2017 NHL Playoffs

[glamphotographer]

I'll take a stab here:

Round 1:

Western Conference

Chicago vs Nashville - Hawks in 5.

Minnesota vs St. Louis - Blues in 7.

Anaheim vs. Calgary - Flames in 6.

Edmonton vs. San Jose - Sharks in 4.

Eastern Conference

Montreal vs New York - Habs in 7.

Ottawa vs Boston - Boston in 6.

Washington vs Toronto - Caps in 5.

Pittsburgh vs Columbus - Pens in 5.

Round 2

Western Conference

Chicago vs St. Louis - Hawks in 7.

San Jose vs Calgary - Sharks in 7.

Eastern Conference

Montreal vs Boston - Boston in 6.

Washington vs Pittsburgh - Caps in 7.

Round 3

Western Conference

Chicago vs San Jose - Hawks in 7.

Eastern Conference

Washington vs Boston - Caps in 5.

Finals

Washington vs Chicago - Hawks in 7.

 

[bemeup]

I'm picking an Edmonton-Pittsburgh final. Crosby vs. McDavid.

 

[wazup]

Costly loss for the leafs, this could and will be over in a hurry i believe. I wouldn't be surprised with an edmonton montreal final.

 

[GlavaMan]

Without Letang, I don't see the Pens repeating this year.

 

[SkyRider]

I'm still concerned about the "Bettman Curse". I think it will be an all American finals.

 

[Ref]

East:

* Caps in 6
* Habs in 7
* Bruins in 7
* Pens in 6

West:

* Hawks in 5
* Ducks in 6
* Oilers in 7
* Blues in 7

Pre-play-off final prediction: Cap in 7 over the hawks

 

[kyleb899]

Chicago vs Nashville - Chicago
Minnesota vs St. Louis - St Louis
Anaheim vs. Calgary - Anaheim
Edmonton vs. San Jose - Edmonton

--------
Montreal vs New York - New York
Ottawa vs Boston - Boston
Washington vs Toronto - Toronto
Pittsburgh vs Columbus - Pittsburgh

First round is my favorite.
Not picking Leafs out of bias, just the hunch they can be the one first round upset that seems to happen each year.

You choose Toronto to win over Washington , haha.
Toronto has no chance to beat Washington at all.
Washington Capitals had won the Presidents' Trophy for the past two seasons.
It like Boys vs Men

 

[Insidious Von]

A number of celebrities are expected to show up for Game 3, including Kiefer Sutherland. Although not born in Canada, he's been spending a great of time connecting with his heritage. Which is somewhat humourous, he plays the POTUS in his latest series Designated Survivor - a very addictive show.

 

[kyleb899]

There is a 95% chance you're right. But that's why Its called an upset.

A couple examples of anything is possible.

2001: Toronto vs. Ottawa - The Senators came into their first-round series seeded second in the East after the best season in their history; a 109-point effort that put them first in the Northeast Division and 19 points ahead of their provincial archrivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Outcomes - Leafs won series 4-0

2003: Anaheim vs. Detroit - The Wings had rolled to the Central Division title with 110 points, their fourth consecutive 100-point season, and were playing an Anaheim team that hadn’t made the playoffs in four years.

The seventh-seeded Mighty Ducks had lost three of their four regular-season meetings with Detroit and had been swept by the Wings in their previous two playoff appearances.

Outcome - Anaheim won series 4-0

2006: Edmonton vs. Detroit - The Oilers with 95 points, were 29 behind the Detroit Red Wings, whose 124 points were 11 more than any other team in the League.

Outcome - Edmonton won series 4-2

So as you can see, anything can happen in the playoffs, and Toronto season record with Washington is 1-1-1.
Myself, I like those odds.

The difference between those upsets series is those teams were not a very young team of rookies in it.
The Washington Capitals is currently the very depth in NHL now, all four offences lines are all strong and the blue line is very strong. Braden Holtby is one of the top goaltender in the league right now.
The Leafs is very young team with 9 rookies currently playing them now. Playoffs experience matters , the Leafs don't have much at all. I feel old seeing the two youngest rookies in the Leafs are only born in 1997, it was not that long ago there were just school aged children.
There will be no upset this year, It will likely be a swept Caps win 4-0.


I would like Columbus Blue Jackets to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

[wazup]

If the caps dont win the cup, they should try to move ovi to la, the time has come.

 

[glamphotographer]

If the caps dont win the cup, they should try to move ovi to la, the time has come.

OV may go back to KHL and he can play in all the Olympics he wants.

 

[glamphotographer]

First round is my favorite.
Not picking Leafs out of bias, just the hunch they can be the one first round upset that seems to happen each year.

I sure hope your right.

 

[smuddan]

There is a 95% chance you're right. But that's why Its called an upset.

A couple examples of anything is possible.

2001: Toronto vs. Ottawa - The Senators came into their first-round series seeded second in the East after the best season in their history; a 109-point effort that put them first in the Northeast Division and 19 points ahead of their provincial archrivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Outcomes - Leafs won series 4-0

2003: Anaheim vs. Detroit - The Wings had rolled to the Central Division title with 110 points, their fourth consecutive 100-point season, and were playing an Anaheim team that hadn’t made the playoffs in four years.

The seventh-seeded Mighty Ducks had lost three of their four regular-season meetings with Detroit and had been swept by the Wings in their previous two playoff appearances.

Outcome - Anaheim won series 4-0

2006: Edmonton vs. Detroit - The Oilers with 95 points, were 29 behind the Detroit Red Wings, whose 124 points were 11 more than any other team in the League.

Outcome - Edmonton won series 4-2

So as you can see, anything can happen in the playoffs, and Toronto season record with Washington is 1-1-1.
Myself, I like those odds.

I like your positive way of thinking Kathleen. I agree with you that upsets in the NHL first round playoffs happen a lot more than any other team sports.

While realistically I can see a Caps total domination, I can think of two reasons to be optimistic, one you already mentioned the Leafs were 1-1-1 against the Caps with one loss in ot and the last one being the second leg of a back-to-back without Andersen.

The other reason is that since March 7 right after the last west cost trip and the trade deadline, the Leafs went 12-5-1, 25 out of 36 possible points for a .699 clip. That's a very respectable run especially if you consider that it was done in a playoff run when the rookies were supposed to be hitting the "wall".

The keys for the Leafs to make this an interesting series will be 1) how the young guys deal with the extra playoff physicality, and 2) injuries to Zaitsev and Andersen. We need Andersen to stand on his head to have a chance, and hopefully Zaitsev will only miss one game and both can play without effects of the injuries.

 

[glamphotographer]

After day 1 of the playoffs:

Rangers lead series 1-0 over Habs

Bruins take game 1 over the Sens.

Pens beat CBJ 3-1.

Blues beat Wild in 2-1 in OT.

Sharks came back down 2-0 to beat Oilers 3-2 in OT.

 

[glamphotographer]

I get the feeling that Leafs-Washington series is gonna be the lopsided series. No Nikita, Marincin is in and the CAPS gonna exploit him and the entire Leafs defense.

 

[catherinetog]

Watched the game last night Habs vs Rangers. I have to admit: What a game! I would hope the Leafs could do the same tonight.

Go Canadiens Go!

 

[kyleb899]

Watched the game last night Habs vs Rangers. I have to admit: What a game! I would hope the Leafs could do the same tonight.

Go Canadiens Go!

Caps swept the Leafs

 

[shack]

Caps swept the Leafs

:blabla:

 

[SkyRider]

Game one was a moral victory. We need an actually victory in game 2. The Leafs need to play a 60 minute game, can't keep letting 2-0 leads escape.

 

[saxon]

Watched the game last night Habs vs Rangers. I have to admit: What a game! I would hope the Leafs could do the same tonight.

Go Canadiens Go!

Rangers blew that one late, they had it in the bag and caved in defensively. It will come back to haunt them.