Who's the coldest team going into the playoffs?

[c9777666]

On the flip side of the hot teams thread.... we have seen cold teams limp into the playoffs before.

Noteable recent examples: 2014 Blues, 2015 Predators.

About a week ago, the Minnesota Wild would have been the slam dunk choice- but they've been playing slightly less dreadfully recently.

Click to read more...

 

[Sun God Nika]

Ottawa is grinding but they will be healthy for the first time ever come playoffs.

 

[Intent]

Sharks. They have been truly putrid for a month, and with the Thornton and Couture injuries, it would be a miracle if they righted the ship.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Ottawa is a big ?

A lot of key players coming back from injury, will they play up to their roles when they return?

 

[TychoFan]

Looking at the standings, Columbus/New York (R) look to be playing poorly recently.

San Jose has been picking it up after a slump it seems (would not look good if they lost to the Oilers (losing home ice advantage against them) though).

 

[TheDizee]

wild and sharks

whoever plays them will hit the jackpot.

 

[AKL]

wild and sharks

whoever plays them will hit the jackpot.

Wild are already 4-1-2 in the last 7. Like OP said, a week or two ago they would have been the obvious answer, as of now, they look to be regaining form and I doubt anyone who plays the #2 seed in the West is thinking "jackpot"

 

[ThorNton Apologist]

Sharks ainec. Power play has been horrible. Top guys have been slumping not to mention top 2 centers are banged up

 

[Gnashville]

They all play on ice so it's hard to tell

 

[Sysreq]

Sharks are such a disappointment. I don't even understand how the wheels fall off like that.

 

[Autism]

Sharks

 

[PG Canuck]

Sharks. Not a lot going their way right now.

 

[Lays]

Rangers haven't been good the past couple weeks, my confidence in them is plummeting. I thought they could surely beat the Habs a while back and now I'm almost positive they won't beat them

 

[VanIslander]

Leafs have lost two in a row.

Rangers, Sharks and Columbus have only won 3 of their last 10 games.

All four are sucking right now.

Of course, the playoffs is another animal.
The only four teams with less than 10 home losses are:
Washington, Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Nashville.
Every other team had better pull their socks up.

 

[TheDizee]

Wild are already 4-1-2 in the last 7. Like OP said, a week or two ago they would have been the obvious answer, as of now, they look to be regaining form and I doubt anyone who plays the #2 seed in the West is thinking "jackpot"

they are a shell of what they did the first 3/4 of the season, they have a coach who cant get past the first round leading them and they get spanked by practically every playoff team who played them since like march.

wild are in for a rude awakening for whoever they play against.

 

[Bowie22]

Sharks. Even if we get Thornton and Couture back, this team has sucked ass for a while now.

 

[c9777666]

they are a shell of what they did the first 3/4 of the season, they have a coach who cant get past the first round leading them and they get spanked by practically every playoff team who played them since like march.

wild are in for a rude awakening for whoever they play against.

They're playing a team who isn't exactly a playoff trustworthy squad themselves- the Blues.

 

[AKL]

they are a shell of what they did the first 3/4 of the season, they have a coach who cant get past the first round leading them and they get spanked by practically every playoff team who played them since like march.

wild are in for a rude awakening for whoever they play against.

Again, they went through a slump. Every team does it, the Wild's happened to be a little longer than most. Before that slump they were considered the odds on favorite to come out of the West. You can't just take a slump and say, oh well that's how they're gonna be from now on.

As I said, they're already coming out of it.

Bruce Boudreau has made it out of the first round 4/8 years he's been in the playoffs. It's not like he's a scrub coach. Hell, look at Joel Quenneville before he won a cup finally in his second year with Chicago. Records are pretty similar thus far.

Look at it this way. Wild are still the second seed in the West even after a stretch where they won 4 out of 16 games. Clearly they're not a bad team. We also beat St. Louis in the first round a couple years ago and they're a worse team this year, while we're better. You really think we don't have a chance?

 

[DuckEatinShark]

Looking at the standings, Columbus/New York (R) look to be playing poorly recently.

San Jose has been picking it up after a slump it seems (would not look good if they lost to the Oilers (losing home ice advantage against them) though).

No we haven't. The only team we've beaten in the past 11 games is Vancouver and a Rangers team wrapping up a long roadie.

Our PP, which was a strong suit last year, has become an eyesore.

Couture and Thornton are currently OUT (although they should both be ready by game 1).

Our D, even Burns, has underperformed the past few weeks. Our forwards still cannot score.

The Sharks are a team ripe for the picking. Who wouldn't want to face a veteran-laden team clearly drained after last year's playoffs and are backing into a playoff spot?

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Rangers have been bad for the last month

The Sharks have been bad for about 2 months

The Wild have looked dreadful lately

Sens have been bad but had a **** ton of injuries

 

[Derp Kassian]

There was a time a few years ago when like 3-4 straight cup champions were god awful in March-April and ended up winning

 

[TaLoN]

Rangers have been bad for the last month

The Sharks have been bad for about 2 months

The Wild have looked dreadful lately

Sens have been bad but had a **** ton of injuries

4-1-2 in their last 7... with 3 consecutive wins now. Not quite dreadful anymore.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

4-1-2 in their last 7... with 3 consecutive wins now. Not quite dreadful anymore.

Yeah they beat Colorado twice and the Hurricanes in that span

Big whoop

 

[TaLoN]

Yeah they beat Colorado twice and the Hurricanes in that span

Big whoop

Whilst resting some players and playing an AHL goaltender to give Dubs a break (since Kuemper sucks so much as a backup that we had to call up Stalock who hadn't started an NHL game in years).

Point is, when the Wild were playing dreadful, they were LOSING to teams like the Hurricanes!

 

[AKL]

Yeah they beat Colorado twice and the Hurricanes in that span

Big whoop

Can't really control who we play, all we can control is how we play, and they've played well lately.