The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[Fiddy]

Well, here we are.. That time of the year! Once the match ups are set post some predictions in here.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

From October 4th:

Kings over Caps.

Panthers over Islanders in 6
Lightning over Red Wings in 7
Capitals over Flyers in 6
Rangers over Penguins in 7
Predators over Ducks in 6
Kings over Sharks in 7
Stars over Wild in 5
Blackhawks over Blues in 6

Panthers over Lightning in 6
Capitals over Rangers in 7
Stars over Blackhawks in 6
Kings over Predators in 5

Capitals over Panthers in 4
Kings over Stars in 6

Kings over Capitals in 7

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

I have zero confidence that the Wild will win more than 1 game in the first round.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Bandwagon Rankings:

Tier I: YOU HAVE MY SWORD

1. Capitals
2. Panthers
3. Sharks
4. Stars
5. Islanders

Tier II: I DON'T HATE YOU (MUCH)

6. Wild
7. Flyers
8. Predators
9. Blues

Tier III: BEGGARS CAN'T BE CHOOSERS

10. Red Wings
11. Rangers
12. Lightning
13. Penguins

Tier IV: WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER ASTEROID

14. Blackhawks
15. Kings
16. Ducks

[rkwittem]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Not sure I follow these rankings at all. The Blackhawks and Kings are huge bandwagon teams, but what's Anaheim doing next to them?

[DrJones]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Not sure I follow these rankings at all. The Blackhawks and Kings are huge bandwagon teams, but what's Anaheim doing next to them?

The teams are listed in the order in which I'd get on their bandwagon (ie, who I'm rooting for).

[Madman55]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Mine would be along the lines of:

Tier 1 (Ideally one of these teams win)

1) Stars
2) Capitals
3) Panthers
4) Sharks
5) Islanders
6) Ducks
7) Wild

Tier 2 (I'll tolerate these teams winning)

8) Predators
9) Rangers
10) Blues
11) Lightning

Tier 3 (Keep Tier 4 from winning, PLEASE!)

12) Red Wings
13) Flyers
14) Penguins

Tier 4 (AKA "Probably Will Win")

15) Kings
16) Hawks

Realistically as long as LA or CHI doesn't win I'll be happy. I'm firmly on the Stars bandwagon for now though.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Well, my Finals pick from when the season started is technically still alive. I said Stars/Rangers. Not sure it makes sense to walk back from it even though the Rangers have looked like ***. Here's my updated assessment:

Dallas over Minnesota in 5
Chicago over St. Louis in 6
Anaheim over Nashville in 6
Los Angeles over San Jose in 7

Dallas over Chicago in 7
Anaheim over Los Angeles in 6

Dallas over Anaheim in 6

Washington over Philadelphia in 6
Pittsburgh over New York in 6
Florida over New York in 6
Detroit over Tampa Bay in 6

Pittsburgh over Washington in 7
Florida over Detroit in 6

Pittsburgh over Florida in 6

Stanley Cup Finals:

Dallas over Pittsburgh in 6


If I had to list my preference though, it's probably between Minnesota, New York Rangers, Detroit, and Dallas at the top. I'd probably be okay with anyone but Anaheim and Philadelphia and LA too I guess because of Lucic and the city.

[Madman55]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

My predictions

Stars in 5
Blues in 7
Ducks in 6
Sharks in 7

Caps in 5
Rangers in 6
Panthers in 6
Red Wings in 7

Stars over Blues in 6
Ducks over Sharks in 6

Caps over Rangers in 5
Panthers over Wings in 6

Stars over Ducks in 7

Caps over Panthers in 5

Stars over Caps

[Money99]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Hawks/Kings over East Champs.

Since 2013, I thought there was a very good chance the Kings and Hawks would take turns winning the Cup for the next 4 to 6 years.
I don't think that's going to change this year or next.

The only shot the East has is if the West beats the crap out of one another so thoroughly, they won't be in any shape to beat anyone.

[slickdtc]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

I think I'd take any West team over every East team. It's the West's Cup to lose, good thing they take each other out.

The only series I feel somewhat comfortable calling is TB over DET. Love this playoff bracket and the divisional format. Maybe in 10 years it'll get stale, but not yet.

Think the Flyers will give the Caps a series. We've got a chance having played well to end the season and went 2-2 against them this year. We've got nothing to lose and we know Washington has the pressure of the best record and past playoff failures riding on them.

Can not wait for playoff hockey here and across the country!

[Money99]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

I think I'd take any West team over every East team. It's the West's Cup to lose, good thing they take each other out.

The only series I feel somewhat comfortable calling is TB over DET. Love this playoff bracket and the divisional format. Maybe in 10 years it'll get stale, but not yet.

Think the Flyers will give the Caps a series. We've got a chance having played well to end the season and went 2-2 against them this year. We've got nothing to lose and we know Washington has the pressure of the best record and past playoff failures riding on them.

Can not wait for playoff hockey here and across the country!

Agreed. Caps always seem to implode.
The team certainly looks better under Trotz though. That franchise reminds me a lot of Detroit from the Yzerman era.
Prior to Bowman, it was run-and-gun, Presidents Trophy's and earl-playoff exits.
With Trotz at the helm, they look more like a playoff team.
We shall see. I wouldn't be shocked in the least if they were bounced in the first two rounds. Again.

[slickdtc]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Yeah eventually they've got to break through, right? Last year or 5 years ago's results have no bearing on this series. Just an interesting trend we as fans can look to.

I imagine they're not looking forward to playing Philly. If we don't beat ya, we're gonna make you earn your wins. Mason showed me he can be the man and steal a game or two a couple years back against NYR... (be nice if we score for him this time around). The Metro in general is full of bad blood. Islanders may have caught a break "attaching" to the Atlantic. And yes, it bothers me that the new Atlantic division has no teams from the old Atlantic division. Oh NHL...

Adding on to my previous post, even though I don't feel confident in any teams in the East, I've got my money on TB coming out. But who knows!

[pietasterp]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

It seems futile to me to hope for anything other than a Blackhawks Cup win. Especially since that's the scenario I least want to see happen, so it's basically a guarantee....

[redsox4evur]

Re: The Official NHL 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

Guess I'm the only one that will be happy with another BHawks cup. Oh well.