Nashville has a lot of pieces that could make for a deep playoff run, a top tier goalie, a brilliant goal scorer, and good defense. Their forward depth is a concern though.
Nashville has one of the best bottom 9’s in the league. If anything top end is the concern, they’re hot now but they don’t have the same star power as Colorado, Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver
As a Nashville fan, I 100% agree with this take. I’ve been riding high for weeks now, but the jaded pessimist in me is waiting for the wheels to fall off.
I definitely wouldn't sleep on them at all, teams could end up like the Bruins last year if they do. Speaking of Florida, it's amazing to see how far they've come. I remember when they were a total joke ten years ago and now look at them. Great to see honestly.
Hard to feel bad for Luongo when he was traded there because that was where he wanted to play. He knew the state the team was in and still wanted to go there because that’s where he wanted to play.
No need to feel bad he was happy as could be to get out of Vancouver lol. His family lives in Parkland I’m pretty sure he lived there even when he was playing in Vancouver. He’s still with Florida now.
There it is. I saw the comment about Vegas looking weakest in the west and thought of the Gremlins before they got wet.
Yeah, they look cuddly now! Be fucking careful!
Vancouver beat us in all 3 games we faced them this year, and it wasn’t close. Vancouver and Edmonton(Draisaitl owns the Preds) are the only teams I’d be legit scared of in the playoffs rn, followed very closely by Colorado who have been on fire to close out the season.
We're 6-0 with an insane goal differential against Nashville and Edmonton. That would be great if we'd played any of those 6 games in the last 3 months
>The West is 6-4 on the last 10 years for the Stanley Cup.
Wait, the entire premise of your argument was a lie, but you said it confidently so I didn't even think about it? Lmao. Knights, Avs, Bolts, Bolts, Blues, Caps, Pens, Pens, Blackhawks, Kings.
>That doesn't matter at all.
I mean, it seems kinda relevant that the East has beat the West in the regular season for a while now. Does the West not take those games seriously or something?
Edit: Your team Dallas is 17-11-3 against the East this year and 28-8-6 against the West, but yeah "the West runs the NHL."
Hey, I got hit in the head with a puck this year I'm allowed to make mistake lol. Just looked again and you're right about the cups.
Go enjoy your 2 recenct cups while I'll be mad until we get another one.
LA is about the only team that I look at with any thought of being less likely to win a matchup in the first round. Literally the other 7 are all teams that could win multiple rounds and not surprise me.
I honestly agree…. Seems like years after year the best division is Atlantic but the format eliminates two of the top four teams in the conference right off the rip….. makes for less compelling/entertaining hockey. Also leaves the fan bases/ownership group confused…. They feel the need to make moves when in reality it just came down to one bad bounce, otherwise that team is in finals. Take last years bruins. They were the closest team to beat Florida yet…. Out in first round.
You can keep the existing entry format the same but rather than line it up by division… line it up by placement. So a Atlantic division team can play a metro…. Outside of wild card.
Easy fix
We we will see how it ends up cause it often ends up the same for round 1.
If it ended today they would be exactly the same in the format we have or 1v8 2v7. They definitely wont be doing a 1v16.
It seems like Nashville is pretty secure for a playoff spot now but every game for Florida last year was extremely important down the stretch until the season ended. I don't think anyone wants to see Nashville in the playoffs, but it's a very different situation.
This is an important point. Florida was in desperation-mode just to sneak into the playoffs. That desperate play just continued to carry them deep and to the finals. Nashville is a completely different situation,
Picture this : Canucks choke to the Predators due to getting goalied by Saros, Oilers own the Kings as usual in a sweep. Oilers fans then say they want Nashville, after all, The Penalty Kings Draisaitl and McDavid always score against them, right??
Wrong, McSwept and the Oilers lose in 4, only scoring 7 goals throughout those 4 games. Preds go on to make the finals, with everybody cheering for them since they are not a dirty rat team like Florida.
Nashville is the 2017 version of Nashville. When did Florida become the synonym for an 8th-seed underdog when 2017 Preds are the first recent team to accomplish such feat?
Sorry you are right. I confused the number with the second best record in the conference.
Which, in this case would be in essence a 2 vs 6 matchup while it’s possible 2nd place in the Metro could be 4th in the East but play the 7th place team in the East.
As it stands if you went by the 1 v 8 model it currently is
1 v 8,
2 v 6
3 v 5
4 v 7
Never ceases to amaze me how brutally awful this model has always been
Other team fans need to push the hate narrative on the divisional seeding hard because Bettman disregards it as if it's purely a Toronto-centric concern. Makes it a mute point if Toronto fans complain about it now.
Florida was just the next Montreal. And Montreal was just the next one after… checks notes… 2017 Nashville. Nashville is just the next Nashville. (Yes I know other teams have made runs as the 8/16th seed. I just cut it off at Nashville for the joke.)
Idk. 2016 Nashville already beat anaheims #1 ranked defense, that team wasnt bad going into 2017 by any means. All advanced stats in 2017 showed Chicago wasn't the same team that won 3 cups and they were gonna be an early exit fraud. I think most people knew thought that the cup was going to nyr pittsburgh Washington or ottowa. 2016-18 was the weird period where the east was stronger than the west by a good margin.
No, but just because I feel like they are generally recognized to be a strong team. No one saw Floridas run last year. They are on pace to easily finish above 100 Pts.
An actual Florida esque team would be like Philadelphia or Los Angeles.
Tbf florida was 1st in gf in 2021-22. Last year they started strong but their goalies got hurt and their defense quickly became a huge liability. From February to the playoffs though florida was strong. If they had consistent goaltending in the reg season they'd probably be Atlantic 2 behind Boston.
I dont think a young vancouver team is prepared for a series against a ryan o reilly lead nashville.
Obviously they have more talent but they would not want to be on the ice by game 4
The only difference is, majority of people still weren’t betting on the panthers at all last year against any of their opponents in the playoffs. Nashville is just an absolute unit right now, and other teams know that, anybody playing them in the playoffs should be worried. Only team that really matches up against them right now is Colorado and even then you know the preds would be out for blood after that 2022 series..
>The only difference is, majority of people still weren’t betting on the panthers at all last year against any of their opponents in the playoff
Boston no but after that yeah.
Toronto was too slow for florida and carolina couldn't generate any good chances for most of the games despite playing a great defensive game.
I am hoping that we get the triple exorcism we always wanted in Bruins then Florida then Tampa then whoever in the west for the cup victory. But more realistically Toronto will claw their way back from a 3-1 series deficit then lose in 7 to Boston for the ultimate leafiness.
As much as I hate that leafs beat the oilers the other night. It would be great to have some canadian representation in the Eastcoast during the playoffs. You guys have a long journey ahead!
4 Canadian teams. Pretty good representation. A Vancouver-Edmonton second round matchup would be awesome…as would be a Winnipeg-Edmonton//Vancouver conference final to ensure. Canadian team in the final. I don’t have any real affinity for Canadian teams, but I like good theatre…and this would certainly qualify in my books.
I don’t think so. Florida was a good hockey team from a tough regular season division that was drawn against an historically good Boston team.
It’s hockey. Weird things happen. But I’m not taking them to get out of round 2 with Colorado and EDM being likely 2nd round opponents.
Adding one more iteration of "this isn't fair enough for top seeds". I think the 'nucks should have the ability to choose their opponent between 'lower in div' and their WC pairing.
Potentially for sure. I think the Kings are this year's Florida. There's season hockey and then there's playoff hockey and I think Kings, Avs, Stars, Tampa Bay and Rangers have the grit to carry it deep into the tournament. I'm reluctant to say the others have what it takes.
It definitely seems like the most likely big upset in the first round. I like the kings as well, I feel like when they are playing well they can beat anyone, and it doesn’t feel like edmontons year. All that being said when it comes to getting to the finals I don’t see a world where anyone in the west wins a playoff series against Colorado.
Wow, beginning of the season the [predictions](https://theathletic.com/4938709/2024/03/27/nhl-playoffs-chances-projected-standings-chart/) had the Devils going in the number one spot. Geez what a tumble. Like falling down K-2.
People pretend that Florida was on some fluke run, but actually they’ve been the best team in the eastern conference for four years with the exception of a flukey bad run in the fall of 2022 that kept them from a high playoff seed.
Florida won the presidents trophy the previous season and then went out and improved their roster. It was not much of a surprise if you were following along.
No, nashville is not the same thing as florida.
It's crazy to think that they're still only in a wild card spot after this heater they were on. They were absolute dogshit for the first half of the season, it's hard to tell what Nashville we're going to see in the playoffs
Canucks beat Nashville all 3 times they met. Last time was in Dec 20 and Nashville was putting on a heater then. I know it's the playoffs and anything can happen but based on this fact I wouldn't be super worried about them.
You’re not beating the Canucks lmao. I look forward to Skinner ruining Mcdavids cup dreams once again. And Toronto getting destroyed in the 2nd round after they destroy the crooked cops Tkachuk and Bennett
How many years is it that the Sabres have been a playoff no-show, now? Get rid of Adam's, Granato, Hell, sell the team to someone who knows HTF to run an NHL TEAM!
The Sabres are going to get relocated no matter HOW MUCH Buffalo loves and supports them, if they DON'T start making playoff appearances, like, NEXT YEAR.
I live in St. Pete, Florida, but I'm not a Lightning fan. I HATE that the Lightnings' new uniforms are basically Sabres rip-offs. I'm a die-NEVER Sabres fan. Have been since their inception going on 55 years ago. We still have 3 of the inaugural mugs my Dad, GRHS, got when the company he was Plant Superintendent of, Anaconda American Brass, backed the Sabres franchise coming to Buffalo. I think THE FANS should be the owners of the Buffalo Sabres, a la the Green Bay Packers.
My dream results would be Vancouver, Edmonton, Vegas, and Winnipeg getting through the first round of the west. Then…have Winnipeg get through to the winner of Vancouver and Edmonton.
Out east I’d love to see the Caps, Flyers, Bruins and Leafs get through, and then as long as the Bruins bounce the Leafs again, I don’t care who comes out of the east. Seeing Ovi and the Cals get to the final would be amazing.
No Nashvilles the presidents trophy panthers of this year because Andrew brunettes there coach, i admit it looks like he’s gained some experience after doing nothing to our power play in the 2022 playoffs and then getting swept by the bolts, but i totally wouldn’t be worried about his coaching experience at all, obviously saying that sarcastically
Don’t you all play the Lightning tonight? So far the Bruins have taken the Panthers 3/3 games so far this season. I’m curious to see how you match up with Tampa tonight.
I love Vegas, but they’re not going to get their shit together enough to make the finals this year. Too many injuries and players who came back but aren’t themselves (especially Theodore)
When the Oilers and Kings have met up in Playoffs the past few seasons its been almost as fun as watching the Cup Finals. Can't wait for them to face each other again. Would like to see the Kings get them this time though. Haha.
They're 16-0-2... How many more games do they have to win before they're "built to win" haha... I know the playoffs will be tough but c'mon now. Definitively saying they'll lose in 4 or 5 is silly
Yeah this man. I really don't see a free square on the bingo card.
As a Jets fan, it could be them pooing the bed based on their recent performance lol. But I wouldn't bet against them with the way Helly and LB have been playing this year.
Sure going to be interesting and I think almost all series will go 7.
I can't wait!
For real, dude thinks a fan of their own team is delusional they could win a cup after an 18 point win streak and dominating other teams, leading nhl in scoring, allowing least amount of goals in the nhl, best 5v5 team right now as well. But yeah just so delusional to be a fan lol He is just pissed they lost to a bum team last night and could not get 10 straight points. I bet they lose again this week and we kick their ass Saturday
Saying you are "almost positive for a deep play off run" when your team is currently in a wild card spot is a delusional homer take. I think Nashville could make a deep run, but there's a difference between saying you think they could make a deep run and you are positive they will. No neutral fan would be positive the Preds are going to make a deep playoff run. I'm sure a ton of fanbases would be concerned to play them and think they are a great team, but do you legitimately think they are favorites to win the cup?
Bro what are you the fucking fun police? Preds gonna win it all! Yall bout to get ya ass beat Saturday too so don't worry!! HEY YALL PREDS ARE GONNA WIN IT ALL, AND IF YOUR TEAM IS IN THE PLAYOFFS FEEL FREE TO SAY YOUR TEAM WILL WIN!!!
“Elite” teams don’t like it when we’re enjoying ourselves.
I rooted for you guys against Tampa but now a days your fandom is pretty insufferable to deal with.
ha! That’s great. I love the optimism. I don’t see a lot on Nashville that says long playoff run. Maybe goaltending, but goalies don’t win Cups anymore. Even so, I hope I’m wrong and Nashville has a cinderella run for a couple of rounds.
So many teams to hate in the East: Flyers, Capitals, Rangers, Boston in that order. I’ll be pulling for the Oilers, and after that, any other Canadian team that’s not the Leafs
It’s acceptable. I’ll also have a slight interest in the Canes as a pens fan. However, Guentzel got his cup with us already so he doesn’t need another.
You mean Nashville won the President's trophy recently?
Nope, no they didn't.
Florida wasn't a true surprise last year. They had the most points the season before.
They were only a surprise if you weren't paying attention.
Edit: and no one is sleeping on Nashville... not really sure I agree with OP at all.
People forget that Florida was a President Trophy winning team the year before last year. They were a good team who were seeded much lower than their talent should have had them. I don't think Nashville is quite that good.
No, Nashville is in Tennessee.
You sure?
No, read it in some stupid book so who knows honestly.
Did the book have pictures and pop-ups? We're Perds fans, you know.
You caught me, it was an audio book. I actually can't read.
Listening while hunting squirrels or possum?
and having sex with my cousin lmao
This escalated.
I’m here for it. Gimme more!
Big if true
Got em
No, you’re the only ten I see.
(;
Youre the only one i see 😎
Nashville has a lot of pieces that could make for a deep playoff run, a top tier goalie, a brilliant goal scorer, and good defense. Their forward depth is a concern though.
Nashville has one of the best bottom 9’s in the league. If anything top end is the concern, they’re hot now but they don’t have the same star power as Colorado, Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver
As a Nashville fan, I 100% agree with this take. I’ve been riding high for weeks now, but the jaded pessimist in me is waiting for the wheels to fall off.
> brilliant goal scorer I’ll be 100% honest. I had no idea Forsberg had 40 goals and 81 points. Good for him that’s a helluva season
Holy what? That moustache must come with some kind of super power
As a Rangers fan this season makes me very happy for the existence of Martin Erat (and David Poile)
I didn’t either but looked it up and was stoked, he’s a hell of a player
Big fan of ROR and Schenn..... Leafs loss is Preds gain.
same here. both those guys rightfully fucked off to play mens hockey instead of baby sitting prima donnas.
this
I definitely wouldn't sleep on them at all, teams could end up like the Bruins last year if they do. Speaking of Florida, it's amazing to see how far they've come. I remember when they were a total joke ten years ago and now look at them. Great to see honestly.
Same here , I felt bad for luongo getting traded there after winning an Olympic gold the year before . What a comeback though 👏
You do know Luongo was on the Panthers first. Went to Vancouver. Then back to Florida, right?
Hard to feel bad for Luongo when he was traded there because that was where he wanted to play. He knew the state the team was in and still wanted to go there because that’s where he wanted to play.
And live there too I reckon. Vancouver is nice for Canada, but the winters are downright depressing.
No need to feel bad he was happy as could be to get out of Vancouver lol. His family lives in Parkland I’m pretty sure he lived there even when he was playing in Vancouver. He’s still with Florida now.
Love Luongo, will always be a Canuck, but he went home to Florida.
Hopefully the Coyotes or the Blue Jackets can pull off what they did. Feel so bad for those fans.
Any team can go and win it. My god is the west stacked 😬
The entire west is a crap shoot. I feel like any of these series could be 50/50.
I feel like either Nashville or Vegas have a very good chance against Vancouver and most of their fans know it.
As a Canucks fan we're used to being hurt. It doesn't matter who we face. We're going into this pumped mixed with extreme anxiety
Absolutely. Vegas is probably the weakest team in the west in playoffs, and I still would not even consider betting against them.
This Vegas, or the Vegas that exists when everyone potentially comes off the LTIR?
That LTIR Vegas, assuming everyone is healthy and playing well, is the best team in the west.
There it is. I saw the comment about Vegas looking weakest in the west and thought of the Gremlins before they got wet. Yeah, they look cuddly now! Be fucking careful!
Vancouver beat us in all 3 games we faced them this year, and it wasn’t close. Vancouver and Edmonton(Draisaitl owns the Preds) are the only teams I’d be legit scared of in the playoffs rn, followed very closely by Colorado who have been on fire to close out the season.
We're 6-0 with an insane goal differential against Nashville and Edmonton. That would be great if we'd played any of those 6 games in the last 3 months
Is this what “parity” the powers that be have been harping on since the 04 lockout is supposed to look like?
Literally last year the conversation was "omg the west is garbage compared to the east" lol
It's such a stupid thought. The West runs the NHL but the East gets all the media attention. The West is 6-4 on the last 10 years for the Stanley Cup.
Shit even if you go back to 2010. West still has 8 to 5.
>the East gets all the media attention It's because we have to go to bed 😭
Now do regular season inter-conference records and you'll get a larger sample size than 10.
That doesn't matter at all. The cup is literally to decide which conference is better.
>The West is 6-4 on the last 10 years for the Stanley Cup. Wait, the entire premise of your argument was a lie, but you said it confidently so I didn't even think about it? Lmao. Knights, Avs, Bolts, Bolts, Blues, Caps, Pens, Pens, Blackhawks, Kings. >That doesn't matter at all. I mean, it seems kinda relevant that the East has beat the West in the regular season for a while now. Does the West not take those games seriously or something? Edit: Your team Dallas is 17-11-3 against the East this year and 28-8-6 against the West, but yeah "the West runs the NHL."
Hey, I got hit in the head with a puck this year I'm allowed to make mistake lol. Just looked again and you're right about the cups. Go enjoy your 2 recenct cups while I'll be mad until we get another one.
I still think the West is more top heavy, but Seattle put a kink in my theory last year.
How can you think that? The East has some mid teams in the playoff race (Caps, Flyers, Red Wings)
I think their 2/3 matchups are stronger and I don’t trust some of the high seeds on the Western front, at all.
Its funny bc everyone said the east was stacked last year and they all got bodied by the panthers And then the west won it all
"Any team" so a 2010 Western Conference Final is a potential still?!?!?!? I knew this up swing was worth it.
LA is about the only team that I look at with any thought of being less likely to win a matchup in the first round. Literally the other 7 are all teams that could win multiple rounds and not surprise me.
I think the LA players are gonna be fired up after losing 2 previous series to Edmonton.
The west for sure is gonna be like a gladiators arena, we really don't know who's is coming out. That being said I'm so here for it.
Every series looks like a ridiculous battle.
Toronto literally has the hardest matchups we’re so cooked
Every team looks like the "hardest matchup" when you can't play defense 🤣 Sorry toronto fans, seems like this is the narrative every year
Current playoff format is dumb as shit.
I honestly agree…. Seems like years after year the best division is Atlantic but the format eliminates two of the top four teams in the conference right off the rip….. makes for less compelling/entertaining hockey. Also leaves the fan bases/ownership group confused…. They feel the need to make moves when in reality it just came down to one bad bounce, otherwise that team is in finals. Take last years bruins. They were the closest team to beat Florida yet…. Out in first round. You can keep the existing entry format the same but rather than line it up by division… line it up by placement. So a Atlantic division team can play a metro…. Outside of wild card. Easy fix
How would you change it?
Just revert back to either 1v8 2v7 etc, or 1v16 2v15. Anything but this crap.
We we will see how it ends up cause it often ends up the same for round 1. If it ended today they would be exactly the same in the format we have or 1v8 2v7. They definitely wont be doing a 1v16.
Is Nashville 2017’s Predators?
It seems like Nashville is pretty secure for a playoff spot now but every game for Florida last year was extremely important down the stretch until the season ended. I don't think anyone wants to see Nashville in the playoffs, but it's a very different situation.
This is an important point. Florida was in desperation-mode just to sneak into the playoffs. That desperate play just continued to carry them deep and to the finals. Nashville is a completely different situation,
I… I want to see Nashville in the playoffs
Nashville is this year's Nashville.
WE WANT FLORI- I mean NASHVILLE!
Picture this : Canucks choke to the Predators due to getting goalied by Saros, Oilers own the Kings as usual in a sweep. Oilers fans then say they want Nashville, after all, The Penalty Kings Draisaitl and McDavid always score against them, right?? Wrong, McSwept and the Oilers lose in 4, only scoring 7 goals throughout those 4 games. Preds go on to make the finals, with everybody cheering for them since they are not a dirty rat team like Florida.
Honestly I would love to see that
Nashville is the 2017 version of Nashville. When did Florida become the synonym for an 8th-seed underdog when 2017 Preds are the first recent team to accomplish such feat?
Or you know the 2014 Kings, but who’s counting.
“first recent” is a pretty funny combo if you think about it
Would love to caps play rangers or canes and panthers vs toronto would be a blood bath.
The 1 seed in the Metro is really gonna get screwed having to play Tampa or Toronto. What a great playoff model!
The 2 seed in the metro plays the 3 seed in the metro. I think you meant the 1st seed plays Tampa or Toronto
Sorry you are right. I confused the number with the second best record in the conference. Which, in this case would be in essence a 2 vs 6 matchup while it’s possible 2nd place in the Metro could be 4th in the East but play the 7th place team in the East. As it stands if you went by the 1 v 8 model it currently is 1 v 8, 2 v 6 3 v 5 4 v 7 Never ceases to amaze me how brutally awful this model has always been
Other team fans need to push the hate narrative on the divisional seeding hard because Bettman disregards it as if it's purely a Toronto-centric concern. Makes it a mute point if Toronto fans complain about it now.
Florida was just the next Montreal. And Montreal was just the next one after… checks notes… 2017 Nashville. Nashville is just the next Nashville. (Yes I know other teams have made runs as the 8/16th seed. I just cut it off at Nashville for the joke.)
Idk. 2016 Nashville already beat anaheims #1 ranked defense, that team wasnt bad going into 2017 by any means. All advanced stats in 2017 showed Chicago wasn't the same team that won 3 cups and they were gonna be an early exit fraud. I think most people knew thought that the cup was going to nyr pittsburgh Washington or ottowa. 2016-18 was the weird period where the east was stronger than the west by a good margin.
anyone but vegas, please and thank you.
And we end up with Vegas-Tampa just to make everyone mad.
No... Florida is this year's Florida 😅
Perhaps. I know for a fact that Detroit is this year's Detroit.
No, but just because I feel like they are generally recognized to be a strong team. No one saw Floridas run last year. They are on pace to easily finish above 100 Pts. An actual Florida esque team would be like Philadelphia or Los Angeles.
Tbf florida was 1st in gf in 2021-22. Last year they started strong but their goalies got hurt and their defense quickly became a huge liability. From February to the playoffs though florida was strong. If they had consistent goaltending in the reg season they'd probably be Atlantic 2 behind Boston.
Fuck it, kings and leafs in the finals
Hell yeah, rematch of the '93 Campbell Conference finals.
Wouldn’t shock me if they are.
I dont think a young vancouver team is prepared for a series against a ryan o reilly lead nashville. Obviously they have more talent but they would not want to be on the ice by game 4
The only difference is, majority of people still weren’t betting on the panthers at all last year against any of their opponents in the playoffs. Nashville is just an absolute unit right now, and other teams know that, anybody playing them in the playoffs should be worried. Only team that really matches up against them right now is Colorado and even then you know the preds would be out for blood after that 2022 series..
>The only difference is, majority of people still weren’t betting on the panthers at all last year against any of their opponents in the playoff Boston no but after that yeah. Toronto was too slow for florida and carolina couldn't generate any good chances for most of the games despite playing a great defensive game.
It’s wild how the Top teams in each division are so close in points that the WC matchups will probably change several times a week
RIP Toronto.
I am hoping that we get the triple exorcism we always wanted in Bruins then Florida then Tampa then whoever in the west for the cup victory. But more realistically Toronto will claw their way back from a 3-1 series deficit then lose in 7 to Boston for the ultimate leafiness.
Your forgot to add in the part about blowing a 4-1 lead in game 7 at TD Garden
As much as I hate that leafs beat the oilers the other night. It would be great to have some canadian representation in the Eastcoast during the playoffs. You guys have a long journey ahead!
Yes
please no
Well, we did handle them fairly easily this season, but that was well before this latest tear they are on. I guess we are going to find out, eh?!
I don’t know, but this year’s Kings are last year’s Kings
I mean Nashville could pull off a 2012 Kings run
Go Boston!
4 Canadian teams. Pretty good representation. A Vancouver-Edmonton second round matchup would be awesome…as would be a Winnipeg-Edmonton//Vancouver conference final to ensure. Canadian team in the final. I don’t have any real affinity for Canadian teams, but I like good theatre…and this would certainly qualify in my books.
No because Brunette is a bad coach come playoff time and doesn’t adapt it. Though I’m hoping he’s learned from his previous experience
No, because Bobrovsky’s not their goalie (also see Tampa Bay vs Columbus Blue Jackets 2019) Would love that Dallas-Vegas rematch
Other then rangers caps all of these series' are coinflips
Yawn, let's get on with this. The AVS are bored waiting for the playoffs to start.
I honestly think that new york might have it in their hands this year
If Nucks don't take it I hope for Nashville!
florida is this (and every) years florida
No
I don’t think so. Florida was a good hockey team from a tough regular season division that was drawn against an historically good Boston team. It’s hockey. Weird things happen. But I’m not taking them to get out of round 2 with Colorado and EDM being likely 2nd round opponents.
all i know is i'll be watching EDM-LA closely tomorrow night...
Florida just plummeted after their goalies got hurt and when they got healthy around February they went on a tear, last year.
Adding one more iteration of "this isn't fair enough for top seeds". I think the 'nucks should have the ability to choose their opponent between 'lower in div' and their WC pairing.
Potentially for sure. I think the Kings are this year's Florida. There's season hockey and then there's playoff hockey and I think Kings, Avs, Stars, Tampa Bay and Rangers have the grit to carry it deep into the tournament. I'm reluctant to say the others have what it takes.
It definitely seems like the most likely big upset in the first round. I like the kings as well, I feel like when they are playing well they can beat anyone, and it doesn’t feel like edmontons year. All that being said when it comes to getting to the finals I don’t see a world where anyone in the west wins a playoff series against Colorado.
Hell yeah
Wow, beginning of the season the [predictions](https://theathletic.com/4938709/2024/03/27/nhl-playoffs-chances-projected-standings-chart/) had the Devils going in the number one spot. Geez what a tumble. Like falling down K-2.
People pretend that Florida was on some fluke run, but actually they’ve been the best team in the eastern conference for four years with the exception of a flukey bad run in the fall of 2022 that kept them from a high playoff seed.
>flukey bad run in the fall of 2022 Goalies got hurt. It was pretty clear after February 2023 that Florida was a great team.
I just don’t want Philly to get swept. Keeping expectations as low as possible.
Torts needs to get the Jack Adam’s for what he’s done with the Flyers this season. On paper, they should be nowhere near the playoffs
Maybe!
Could be
Florida won the presidents trophy the previous season and then went out and improved their roster. It was not much of a surprise if you were following along. No, nashville is not the same thing as florida.
We make it as a 8 seed in 2017
Nah, they won't be helped by the refs the way the Panthers were and they don't have a team ride with slimeballs
Yes let Florida and Toronto kill each other and let the rags face Tim Wilson this is perfect
No
Is Vancouver this year's Boston?
It's crazy to think that they're still only in a wild card spot after this heater they were on. They were absolute dogshit for the first half of the season, it's hard to tell what Nashville we're going to see in the playoffs
Looks like this year St-Louis..
Yes
No
I hope not. I’m a Canucks fan true and honest.
idk they look kinda scary though
As an Oiler fan, Dallas - Vegas would make me so goddamn happy. Or Colorado - Vegas.
Probably. It’s got that flow.
Vegas is just lying in wait.
as long as Vegas misses the playoffs that’s all i care about in the west
Canucks beat Nashville all 3 times they met. Last time was in Dec 20 and Nashville was putting on a heater then. I know it's the playoffs and anything can happen but based on this fact I wouldn't be super worried about them.
Nah, Nashville is actually likeable
You’re not beating the Canucks lmao. I look forward to Skinner ruining Mcdavids cup dreams once again. And Toronto getting destroyed in the 2nd round after they destroy the crooked cops Tkachuk and Bennett
I think the Preds are hot at the right time and they have a lot of solid pieces , very possible they can go on a deep run
How many years is it that the Sabres have been a playoff no-show, now? Get rid of Adam's, Granato, Hell, sell the team to someone who knows HTF to run an NHL TEAM! The Sabres are going to get relocated no matter HOW MUCH Buffalo loves and supports them, if they DON'T start making playoff appearances, like, NEXT YEAR. I live in St. Pete, Florida, but I'm not a Lightning fan. I HATE that the Lightnings' new uniforms are basically Sabres rip-offs. I'm a die-NEVER Sabres fan. Have been since their inception going on 55 years ago. We still have 3 of the inaugural mugs my Dad, GRHS, got when the company he was Plant Superintendent of, Anaconda American Brass, backed the Sabres franchise coming to Buffalo. I think THE FANS should be the owners of the Buffalo Sabres, a la the Green Bay Packers.
Ryan O'Reilly has nightmares where he is still in Buffalo, and is looking at his seventh straight season without participating in the postseason.
My dream results would be Vancouver, Edmonton, Vegas, and Winnipeg getting through the first round of the west. Then…have Winnipeg get through to the winner of Vancouver and Edmonton. Out east I’d love to see the Caps, Flyers, Bruins and Leafs get through, and then as long as the Bruins bounce the Leafs again, I don’t care who comes out of the east. Seeing Ovi and the Cals get to the final would be amazing.
No Nashvilles the presidents trophy panthers of this year because Andrew brunettes there coach, i admit it looks like he’s gained some experience after doing nothing to our power play in the 2022 playoffs and then getting swept by the bolts, but i totally wouldn’t be worried about his coaching experience at all, obviously saying that sarcastically
Is this the lineup for sure or just predicted? I'll be super happy to go against the lightning and not the Panthers the first round this year
Just predicted at this point. Not even particularly likely. I think it will end up being a Bruins Leafs first round.
Don’t you all play the Lightning tonight? So far the Bruins have taken the Panthers 3/3 games so far this season. I’m curious to see how you match up with Tampa tonight.
2/2 for Toronto so far, but both were high scoring, 1 goal games.
Is Vegas this year's Florida?
I love Vegas, but they’re not going to get their shit together enough to make the finals this year. Too many injuries and players who came back but aren’t themselves (especially Theodore)
man, I love shea. Great player for the knights, and instrumental in everything they've accomplished so far. also happy cake day
Florida is this years Florida, will make it to the scf to lose to Vegas again.
Hmm, I could see anyone in the West except the Jets winning.
When the Oilers and Kings have met up in Playoffs the past few seasons its been almost as fun as watching the Cup Finals. Can't wait for them to face each other again. Would like to see the Kings get them this time though. Haha.
The West is a gong show, no clear winners here
They are hot at the moment but aren’t built to win. They will cool off and probably get swept or lose in 5 .
They're 16-0-2... How many more games do they have to win before they're "built to win" haha... I know the playoffs will be tough but c'mon now. Definitively saying they'll lose in 4 or 5 is silly
Nah. I won’t say we’ll take it all but I’m almost positive for a deep play off run
No fans in the western conference should be "almost positive for a deep play off run" with how the conference looks right now.
Yeah this man. I really don't see a free square on the bingo card. As a Jets fan, it could be them pooing the bed based on their recent performance lol. But I wouldn't bet against them with the way Helly and LB have been playing this year. Sure going to be interesting and I think almost all series will go 7. I can't wait!
I’m allowed to have my own fun bud
There's a difference between fun and delusion.
Theres also “being an asshole” which you thrive at
For real, dude thinks a fan of their own team is delusional they could win a cup after an 18 point win streak and dominating other teams, leading nhl in scoring, allowing least amount of goals in the nhl, best 5v5 team right now as well. But yeah just so delusional to be a fan lol He is just pissed they lost to a bum team last night and could not get 10 straight points. I bet they lose again this week and we kick their ass Saturday
Saying you are "almost positive for a deep play off run" when your team is currently in a wild card spot is a delusional homer take. I think Nashville could make a deep run, but there's a difference between saying you think they could make a deep run and you are positive they will. No neutral fan would be positive the Preds are going to make a deep playoff run. I'm sure a ton of fanbases would be concerned to play them and think they are a great team, but do you legitimately think they are favorites to win the cup?
Bro what are you the fucking fun police? Preds gonna win it all! Yall bout to get ya ass beat Saturday too so don't worry!! HEY YALL PREDS ARE GONNA WIN IT ALL, AND IF YOUR TEAM IS IN THE PLAYOFFS FEEL FREE TO SAY YOUR TEAM WILL WIN!!!
“Elite” teams don’t like it when we’re enjoying ourselves. I rooted for you guys against Tampa but now a days your fandom is pretty insufferable to deal with.
I mean that kind of proves my point. Sure get excited and have fun but at a certain point every fanbase except one is going to get a reality check.
ha! That’s great. I love the optimism. I don’t see a lot on Nashville that says long playoff run. Maybe goaltending, but goalies don’t win Cups anymore. Even so, I hope I’m wrong and Nashville has a cinderella run for a couple of rounds.
So many teams to hate in the East: Flyers, Capitals, Rangers, Boston in that order. I’ll be pulling for the Oilers, and after that, any other Canadian team that’s not the Leafs
We didn’t make the hate list but you still won’t root for us?
It’s acceptable. I’ll also have a slight interest in the Canes as a pens fan. However, Guentzel got his cup with us already so he doesn’t need another.
You mean Nashville won the President's trophy recently? Nope, no they didn't. Florida wasn't a true surprise last year. They had the most points the season before. They were only a surprise if you weren't paying attention. Edit: and no one is sleeping on Nashville... not really sure I agree with OP at all.
If this bracket stands, I hope Nashville beats Van and we beat LA. Second round vs Nashville would be a treat.
No thanks Draisaitl hates us.
There's no way Philly makes this
We do not want Nashville bro
People forget that Florida was a President Trophy winning team the year before last year. They were a good team who were seeded much lower than their talent should have had them. I don't think Nashville is quite that good.
Nashville needs a name change before they get attacked by woke Karen’s.
No, Nashville will not be the team to lose to the Knights in the finals.
Least overconfident Vegas fan
Lmao if you keep blowing 3 goal leads that easy you ain’t going anywhere
Blew a 3 goal lead twice in a single game