Honest feeling about playoffs?

[loudi94]

Impossible to say. Hot goalie, puck luck, injuries etc. really, any team can win.

That being said, all things being equal, I'd say we have a decent shot at making it to the ECFs. After that, all bets are off.

In addition to everyone taking their game up a level, one cannot stress enough how important puck luck will be for whichever team is going to win the Cup this year. Example would be on Saturday against the B's when Gorges got enough of Cryci so he missed an open net. When the juju is good that happens, but all of last year the Habs were carrying some really bad juju. Even I as a fan contributed. After 40 years, I went to see my first two games ever. Gary Carter dies and the Habs lose both games and managed only one goal. We all need to do our part. Perhaps a good juju thread needs to start. BGally not taking credit for the tying goal against the B's in Boston is another great example. Remember Gilbert Dionne against Buffalo, sure they won the Cup, but he disappeared not so soon after.

 

[Tuggy]

My honest feeling about the playoffs is that the NHL playoffs are the most difficult in all of professional sports. I find it can be very hard to predict because there are so many variables.

I like our team going in. I think they have a good mix of veterans and young players. I don't have a particular team that I would prefer to face because I think any matchup is going to be tough. Maybe the Sens if they don't get Spezza/Karlsson back but Anderson is the type of goalie who can win a series by himself. Likewise with Lundqvist.

The Jets would probably be the easiest matchup for us but I doubt they make the playoffs.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

I know it's not good to wish for a specific opponent for the playoffs, but a huge part of me hopes we get the Rangers and annihilate them.

Their fans are incredibly obnoxious and critical of the Habs for a team that has yet to score a goal in 2 years at the Bell Centre. One would believe it would make themselves more humble, but their level of arrogance and denial right now would just make it feel too good to pass in a scenario where we beat them to the ground.

 

[crystal ball]

I have to admit, yesterday's good feeling about how the team looks heading into the home stretch is evaporating a bit with the Emelin injury. The teams that win the Cup tend to be the healthiest ones. It's awfully tough to win missing a top-4 defenseman. Oh well. Maybe Drewiske will turn out to be an undiscovered defensive genius. Or Beaulieu will prove he really belongs.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

I have to admit, yesterday's good feeling about how the team looks heading into the home stretch is evaporating a bit with the Emelin injury. The teams that win the Cup tend to be the healthiest ones. It's awfully tough to win missing a top-4 defenseman. Oh well. Maybe Drewiske will turn out to be an undiscovered defensive genius. Or Beaulieu will prove he really belongs.

Pittsburgh is missing Letang, Neal and Crosby
Bruins are missing Bergeron and McQuaid
Leafs are missing Lupul
Sens are missing Spezza, Karlsson and Michalek.

Everyone has injuries. The teams who overcome their losses the best are those who succeed.

 

[sharks9]

Pittsburgh is missing Letang, Neal and Crosby
Bruins are missing Bergeron and McQuaid
Leafs are missing Lupul
Sens are missing Spezza, Karlsson and Michalek.

Everyone has injuries. The teams who overcome their losses the best are those who succeed.

Not all of those are season-ending though like Emelin's injury.

Hopefully the return of Diaz will give us enough of a boost to make up for the loss of Emelin.

 

[GeneralMarky79]

Depends if Markov stays healthy, that's how I feel. With him we are a winning team, without him we are a 50-50.

although i agree with this markov and plekanec and virtually disappeared in the playoffs. I hope they BOTH prove me wrong this year

 

[BobbyFischer*]

I'm still sad about Emelin...

Is it too late to tank?

 

[PricePkPatch*]

although i agree with this markov and plekanec and virtually disappeared in the playoffs. I hope they BOTH prove me wrong this year

Plek usually disappear in season end and the playoffs because he's been overused. MT has been careful in energy management this year, so I suspect Pleky will do fine.

As for Markov; do you mean he disappeared defensively or offensively?

 

[Seb]

It's a kinda weird season, when there was a lockout I wanted it to be completely cancelled. Mostly because the past few years with JM and PG have totally ruined it for me. So when the games started in jan, I didn't really want to be involved emotionally. Because of that, I now have absolutely no expectation with the team.

Like everyone, I'm surprised by how well the team is playing but I still don't feel like we're contenders. At this point I wouldn't be shocked if they actually win the Stanley Cup, but I wouldn't be shocked either if they lose in 4 games in the first round. Maybe it's because I'm getting used to epic failure with this team...

Anyways... That's my feeling. I do believe they have what it takes to win it, but I'm not expecting it.

 

[BRAD HABSFAN]

I honestly feel that we can make a run at the cup, catch teams off guard and win the east. no team in the east really scares me. everyone talks the nyr and lundquist but im sorry he is called king because its new york. he is 25 w 30 l in playoffs. he had a great run last year but the team has lost character [prust] and has struggled just staying in the hunt. we have played with the pens in 2 weekends where next day was the bruins. the last game it took a crosby laser to beat us. We match up with the bruins. their game changes in playoffs where they have to play hockey and not smash and bash. Leafs? Goaltending will be issue. Islanders wont do damage, devils are a shell of themselves because marty has slowed down and looked normal. BUT ITS THE PLAYOFFS AND ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE SO MY PREDICTION IS.....

we make it either to the cup or east finals. we will not win the cup imo due to the west having the best teams this year BUT i think MB loads up where we lacked to build an even tougher character team for the next few years.

 

[BRAD HABSFAN]

I know it's not good to wish for a specific opponent for the playoffs, but a huge part of me hopes we get the Rangers and annihilate them.

Their fans are incredibly obnoxious and critical of the Habs for a team that has yet to score a goal in 2 years at the Bell Centre. One would believe it would make themselves more humble, but their level of arrogance and denial right now would just make it feel too good to pass in a scenario where we beat them to the ground.

add to that i live in the rangers den.. the beasts are uglier then a delusional leafs fan

 

[Athletique_Canadien]

My feeling is that we have a good chance if the stars align. I call these, "Chance Cups" like in Carolina 2006. Round one, Habs are killing them until Koivu has the eye injury & Habs buckle. Round two, New Jersey up 1 game to 0 & in the dying seconds of game 2 down a goal, Staal shoots along the goal line from the corner & beats Brodeur of all goalies (he should have those). Round three, Buffalo's defense evaporates & are reduced to an AHL level defense. Round four, Andrew Ladd takes out on the 1st shift Roloson & the Oilers play Markannen.

In the playoffs you never know.

 

[madhi19]

MY PREDICTION IS.....

We make it either to the cup or east finals. we will not win the cup imo due to the west having the best teams this year BUT i think MB loads up where we lacked to build an even tougher character team for the next few years.

Call it manifest destiny or whatever but I always believed that they are the Montreal Canadiens and what the Montreal Canadiens does in the cup final is winning it! Mind you I been wrong once in the past 35 years.

 

[Johnny B Good]

hypothetical question

Davis Drewiske didnt get his name on the cup and didnt get a ring after the LA run last year, right? But he was scratched. With Emelin being injured, is it still the same?

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

hypothetical question

Davis Drewiske didnt get his name on the cup and didnt get a ring after the LA run last year, right? But he was scratched. With Emelin being injured, is it still the same?

The players on the team can petition to have certain players who did not play in the playoffs put on the Cup. Boston did the same with Savard, I believe.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Not all of those are season-ending though like Emelin's injury.

Hopefully the return of Diaz will give us enough of a boost to make up for the loss of Emelin.

And Emelin is not half as impactful on an NHL team's performances as those, minus maybe a guy like McQuaid.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

The players on the team can petition to have certain players who did not play in the playoffs put on the Cup. Boston did the same with Savard, I believe.

Looks like the Kings did so: http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2012/9/21/3371066/drewiske-to-get-name-engraved-on-stanley-cup

 

[Seb]

Looks like the Kings did so: http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2012/9/21/3371066/drewiske-to-get-name-engraved-on-stanley-cup

The first sentence of the 2nd paragraph. It's a sense of déja vu.

 

[rwb]

I have to admit, yesterday's good feeling about how the team looks heading into the home stretch is evaporating a bit with the Emelin injury. The teams that win the Cup tend to be the healthiest ones. It's awfully tough to win missing a top-4 defenseman. Oh well. Maybe Drewiske will turn out to be an undiscovered defensive genius. Or Beaulieu will prove he really belongs.

Or we play our grizzled veteran with a Stanley Cup ring Kaberle?

 

[Habskrieg]

My honest feeling... I really believe we can take it all this year. But it won't be easy. I think there's going to be a lot of teams that will give us a huge amount of difficulty. NYI, they seem to always play good against us. NYR, while we have had convincing wins against them, they made new acquisitions, they'll probably be very motivated to exact revenge for all the losses we gave them and Lundqvist will probably be very motivated. Leafs will look to bruise and injure us more than any other team, they haven't made any efforts hiding this behaviour this season, they won't in the playoffs. Bruins have a skilled defensive team with a lot of toughness. Pens seem to beat us with their skilled players, They only have Malkin and Iggy that really scare me now however. Sens, they've been playing great (and proven to be annoying against us) even with all the injuries and they seem to be running out of steam, but who knows how Karlsson's return will affect them.

While I like that the team feels confident and never gives up. We have quite a few inexperienced players. And I get a feeling we might be too confident.

Meanwhile, we have no idea how to evaluate the West.

It's going to be tough, but I believe we can win it all. Lots of good teams are playing this year.

 

[Seb]

The habs will make the finals and lose in 7 games. Whole city depressed.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I just wanna finish 2nd.. want nothing to do with Toronto in the first round.

 

[Sweeney]

I think we will win at least 1 round, I hope Chuckie rise up a bit and Price will be solid.

Subban and Moen are beast in playoff, Ryder will want a nice contract, Beaulieu or Diaz can pull off something nice too.

We can beat everyone, but the team isn't at their peak either

 

[Jay Wolf]

The team that scores the most goals in any given game, tends to win that game.

But that is largely predicated on shooting the puck AT the net with greater efficiency than the opposition.