particularly close, except for the Stars-Knights series, I’ve been plenty entertained by the games I’ve managed to watch.

This.
I mean, i am Avalanche fan, so i am biased here, but the only way for the Avs-Jets to be closer, would be for Jets to be able to clog down the middle, slow Avs down and in general turn the game into grindfest. Taking away the biggest spectacle, the high-octane brand of Avs hockey in the process. Now tell me how this would be more entertaining solely on the basis of being more equal.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Dallas/Vegas - Entertaining hockey to watch from a neutral fan stand point. Best series of the first round. This easily could be the western conference final.

Winnipeg/Colorado - Kinda disappointing series. Figured it would be a long one but Winnipeg I guess just had nothing for the Avs fire power.

Edmonton/LA - This has been the most boring series with these two teams. Oilers have been better but also look annoyed/bored playing against them 3 years in a row. LA boring style isn’t easy on the eyes and they still look outmatched.

Vancouver/Nashville - The hockey for the most part hasn’t been exciting but has had its bizarre moments to keep your attention. Don’t even think Vancouver deserves to be ahead which makes it more bizarre. Series not over yet so could ramp up.

New York/Washington - It was a series that went the way most people predicted. Caps did put up a decent fight but they aren’t a playoff team most years but the east was just bad this year.

Florida/Tampa Bay - I admittedly didn’t watch much of this series but I was surprised at the amount of people picking Tampa Bay or having it a long series. It went the way I predicted and was a predictable series for me I guess.

Carolina/NYI - Again didn’t watch much of this series other than highlights. Seemed like it had its moments but a lot of last year and was predictable.

Boston/Toronto - I’ll try to be non bias here but the series has actually been really good entertainment wise that doesn’t get the attention cause the main storyline that gets the attention is the leafs battling their mental problems…again…which is honestly a tiring storyline….Game 5 was an intense game. Series ain’t over and if Leafs can take it to game 7, it has chance to be a really good series like their previous series together.

All in all, I think it’s been an average first round so far with maybe one or two disappointing series and with series not over yet that could make up for it.

 

[HockeyVirus]

OP needs to be updated.

Leafs vs Panthers rematch of round 2 last year

 

[JP Mick]

Let's be honest, this has been a historically bad opening round of the playoffs. Only one series is tied after 4 games, everything else is 3-1 (except for NYR who went 4-0). Unless some teams pull off a miracle, this opening round will go down as one of, if not the most, lopsided opening rounds in playoff history. Last year we had 3 game 7s in the opening round, this year we'll be lucky to get one. You have to go back to 2017 to find an opening round as lopsided as this one (not counting 2020 bubble which I refuse to acknowledge as a real playoff)

But, the silver lining is that the next round is shaping up to be epic. If nothing crazy happens we are looking at:

NYR vs Carolina (2 amazing teams)
Florida vs Boston (rematch from last year)
Vancouver vs Edmonton (Canada Cup)
Colorado vs Dal/Vegas (amazing matchup no matter who it is)

Your opinion sucks.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Yea, I see the notion.

A stat that I find interesting is that there's been a total of two post-season fights this playoff.

Last year there was 5 in the Tampa Toronto series alone. I felt that last year had far more rough stuff, post-whistle scrums, and we're far more hatred-filled. It's been fast hockey this year, but I feel that there's been almost a lack of emotion.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Stars/VGK v Avs

Bruins/Leafs v Florida

Edmonton (if they don't insanely choke this) v Vancouver/Nashville

NYR v Carolina

Tremendous puck incoming round 2

 

[1989]

HF always seems in such a hurry to discuss things that haven't happened yet.

Like you've never speculated, ever.

Might as well exist solely on the History of Hockey subforum.

 

[Chet Manley]

Like you've never speculated, ever.

Might as well exist solely on the History of Hockey subforum.

This is a conversation/premise that should have waited until between rounds and still had speculation of round 2. I'm allowed to have that option.

 

[Esq]

Agreed that Round 2 should be great. But underwhelming for sure so far.