2006 NHL Playoff Thread
 

If I'm seeing this right, the only team that know where they'll be in the playoffs in the East is Buffalo. The remaining 7 spots could all change tonight. Crazy.

The West is finalized. My picks there:
Detroit in 5 over Edmonton
Colorado in 6 over Dallas
Calgary in 7 over Anaheim (I think the best 1st round series in the West)
SJ in 5 over Nashville

Stupid playoffs, stupid shootouts, stupid hockey:mad: :mad: :mad:

Ok, im fine now.....I actually enjoyed for much our mad dash at a playoff spot. Another 5 games, im convinced we would get in, but oh well, can't make it every year i guess.

My unbiased picks for the west:

Detroit over Edmonton in 7....I dont think the Oilers are that good, but they will surprise some people pushing the Wings to the edge

Dallas over Colorado in 5.....Theodore(if he indeed starts) has to show me he can be the same goalie we once saw before i pick the avs

Calgary over Anaheim in 6.....I would really like to pick Anaheim, because im a JS Giguere fan, but my head is saying Kipper will steal 3 games.

San Jose in 4 over Nashville....This sounds more like a minor league baseball game then a hockey series. I probably wont watch a second of this series. Sharks cruise

Just another reason for me to root against the Dead Wings... :)

even though I'm picking SJ in 5, I think this is going to be a fun series. Both of these team can score and have some question marks on defense and in the net. And both teams seem to have a habit of both scoring in bunches and scoring some highlight reel goals. maybe won't have the intensity and hitting that Ducks-Flames has, but should have a ton of offense. I think.

Detroit over Edmonton in 5 : the Oilers don't play anyone over 4 games unless it's Dallas.

Dallas over Colorado in 6 : I would say 5, but it's the playoffs and we're starting Turco. He will have 2 REALLY bad games.

Calgary over Anaheim in 6 : Anaheim is scrappy, and have some good playoff experience. They'll make a fight of it.

Nashville over San Jose in 7 : My gut tells me that Nashville will hang around. Maybe it's Kariya? I don't know why, but I think they'll take it.

I don't have any picks to post, but I watched some of the regular-season finale between Calgary and Anaheim, and they built up a little bad blood to carry over into the playoffs. That one's going to be good. It's a shame that I'm on the east coast now, because I won't get to stay up to watch much of that series.

:(

I predict Anaheim will pull the upset of the round in the West. I also expect that Sharks to win, but that's hardly an 'upset' at this point.

Screw all of you.

Wester Conference Predictions:

Detroit vs. Edmonton
While Detroit are certainly the favorites, I am not sure if Edmonton is the best matchup for the Wings. The Oil really played the Wings well in most games this year. A couple of OT games and a shootout. Not the ideal first round opponent for Detroit, but so be it. Also both teams have played much better on the road then at home this year, so having the home ice advantage may, uh, not be so advantageous.

I think a big question will also be how Manny Legace holds up. The playoffs do weird things to goalies. He's been stellar this year, but he has only played in 4 playoff games his entire career and hasn't performed well.

There is also a big question about the effectiveness of Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the off-season. Datsyuk has played horrible in the playoffs and Zetterberg hasn't fared too much better. If the Wings plan on going far, these two will have produce in the playoffs, despite the resurgance of Steve Yzerman.

San Jose in 5 over Nashville.

It's sad the Leafs aren't in the playoffs. It just doesn't feel right. HNiC is always at its best when the Leafs are in the mix.

Yep. I was pulling for Toronto to make it as well. I will miss all the blatant homerism on HNIC now ;)

don't forget that HNIC's 2nd favorite team (Vancouver) also missed it. Are they even going to bother showing any games???

I think you haven't paid attention to the Sharks. The questions in the net have been answered by the switch from Nabakov to Toskala.

Before switch they were horrible - Since Toskala took over as the starting goalie his record is 23-3-4. Yes 23 wins and only 3 losses. compare that to Nabakov @ 16-19-7. Not sure what happened to Nabakov this year, but he has been terrible. Hell Nolan Schaefer the minor league goalie went 5-1 when both goalies were hurt. The only thing that kept the Sharks out of the top 3 spots was Nabakov's bad season.

Also the Sharks biggest weakness has been a horrible record in shootouts (something like 2-11) which of course won't be a factor in the playoffs. I think this team has a very real chance to make it to the finals.

wow, you are right. I didn't realize Toskala was so solid, although he's played in all of 3 NHL & AHL playoff games in his career, which has to be causing just a little nail-biting.

I agree about their chances, btw. I think they are the 2nd best team in the West.

Anyone but the Sens..........And for my boy HB anyone but the Dead Things:)

I think the Devils will be dangerous come playoff time.

bbor, my main man, I need your address so I can send you this gift:

Nothing like Andrew Pieters giving Toronto the old golf swing impression on Saturday night. It was well worth the game misconduct!!!

Go!!! Leafs Go!!! right to the golf course.

This is gonna be the year... GO SABRES

LOL

Ya that was pretty classy.

Maybe next year we should all wear handcuffs to Buffalo in honour of empire that owned the Sabres.

With Bbor and Maple Leafs viewing this thread, it's less like a discussion and more of a rosary :)

:)

We shall return!!

Older and slower!

But seriously....I enjoyed watching the last 10 games from the leafs.I think the future could be quite good with the strong D the Leafs have in the minors.Every D they brought up was solid.Paul Maurice has done a wonderfull job on the farm.I only hope he is with the big club next season because Quinn will ruin those young guys and prolly not play most of them.He loves his old war horses.

I was glad to see them re-up Kilger...He has been a plesant surprise.He is a hard working kid who is a solid PK guy and he is finding his hands finally.He could be a regular 20 goal scorer in the new NHL.

I don't understand the Aubin signing.....especially a 1 way contract.Does this mean Aubin and Tellquist are gonna share the #1 job next season?

Don't forget the other steps in the process.

1. - See Wade Belak coming.
2. - Wet pants.
3. - Wait for two linesmen and a ref to get in between you.
4. - Golf swing.
5. - Quickly glance to referee with "please throw me out of this game, right now" look in eyes
6. - Never play for Lindy Ruff again (speculative)

I'm just praying for a Sabres-Stars final. I need to replace my old Stars Win the cup front page of the Dallas Morning News.

I'm going to do everything in my power to get to a Sharks playoff game. Sadly, it looks like 'everything in my power' isn't going to be enough.

I'm glad to see hockey is alive and well in SJ.

With Thorton and Cheechoo there they have a bright furture.

While completely classless, it was pretty funny. I like seeing stuff like that every now and then. It's like a lot of Sean Avery's antics, stupid and classless, but a nice, entertaining sideshow for a long season. Adds a little spice and character to the game.

Do we really want to dredge up the No-goal goal again?

They are STILL whining about it in Buffalo.

I agree with this 100% - Toskala's inexperience is a concern.

However - I read just the other day that something like half the teams in the playoffs this year have very inexperienced goalies.

Yes but......Look where Averys' tactics have landed him.

I'm really excited that after the lockout we have a team that is making waves already. We were a really good team before things went (completely) to hell during the lockout, and when the league shut down, it was quite a disappointment. Now that I live in San Jose again, I'm excited to start making it to hockey games all the time.

no kidding. Mason, Emery, Lundquist, Miller, Toskala, Gerber, Grahame. Niitymaki and Huet if they play. new NHL indeed.

Toronto? or is that not official yet?

I'd even throw Legace in there, as far as playoff experience goes.

Crap. Ticketmaster has no tickets available to games 1 or 2 at SJ, and eBay searches are returning prices in the $400-500 range for two tickets. Sigh...

He bagged Rachel Hunter. LA had nothing left to offer him. It was time to move on.

I thought he was dating Elisha Cuthbert?

The Rachel Hunter thing was last year. He dated her for a while and then they went their separate ways. Checking my sources, I do see that Avery has now been linked with Elisha Cuthbert. Perhaps LA still has a little to give Mr. Avery...

looks like there are 8 here at $120 per:

http://www.stubhub.com/san-jose-shar...r_ticket_price

I did'nt mean so much where it has landed him team wise....but how it got him booted off the team he was on.

We already have Tucker and Ondres we don;t need Avery here.

Keep your eye on Robbie Earl, just added to the Baby Leafs roster after winning the NCAA title with Madison.

Good article in the local paper about him today.

Really looking forward to what he does in the next couple of years.

I actually meant to.

He is extremely cocky. When he was a freshman I thought he had no chance to ever make it in the NHL, but I've completely changed my mind. I think he'll be a very good player.

yes, only because he was slamming my boy.

Oh boy...another player the Toronto media can build up into the second coming of Sittler.

BTW Damien Cox is an asshat.

You know better than that. The Toronto media will scoff about him being over-rated, and how dumb the Leaf fans are for thinking he's anything good... unless the Leafs trade him. Then he'll be the next Sittler.

Just like Kenny Jonsson was the next Borje Salming, Eric Fichaud was the next Patrick Roy, etc.

Thats why I love having a minor league hockey team here. I went to 3 playoff games for 12 dollars a ticket. I even had free vouchers for the 9 dollar tickets, so it only cost me 3 bucks a ticket :D

As long as, when someone is hoisting the Cup, the Wings are at home just like the Hawks, the playoffs will be a success :D

SI