I'm picking the Columbus Blue Jackets on winning the Stanley Cup

[Mr. Guru]

Anyone on the East is beatable.

I won't be surprised by any 'underdogs' winning in the East. It's all open IMO.

[pmorrow]

In early December I was in Vegas. I put 20 bucks on Columbus to win the Stanley Cup. I also put 20 bucks on the Atlanta Falcons to win the Superbowl. So my guess is that Columbus makes it to gave 7 of the Finals, has a 5-0 lead in the third period....and finds a way to lose....

wow...im so sorry

[yougo]

Anyone on the East is beatable.

I won't be surprised by any 'underdogs' winning in the East. It's all open IMO.

What?
The East is 3 teams. Pittsburgh,Washington,Columbus. Who are also the three best teams in the NHL this year.

[Mr. Guru]

Disagree. I think the Rangers, for example, can beat any of those three.

[Axeman33]

Disagree. I think the Rangers, for example, can beat any of those three.

I agree, I think the Rangers can beat any of them as well but I also think the Rangers can lose to any of them as well. The East is pretty open IMO.

[forsbergfan]

i think Columbus would beat Pittsburgh if that's who they face in the first round. I can't see anyone beating Washington this year, though. they are just so much better than anyone else.
I don't think the capitals situation of "choking" in the playoffs is similar to other teams who have been at the top of the regular season constantly but didn't come through in the playoffs (st. louis, san jose, Anaheim). those teams were very good, but not great. they still should have won one, but once they started choking, it was easy to project them to choke in later years. the caps situation to me is much more like the red wings of the 90s. they choked a few times, but there team was so ridiculously good that it was a matter of time before they put it all together. that's what I see happening with Washington this year.
i'm also not sure that Anaheim's window to win has ended. if Washington doesn't win it, i'd probably pick Anaheim.

[2014olympicgold]

Washington = Choke
Pitts = injury woes
CBJ = unproven
NYR = declining but still good team especially with Lundy
Montreal = Carey Price
Ottawa = how can they hold up in the playoffs
Leafs = Rookies able to take down anyone?
NYI/CAR/TBL = can they beat Washington?

No one in the East is a lock to move on to the next round.

[Axeman33]

If Tampa gets in, you can throw their hat in the ring as a team who could go deep too. Uncertainty.

[Nehithaw]

Pittsburgh - always have injured players but still manage to beat everyone - REIGNING STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS.
Washington - high expectations were not met but can beat ANY team on any given night - just gotta stretch that out to 7 games (or less) x 4
Columbus - Unproven is a word used to describe something or someone that hasn't done it yet, to date. The Blue Jackets have a built a very good team and they have a good chance, they are just inexperienced. It would be too easy to dismiss them without giving it much thought by saying 'they have not done it before, therefore it is out of the realm of possibility that they will ever do it."

[2014olympicgold]

Pittsburgh - always have injured players but still manage to beat everyone - REIGNING STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS.
Washington - high expectations were not met but can beat ANY team on any given night - just gotta stretch that out to 7 games (or less) x 4
Columbus - Unproven is a word used to describe something or someone that hasn't done it yet, to date. The Blue Jackets have a built a very good team and they have a good chance, they are just inexperienced. It would be too easy to dismiss them without giving it much thought by saying 'they have not done it before, therefore it is out of the realm of possibility that they will ever do it."

Points and counter points for the east. Sorry I didn’t use the right word to describe CBJ, didn’t realize we were nitpicking that much over unproven (in the playoffs) vs inexperienced (in the playoffs).

[JagrBomb]

if the playoffs were such a lock then there wouldn't be a need for the playoffs.

any team can beat any other team in a 7 game series. the better teams just have a higher percentage of winning.

and the east is just as open as the west. you're telling me that the Oilers can't take down the hawks/sharks/ducks etc if mcdavid and tablot get hot at the same time?

bottom line is columbus can beat pittsburgh or washington in a 7 game series. they probably won't, but they've certainly shown this year at times that they could be the NHL's best team.

[havanablast21]

[QUOTE=StuntMan12;1746737][CENTER]Officially on the Columbus Blue Jackets Play

With all due respect....

Bahahahahaha.

I think those health shakes and excess treadmill walking it making you light headed fella!

Bold bet, but I don't see you finding much success.

[StuntMan12]

----Officially retract my previous statements----

after thinking more about it and how the team called a meeting for Tortz to be "nicer to them" has made me believe they are not true warriors and not fit for a stanley cup run.


- Stuntman12

[Daydream Nation]

----Officially retract my previous statements----

after thinking more about it and how the team called a meeting for Tortz to be "nicer to them" has made me believe they are not true warriors and not fit for a stanley cup run.


- Stuntman12

Columbus does not have enough offensive talent. I know it was just 1 game but after watching last night's game against Chicago, I was not very impressed with their top 6. Bob was awesome and is the best goalie I have seen all season. Chicago easily could have won that game 5-1.

And speaking of the Hawks, I will be very surprised IF they don't make the Finals. I said to my wife earlier today in a moment of realization "I think the Hawks will win the Stanley Cup." They are absolutely rolling offensively. It doesn't matter who is centering Kane and Panarin- those guys are playing elite level offense and creating 5-6 grade A scoring chances every game. Toews and Schmaltz are showing excellent chemistry on the 1st line. Hossa still has something in the tank and Hartman and Hayden are contributing. While they are not as elite defensively as in the past, they are deeper. I don't know if any team in the league is as good as passing out of their zone as the Hawks. Seabrook is excellent at stretch passes to spring odd man rushes. The team overall just looks better at creatively passing through the neutral zone than any time during this run. And regardless what the pundits say, there are not many goalies I want in net when starting the playoffs over Crawford. He's solids, doesn't give up the bad goals, and will occasionally steal you a game. Plus, Chicago has notoriously had another gear to get to in the playoffs. So if that is the case this year, I like their chances even more.

Maybe Pittsburgh gets all their guys back or Washington gets back on a roll but if I had to pick one team today- gimme the Blackhawks.

[StuntMan12]

Columbus does not have enough offensive talent. I know it was just 1 game but after watching last night's game against Chicago, I was not very impressed with their top 6. Bob was awesome and is the best goalie I have seen all season. Chicago easily could have won that game 5-1.

And speaking of the Hawks, I will be very surprised IF they don't make the Finals. I said to my wife earlier today in a moment of realization "I think the Hawks will win the Stanley Cup." They are absolutely rolling offensively. It doesn't matter who is centering Kane and Panarin- those guys are playing elite level offense and creating 5-6 grade A scoring chances every game. Toews and Schmaltz are showing excellent chemistry on the 1st line. Hossa still has something in the tank and Hartman and Hayden are contributing. While they are not as elite defensively as in the past, they are deeper. I don't know if any team in the league is as good as passing out of their zone as the Hawks. Seabrook is excellent at stretch passes to spring odd man rushes. The team overall just looks better at creatively passing through the neutral zone than any time during this run. And regardless what the pundits say, there are not many goalies I want in net when starting the playoffs over Crawford. He's solids, doesn't give up the bad goals, and will occasionally steal you a game. Plus, Chicago has notoriously had another gear to get to in the playoffs. So if that is the case this year, I like their chances even more.

Maybe Pittsburgh gets all their guys back or Washington gets back on a roll but if I had to pick one team today- gimme the Blackhawks.

yeah i have to agree about chicago. just dont see anyone in the west knocking them off the throne. the east on the other hand is iffy ..... i want to pick washington and probably will but they are very inconsistent, am hoping last nights loss is just a small bump on the road or something.