Habs can now only face 4 teams in the first round

[Laps40]

Would love Detroit actually but odds that his happen are fairly low.
Pretty sure we'll end up playing Tampa. Kinda afraid as Stamkos is on fire and Bishop is the kind of goalie we'll have trouble to score against.

 

[Wats]

I miss the Bruins hate.

Not to mention that would be definitely a 6-7 game physical series. IF we came out of it, we'd be limping into second round

This is the Habs, they go in limping regardless of round or team. I'd rather face Bruins early since they seem to get better the later in playoffs.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

People choosing Boston must be golfers .

Boston is by far the cream of the East . They aren't losing in the first round .

Pretty much.

 

[bsl]

Boston. If we can beat them then we can go far in the East. They are the biggest threat. We have had luck against them and it'd be great to get them out of the way first.

Why not let someone else beat them first? Refer to 86 or 93 playoffs for example.

Is logic no longer taught in Canadian schools?

 

[Bob Cole]

Not scared of bawston. Montréal in 6.

 

[JuicyHam]

Not scared of bawston. Montréal in 6.

I say 5

 

[bsl]

As a moderator, it is no contest. TAMPA!!!!

As a fan... well, I think it is actually still Tampa... just because of the "loser mentality" that if we're going to lose, I'd rather lose to Tampa than any of the others. :S

Habs fan for 45 years and I hate Tampa WAY more than Laffs. Tampa are the new tank win a cup in no time model. Can't stand them.

They're now benefiting from their second tank. Lecavalier in the first, Stamkos for the second. Laffs at least try every bloody year, for the last 50.

And I think we can beat Tampa in round one also.

Bring them on. Would love Habs to crush them. Vanek will deal with Bishop.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Not scared of bawston. Montréal in 6.

I say 5

...awful early to be hittin' the sauce hard already, isn't it, lads??...

 

[FlyingKostitsyn]

Why are people picking the bruins? 7 game series with home ice advantage the bruins beat us pretty easily. I'll take Pittsburgh. They have the worst goaltending. Leafs 2nd but would rather not play them because a loss to them would have me in kill mode.

People pick the bruins because we usually beat them when we are the underdogs. Series vs them are also very intense and fun. We actually match well vs them (contrary to popular belief)

 

[Fazkovsky]

fleury is damn awful so pit 1st and boston 2nd. Tampa has bishop, we will lose but now that marty isnt there we stand a chance. Toronto not so sure.

 

[TofoEmptyNt]

Picked Tampa. We probably have a better chance against the Leafs, but I'd rather they just miss the playoffs all together.

We don't want Boston btw. Best goal differential in the league, only St. Louis is close. Better GF than Pitt, only behind Chicago and St. Louis. 2nd best GA, only one more than LA. They're not just defense this year. Our history and the season series isn't as telling as we think it is.

 

[nilan30]

Just make it. Don't care who it's against. Although a loss to the Leafs would mean me quitting Facebook. (Which would be good actually)

 

[Coldplay]

We can beat any of those teams, but Toronto is far and away the most beatable of the bunch.

 

[NobleSix]

What makes me think twice about wanting Toronto in the first round is that they always find these cheap little ways to beat us.

If we ever lost to Toronto in the playoffs id rather pluck my eyes out than face the embarrassment and ridicule from the leaf fans that I'm surrounded by.

To me, this list is not enticing whatsoever. Pick your poison. Id almost be inclined to vote Tampa... but Bishop and Stammer... not an easy choice.

 

[Sterling Archer]

i went with Toronto only because I live in the GTA and NOTHING would give me more pleasure than to see the Habs knock them off. I reslise it's double edged sword but I still think we can take them in a 7 games series.

Besides that, I think Pittsburrgh is really depleted and Fleury may actually have a contract on the side with the Habs. Out of all the teams, I think we'd have the best chance against Pittsburgh followed by TBay, especially now that St. Louis (the Hab killer) is no longer with the team.

So in order of preference:

Toronto
Pittsburgh
TBay
Boston - I want them in the ECF but not the 1st round. Easily thebest team in the east this year.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

1) Toronto, I think stylistically we match up well against them and it was the match up I wanted last year (sigh). Albeit they've improved their goaltending with Bernier (who remains a Wild Card), I'm not scared of them. Our teams are similar in terms of depth and role players but I still prefer our team. If Eller can step up his game, it will be an easy series. Rielly and Gardiner are relatively raw and playing at the BC won't help them in terms of rookie mistakes. They're in a similar situation as us last year, struggling down the stretch just before the playoffs. Plus with last year's fiasco, I'm sure if they blow a lead in one of the games, they're toast mentally.

2) Pittsburgh

I don't think their team is built for playoffs and that defense plus goaltending is easily exploitable. Montreal has shown that they can get in Fleury's head and Plekanec has proven time and time again that he knows how to get Crosby off his game. The question comes down to if Eller and cie can shutdown Malkin & Neal. In a series against Pittsburgh, I'd like to see Moen - Plekanec- Gionta as a line.

3) Boston

It's Boston, the series are always close. Their roster is pretty stacked but their defense is not the most experienced even with the acquisition of Meszaros. Losing Seidenberg will hurt them in playoffs.

4) Tampa Bay

Their system is our kryptonite and I don't think we have an answer for Bishop. I think we'd easily get outcoached and possibly lose in 4-5 games in a series against TB. Worst match up possible like lastyear against Ottawa. They're not overly big but they play an efficient system and they have speed/talent.

 

[DenverHabsFan]

Anybody but Toronto. I couldn't bear all the ghost calls and the usual penalty with less than two minutes left. I find Lupul and JVR more annoying than Marchand.

LOL @ posters afraid of Boston. We're always expected to lose against them and it's always a close series. We were one goal away from stopping their cup run last time around and Gomez was our #1 center.

 

[HTTP 400]

Would love Detroit actually but odds that his happen are fairly low.
Pretty sure we'll end up playing Tampa. Kinda afraid as Stamkos is on fire and Bishop is the kind of goalie we'll have trouble to score against.

Make it Subban's own mission.

If all his talent and strength is focused on shutting down Stamkos, I'm sure he can do it and drive him crazy like he did against Crosby in 2010.

Vanek will take care of Bishop!!

 

[Mrb1p]

Boston.

I'm up for the challenge if we have God in nets.

 

[coolasprICE]

Bunch of tough guys here lol

No way Boston 1st round.

I'll take the Leafs because they're trash.

1. Leafs
2. Bolts
3. Pens
4. Bruins

 

[Tyrus]

Make it Subban's own mission.

If all his talent and strength is focused on shutting down Stamkos, I'm sure he can do it and drive him crazy like he did against Crosby in 2010.

Vanek will take care of Bishop!!

Stamkos isn't Crosby, he plays a cold-headed game and contrary to Crosby he doesn't bring the puck up the ice and make himself visible. He is really good at dissapearing and making himself open, as an elite sniper should, something that Subban sucks against.

I don't mind playing Tampa, and I think it would be a really interesting series that I wouldn't mind losing as much as long as the hockey is good for our young guys. Bishop has been shacky lately, some say he's been covering an injury for a while and he has no playoffs experience under his belt.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

The Habs will be a seeded team.

 

[peate]

Bunch of tough guys here lol

No way Boston 1st round.

I'll take the Leafs because they're trash.

1. Leafs
2. Bolts
3. Pens
4. Bruins

Pretty much this. It's a toss-up between Leafs and Tampa but if Bernier is out, they become an easier foe. Boston is hot right now and the Pens have a lot of firepower, although Fleury

 

[Price is Wright]

...awful early to be hittin' the sauce hard already, isn't it, lads??...

Montreal runs Rask out of the net in game one. Rask rebounds in game two. Vanek has two goal nights in three and four. Game five goes to overtime with a Gallagher snipe ending it.

 

[Habaddict]

Make it Subban's own mission.

If all his talent and strength is focused on shutting down Stamkos, I'm sure he can do it and drive him crazy like he did against Crosby in 2010.

Vanek will take care of Bishop!!

I like the idea of playing a team that relies a lot on one scorer.
Subban can just "troll" that guy for 7 games. Like he did Crosby
four years ago. And T Bay no longer has St Louis.
But Bishop really does scare me.