What Teams are Most Likely to be Upset in Round One by a Lower Seed

[Jetcetera]

Probably Vegas. They shouldn't be a 1 seed when they're the 3rd best team in the conference

 

[The Nuge]

I’m not sure Toronto will win a game with how bad the blue line is and how important that is come playoff time, but I can also definitely see Vegas or Winnipeg being upset by one of the lower teams

Edit: forgot Toronto is a lower seed with the new playoff format

 

[WJCJ]

Feels like Tampa is rock, Boston is paper and TOR is scissors.

Pretty much. I don't look at any of them beating the others as any kind of upset really. #2 vs 3 in the east is extremely close no matter which two teams it ends up being. Those two teams face the toughest road to the cup I believe. The winner is going to have to face either Tampa or Boston in the next round and then probably Pittsburgh and then Nashville or Winnipeg probably. That is a tough road.

Of course every year a team emerges to unexpectedly win a round or two like Ottawa last season.

 

[Butch 19]

Remember when many people thought Vegas would suck in the season?

Yes. In one of the last preseason games, Vegas beat someone 9 - 0 or 9 - 2, and several HFers said "no big deal, wait till the season starts. they'll come back to earth."

Well, that still hasn't happened. They will be tough to beat.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Washington
Whoever gets 2nd seed in Atlantic

Leafs are one of the better 3 seeds, but I don't see them knocking off Tampa Bay or Boston. They have a rough draw.

 

[stranger]

Minnesota vs Winnipeg is a 50/50 series

I lol'd

 

[Drewcifer]

I lol'd

Minnesota has been the better team since Christmas. All those Jets victories over the Wild were back when the Wild were playing like crap.

 

[Liferleafer]

As a Leafs fan, we will be lower than either Tampa or Boston (not sure who we'll play), but i can see the Leafs giving either quite the handful.

 

[tntkid]

Winnipeg Jets 2.0 has never even won a playoff game.
Does anyone really think that they are favorites at this point.
lol

But the Jets are f***ing due to go balls deep in the playoffs and we got a real goalie now.

 

[Eric Robson]

Glad to see no one's picked the Bruins yet, but they are still playing well, will have guys back from injury (hopefully), and their kids have been playing like vets. Hope that part continues.

If they play the leafs they're in trouble..

 

[bukwas]

Interesting that with most teams having only 6 or 7 games remaining only 4 have clinched a playoff spot.
Basically the Atlantic winner vs 8th seed and Nashville vs #8 would be the only big upsets. Any others would be mild, if surprising at all, though it's understandable to feel the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions being bumped in the 1st round would qualify regardless if they're a higher seed than their opponent

 

[Hunter368]

Jets lack of playoff experience, a lot of young players on our roster.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Pittsburgh Penguins

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Literally every higher seed in the playoffs can be upset in the first round. Even with how good teams like Tampa, Nashville, and Winnipeg are, teams like Devils/Panthers, Colorado/St. Louis, and Minnesota can beat all those teams in a seven game series.

 

[Nizdizzle]

I’m not sure Toronto will win a game with how bad the blue line is and how important that is come playoff time, but I can also definitely see Vegas or Winnipeg being upset by one of the lower teams

Edit: forgot Toronto is a lower seed with the new playoff format

It begins.

Reminding me a lot of the "Caps in 3" junk that was bandied around this time last year. Toronto and their "bad" blue line took the Caps to OT in 5 of the 6 games because, believe it or not, they are actually a pretty damn good team.

 

[3074326]

I'm a concerned Penguins fan. I hope the offense comes to play.

 

[Ararana]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wild beat the Jets in round 1.

Also known as the curse of Paul Stastny

 

[Jaytee]

Minnesota vs Winnipeg is a 50/50 series, the difference in their record comes from the fact that the Wild were terrible at the beginning of the season. That doesn't mean that much now. If anything, the Wild have been better down the stretch.

Actually no, they're not. The Wild are 6-2-2 in their last ten games, the Jets are 7-2-1 in their last ten games. In 2018 the Wild are 22-9-5, for 49 points. The Jets are 23-8-4, for 50 points.

So they've been almost exactly the same in 2018, with the Jets holding a very slight edge.

As far as upsets in Round 1, given how epic a Winnipeg-Nashville series would be in Round 2, it would be typical of the NHL if they both went out in Round 1.

 

[CupsOverCash]

As a Leafs fan, we will be lower than either Tampa or Boston (not sure who we'll play), but i can see the Leafs giving either quite the handful.

It wouldnt surprise me if the Leafs beat either team to be honest. It shouldnt surprise anybody else. They have a good team. They have some playoff experience and Im sure they are a little pissed they didnt get by the Capitals. I think they are a little angry about that. Also they have a really good HC. Maybe best in the league. He can make good smart adjustments and outcoach other teams. Put that with a really talented hungry team. They could be a real threat to anybody. Personally hoping we win the division so that Boston is the one to face you. I dont think they want that either. Although our team is playing like we want to play Toronto so I dont know maybe they feel better against them than they do against a Florida or NJ team. Which I wouldnt understand or agree with.

 

[bigduga]

...insofar as the blues can't be upset in the first round as a lower seed?

If they get in - whoever ends up playing the blues should be more than a bit worried. This is precisely the type of blues team - (one with no useful chance of advancing thru the second round) that gets miracle goaltending for a week and wins a first-round playoff series.

If they were still a top three team in the west, i would absolutely pick the Blues to lose in five games, because I've been a blues fan my entire life and that is how the NHL playoffs work. The Blues are plucky enough to punch above their weight when they're mediocre, and a make-your-tee-times for week-two, lead-pipe-cinch to stripe their pants when they go in as a conference favorite.

 

[1dreamof1cup]

Without trying to sound like a total homer, who ever plays Toronto is in tough. Toronto easily plays their best hockey against the best teams and have one of the best(if not the best) records against playoff teams.
I believe we have 6 losses against Arizona and buffalo and philly alone(off the top of my head) Anyone looking at our record is decieving themselves if they think Toronto is a easy matchup .
Tampa and Boston are in tough trying to avoid Toronto.
As a homer I'd bet that Toronto knocks off one of Tampa or Boston.

As a homer, i'd bet that Boston knocks toronto in 4 or 5.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Pittsburgh Penguins

Could very well happen. I have deep concerns about their defensive play (particularly the PK).

 

[Liferleafer]

It wouldnt surprise me if the Leafs beat either team to be honest. It shouldnt surprise anybody else. They have a good team. They have some playoff experience and Im sure they are a little pissed they didnt get by the Capitals. I think they are a little angry about that. Also they have a really good HC. Maybe best in the league. He can make good smart adjustments and outcoach other teams. Put that with a really talented hungry team. They could be a real threat to anybody. Personally hoping we win the division so that Boston is the one to face you. I dont think they want that either. Although our team is playing like we want to play Toronto so I dont know maybe they feel better against them than they do against a Florida or NJ team. Which I wouldnt understand or agree with.

I'll be honest, playing the Bruins scares the crap out of me. Now, i don't think Tampa is a cake walk, but i feel the Leafs match up better against TBay.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I'll be honest, playing the Bruins scares the crap out of me. Now, i don't think Tampa is a cake walk, but i feel the Leafs match up better against TBay.

I would say the same thing too. If we make it to the next round I would root for the Leafs to beat the Bruins. Although Im sure they would be riding high from that and would be a real tough out. Still would rather face them than the Bs though.

 

[Woll Smoth]

Tampa > Toronto
Toronto > Boston
Boston > Tampa

The playoffs are a different beast but I don't see any series going less than 6 games here.