Stanley Cup hockey playoffs starting soon, what do you think?

I hate to say it but I think hockeyfan228's favorite team(or atleast by his sig. I presume that) will win the Stanley Cup this year. That is the New Jersey Devils of course. I say unfortunately not because of him/her, but because I just dont like that team. However they seem to be peaking for the playoffs, they are proven winners, and other teams all have questions right now so I am going with them. Detroit has played well and will be my second choice to win it all. Calgary are my third choice. Ottawa would have been my first choice 2 months ago, but with Hasek injured, and their recent decline in form I see another postseason flop for the Sens. Carolina are a strong contender as well. In fact I think they are the favorites to win their conference and reach the final, but I am not sure if Gerber can win them a Stanley Cup vs Kiprusoff or Brodeur, and I am not sure if they are a rare team like Detroit who can win without star goaltending.
Montreal is a good dark horse too.

I like hockey, but it suffers from some of the same afflictions that make baseball and basketball kinda boring:
Too many teams.
Half the league (or more) make the 'playoffs'.....
Too many games (1 game means virtually nothing until very late in the season)
Season is too long by at least a month or two.

For the Vancouver Canucks it means the season is over. They really blew it this year. Everyone in Vancouver is disappointed. So really it does not matter now who wins, although it would be great if the Cup comes back home to Canada - where it belongs.

Ladskater said:

...it would be great if the Cup comes back home to Canada - where it belongs.

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Well, according to Lord Stanley's will, the cup is to be awarded to "the best team in Canada."

So this year, I hope the Red Wings will be "honorary Canadians!" (instead of honorary Swedes, looking at the roster, LOL.)

GO Red Wings!!!

GO HABS!

ETA -- where did my Red Wings logo go???

Let's Go Buffao!

The Sabres seem to be getting on a role again, so I hope this continues into the playoffs. It will be a tough series vs the Flyers, but I think the Sabres have better team speed and goaltending. Containing Forsberg will be a challenge though. He is a real big game player.

Ottawa would have been my first choice earlier in the season but they have not shown the same form recently largely due to injuries I think. I hope they can turn it around as I like their style of play. Their first round series vs Tampa should be exciting. Edmonton are also fun to watch but they have a very tough opponent in Detroit. The Devils are playing with lots of confidence now, and they have Brodeur in net which is a big advantage especially if they don't get upset in the first round. I have a similar feeling about the Stars with Turco, and Flames with Kiprusoff in net. I don't like Nashville's chances with recent injuries, especially to Vokoun. Habs are a dark horse and I think they have a good chance to upset Canes in first round but don't think they have the goaltending to go all the way.

I'd just like to see a Canadian team in the final.

temujin said:

Let's Go Buffao!

The Sabres seem to be getting on a role again, so I hope this continues into the playoffs. It will be a tough series vs the Flyers, but I think the Sabres have better team speed and goaltending. Containing Forsberg will be a challenge though. He is a real big game player.

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I agree with you on Buffalo, and their first round. I think Buffalo are a sleeper, but they could go all the way as well. I think their first round with Philly is tough but I like them in that, they are smaller and faster, and Miller is so much better than Esche. Unless both Forsberg and Gagne are red hot, although that is possable, Buffalo wins.

Ottawa would have been my first choice earlier in the season but they have not shown the same form recently largely due to injuries I think. I hope they can turn it around as I like their style of play. Their first round series vs Tampa should be exciting.

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Yeah playing the Stanley Cup Champions in the first round, when you are the top seed yourselves is a strange situation. However I like Ottawa in that one. They have dipped off lately, and I am not sure they will go all the way. I could see another post-season dissapointment, but it wont be in the first round.

Edmonton are also fun to watch but they have a very tough opponent in Detroit.

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Yeah there will be some good games and that series, and there was one last night to start. However Detroit is too strong in this one.

The Devils are playing with lots of confidence now, and they have Brodeur in net which is a big advantage especially if they don't get upset in the first round.

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They have a tough first round with the Rangers though. However the Ranger's best player, Jaromir Jagr is coming into the playoffs cold a bit, and lost both the Art Ross(points scoring title)and Maurice Richard(goal scoring title)to Sharks players(Thorton for Art Ross, Cheechoo for Maurice Richard)right at the end of the year. So he is not coming into the playoffs on a high. The Rangers own very good goaltender, young Henrick Lundquist, who is a possable Vezina candidate, and would win rookie of the year most other years(although this year he is probably only 4th in voting behind Crosby, Ovechkin, and Phaneuf)is coming off an injury. He has experience from the Olympics but no playoff experience, and admitted to being tired after his last regular season game. Not good signs for the Rangers.

I have a similar feeling about the Stars with Turco, and Flames with Kiprusoff in net. I don't like Nashville's chances with recent injuries, especially to Vokoun. Habs are a dark horse and I think they have a good chance to upset Canes in first round but don't think they have the goaltending to go all the way.

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With Vokoun injured I would have thought it would have been sure curtains for Nashville vs San Jose, the NHLs hockest team. They won a game last night though so anything could happen I guess. Still think San Jose will win out though. San Jose could go all the way, they are the hottest team in the game right now, and have the hottest line.