If The Playoffs Started Today...Eastern Predictions

By -
This season's playoffs will be the first to be played under the new divisional structure. It's never too early to make playoff predictions. Of course I've no doubt that the teams below will change, especially with the wildcards. It'll be interesting to take a look at this post-season and see how it compares. 

If you think I'm wrong, please comment below!

Conference Quarter Finals

Boston Bruins Vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Prediction - Boston. The Bruins have won more games than the Leafs and will definitely be seeing the postseason. The Leafs have three teams three points behind so that wildcard spot is by no means safe. 

Tampa Bay Lightning Vs Montreal Canadiens

Prediction - Tampa Bay. The Bolts and the Habs are much more closely matched in season performance so far. While Carey Price is one of the best goalies in the league, offensive issues are letting the Habs down.

Pittsburgh Penguins Vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Prediction - Pittsburgh. On paper, the two teams are in different leagues, however if the Jackets' form of late continues, then the series will be tight. That said; Pittsburgh are unstoppable right now and have the strength and talent to progress. 

Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Rangers

Prediction - Philadelphia. At the start of the season, very few people would have considered the Flyers to be a team capable of reaching the playoffs. Once Claude Giroux's goal drought finished, the team flew up the rankings. This series will be a battle, however I believe the Flyers have to strength to advance to the next stage. 

Conference Semi Finals

Boston Bruins Vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Prediction - Boston. On current form, the B's would dominate this series. Expect goals from both teams, but also expect a 4-0 series sweep.

Pittsburgh Penguins Vs Philadelphia Flyers

Prediction - Pittsburgh. It's an all-Pennsylvania semi final, however I don't see the Flyers' current form continuing past the quarters. Pittsburgh will take this series.

Conference Final   

Prediction - Pittsburgh. As of today, I fully expect to see the Pens competing for the Stanley Cup, the Pens are posting better numbers than the Bruins in almost every statistic. I predict a 4-2 series win. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated and may take a while to appear. This is because the authors are busy/lazy/away.

Popular posts from this blog

Will Neal Dive Deter Others?

By -
This weeks question, comes from one of our devoted fans in the UK, ' James Neal is the first NHL player to be booked for diving. Will this put off other potential floppers or will it deter players who've been genuinely fouled from falling to ground?' IheartModano - Darn good question fellow European reader, let's take a closer look at this. Officially Neal is the first ever NHL player to be named and shamed for diving and has been fined $2,000 for his offense- pocket change really to these guys. On November 13th, Neal was given a warning for the same offense after a game against St Louis, but it appears he didn't think to tune in for that weeks episode. Cue exactly a month later against, San Jose, he then decided to try the very same act again! But what will be the result of this whole thing? Hockey is a tough and physical game, but there are times when you wonder how many others are flopping the getting away it? The punishments that have been set out are n...
Read more

The Sins Of The (Vancouver) Father

By -
You can rarely judge a team on its pre-season performances, but it's fair to say that things at the Rogers Arena are looking shaky. The Canucks are currently 1/4 on their pre-season games, not a great start for new coach John Tortorella . Former coach  Alain Vigneault was fired after the team failed to progress past the the first round of the last two playoffs, along with two assistants. Since joining the NHL in 1970, the Canucks have failed to lift the Stanley Cup. It's a regular occurrence than coaches are fired long before the GMs who brought them in. You can't browse the internet without tripping over people questioning  Mike Gillis ' decision. This season past has included plenty of questionable moments, including Vigneault's firing, Tortorella's hiring, Luongo-Gate  and Cory Schneider's trade to the New Jersey Devils.  Vigneault's firing was an odd move, to fire the coach who'd won more games at the Canucks than any other coach s...
Read more

Struggling Pittsburgh Penguins Fire Mike Johnston

By -
The Pittsburgh Penguins have parted ways with coach Mike Johnston and assistant coach Gary Agnew. It was announced today that Johnston and Agnew would be given a whole load more time to spend with their families over the holiday period, after GM Jim Rutherford relieved them of their coaching duties in Pittsburgh, while dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge, I assume. The Penguins have lost six of their last 10 games, three of those in overtime and the team definitely isn't playing up to its potential. Evgeni Malkin is playing well, as is off-season addition Phil Kessel . But that's not enough, the team are ranked 26th on the power play and 27th on team shooting and goals per game. Times aren't good when the Columbus Blue Jackets are scoring more. Superstar Sidney Crosby's  season has been forgettable by his own, usually phenomenal standards, only six goals so far. Johnston took over for the 2014/15 season, after former coach Dan Bylsma was shown the door, and the team fin...
Read more