Who comes out of the West?

[illpucks]

East seems pretty certain. It's either Pens or Caps.

But how about the West. Who comes out of it? Hawks, Oilers, Wild?

It's not clear cut like the East. But who do you see advancing?

Click to read more...

 

[JMcLeaf]

Sharks

 

[Steamwhistle]

Gotta be Minnesota, they're just so deep and so dominant this year. Having a Vezina caliber goalie helps as well. I think this is the year Boudreau sheds the playoff choker image.

 

[Zalos]

East seems pretty certain. It's either Pens or Caps.

But how about the West. Who comes out of it? Hawks, Oilers, Wild?

It's not clear cut like the East. But who do you see advancing?

Nothing is ever clear cut in the Playoffs.

 

[illpucks]

Nothing is ever clear cut in the Playoffs.

Pens and Caps are a tier above the rest of the league. I'd bet my life savings that one of those two teams advance to the SCF without thinking twice.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Homer opinion, but if Toews plays well then the Hawks are most likely the best team in the West, certainly the best in the central

 

[Snippit]

Hawks

 

[nothingbeatshockey]

Minnesota..........or Minnesota...........hmm could be Minnesota............but maybe the Wild.

 

[Wild Thing]

I hate to be a homer, but I would have to give the edge to the Wild. But I won't be surprised at all if Chicago knocks them out again. That team always seems to play their best against Minnesota.

And, of course, never diss the San Joses. They're the NHL equivalent of the New York Giants. They may not have a great regular season, and they might not look that flashy on paper, but when it all gets real in april and the second season starts, you'd have to be an idiot to count them out. Brent Burns, and my hometown favorite Joe Pavelski (I used to play with his dad, who I still think could have had a damned good career with the Flyers if he hadn't done the sensible thing at the time and gotten the steady job)... you have to consider the Sharks. I don't think they have the firepower this year to get it done, but I wouldn't ignore them.

 

[rodney dangerfield]

I have no clue honestly. If the Hawks can get a top line LW (which I doubt they can) then I would choose them. But probably Wild or Sharks.

 

[Red Piller]

Pens and Caps are a tier above the rest of the league. I'd bet my life savings that one of those two teams advance to the SCF without thinking twice.

Doesn't really matter if they are a tier above. Playoffs are different. If they run into a hot Price or Lundqvist or Bobrovsky they can be had.

I think Anaheim will be a tough out in the West. Ill take them right now.

 

[BlueDream]

I think it's between Chicago and Minnesota.

Until the Wild prove themselves though, I'll take the 'Hawks.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Minnesota if they can shake the Hawks. Put aside the shallow pundit talk; they aren't just about adding BB and Staal.

Suter, Spurgeon, Brodin, Scandella, Dumba, Folin, etc. is top-3 blueline in terms of skill and depth.

Granlund, Koivu, and Zucker is a top-3 two-way line in the league.

Dubnyk is performing at the level of a top-3 goalie.

Staal, Coyle, Nino, and Stewart provide the Wild with an awesome mix of size and offense.

Parise and Pominville are heating back up to their former selves, which is awesome considering they are playing effectively on the 3rd line.

Haula has been the most inconsistent in the top-9, but he always has his ability to produce timely offense and he has so much speed to burn.

They have quality callups from the farm on both the blueline and at forward.

 

[Limekiller]

Minnesota or SJ, I think. Would be a fascinating series between those two, I think. Especially given the Burns factor.

 

[Yarbles02]

Sharks are going to lose in the SCF again.

 

[ZiGOODejad]

The Bearded Wonders

 

[Limekiller]

Sharks are going to lose in the SCF again.

Not having Polak anywhere near the ice except as a paying customer already gives us a massive boost over last year...

 

[Terry Yake]

Hawks or Sharks

 

[Beautvillier]

Wild or Sharks

 

[x Tame Impala]

Minnesota if they can shake the Hawks. Put aside the shallow pundit talk; they aren't just about adding BB and Staal.

Suter, Spurgeon, Brodin, Scandella, Dumba, Folin, etc. is top-3 blueline in terms of skill and depth.

Granlund, Koivu, and Zucker is a top-3 two-way line in the league.

Dubnyk is performing at the level of a top-3 goalie.

Staal, Coyle, Nino, and Stewart provide the Wild with an awesome mix of size and offense.

Parise and Pominville are heating back up to their former selves, which is awesome considering they are playing effectively on the 3rd line.

Haula has been the most inconsistent in the top-9, but he always has his ability to produce timely offense and he has so much speed to burn.

They have quality callups from the farm on both the blueline and at forward.

Sounds a lot like what we've been hearing since 2013...and then the Wild lose to the Hawks

 

[SirQuacksALot]

This will seem like a cop-out answer, but whomever stays healthy. The West seems to have its fair share of teams that are quite good and could go on a tear if key players stay healthy. Minnesota would be my guess if I have to pick one, but Chicago and SJ both look very solid and neither would surprise me. I haven't watched much of STL or EDM, but from my limited sample size they're good teams. Anaheim's big problem is offensive production, both Getzlaf and Perry are underproducing but if they heat up the Ducks will be dangerous. Minnesota looks the best to me so far, but it's far from certain.

 

[Arthuros]

Wha-ha-hat, the Ducks should not be anyone's pick to come out of the west.

 

[MessierII]

I think the sharks and Hawks are the two most proven great teams and going into the playoffs are the teams to beat.

The wild are a wild card until they prove they can go deep in the playoffs we don't know if they're for real. They will have to go through the dynasty hawks to go deep.

The ducks and Oilers are lesser wild cards. The ducks have leaders who have won the Oilers have a bunch of young players who haven't been to the playoffs yet so they are a complete unknown.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

It's clearly Minnesota.

La and San Jose are the other choices

 

[El Travo]

Clearly the Avalanche.