Speculation: Playoff positioning
- Thread starter LadyStanley
- Start date
I'm not worried about the East until we see the Finals but I would not be shocked to see Tampa out in the second round. They're going to have a tough time against Boston who will beat the Leafs in the first round. A week or so ago when Pittsburgh was hanging by a thread to a playoff spot, I would have said that Pittsburgh would beat Tampa in a potential first round matchup. I think the Lightning will avoid that nightmare but I can see any of Boston, Pittsburgh, or Washington taking them out in the playoffs...and the Sharks can obviously lose to any of them in a potential Finals matchup too but since they're not a direct competitor to the Sharks getting there, I don't worry about 'em.
But now that it's pretty much either Montreal, Columbus, or Carolina, the Bolts will steamroll the first two. They'll probably have a little fight against Carolina but beat them.
But now that it's pretty much either Montreal, Columbus, or Carolina, the Bolts will steamroll the first two. They'll probably have a little fight against Carolina but beat them.
hockeyball
Registered User
- Nov 10, 2007
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Honestly, if everyone gets back healthy, I feel like the only real threat out there is Tampa, and I think we can beat them (we just match up well).
All things aside, if Burns + Karlsson alone have good playoffs (and I can't imagine they won't) that's pretty much a one-two punch no team can counter. If Jones plays like he has in the past in the playoffs, we'll win the cup this year.
All things aside, if Burns + Karlsson alone have good playoffs (and I can't imagine they won't) that's pretty much a one-two punch no team can counter. If Jones plays like he has in the past in the playoffs, we'll win the cup this year.
TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
A few months ago I said I would take Toronto over Boston in a playoff series but with Toronto’s struggles and Boston’s surge, I tend to share your line of thinking on that series. I still don’t think a Boston win is inevitable like people are making it out to be, but we’ll see.
I agree with your general sentiment on Tampa but I don’t see them getting beat by Pittsburgh if that series happens. I think Tampa’s going to get beat by whatever team has the defense, goaltending, and discipline to keep Kucherov quiet in 4 games out of 7 and that team isn’t going to be Pittsburgh. I think it could be Boston or the New York Islanders but I also think there’s an outside chance that Carolina could beat them.
Pittsburgh with Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel can score right along with Tampa in a seven game series if they're on but that depends on how Malkin is feeling at the time mostly. lol
JackSkellington
Pumpkin King
You can never ever count out a team with Crosby and Malkin and the championship pedigree that organization has. You can say they can be like the warriors where they’re just wishing it was the playoffs already.
TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
Kessel and Malkin can score right along with those guys but based on how they've performed this season at even strength, I wouldn't expect them to and I would expect them to give up more than whatever they did score on the defensive end. But Crosby is having the kind of year where I could see him out-performing Kucherov at evens if they get Dumolin-Letang back.
It would be an interesting series for sure.
one2gamble
Registered User
- Dec 24, 2007
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Pavelski2112
Bold as Boognish
Yea, we should all know better than to expect anything with this team.
tiburon12
Registered User
- Jul 18, 2009
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I'm very much looking forward to playoff EK65. Even if he is not 100%, we saw what he did in 2017 at not 100%, and if he can replicate even 80% of that output......
TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
We’re just talking about Eastern Teams playing against one another. I wasn’t talking about it in the context of which of them the Sharks would potentially see in the SCF.
I think if he were capable of that, he would be playing right now. IIRC, he said in an interview that this injury is something different that he can’t just play through.
tiburon12
Registered User
- Jul 18, 2009
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I think if he were capable of that, he would be playing right now. IIRC, he said in an interview that this injury is something different that he can’t just play through.
Yea, it's definitely subjective based on the type of injury. at least we are cruising right now
In that light, and back to the topic of playoff positioning, we are 10pts ahead of WPG, that's nuts.
I think if he were capable of that, he would be playing right now. IIRC, he said in an interview that this injury is something different that he can’t just play through.
At this point I’ve essentially accepted he’s probably not gonna play in teal again this year and possibly ever.
The boys should know what the result of the Wild game is prior to hitting the ice for the game. May not be such a trap game if they have a chance to clinch a spot tonight.
Still need to win no matter what. I just don't feel like the sharks have been very good in the past 15 years of thornton teams to clinch on the 1st chance.
Well, I'll forgive them if they fall into the trap and not clinch tonight. Four in six nights with the travel involved is an acceptable reason for losing tonight if that is how it turns out. Florida has won their last two games but lost six consecutive one-goal games before that. They've been very competitive and are rested having not played since Sunday.
Negatively Positive
Mr. Longevity
- Mar 2, 2011
- 10,298
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Don't think so. The 2 scenarios that were tweeted both involved a sharks win and a combination of losses by other teams.
So if the sharks needed a win to clinch then i am guessing a win wouldnt do it for calgary. Minny lost, but arizona won.
And yeah with 11 games left minny can gain 22 more points which means 96, calgary is at 93.
The Sharks are going to have to go through Vegas either way because I don't see Calgary beating them. Better to play Vegas in the 1st round when the Sharks are more fresh than to play them in the division finals.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Calgary won Friday, regained division lead, and became first team to clinch playoff berth in west.
