WildCard Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) Playoffs start Wednesday, here are the matchups Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) vs. New Jersey Devils (WC2) Thursday, April 12, 7pm: Devils @ Lightning Saturday, April 14, 3pm: Devils @ Lightning Monday, April 16, 7:30pm: Lightning @ Devils Wednesday, April 18, 7:30pm: Lightning @ Devils *Saturday, April 21, TBD: Devils @ Lightning *Monday, April 23, TBD: Lightning @ Devils *Wednesday, April 25, TBD: Devils @ Lightning Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3) Thursday, April 12, 7pm: Maple Leafs @ Bruins Saturday, April 14, 8pm: Maple Leafs @ Bruins Monday, April 16, 7pm: Bruins @ Maple Leafs Thursday, April 19, 7pm: Bruins @ Maple Leafs *Saturday, April 21, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Bruins *Monday, April 23, TBD: Bruins @ Maple Leafs *Wednesday, April 25, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Bruins Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (WC1) Thursday, April 12, 7:30pm: Blue Jackets @ Capitals Sunday, April 15, 7:30pm: Blue Jackets @ Capitals Tuesday, April 17, 7:30pm: Capitals @ Blue Jackets Thursday, April 19, 7:30pm: Capitals @ Blue Jackets *Saturday, April 21, TBD: Blue Jackets @ Capitals *Monday, April 23, TBD: Capitals @ Blue Jackets *Wednesday, April 25, TBD: Blue Jackets @ Capitals Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3) Wednesday, April 11, 7pm: Flyers @ Penguins Friday, April 13, 7pm: Flyers @ Penguins Sunday, April 15, 3pm: Penguins @ Flyers Wednesday, April 18, 7pm: Penguins @ Flyers *Friday, April 20, TBD: Flyers @ Penguins *Sunday, April 22, TBD: Penguins @ Flyers *Tuesday, April 24, TBD: Flyers @ Penguins WESTERN CONFERENCE Nashville Predators (C1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (WC2) Thursday, April 12, 9:30pm: Avalanche @ Predators Saturday, April 14, 3pm: Avalanche @ Predators Monday, April 16, 10pm: Predators @ Avalanche Wednesday, April 18, 10pm Predators @ Avalanche *Friday, April 20, TBD: Avalanche @ Predators *Sunday, April 22, TBD: Predators @ Avalanche *Tuesday, April 24, TBD: Avalanche @ Predators Winnipeg Jets (C2) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3) Wednesday, April 11, 7pm: Wild @ Jets Friday, April 13, 7:30pm: Wild @ Jets Sunday, April 15, 7pm: Jets @ Wild Tuesday, April 17, 8pm: Jets @ Wild *Friday, April 20, TBD: Wild @ Jets *Sunday, April 22, TBD: Jets @ Wild *Wednesday, April 25, TBD: Wild @ Jets Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC1) Wednesday, April 11, 10pm: Kings @ Golden Knights Friday, April 13, 10pm: Kings @ Golden Knights Sunday, April 15, 10:30pm: Golden Knights @ Kings Tuesday, April 17, 10:30pm: Golden Knights @ Kings *Thursday, April 19, 10pm: Kings @ Golden Knights *Saturday, April 21, TBD: Golden Knights @ Kings *Monday, April 23, TBD: Kings @ Golden Knights Anaheim Ducks (P2) vs. San Jose Sharks (P3) Thursday, April 12, 10:30pm: Sharks @ Ducks Saturday, April 14, 10:30pm: Sharks @ Ducks Monday, April 16, 10:30pm: Ducks @ Sharks Wednesday, April 18, 10:30pm: Ducks @ Sharks *Friday, April 20, TBD: Sharks @ Ducks *Sunday, April 22, TBD: Ducks @ Sharks *Tuesday, April 24, TBD: Sharks @ Ducks Edited April 9, 2018 by Jokertecken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Hell yeah, Leafs Bruins is going to be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) Here are some lineups based on what fans of each team are expecting: Anaheim Rakell - Getzlaf - Perry Cogliano - Kesler - Silfverberg Terry - Henrique - Kase Ritchie - Vermette - Chimera Lindholm - Manson Beauchemin - Montour Pettersson - Welinski Gibson Miller (Fowler out, unfortunately.) Honestly I really like those forwards, assuming Getz/Kesler are at or near the level of play they've spent their career at. That third line is deceptively good. Lindholm, Manson, and Montour are incredible, and Fowler would make them a top 5 defensive group int he playoffs. Gibson is outstanding. This team could do some damage like last year. Pittsburgh Guentzel - Crosby - Rust Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist Sheary - Brassard - Kessel Jooris - Sheahan - Kuhnackel Dumoulin - Letang Maatta - Schultz Ruhwedel - Oleksiak Murray DeSmith Once again, by far the best center depth in the dance, which gives them a cup chance. an 80+ point player on 3 different lines. Scary, even though Guentzel/Rust/Sheary aren't what they have been in past seasons. Toronto Maple Leafs Hyman - Matthews - Nylander Marleau - Kadri - Marner JVR - Bozak - Brown Komarov/Johnsson - Plekanec - Kapanen Rielly - Hainsey Gardiner - Zaitsev Polak - Dermott Andersen Deep, talented, and the fastest team in the league, and I believe they scored the most at even strength as well. Cup potential, and could also lose quickly against a talented Bruins squad. Boston Bruins Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak DeBrusk - Krejci - Rick Nash Donato - Riley Nash - Heinen Schaller - Kurlay - Backes Chara - McAvoy Krug - Holden/McQuaid Grzelcyk - Miller Rask Khudobin Their top line is the best line in hockey. They played 21 games this year before another team scored a goal while they were on the ice. Slight lack of forward depth concerning. D is legit, I wonder if Carlo is hurt? McAvoy is a star already. Could also win the cup, and could get smacked by the Leafs, and anything in between. New Jersey Devils Hall - Hischier - Palmieri Wood - Zacha - Maroon Coleman - Zajac - Noesen Johansson - Boyle - Grabner Greene - Vatenen Moore - Severson Butcher - Lovejoy Kinkaid Schneider Schneider has been terrible, but luckily Kinkaid is good. Hall is the likely MVP winner IMO. It's a solid team, and they swept the season series with Tampa so they could put a scare in the Bolts, but I would give them about a 10% chance at winning one round and a 0% chance at winning any more than that. Fun story, should be fun to follow. Philadelphia Flyers Giroux - Couturier - Raffl Lindblom - Patrick - Voracek Konecny - Filppula - Simmonds Laughton - Lehtera - Read Provorov - Gostisbehere Sanheim - MacDonald Manning - Gudas Elliot Mrazek Not good goaltending, and no defensive depth. Provorov is already a complete stud. Giroux had 100 points this season, and Couturier might win the Selke. Patrick has really turned it on and looks great recently, Voracek is his usual excellence, and Konecny-Simmonds makes for devastating depth. Solid, solid forwards, going to have their hands full with Pitt, but past history tells me they're not afraid. Nashville Predators Arvidsson - Johansen - Forsberg Fiala - Turris - Smith Jarnkrok - Bonino - Hartman Watson - Fisher - Salomaki Josi - Ellis Ekholm - Subban Emelin - Irwin Rinne Saros Anything but the cup is a disappointment for this group. The likely Vezina winner behind the best D in the league. Four guys that would be by far the Sabres' best D. They addressed their biggest weakness last season in a huge way, and their center depth is now a STRENGTH. Scary, scary team. Winnipeg Jets Connor - Scheifele - Wheeler Ehlers - Stastny - Laine Perrault - Little - Armia Copp - Lowry - Tanev/Roslovic/Dano Morrissey - Trouba Enstrom - Myers Chiarot - Byfuglien Hellebuyck Mason Hellebuyck is another Vezina candidate. This team is strong, fast, deep, and talented. That second line will be lethal, and the first line can compete against any top line in the league. Connor led all rookies with 31 goals. Laine went for over 40. Great center depth and a rock-solid defense. Not sure if Kulikov will be back. Legitimate cup potential, and probably the team I'm rooting for most. Colorado Avalanche Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen Nieto - Soderberg - Comeau Jost - Kerfoot - Andrighetto Bourque - Wilson - Compher Zadorov - Barrie Nemeth - Girard Barberio - Alt Bernier Hammond Is Johnson out? Must be. Varlamov is done for the year. Great story but I can't see this lineup doing anything. Nashville handled MacKinnon pretty well in the regular season. That top line is good enough to make things a little interesting though.. Columbus Blue Jackets Panarin - Dubois - Atkinson Jenner - Wennberg - Vanek Milano - Foligno - Bjorkstrand Calvert - Letestu - Anderson Werenski - Jones Cole - Savard Nutivaara - Murray Bobrovsky They finally draw a non-Pittsburgh team!! That gives them a chance at their first series win in franchise history, and this lineup, while not great, can get it done. Bob has the talent to steal a series. The PLD has looked great and has made them look very smart for taking him over Puljujarvi. Panarin hit 80+ points this season. Not a forward group I'm super envious of, but it's deep and I don't hate any of those players. The D is its strong point, Jones a legitimate Norris contender, Werenski will be at that level soon. Savard is a helluva top four guy I would pay to get in here, and Nutivaara is actually really good too. No super weak links or strong points (outside of tending) on this team. Just solid all around. Washington Capitals Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Wilson Burakovsky - Backstrom - Connolly Vrana - Eller - Smith-Pelly Gerisch - Stephenson - Chiasson Kempny - Carlson Orlov - Niskanen Orpik - Jerabek Grubauer Holtby Holtby lost his job, and Grubauer is excellent. Ovie is having an incredible bounceback year, but this feels like one of the weaker Caps lineups in recent memory. They still have a team that could win it all if they could just slay their 2nd round demons, the Pittsbrugh Penguins. They got a lot less fanfare this season, quietly did quite well, and are probably better off for it. Los Angeles Kings Pearson - Kopitar - Brown Rieder - Carter - Toffoli Clifford - Kempe - Lewis Thompson - Amadio - Andreoff Martinez - Doughty Phaneuf - Ladue Brickley - Folin Quick Muzzin appears to be hurt? Not a huge amount of depth anywhere, but you can never count Doughty, Kopitar, Quick, and Carter out. I could see them winning two rounds. Vegas Golden Knights Tatar - Karlsson - Tuch Pirri - Eakin - Neal Carrier - Lindberg - Reaves Carpenter - Bellemare - Nosek McNabb - Whitecloud Engelland - Theodore Miller - Merrill Fleury Marchesseault and Smith and Perron were resting/injured, but I think they'll be back? I think I'm leaning toward these guys getting a rude awakening, but we'll see. They've defied all logic so far. Minnesota Wild Zucker - Staal - Niederreiter Parise - Koivu - Granlund Ennis(Greenway) - Cullen - Coyle Winnik - Eriksson Ek - Foligno Brodin - Dumba Seeler - Murphy Soucy - Prosser Dubnyk Suter is done for good, but Spurgeon should be back. It would be more interesting with Suter too. I'm not expecting much from them against a powerhouse Jet team. San Jose Sharks Kane - Thornton - Pavelski Hertl - Couture - Boedker Meier - Tierney - Donskoi Karlsson/Hansen - Fehr - Labanc Vlasic - Braun Martin - Burns Dillon - Ryan Jones Who knows with the Sharks. They could make the cup finals or quietly be swept. Should be interesting to watch Kane play his first ever playoff hockey. I don't really like the roster that much but it's got a lot of good veterans, a good defense, and some nice depth. Tampa Bay Lightning Miller - Stamkos - Kucherov Palat - Point - Johnson Killorn - Cirelli - Erne Kunitz - Pacquette - Gourde Hedman - Stralman McDonagh - Girardi Coburn - Sergachev Vasilevsky Cup-talent, anything less would be a disappointment. Star-studded and deep. Edited April 9, 2018 by Randall Flagg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcsaberks Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) Wow Randall fantastic write-up! Pulling for Nashville because some Roc friends have moved there. And Washington because it would be nice to see #8 w/ a cup before he's done. Homer in me noticed you don't have Callahan or Gionta in their respective line-ups. Would think both would contribute to 3/4th line or PK. And thanks Joker for schedule. Edited April 9, 2018 by bcsaberks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 One word.....FU*K the Bruins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 One word.....FU*K the Bruins Looked tired against Florida. Speed of the Laughs should win out. Don't care though. If this was old hockey Pitt/Philly would be fun, but it's not, so Penguins will destroy them with the PP. Still think Nashville over Tampa in the final barring major injuries that can change everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 Wow Randall fantastic write-up! Pulling for Nashville because some Roc friends have moved there. And Washington because it would be nice to see #8 w/ a cup before he's done. Homer in me noticed you don't have Callahan or Gionta in their respective line-ups. Would think both would contribute to 3/4th line or PK. And thanks Joker for schedule. Agreed, I just ripped those from a thread on hfboards where fans were posting possible lineups. Perhaps they didn't want to see those players and that's why they left them out. And thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre fan Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 thought I heard B's are without half the team due to injury... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 I’m in LA through Friday, but the Kings don’t come home until Sunday. Won’t catch a game. But will hopefully get to another playoff game in Columbus this year. I’ve actually never seen Ovi live. Would also be cool to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted April 10, 2018 Report Share Posted April 10, 2018 thought I heard B's are without half the team due to injury... Both Nash's and Carlo. The rest are back, but I don't know if they are 100%. The Rick Nash trade looks like a huge deadline bust for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Wow Randall fantastic write-up! Pulling for Nashville because some Roc friends have moved there. And Washington because it would be nice to see #8 w/ a cup before he's done. Homer in me noticed you don't have Callahan or Gionta in their respective line-ups. Would think both would contribute to 3/4th line or PK. And thanks Joker for schedule. I am rooting for Nashville and NJ. Nashville because I love their game... Screw Ovi damn Putin stooge, I hope Columbus takes him out in the first round. Also, I think Columbus has a game that could go far in playoff. Same with SJ since their adds including Kane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted April 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Can we get this pinned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swedesessed Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Playoffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Let's Go Ice Sports! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 TAKE YOUR POSITIONS. We go live in 5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Millbury picking the Blue Jackets like the idiot he is :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 TAKE YOUR POSITIONS. We go live in 5... Or 7 and counting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millbank Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 How cool is the Winnipeg Whiteout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Brian Elliott is bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Minny and the Peg will be great watching just for the crowds. Now, Eleven and I might not agree all the time, but I think we're on the same page here: watching the Jets come onto the ice, the one thing the Sabres need to do is abandon that ridiculous rope line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Minny and the Peg will be great watching just for the crowds. Now, Eleven and I might not agree all the time, but I think we're on the same page here: watching the Jets come onto the ice, the one thing the Sabres need to do is abandon that ridiculous rope line. I agree. Rope line is stupid. Add some mystique back into the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Jet goalie spazzing out during the anthem was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 Minny and the Peg will be great watching just for the crowds. Now, Eleven and I might not agree all the time, but I think we're on the same page here: watching the Jets come onto the ice, the one thing the Sabres need to do is abandon that ridiculous rope line. Get rid of that minor-league asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 The Flyers maybe should have traded for Lehner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 11, 2018 Report Share Posted April 11, 2018 The Flyers maybe should have traded for Lehner. Curious that you mentioned that after Malkin's goal (Pens' 3d) which was essentially a shootout goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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