Who would we have a better chance of beating first round?

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

No one

 

[sandviper]

Ourselves.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

theres nothing i would want more then beating the laffs in the playoffs would make a great summer on HF

 

[angusyoung]

I do not want to lose to the Leafs and I also do not want Bergevin as our GM next year. I am torn.

Win or lose, MB has to be on the way out no? Floundering all season and getting lucky with some players is convincing that this man should not be at the helm.

 

[Andy]

Edmonton. The habs could win in 4 against them. It's a really good match up. The oilers have 0 depth outside the big two and the rest of the team gets eaten alive by lines 2-4 on the habs,

Toronto has had some stinkers against the habs. That series could go either way.

There is no doubt in my mind though that the second round will pretty much be a guarantee if the habs play the oilers.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Oilers and it's not even close. Leafs are a legit top 5 team in the NHL this year.

 

[JianYang]

I think I mentioned this in an earlier thread but you're generally better off to play the team with the best superstar and little depth than the team with superstars of their own along with more overall depth.

The oilers are the more desirable matchup.

 

[gillyguzzler]

Edmonton because Habs have shown that they are in the heads of McDavid and Draisaitl and not Mathews and Marner. But Gallaguer and Tatar would have to be close to 100% and Price would have to be at his best. Our 3rd and 4th line would also have to be better than theirs and Weber would have to return healthy and refreshed. Tough to beat either team but it's doable.

 

[Habs]

The oilers for sure. Mike Smith is 40, and McJesus doesn't like being hit. Shadow McLegend, shut down 80% of their offense. Just throw Danault on McGretzky like the Oil use to do with Tikkanen... he will start throwing elbows and taking stupid penalties.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Edmonton is by far the better matchup. If they can limit McDavid and Draisaitl, Montreal's depth is far better than Edmonton's. Edmonton's got a 39 year goaltender going on an absolute bender, I'm not convinced that holds up in the playoffs.

Toronto is the best team in the Division. Montreal could beat them, but they'd need luck and goaltending to do it. That, or a jump in play from their young guys.

 

[gillyguzzler]

Nobody knows, even Ducharme at this point, what the lineup will be. Everyone wants Evans and Caufield to be there but we all know that vets will play.

Danault - Gally - Tatar (it's a given if they're healthy)
Suzuki - Toffoli - Armia (developing chemistry and the only line that is producing)
KK - Anderson - Byron (speed on the wings but KK needs to have a few really good games in these final six)
Lehkonen - Staal - Perry
Evans -Caufield

I know, I know... Evans has been great and deserves to play but we all know Staal will not sit for him. I would venture that there's a better chance that KK sits or plays the wing than Staal sitting.

I know I know... It's been exciting to see Caufield play and score the OT game against the Sens. Maybe he plays and one of Lehkonen or Byron doesn't but I doubt it.

Heck, what happens if Drouin takes another week, starts to really miss the game, and declares himself fit to come back? His haters will surely hate it but who knows... could happen.

It'll be interesting yet surely controversial, whatever the coach decides.

 

[dinodebino]

Survey results are as lopsided as a Venezuelan election.

 

[CHfan1]

Leafs are a legit top 5 team in the NHL this year.

I don’t know if their goaltending and defence is good enough to be a top 5 team. I think if they make it out of the North division they might struggle against the other top teams.

With the playoff format this season (after the division playoffs) based off points (which means whoever wins the North doesn’t necessarily face the East in the semifinals) they could play Vegas, Colorado, TB, or Carolina. I think those teams plus some of the teams in the East would beat Toronto in a 7 game series. Hopefully we don’t get a chance to see that series though.

 

[JianYang]

I don’t know if their goaltending and defence is good enough to be a top 5 team. I think if they make it out of the North division they might struggle against the other top teams.

With the playoff format this season (after the division playoffs) based off points (which means whoever wins the North doesn’t necessarily face the East in the semifinals) they could play Vegas, Colorado, TB, or Carolina. I think those teams plus some of the teams in the East would beat Toronto in a 7 game series. Hopefully we don’t get a chance to see that series though.

Another factor to consider is that the North has logged some major air miles compared to the other divisions

I know what the narrative will be if the north team in the semi final gets dusted, but I've been wondering since day 1 how much the extra travelling anf time zone shifts of the north will translate into fatigue when they meet teams from more geographically conventional divisions.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Given how well we’ve played against Edmonton, they’d be my choice. An added bonus is I think Jets would give Toronto the most trouble with their style of play. Even if Jets didn’t upset them, they’d soften them up for the next round.