Thoughts on TBL drawing Pittsburgh in the first round?

[kicksavedave]

The first round series in the East are going to be ridiculous no matter what happens.

Tampa v Pittsburgh is possible.
Washington Pittsburgh is also possible.
Boston Toronto is likely.
Tampa/Washington vs Columbus could also be a good series. If Philly snags a spot (yes I know it's unlikely) they could play Pittsburgh or Washington.

Sadly, I could very easily see the Caps playoffs being exactly the same matchups as last year - CBJ, then Pitt, then TB. Hoping for same results of course, but that scenario seems very possible here.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Yes, but the Penguins had six AHL defensmen that series. No joke, all six. Every one of our starting D-men was injured.

Pens still played them well and could have won the series.

Pens lost that in 5, honestly don't think they could have won considering the circumstances. That was the series that made JR realize the pens needed speed so it worked out in the end. Not to mention all the injuries on D led to the emergence of Dumoulin.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Sadly, I could very easily see the Caps playoffs being exactly the same matchups as last year - CBJ, then Pitt, then TB. Hoping for same results of course, but that scenario seems very possible here.

Its tough to repeat. I think its even tougher to repeat against the same teams you beat last year.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Its tough to repeat. I think its even tougher to repeat against the same teams you beat last year.

Yeah Im honestly shocked that the Pens managed to pull it off. Its insanely hard to do in ANY sport, really.

 

[Hawkaholic]

PIT isn't that good, so not sure why it would be an issue.

 

[LawManN]

Shaking my head as I perused this thread. OTHER teams should be wary of playing the Lightning in the first round, not the other way around.
If the (pretty much agreed to) best team in the NHL is playing, why do many here think they will auto-lose to the Penguins? Or the Bruins?
Makes no damn sense.

 

[NYR94]

TB will draw them like one of their French girls.

 

[Hint1k]

Tampa stats in 1st and 2nd rounds with Cooper (head coach) in chronological order (wins - losses):
0 - 4
4 - 3
4 - 2
4 - 1
4 - 1
4 - 1
4 - 1

 

[DFC]

Shaking my head as I perused this thread. OTHER teams should be wary of playing the Lightning in the first round, not the other way around.
If the (pretty much agreed to) best team in the NHL is playing, why do many here think they will auto-lose to the Penguins? Or the Bruins?
Makes no damn sense.

I get the Penguins. Teams with a solid history of success don't need a big regular season to go nuts in the playoffs.

Boston I don't really get because I don't see a whole lot of improvement over what they were last year. They're still pretty top-heavy, and TB has so many guys who can shut down one or two lines right now, that I don't see them as a bigger threat than last year. I think TB is the more physical team, the faster team, and by far the deeper team. I think people are reading waaaaayyyy too much into the 4-1 drubbing Boston gave us when we had so accepted the game as a scheduled loss that we played Louis Domingue against Boston and Vasy against the Rangers. That's not to say Boston didn't play a great game--they did. But it's a bit of a stretch to take that as an omen for the future, when TB is a better version of the team who shut them down last year.

 

[bobholly39]

Sadly, I could very easily see the Caps playoffs being exactly the same matchups as last year - CBJ, then Pitt, then TB. Hoping for same results of course, but that scenario seems very possible here.

Imo if Pitt and Washington meet in round 2 - Pittsburgh should be the favorite.

Assuming of course both team looks similarly strong in round 1. If Pitt is struggling all over the place and half their team is sucking/injured - that changes things. But if both teams are looking good going into round 2 - I don't care that Caps won last year, I think the fact that Pitt won 2/3 still weighs for more.

 

[MartinS82]

Yes, but the Penguins had six AHL defensmen that series. No joke, all six. Every one of our starting D-men was injured.

Pens still played them well and could have won the series.

Didn't we also have Lovejoy? I think he was on the ice for like 90% of the goals against. He was our deadline pickup that year....lol.

 

[MartinS82]

Imo if Pitt and Washington meet in round 2 - Pittsburgh should be the favorite.

Assuming of course both team looks similarly strong in round 1. If Pitt is struggling all over the place and half their team is sucking/injured - that changes things. But if both teams are looking good going into round 2 - I don't care that Caps won last year, I think the fact that Pitt won 2/3 still weighs for more.

Pitt may be the favorite, but I'd argue that the "underdog" has won the last 4 times these teams met.

 

[Bladerunner]

That would be soooo epic if Pens beat TB in round 1 after the season they have had.

And then get bounced in round 2. By... oh I don't know

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

And then get bounced in round 2. By... oh I don't know

Are you a Bruins or Leafs fan or something?

 

[ncm7772]

Yes, but the Penguins had six AHL defensmen that series. No joke, all six. Every one of our starting D-men was injured.

Pens still played them well and could have won the series.

You're exaggerating greatly. They had 2: Dumolin and Chorney. Cole, Scuderi, Martin and Lovejoy, all NHL regulars, played that whole series.

An awful D, no doubt. But there were 2 AHLers. Not 6.

 

[Bladerunner]

Are you a Bruins or Leafs fan or something?

Why, are they especially wary of or hateful toward Pitt?

Also don't see a Bs/Leafs - Pitt 2nd round series as likely unless they finish wc2 - and I think they do better than that.
Although many scenarios are in play even with ~12 games left. Bs-Leafs round 1 is a near lock.

 

[BigEezyE22]

Why, are they especially wary of or hateful toward Pitt?

Also don't see a Bs/Leafs - Pitt 2nd round series as likely unless they finish wc2 - and I think they do better than that.
Although many scenarios are in play even with ~12 games left. Bs-Leafs round 1 is a near lock.

But that's the ONLY scenario where Pittsburgh would get to face Tampa in round 1. If they play, and beat, Tampa, they will face 1 of Toronto/ Boston.

 

[Aoko]

Fans look more ready for the playoffs than their teams.

Ironic.

 

[God King Fudge]

I'd be fine with any of those possible first round matches for TB.

If they have to go through 3 contenders, so be it, but if we can get an easier draw in the first round and at least pretend that we're going to get some kind of advantage for the season they've had, then I'll take it every day.

 

[Aoko]

I'd be fine with any of those possible first round matches for TB.

If they have to go through 3 contenders, so be it, but if we can get an easier draw in the first round and at least pretend that we're going to get some kind of advantage for the season they've had, then I'll take it every day.

If they're going to win a cup, they have to have the hardest journey, otherwise it was a fluke cup win.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

PIT isn't that good, so not sure why it would be an issue.

I'm not sure many people agree with that take, but solid effort

 

[MartinS82]

You're exaggerating greatly. They had 2: Dumolin and Chorney. Cole, Scuderi, Martin and Lovejoy, all NHL regulars, played that whole series.

An awful D, no doubt. But there were 2 AHLers. Not 6.

Well Scuderi should count as one too.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I'm not sure many people agree with that take, but solid effort

I mean, if they finish 8th in the conference, clearly they aren't that good...no?

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I mean, if they finish 8th in the conference, clearly they aren't that good...no?

There's a month left of hockey to be played
They could finish 2nd in the conference or out of the playoffs

But yea clearly NOT GOOD

 

[CupsOverCash]

I mean, if they finish 8th in the conference, clearly they aren't that good...no?

They're looking good right now. I think it would take some kind of epic collapse or injuries for them to be the 8th seed or miss the playoffs.