'08-'09 NHL Playoffs

[Thor Von Clemson]

Atomic- Ya they beat the Islanders... statistically they were bound to win one game.

I apologize ahead of time for being cynical. I just wish a Minnesota team.. ANY Minnesota team... would make the playoffs before the last game of the year.

The Wild have had so many chances to earn points and move up in the standings. They have some of the better talent in the league but they can't put together a consistent season to save their lives (or prevent their fans from having heart attacks.)

We play at least three teams ahead of us with eight games remaining (Edmonton on Sunday, Nashville on the second-to-last game of the season, Detroit... I think... )and maybe one or two other crucial games against teams ahead of us in the standings.

We can definitely earn some much needed playoff points. I won't hold my breath.

[atomic charvel guy]

i know your pain dude, i root for the jets, knicks, Rangers, and the one team that I can count on to do well, the yankees. the jets won in '69, i was four and still incoherent-lol, the knicks won in 69-70, and 72-73, old enough to enjoy the second one. the rangers won in '94, but almost killed me doing it, and it was a lifetime wait until it happened and may never happen again, not just not in my lifetime, but probably forever-lol

[atomic charvel guy]

rangers up 4-1, Kovalchuk scores with seconds left in the 2nd. then they blow the 4-2 lead in the 3rd, and lose in a shootout.
fukk fukk fukk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Strangletooth]

Blues - 4
'Nuks - 2

1 point out...

[Tekky]

This is going to be an interesting playoffs, and not because the Blackhawks finally made it. (only once in the last 10 years after breaking a 24 year run)

The two top teams in the west are San Jose and Detroit (sucks). Calgary has 3rd, but they're 17pts back from 1st and 2nd. Chicago (my team) is only one point behind Calgary in the standings. The real action going to be in watching the logjam for the final spots in the playoffs. 7th and 8th are occupied by Anaheim and Nashville with 80 pts each and Edmonton (79 pts), St.Louis (79 pts), and Minnesota (78 pts) knocking on the door.

The East has some surprises. I don't think anyone at the beginning of the season would have picked Boston to be at the top with 102 pts. (besides die-hard Bruins fans) It's no surprise that Washington has 97 pts but it is a surprise that it only nets them 3rd becase even with the same point total New Jersey takes 2nd. (I'm hoping they move down to 3rd tonight after they play Chicago, but I'm not holding my breath) The rest of the playoff picture is pretty tight with 90 pts for Philadelphia (4th), 89 pts for Carolina, a surprising 88 for Pittsburgh, and two Original 6 teams landing in 7th and 8th - respectively New York and Montreal. I think this will be the playoff lineup despite the push Florida is making to take over 8th.

[atomic charvel guy]

the Columbus Fukking Blue Jackets rule!!!-lol

[CharvelRocker]

I'll be happy if the Flyers get to the semi's again this year. They WAY overacheived last year. However... if Martin Biron keeps looking like Martin Brodeur more times than not, and the defense stays healthy, they could very well win it all. They have incredible depth; they could very easily have 6 guys with 35 goals or more, and 5 with 30 goals or more. And if Briere had been healthy, they would have even more.

The problem they could have is if the D gets hurt. Once again, they're stretched thin thanks to the Ossi Vaanen (waived) and Tim Ramholt (traded early on for Josh Gratton, who is playing in the ECHL now if I'm not mistaken after being hurt) fire sales. Fourth line has also been kind of crappy since they waived off Metro.

They also blew their chance to catch the devils, and their loss against Calgary could come back to haunt them (they've been beat by every other Atlantic conference team). That said, with their games in hand, they are virtually a lock for the 4th spot, and even if they fell to 5th, it would not really be an issue; they would just finish out the series at the Wachovia center when they sweep the Pens in Game 4

[atomic charvel guy]

Current Atomic rankings-
--------------------------------------
East-
-----------
1-Boston-they have the goaltending to pull it off, and that's the most important thing of course
2-New Jersey-same as above, and they score a lot more than they usually do now. penalty kill is suspect though.
3-Washington-sizey, hit alot, score alot, goaltending is their only weakness at times
4-Philadelphia-Have two games in hand over the Pens for 4th, Carter, Gagne and Co. are good.
5-Penguins-deadline trades have worked out great, they're finishing in the best possible way.
6-Carolina- is en fuego right now as well. I don't think they'll get past the 1st round but they're in the playoffs.
7-Canadiens have won a few in a row now after they almost slipped out of the top 8.
8-New York-It's their spot to lose, and they probably will. Wretched I say after last night.

West-
-------------
1-Los Wingos des Reddos-Still the best team in hockey even without consistent goaltending. i can play goal for this team and win.
2-San Jose-Do you know the way to San Jose? I think they will tank again in the playoffs in the 2nd round.
3-Calgary-shutout two nights in a row, they're still a big hitting and scoring team. i think they make the conference finals.
4-Chicago-Will definitely be a 4th seed in the playoffs, have a young team that should be good for a long time. Huet and Khabi may not be able to deliver past 2nd round.
5-Canucks- two words- Roberto Luongo. When he's hot, forget it. Tough at home usually and are playing well in spite of last night.
6-The Columbus Fukking Blue Jackets-first time i'm really putting any extra energy into another team in my life. R.J. Cheeseburger and Nash potatoes are getting it done with their rookie of the year goaltender-Mason.
7-Anaheim-They're back, I can't stand them but they could very well knock someone off in the first round. You know how this sport gets during the playoffs.
8-St. Louis-at this moment i think they will be there in the end cuz their goalie-another mason is gonna carry them to 8th.
9-Nashville-may make it if St. Looey does not. Great goaltending. Minnesota-still alive, need to score more. great goaltending as well. Edmonton-stock is falling all of a sudden. Dallas-What happened to them, they got back in and fell out again.

Pre-Post Regular season Awards so far-
MVP- Ovechkin aside, i gotta give it to Malkin. Not just because he's leading in points, but he carries that team even when Cindy Crosby is out.
He got them on the hot streak they are on and it was during a 5 game stretch without Cindy.
other notables-Parise-N.J., Datsyuk-Wings, Cindy-Pens, Carter-flyers, Marleau-Sharks
goalie -Tim Thomas. The yoga freak is having the best year.
honorable mention-Mason-CFBJ's, Rinne-Nashville, Backstrom-Minn. Nabokov-San Jose-Kiprusoff-Calgary.
Rookie of the year- Mason-The Columbus Fukking Blue Jackets-10th shutout of the season last night, and against Calgary. next-Stamkos-Tampa Bay

my head hurts , that's enough, this will all change by tomorrow-lol

[Jack Napalm]

I hope this wasn't anyone from here.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4020555

Go Wings!

[Shawn Lutz]

<------------repeat

The West seedings will not be decided until the last day of the season. I don't play "I'd rather play team than that team" bullshit. play one game, one series at a time...16 wins and its yours....

There are so many variables involved and really any team can go deep with a little luck, good health and a netminder in a zone.

[clifffclaven]

Atomic- i believe they said last night on nhl on the fly that dallas is 5-11-2 in their last 18...?

[Tekky]

I missed On the Fly, but that is correct, I just looked at Dallas' schedule. They're tankin' pretty bad.

[Rupe]

It's all Avery's fault

[Shawn Lutz]

You can put a fork in Dallas..way too many injuries this year. Turco gets a shutout through regulation and OT last night and loses in a shootout...I would have sent Turco out as a shooter

[CharvelRocker]

For MVP voting, I would have to go with Jeff Carter. Richards is a core player, but the Flyers are absurd like 31-4-6 when he scores. Interestingly, they are 9-0-0 when Claude Giroux (watch this kid people, he is a blossoming dangler with INCREDIBLE hands) gets a point and somewhere in the neighborhood 3-9-5 when he doesn't. Not a MVP or rookie case obviously as he was up and down early on, but really interesting.

The Flyers also desperately need their other rookie who was doing great until Randy the Bumbling Idiot Jones healed, Luca Sbisa to get back up from the QMJHL. Danny Syvret is alright if someone goes down, but with guys like Carle and Jone on the ice... and he is not going to be able to fill in for a guy like Kimmo if he goes down.

Really, the East is an interesting picture, even though it is only a 9 team race. The problem is, you have a few teams that are just tanking (the Rangers, the Canadiens), streaky (the Caps and Flyers somewhat, Carolina, and Florida) and teams that could possibly be running on fumes come playoff time (The Bruins have played flat out all year and I doubt they will be able to hold on deep into the play offs as they don't have another level; meanwhile, the Pens have been in just an insane rush to get in, but have they used it all up a bit too soon?).

What will set the winners apart from the pack this year will be those who didn't use up everything in the regular season and have another level to go to, like the Devils (though I think they played pretty damn hard when Brodeur was out, I think it may have been early enough it won't come back to haunt them), and Flyers (they can't make enough playing time for their forward lines). Devils also have a ton of experience, where as almost everyone else is fairly green overall. Some of the Canadians and Carolina players have good playoff experience, other than that, most of these teams have players with maybe a year or two under their belts.

I think this year though could be the last year we get to see some of these dynasty teams in their current makeup if the salary cap contracts (Detroit) or have some young teams with good potential like the Flyers, Pens, and Caps get seriously neutered. I don't know enough about the West (passively follow Dallas, Nashville, and Detroit) to know who's up against the cap or not honestly, but I think you could see some people pull out all the stops to get to the cup.