Who would you rather play? Playoff Poll & Discussion

[slappybrown]

I still think it was a ridiculous decision to move Detroit to the Eastern conference.

Time Zones. It would ahve made more sense to have Columbus and Pittsburgh in a NE division and then Florida and Tampa in the Atlantic if only to not have a stupid division called the metropolitan.

In that you have your split rivalry groups:

Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa

Washington, Carolina, Tamps, Florida
Philly, NYI, NYR, NJ

Washington is only 43 miles closer than Detroit, Columbus and Buffalo are closer. All three closer than Philly.

But I digress...

Boooooooooooooooo to anything that results in us not being in a division with PHI.

[farnham16]

I don't care who the Pens play in the first round, I won't pick them to win. Until this group shows up for an entire series, grows up, and plays playoff hockey, then I won't believe in them. I have next to zero faith in this team this time of year.

That being said, Go Pens.

[no name]

I still think it was a ridiculous decision to move Detroit to the Eastern conference.

Time Zones. It would ahve made more sense to have Columbus and Pittsburgh in a NE division and then Florida and Tampa in the Atlantic if only to not have a stupid division called the metropolitan.

In that you have your split rivalry groups:

Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa

Washington, Carolina, Tamps, Florida
Philly, NYI, NYR, NJ

Washington is only 43 miles closer than Detroit, Columbus and Buffalo are closer. All three closer than Philly.

But I digress...

Boooooooooooooooo to anything that results in us not being in a division with PHI.

Agreed, i live to see Pens vs Philly i was so happy we were paired in the same division. Once you add Quebec then you are going to have to realign again. Colombus is the low man they might move out to the central. Unless you relocate a East team to Quebec? like FLA.

[DelPen]

Ultimately it won't really matter. Unless the Wings just play like total garbage then that means the BJ's played better to finish ahead of them. They won't be easy. Same thing said, BJ's are playing some good hockey right now, for Detroit to be #7 they have to play very good too. They won't be easy.

Then there's the Flyers. I never like that match up.

I'd love to see the Rags completely implode and drop down to 7th.

[slappybrown]

Out of DET/PHI/CBJ/NYR, the team I'd like to play the least is NYR, by a fair margin. Lundqvist is capable of winning multiple games in a series on his own, and the Rangers are better than their record indicates.

[DelPen]

Out of DET/PHI/CBJ/NYR, the team I'd like to play the least is NYR, by a fair margin. Lundqvist is capable of winning multiple games in a series on his own, and the Rangers are better than their record indicates.

When has this ever actually happened? Is this the same Lundqvist we blew away in 2008?

[slappybrown]

http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders ... ive_p.html

He's been excellent the last two years for them in the playoffs, .931 and .934.

[dodint]

So I would think the Pens have a big incentive to beat the Wings this week if they want to meet the BJ's in the first round.

I want this so bad. Which is why I'm going to be livid when the Pens lay down like dogs tonight.

[no name]

So I would think the Pens have a big incentive to beat the Wings this week if they want to meet the BJ's in the first round.

I want this so bad. Which is why I'm going to be livid when the Pens lay down like dogs tonight.

I worry this might be out of our hands. If they beat us even when they play St. Loius in there last game, St. Louis isn't playing for anything and might sit most of their regulars. Also Det will beat Car. in a cake walk. I am on the fence about facing Detroit. I think we can make it to the ECF even if we face Detroit first round. I would just hope Boston would face Philly or Det first round so it might slow Boston down a little befor we face them.

Detroit is alot better than their record, if they are heatlty all year they are 2nd in their division. they will be tough who ever they face.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Essentially, we decide who we play in the playoffs tonight.

[dodint]

I thought the Wild win last night was supposed to be some kind of problem for STL?

I just want PIT/CBJ series in hopes that it sets some kind of foundation for a rivalry, and the travel between the two cities is pretty easy. Not that Philly/Detroit is hard to get to. I don't really care who they face from a hockey standpoint since they're going to hit stiff competion eventually no matter how it goes down.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Columbus has the tiebreaker, right?

[dodint]

Yeah. And PHI has the tiebreaker over CBJ.

[The U]

If we are forced to play DET, I'm hoping Philly slips to 8 and gets passed over by CBJ.

Top priority of course is getting CBJ in Rd1.

[taz71]

Are we in this to win the first round or the Stanley cup. Columbus would be our worst possible matchup we need a team Philly preferred or Detroit to challenge the team and get them ready to run.

[C4 Row E]

Are we in this to win the first round or the Stanley cup. Columbus would be our worst possible matchup we need a team Philly preferred or Detroit to challenge the team and get them ready to run.

I agree with you 110%. This team doesn't need another ho-hum/go through the motions series. They need to prove something.

[shmenguin]

In 2012, if we don't draw Philly, we go the the SCF and who knows what happens there.

There's no such thing as a warm up round. Every team wants the easiest possible route in the playoffs.

[Beveridge]

I want to see Boston have to play Philly or Detroit in round 1. As far as who we play, bring them all on.

[Factorial]

Updated %'s:

Pens/CBJ (42.4%) Pens/Wings (41.2%)
BOS/Wings(58.8) Boston/CBJ (28.1%)
MTL/TB (100%)
Cryers/NYR (70.6%)

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Updated %'s:

Pens/CBJ (42.4%) Pens/Wings (41.2%)
BOS/Wings(58.8) Boston/CBJ (28.1%)
MTL/TB (100%)
Cryers/NYR (70.6%)

I really wonder if schedule's are factored in here.

Jacket's last two games: Lightning and Panthers.
Wings last two games: Sabres & Blues.

If the Wings & Jackets are tied in points at the end, we play the Jackets because of their higher ROW.

EDIT: I'd love to see a Flyers/Rangers series. Watching the two teams I hate the most go at it and the winner likely facing the Bruins? Good times!

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I want to see Boston have to play Philly or Detroit in round 1. As far as who we play, bring them all on.

Boston/Detroit would be a great series and the plus is we wouldn't have to deal with the Wings.

Detroit is not a typical 7th/8th seed team; they're better than that right now.

[penny lane]

Detroit is coached to finish every battle & they do.

[indian]

If we are trying to win, how does it matter. You need to beat the best. Bring it on!

[shmenguin]

If we are trying to win, how does it matter. You need to beat the best. Bring it on!

i can't believe this opinion is a real thing, that's shared by several actual people.

[dodint]

If we are trying to win, how does it matter. You need to beat the best. Bring it on!

i can't believe this opinion is a real thing, that's shared by several actual people.

I get the logic in a way, but if there is something on the side to root for, why not? For a meaningless game last night against Detroit, I had a blast watching it. It felt almost like a playoff game even though the potential winners (CBJ) weren't even in the building. It was great.