Playoff Race Thread

[SeaOfBlue]

CBJ just lost Jones to an extended injury. Should be interesting to see if that slows them down.

Personally, I think they were due for a regression even if he stayed healthy, so I would hope so.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I don't like us matching up with Bruins defense. Big strong fast nasty guys are not a good matchup for us. Our forwards are easily intimidated.
Tampa we can skate with them and match up with their skill. It would be fast chance vs chance type of series which we have better potential to win. Probably would come down to tenders.

I kinda want Boston. Beating them would be so sweet. Would love to see the meltdown over at the main boards, lol.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Eh, we almost beat them the last couple of years and if we're healthy and Andersen is on his game, we're a better team now.

We will see if we are a better team or not? We are a little different but not substantially. If Rielly in and Barrie out then we a much better shot. Same with Mik in or out?
Rask knows how to win.. he is a money goalie. Freddy and Vasi who knows??????????????? Both can royally sh*t da bed. Both can be great. I would rather take my chances with Vasi.

 

[Gary Nylund]

We will see if we are a better team or not? We are a little different but not substantially. If Rielly in and Barrie out then we a much better shot. Same with Mik in or out?
Rask knows how to win.. he is a money goalie. Freddy and Vasi who knows??????????????? Both can royally sh*t da bed. Both can be great. I would rather take my chances with Vasi.

Yeah, that's true. I think the big difference is that our stars are a year older and more experienced. Just look at Nylander this season and I think Matthews is looking better than ever too. But you're right about the goalies, if our goaltending doesn't hold up it doesn't matter how well Nylander plays.

Whatever, let's make the playoffs first.

 

[Nooodles]

I dont know where to post this since we dont have a pre game thread yet but:

 

[Clark4Ever]

I kinda want Boston. Beating them would be so sweet. Would love to see the meltdown over at the main boards, lol.

I don't think we can beat them with our current defence core. I would love to be wrong.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

So, just curious. Is everyone ok with this team just sqeaking into the playoffs? Has the bar dropped that low on expectations for this team? I know once the playoffs start, all bets are off, but it seems people have settled into the fact that this team is average and are ok with that.

I said the same thing. To me it seems most fans actually accept the fact this team is worse than lats year.

 

[Loosie]

So, just curious. Is everyone ok with this team just sqeaking into the playoffs? Has the bar dropped that low on expectations for this team? I know once the playoffs start, all bets are off, but it seems people have settled into the fact that this team is average and are ok with that.

What would rather have. This team fighting and clawing their way in and being 'battle tested' in later half of the season. Or being locked in for the last two months and coasting?

Neither is a great prospect. Yes have them coast in means they have a spot, but it may take them a bit to find that extra gear. And maybe having to fight and claw their way in makes them too tired by the time they get in.

The bar has always been get to the playoffs and see what happens. The playoff format is so screwy that being 1st in the division doesn't give that much of an advantage (look at last year when every single division winner lost in the first round, yet the year before that every single division winner advanced and 3 of 4 made the conference finals (the 4th losing in 7). Making the playoffs should always be our first goal out of the gate. Then once you are in the playoffs it's winning the cup. You can't win the cup in the middle of the season.

 

[Tairy Greene]

I said the same thing. To me it seems most fans actually accept the fact this team is worse than lats year.

We have had a lot more adversity this year. If we get in with a healthy lineup and Anderson playing at his best I think we are slightly better. Having said that, I probably wouldn't bet money on us to defeat Bruins or Caps.

 

[Sypher04]

I said the same thing. To me it seems most fans actually accept the fact this team is worse than lats year.

It's not really that imo. I think it's situational. People have had plenty of issue with how we've played throughout this season. Squeaking into the playoffs is "acceptable" now because of how this season has gone and how we find ourselves positioned today. That doesn't mean we are satisfied with that level of success being the new bar we strive for say in a new season. We are just recognizing that step 1 is getting a spot in the post season

 

[57 Years No Cup]

It's not really that imo. I think it's situational. People have had plenty of issue with how we've played throughout this season. Squeaking into the playoffs is "acceptable" now because of how this season has gone and how we find ourselves positioned today. That doesn't mean we are satisfied with that level of success being the new bar we strive for say in a new season. We are just recognizing that step 1 is getting a spot in the post season

Fair enough.

TBH I think that if we get to the playoffs the forwards will be a better group than the past. Matthews and Willie have raised their games, Tavares is Tavares, Marner is Marner. We have better forward depth and I think Clifford will really help us in the playoffs. That said, I can't trust our D at all and unless Andersen is better than "playoff Andersen" of the past we won't go anywhere.

 

[Sypher04]

Fair enough.

TBH I think that if we get to the playoffs the forwards will be a better group than the past. Matthews and Willie have raised their games, Tavares is Tavares, Marner is Marner. We have better forward depth and I think Clifford will really help us in the playoffs. That said, I can't trust our D at all and unless Andersen is better than "playoff Andersen" of the past we won't go anywhere.

I think it's safe to assume if there's a deal to be had based around one of our young non-core forwards for a top 4 d dubas will find it. He can't like what he's seen

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I hate using the injury excuse but at some point when a team has had as many of them as we've had this season, I think it's valid and it doesn't make sense to say they haven't been a factor. Saying injuries don't matter is like saying who's on our roster doesn't matter and that sounds kind of dumb doesn't it?

This weekend we were missing our #1 goalie, our #1 Dman, an elite forward and a couple of other pieces. I think that qualifies as extraordinary.



Haha that's pretty dumb for sure. Too many people have an agenda and don't even try to be objective. The teams on the bubble are tightly packed so it's almost pointless saying who's in and who's out when it changes on a daily basis but I guess it's just human nature.

This year, for stretches, we've been down our:

#1B Centre
#1 Defenseman
#1 Goaltender
#1A Right Winger
#1B Right Winger
#2 Defenseman

Those are all major injuries that any team would struggle with. Then there's the injuries to other capable guys:

3 2nd line capable left wingers (Hyman, Mikheyev, Johnsson)
2 #4 Defensemen (Dermott, Holl)

Add all of these injuries together coupled with the disastrous start under Babcock and yeah, we are fighting tooth and nail for the playoffs. Now some issues could've been mitigated had Dubas gotten a more capable backup sooner, or Babcock had been fired before the year started, but the reality is that this team has had some serious obstacles this year, which they haven't had the past two seasons.

 

[willmma]

Fair enough.

TBH I think that if we get to the playoffs the forwards will be a better group than the past. Matthews and Willie have raised their games, Tavares is Tavares, Marner is Marner. We have better forward depth and I think Clifford will really help us in the playoffs. That said, I can't trust our D at all and unless Andersen is better than "playoff Andersen" of the past we won't go anywhere.

And we have a better coach

 

[Dekes For Days]

I don't think we can beat them with our current defence core.

We went to game 7 twice with them with a worse defense core.

 

[MSZ]

The Caps are ****ing garbage. They lost big to Philly on the weekend, and now losing 1-zip to the Isles on home ice.

EDIT: 2-0

 

[Cleetus]

montreal up 2-1 on the coyotes.

 

[Cleetus]

1-1 Florida vs Flyers.

 

[hamzarocks]

1-1 Florida vs Flyers.

Nice need the flyers to win this in regulation. Also can the habs f*** off

 

[Pi]

Nice need the flyers to win this in regulation. Also can the habs **** off

Noo. I want the Habs to win lol. They will be stuck getting a shitty pick and no playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

Philadelphia beating Florida, which is good for the Division playoff spot but bad for a Wild Card.

Hoping Arizona and Montreal get intense, Arizona wins and we beat them on their emotional come down tomorrow night, Auston Matthews scoring 10 points to tie Darryl Sittler vs his hometown team.

Probably want Tampa to beat CBJ keep them within striking distance for the Wild Card.

 

[FireBabcock]

Philadelphia beating Florida, which is good for the Division playoff spot but bad for a Wild Card.

Hoping Arizona and Montreal get intense, Arizona wins and we beat them on their emotional come down tomorrow night, Auston Matthews scoring 10 points to tie Darryl Sittler vs his hometown team.

Probably want Tampa to beat CBJ keep them within striking distance for the Wild Card.

CBJ is an enigma. On one level Jones is out so I’m not worried. On the other... ELVIS FRICKING MERSEILKINS!

 

[TorMapleJays]

Yes, the bar dropped tremendously when we were a sub 500 under Babcock for the first 23 games.

We were disappointed.

But we are a 667pts% team with Keefe, thats, a 109pt season. We are happy with that.

So yes we're ok with the lowered expectations.

 

[Warden of the North]

Flyers up 4-1 with a minute left. Thank you Philly

 

[willmma]

Phili just sealed the deal with an empty netter. A wicked short handed empty netter.
Watch it if you havent