Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread 2024

[pmorrow]

General thread for tracking the race to secure playoff spots and then the actual playoffs themselves.

How do you see it all shaking out?

[loppantorkel]

I guess Washington and Detroit take the final spots.

 

Was odds at 70%, Det: 35%, Phi: 58%, NYI: 29%, according to Dom.

[hockeyrobot]

Wash - Buf, Pit, Car, Ott, Det, Buf, TB, Bos, Phi
Phi - Buf, CBJ, Mon, NYR, NJ, Was
Detroit - NYR, Buf, Wash, Pit, Tor, Mon, Mon

Detroit still had an edge on ROW so reeaaaalllly hoping that comes into play.

[2014olympicgold]

Metro:
Rangers, Canes, Caps
Atlantic:
Boston, Leafs, Panthers
Wild Card:
Tampa, Detroit. Detroit beats Philly and NYI by 1pt

Central:
Dallas, Avs, Jets
Pacific:
Canucks, Oilers, Knights
Wild Card:
LAK, Preds

My Predictions for the first round:
Rangers vs Detroit
Boston vs Tampa
Canes vs Caps
Leafs vs Panthers

Dallas vs Preds
Canucks vs LAK
Avs vs Jets
Oilers vs Knights

[forsbergfan]

It feels like all those teams vying for 8th place in the East are trying to NOT make the playoffs. I think Washington has a nice hold on 3rd in the Metro since they're the only one who's actually playing well. Big win for Detroit last night over Tampa, I think they probably slip in above NYI and Philly. They slid due to Larkin being out but now he's back. But this isn't an 8th place team like Florida last year, this is a team getting demolished in the first round of the playoffs.
I would absolutely not want to play Tampa in the first round. They've been really good lately, Vasy has regained form (which was just a matter of time). I think they upset Boston, Florida or the Rangers in the first round. And I'm picking any team over Vancouver in the first round. Whether it be Vegas, Nashville or LA.
So much parity this year it's great. Really hard to pick a winner this year. I think we get a McDavid vs Mackinnon rematch from a couple of years ago in the West finals which McDavid coming out on top this time. I think this is the year McDavid gets his cup. So many players in the fold for the Hart this year that I think come playoff time McDavid reminds the world who is (by far) the best in the world. And I think Carolina comes out of the East. Really nice story with Freddie Andersen. And Jake Guentzel has been exactly what they needed.
Although if the Leafs are ever gonna win the cup (which might never happen, ever), I feel like this is the year. They're not as good this year, and no one is picking them to win it all, which is exactly what improved their chances. Less pressure (still plenty of pressure in Toronto, but I feel like less this year than usual). If they lose, they didn't choke, just didn't have a good enough team. Which isn't as much on the players as on the front office. So I think that mindset actually helps them.

Metro: NYR, Car, Wash, Det - winner Carolina (over NYR)
Atlantic: Bos, Fla, Tor, TB - winner - Toronto (over TB)
Central: Col, Dal, Win, LA - winner Colorado (over Winnipeg)
Pacific: Van, Edm, VGK, NAS - winner Edmonton (over Nashville)

Stanley Cup: Edmonton over Carolina

[hockeyrobot]

The season ends on a Thursday!?!? Strange.

[2014olympicgold]

The season ends on a Thursday!?!? Strange.

And it doesn't end on a Thursday for everyone...

Who ever made this yrs schedule should be out of a job (I say jokingly as I know it's an insane process). Leafs ending the season on a B2B, the day before the final day of the season, makes NO sense to me. Leafs have 8 games left and 6 of them are vs the same 3 teams.

[PenguinHunter]

My expectations of Philly missing out of the playoffs after being in a playoff spot all year... yep, its totally happening.

And anyone that loves playoff hockey and playoff drafts - check this out - 2024 Dobber NHL Playoff Draft - Discussion

[hockeyrobot]

And it doesn't end on a Thursday for everyone...

Who ever made this yrs schedule should be out of a job (I say jokingly as I know it's an insane process). Leafs ending the season on a B2B, the day before the final day of the season, makes NO sense to me. Leafs have 8 games left and 6 of them are vs the same 3 teams.

Ya Detroit plays Monday and Tuesday.....but not Wednesday and Thursday. What...

[2014olympicgold]

Ya Detroit plays Monday and Tuesday.....but not Wednesday and Thursday. What...

And Detroit's B2B is a Home and Home series vs Montreal. How the heck is that happening lol. A divisional rival getting half their season long games done in the final 2 games of the yr. Dumb.

[Feenom]

Go Islanders! Throwing a wrench into things.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I wonder if Carolina is setting itself up to the the Bruins of 2024 in that they're rotating their goalies with much success. But either you need to keep doing that in the playoffs, which would get second guessed in a big way, or you turn to one guy, who would not be used to starting consecutive games and could falter. It is eerily familiar.

[forsbergfan]

I feel part of Carolina's success the last few years is because they have a system where it doesn't really matter what goalie is in net, the team in front of the goalie is too good. They allow very few shots. And they've been rotating goalies a lot for years now and that isn't the reason they haven't won a cup yet. Last year they made the conference finals with a below average offense. They got swept in the closest sweep ever. Goaltending wasn't the issue. Now that there offense has woken up after the guentzel trade, they're the team to beat in the east.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I feel part of Carolina's success the last few years is because they have a system where it doesn't really matter what goalie is in net, the team in front of the goalie is too good. They allow very few shots. And they've been rotating goalies a lot for years now and that isn't the reason they haven't won a cup yet. Last year they made the conference finals with a below average offense. They got swept in the closest sweep ever. Goaltending wasn't the issue. Now that there offense has woken up after the guentzel trade, they're the team to beat in the east.

Supposedly so was Boston last season. Just sayin'.....

[pmorrow]

The Eastern wildcard/3rd in the Metro race has gotten a lot more interesting. I didn't think the Isles were going to be back in it but here they are thanks to a few teams stubbing their toes. And the Penguins are somehow still kind of in it too. Hanging on by a thread.

MoneyPuck %s of making the playoffs in any form:
PHI 62%
WAS 55%
DET 43%
NYI 22%
PIT 15%