Atlantic Semi: (1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (WC) Columbus Blue Jackets

[Canucks_fan18]

Eh....if you were paying attention to analytics, it was reasonable to see that outcome coming. This is not that. I mean it might end up looking the same at the end, but that Kings teams was absolutely dominant most of the entire season and just couldn't score. Columbus is not that.

True if anything Carolina might be more of that team but I am more talking about the depth of the team and the hindsight.

[Eskimo Brother]

Eh....if you were paying attention to analytics, it was reasonable to see that outcome coming. This is not that. I mean it might end up looking the same at the end, but that Kings teams was absolutely dominant most of the entire season and just couldn't score. Columbus is not that.

I can get on board with that analysis.
That being said, Columbus loaded up, so like the 2011-12 Kings, Columbus is much better than the traditional 8th seed. Going into the playoffs I saw them having as good of a chance as any to win the cup if they got past Tampa. Well, we're here now

[bondon]

Columbus always had a pretty solid lineup on paper, especially with the upgrades at the deadline. It was their struggles and poor play at the end of the regular season that made this look like it would be an easy matchup. Maybe it was just growing pains to get to a comfortable spot.

[Godin]

Columbus always had a pretty solid lineup on paper, especially with the upgrades at the deadline. It was their struggles and poor play at the end of the regular season that made this look like it would be an easy matchup. Maybe it was just growing pains to get to a comfortable spot.

or Tampa's dominance from game 1 to game 82.

[2014olympicgold]

or Tampa's dominance from game 1 to game 82.

This, Tampa never lost 3 in a row all yr. And I'm pretty sure Vas never lost back-to-back games, or did very late in the yr.

[rufio.85]

It was their struggles and poor play at the end of the regular season that made this look like it would be an easy matchup.

The Jackets actually won 7 of their last 8 regular season games.

[niconasr]

It was obviously a mashup of Tampa Bay's poor play and Colombus impressive performance. Trying to blame only one team/one player/one coach for this result is ridiculous.

As for Columbus being a serious threat for the Cup, of course they are! Any team remaining at this point is one. They're gelling at exactly the right time and should be a tough out for any other team. That being said, maybe they get swept next round. Who knows anything anymore, really?

[lucafen4]

I like that the Jackets have 2 votes for winning in 4 since they actually won.

[niconasr]

I like that the Jackets have 2 votes for winning in 4 since they actually won.

Haha, I was definitely tempted to do it but I haven't. Missed the deadline to vote and it felt wrong to do it after the first game had started. Never would've picked CBJ in 4 though.

[saucelife90]

It's not about seeding or the playoff format. The regular season is meaningless because it's meaningless. It gives us no tangible information and it has no bearing on playoff outcomes. The best team of the cap era and one of the 4 best teams in NHL history just got swept by a 13 seed in the first round. The regular season is completely and absolutely meaningless.

So are we proposing to not have a regular season and just have a tournament with all 31 teams? Best of 7's from start to finish, last team standing wins. Let's do a lottery to determine who gets the 1st round bye and the rest of the seeding to make it more fun while we're at it.

Every year, in every sport there's an upset. Sometimes is a minor upset, other times it's this. The 16-0 Patriots played the 8-8 Giants and lost the SB. Welcome to sports, shit happens.

[rataylor22]

No, obviously for monetary reasons leagues will continue to have regular season. I’m saying there’s no reason far fans to pay attention to it, and I’m saying the NHL regular season is more irrelevant and meaningless than any other professional sport.

[forumname]

No, obviously for monetary reasons leagues will continue to have regular season. I’m saying there’s no reason far fans to pay attention to it, and I’m saying the NHL regular season is more irrelevant and meaningless than any other professional sport.

There's more to enjoying hockey than the championship at the end.

[rataylor22]

This forum regularly slags on the irrelevance of the NBA regular season. I’m simply pointing out the NHL regular season is more irrelevant. People choose to waste their time all types of ways. Hockey is one of those ways. That doesn’t make the regular season more relevant or useful.

[ShawneePanthers]

Is this going to be like 2003 where it ended up Minnesota vs Anaheim in the Conference Finals and no one cared? Can you imagine the Islanders vs CBJ.

I'd care if Colorado made the WCF, and Anaheim in 2003 was awesome. Certainly more entertaining to watch than the geezers they swept in the first round that year.

[4T2]

This forum regularly slags on the irrelevance of the NBA regular season. I’m simply pointing out the NHL regular season is more irrelevant. People choose to waste their time all types of ways. Hockey is one of those ways. That doesn’t make the regular season more relevant or useful.

I bet you’re a lot of fun at parties