Series Talk: WCQF: Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators (VAN Leads 3-2)

[Nasti]

I think this is the series with the greatest chance for an upset. Vancouver’s core has virtually zero playoff experience in front of a crowd while also having the added pressure of being the division winners. I think it’s too much too soon.

 

[McShogun99]

Which ones outside of Filip Hronek?



Obviously that playoff doesn't count when trying to run with a narrative. /s

Covid year was completely erased from my memory. It just didn't feel like the playoffs with no fans in the arena.

 

[Bankerguy]

I think this will be a very hard matchup for the Preds.

Like, here's the thing... they definitely have some strengths, its just that Van 1ups them or is at par on all of them... but then Van has 1 large strength that the Preds cant match.

1. Saros - top goalie for sure... But Demko is right there with him, maybe 1 or 2 spots higher on a world-class goalie tier list.
2. Josi - top 5, probably top 3 dman in the league... advantage here? ... well, no. Van has the number 1 Dman, maybe number 2 guy in Hughes.
3. Gritty playoff type hard hitting and forechking hockey - Preds are seemingly built for the playoffs! they are 5th in the league for hits, impressive.... But Van has won off of the back of Rick Tocchet type hockey and sits 4th in the physicality department (league hits).

Other areas of focus for the playoffs is special teams, Van has a slight edge on both PP and PK and lastly, who's hot? both teams are about 500 clubs over their last 10 games.

so how do the preds win this? i just dont see it...
Van is at par or edges them in most areas....and has 1 strong advantage not yet discussed. Center depth.
Jt. MIller, Petey, Lindholm Bluegar - this is where they have a definite advantage. Linholm playing with Garly and Joshua - how do the Preds match that when their best checkers are playing against Millers or Petey's line?

I get it, the game is played on the ice, not on roster or stat sheets...so anything can happen but at this point, based on what we can see here. I change my decision Canucks in 5.

 

[UrbanImpact]

I think this will be a wide open series, which Nashville can play, but unfortunately I don't think they have the finishers that can hang with the finishers Vancouver has. I think it'll be a high scoring series with a chance for a couple lopsided wins sprinkled in.

I think "Wide open game" is the assumption fans have on the Canucks that didnt get to neccessarily watch them play lots this season. Its easy to believe that because they have the likes of Hughes, Miller, Petttersson etc....However the Canucks staples and bread and butter is tight checking, choking down the opponents scoring chances and defense first mentality.

Its primarily why someone like Kuzmenko didnt fit in with the Canuck's system, because its not wide open hockey at all.

 

[swissdude]

Josi - top 5, probably top 3 dman in the league... advantage here? ... well, no. Van has the number 1 Dman, maybe number 2 guy in Hughes.

let's wait and see

 

[WatchfulElm]

Canucks are a better teams, but Preds have "cinderella team" written all over them. Nobody expected them to be that good this year. I look at their rosters and still don't get it. Looks like the Kraken from last year.

 

[57special]

Preds are nasty, but VAN can make them pay if they take too many penalties. VAN wins.

 

[Szechwan]

Canucks are a better teams, but Preds have "cinderella team" written all over them. Nobody expected them to be that good this year. I look at their rosters and still don't get it. Looks like the Kraken from last year.

Preseason projections had Vancouver as barely a bubble team, I don't see how this would only apply to Nashville if that's your metric. Even after dominating the first half of the season, everyone thought they'd come crashing back to earth, yet here they are at the top of the Pacific.

 

[wetcoast]

gonna be a dandy. I hope the Canucks are ready. The preds are the best team in the NHL the past 17 games. not gonna be easy.

Agree with this but the Canucks are fully healthy now and match up better against the Preds than some of the other heavier teams in the west.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

To anyone who thinks “the Canucks are soft”, (they probably still think the Sedins are playing):

1. This is a Rick Tocchet coached team, anyone who’s soft has already been traded away (Beauvillier, Kuzmenko)

2. We have Zadorov, Soucy, Cole and sometimes Myers(depends on if he realizes he’s 6’7 or not), you might be able to score some goals on them, but have fun battling along the board and in front of the paint

3. We have Miller, Hoglander, Garland and Joshua who are all more than willing to take off your head.

 

[Bankerguy]

let's wait and see

yes! i agree. The best thing is, all of this WILL be decided on the ice for our viewing pleasure

 

[StickShift]

As a resident of New York who was considering traveling to see game 3+4 of this series—this is disappointing.

Curious to know whether restricting tickets outright to local residents like this is legal? Wouldn’t this unduly restrict interstate commerce? Not that I care enough to lodge a constitutional challenge nor anything.

 

[Miro4Norris]

Paperville Tigers have no chance in this without Saros entering godmode. Winner will lose in the next round anyways so therefore it's one of the least interesting series

 

[vcanuck]

I heard he will be in attendance for game 1.

 

[ShagDaddy]

As a resident of New York who was considering traveling to see game 3+4 of this series—this is disappointing.

Curious to know whether restricting tickets outright to local residents like this is legal? Wouldn’t this unduly restrict interstate commerce? Not that I care enough to lodge a constitutional challenge nor anything.

This is not something new. Nashville has had this policy for about 12 years now. They are also not the only organization in the NHL that implements this policy during the playoffs.

 

[RandV]

Which ones outside of Filip Hronek?



Obviously that playoff doesn't count when trying to run with a narrative. /s

Well to be fair the offensive numbers deserve a * beside them because they really tore up Minnesota in the play-in round, a team that had sold and had no business being around the playoffs. But for the real playoffs that team did beat St. Louis in 7 then take Vegas to 7 games, which should dissuade the notion that they can't play in the playoffs.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Not at all looking past these guys. Forsberg and Josi are having tremendous seasons.

 

[DFAC]

I heard he will be in attendance for game 1.

View attachment 854761

Saw a video on youtube and he's still doing similar videos. He's definitely aged a lot since then though.

 

[DieSendungmitderMaus]

I could also see an upset here. Reasoning: there's roughly a 40% chance that the Predators execute better over the next 4-7 game stretch

 

[Javaman]

If you believe previous playoff experiences matters, then I don't think you can ignore the playoff experience of the coaches. Tocchet has the edge there, imo.

 

[FlappyGiraffe]

Nashville has been great this year in all the games I saw them play - some of the overconfident Vancouver fans I've been seeing may be in for a shock.

Josi is a superstar 1D, with a wealth of playoff experience at this point. I think he can absolutely take over this series

 

[rypper]

Canucks are a better teams, but Preds have "cinderella team" written all over them. Nobody expected them to be that good this year. I look at their rosters and still don't get it. Looks like the Kraken from last year.

If you told people before the season started this is where Vancouver would be, first they wouldn't believe you but second they would describe it as a Cinderella story.

 

[Armourboy]

Lots of people basing predictions off of, well not knowing anything apparently.

Nashville has more than enough playoff experience, they have probably won more playoff games than Vancouver has been in over the last decade. That said I think playoff experience is way overstated until you get in the later rounds, that's where it can start showing up.

This is not a Barry Trotz coached team, it is not a team that sits back and plays defense and then hopes they get a goal. Nashville is an attacking style of offense and defense, they try and force teams to produce turnovers and then head up ice with it.

Nashville isn't a fast team, but they aren't exactly slow either.
Nashville isn't a hard checking team but they do have some guys that will lay it on you every chance they get.

My fellow Preds fans aren't going to like the prediction, and frankly I don't like it either, but its what I think. I think the Canucks win in 5.

The series comes down to 3 things in my mind:

1. Refs, based on previous years I have no faith we don't get the short end here.
2. Novak/Evangelista - if this line shows out like they can then my prediction will be off
3. Saros - I think he costs us the series.

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

Canucks in 5 or 6

 

[Javaman]

Nashville has been great this year in all the games I saw them play - some of the overconfident Vancouver fans I've been seeing may be in for a shock.

Josi is a superstar 1D, with a wealth of playoff experience at this point. I think he can absolutely take over this series

Then you didn't see them play against Vancouver this season. The Canucks swept that season series in convincing fashion. I understand that the Preds may be better now than they were in the first half of the season, but there are legitimate reasons why Canucks fans are feeling confident about this match-up.

Hughes is also a superstar 1D who could absolutely take over this series. He's basically been a ppg player in the playoffs up to this point in his career.