Thoughts on who will and wont be back for 1st round?

[Idoit40fans]

playoff series are 7 games though, so an 8 game sample doesn't mean anything. They may have won 4/7 if that were a 7 game stretch.

Your right against teams with winning records the Crapitols are 4-14 for this entire season, unless you need me to go further back?

I'm not sure if i'm following you.

I thought you said the record of 3-5 for playing against winning teams was too small so i expanded it to the rest of their season not just the last month +. I streached it out for the whole season and showed they have a poor record vs winning teams which the Craps will be playing in the playoffs therefore it is Highly unlikly they will win the Eastern Confrence as PensFaninDC thinks... follow me?

I was being sarcastic, I think anyone in the top 9 in the conference would beat Washington.

[It'sagreatdayforhockey!]

Letang... he'll be back in a few days
Crosby... Two more weeks, tops
Neal... 1-2 weeks tops
Martin.... middle 1st round

NO WAY IN GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAPS WILL WIN THE EAST..... none !!

I'm with you. Seems like alot of overly pessimistic people in this thread right now. None of the injuries appear to be long term (Even Neal's since I am buying in to the twitter usage tv watching stuff).

A team like Montreal can out hussle some teams in the regular season, but we have some real playoff warriors on this team. Kunitz, Orpik, Iginla, Morrow, Crosby and Malkin will all be reaching another level once the playoffs arrive. It's going to take the series of a lifetime from the other team to overcome this depth, heart, grit and leadership (Oh the man crushes pierre will develop).

The only question still on the table is which Flower we see this time around. With Vokoun and the way the defense has been playing (even missing key pieces), even that is less of a question.

[PensFanInDC]

Seems to me people think that just because a player is back in the lineup it's like an injury never happened.

[NashvilleCat]

A Habs-Leafs series would be awesome. As would a Chicago-Detroit and Boston-New York. MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Someone on Twitter said that if the playoffs started today (I hate saying that, but follow me here) that all the Original Six teams would be playing each other. Bos-Tor; NYR-Mon; Chi-Det. Pretty, pretty cool.

Don't get the infatuation with "Original Six". Never have, never will . Really, who cares?

It's the New York, Boston, Chicago, and Montreal markets is about the only thing I can think of. I love history but in this case it means less than the National Championships Pitt won in the 1930's.

[guiner]

I think it doesn't matter what we think, the players will play when they are healthy.

[pens#1]

I think everyone will be back in time and if a little rust happens then ill be more than happy to have the rust on our players than what any other teams throws at us

[Shyster]

Back: everyone.
Not back: no one.

[ville5]

Evry1z will b back

[littlemoonboot]

I'm not sure if Martin would be back before the playoffs, maybe during the first round -- and we can't predict with Neal.

Sid?

Spoiler:

[iWonTheCup87]

NO WAY IN GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAPS WILL WIN THE EAST..... none !!

I'll take that bet

just curious why you think they will win the East? they play in a garbage division and i watch them alot being around DC and I am not worried in the slightest about the caps. They will be bounced in the first round if they make it

[thepittman]

Caps are not going to win the east, the suggestion is just ludicrous

[Gaucho]

I want Crosby to be back sooner because I want him to ****ing win the ****ing Art Ross Trophy.

[Bioshock]

I want Crosby to be back sooner because I want him to ****ing win the ****ing Art Ross Trophy.

****!

[offsides]

Healthy players to play in the first round will be determined in the next two weeks. As we all know so well, injuries can happen to anyone at any time. Hopefully everyone will be back, and hopefully there will be no more injuries, but nothing is guaranteed. Injuries will also happen in the playoffs. I think the Pens are deep enough to play through most injuries.

Can't wait to find out, bring on the playoffs.

[no name]

We will have a full lineup with 2 games to go.

[Hawkeynut]

Barring any new injuries, we will have a full lineup come day 1 of the playoffs. If there were ANY concerns it would be Neal. As we all know concussions are a beast.

That being said, how "healthy" this team will be on day 1, is another story. But seeing how sick in depth this team is blessed with, it should not be a problem.

GO PENS!

[pens2005]

I think the Rangers will obliterate the Caps in Round 1.

I'm not so certain, especially with the Caps having home ice.

Don't be scared of Washington.

[pens2005]

NO WAY IN GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAPS WILL WIN THE EAST..... none !!

I'll take that bet

My lord you're drinking the "they are playing well now so they will win the cup" kool aid?

I'm not saying they won't or anything but come on.

[pens2005]

Seems to me people think that just because a player is back in the lineup it's like an injury never happened.

Or that since a team wins their division it means an automatic trip to the cup? :pop:

[pens2005]

I think it doesn't matter what we think, the players will play when they are healthy.

End message board relevance...