The road to the Stanley Cup begins.

[Angle-plex 0]

I could see Luongo pulling a '99 Hasek and carrying the 'Nucks to the finals. That may just be wishful thinking though because I have no interest in any of the west teams besides the Wings, Canucks and Flames.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Luongo is no late-90s Hasek. We'll probably never see that again.

[Annabelle 0]

when hasek WANTS to play, i don't know if there is anyone better. and in 99, i would have said no one has ever been better. he still can carry a team.

[Guest]

Chicago won the draft lottery.

 

The draft order is

 

1. Chicago

2. Philadelphia

3. Phoenix

4. Los Angeles

5. Washington

6. Edmonton

7. Columbus

8. Boston

9. St. Louis

10. Florida

11. Carolina

12. Montreal

13. Toronto

14. Colorado

[Guest Eagle Man]

We'll blow it and trade the guy by 2010.

[treble 0]

I don't know what they're going to do, exactly, but NBC and CBC are going to put Don Cherry and Brett Hull together for some segments during the Finals.

 

And I guess CBC is pretty pissed that they got shafted in terms of scheduling of the 1st round, especially considering they pay $65 million and NBC pays nothing.

[CanadianChris 0]

And I guess CBC is pretty pissed that they got shafted in terms of scheduling of the 1st round, especially considering they pay $65 million and NBC pays nothing.

I don't blame them. Three Canadian teams, and all they get on the first Saturday is a 3:00 game (which I'll be at)? It's a joke.

 

The Sens appear to have agreed to a 4-year $14M deal with Chris Phillips, hot on the heels of re-signing Anton Volchenkov.

[Red Baron 0]

I thought they signed Volchenkov to a three year deal?

 

Anyways, sorta off topic, but Jean Beliveau is staying at my hotel this week. Autograph signing is a must for me.

[Guest]

I love that contract, it makes re-signing Visnovsky way easier. Volchenkov got a 3 year extension at a much better cost than the Phillips one above. The Volchenkov deal was 3 years 7.5 million.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

As good as Lundqvist was the second half, as underappreciated as DiPietro and Lehtnonen (sp?) were, as important as Luongo were, Brodeur did set the record for most wins. He deserves it.

That would be about the worst reason to give it to any goalie. He started 78 games! If his team's any good, of course he'll set the wins record! Dan Cloutier had three straight 30-win seasons, and he was terrible! Andrew Raycroft won 37 games this season! Win total is a meaningless stat!

 

If he'd played more, I'd give the Vezina to Backstrom. But, he only played half the season, so I'd say it's a toss-up between Brodeur and Luongo, with Brodeur getting it because his numbers are very slightly better.

 

"It was cold out that day, so I decided to take my sweater! I pulled the knob, but the candy bar didn't come out!"

 

I see where you're coming from, and a lot of this is merely covering my tracks. But, Brodeur was also third in GAA and second in PCT, and Backstrom was a debatable starter (41 games). The point about started games is extremely valid, but meaningless is ridiculous. There's an incredible difference between Cloutier's 30 win total and Brodeur's 48. That's over 30 points in the standings. Raycroft did win 37, and he's not that good, but could you tell him that 48 wins was meaningless?

[CanadianChris 0]

Win total is meaningless in the sense that it's the thing the goalie has the least control over. It's just not a good indicator of a goalie's skill level. It's like wins in baseball -- you can be the best pitcher in the league and still end up with a record of 14-13 because your offence can't score any runs. Or, you can be a mediocre pitcher and still win 20 because your team gives you a six-run lead every time out.

 

My point was more that yes, Brodeur has great stats, and yes, he does deserve the Vezina Trophy, but not because he set the wins record. That's silly. If he was 12th in the league in GAA and SV%, no one would even be considering him for the Vezina, wins record or not.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Hockey needs VORP.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Red Wings (6)

Sharks (7)

Canucks (6)

Ducks (6)

 

Sabres (4)

Penguins (7)

Rangers (7)

Devils (5)

 

Eastern Conference Finalists: Sabres and Devils

Western Conference Finalists: Canucks and Sharks

 

Stanley Cup Champions: Sabres over Canucks

 

Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Chris Drury

[CanadianChris 0]

Holy shit, Pittsburgh looks completely overmatched early. Fleury, specifically, looks petrified. 1-0 Sens.

[CanadianChris 0]

2-0!!!

 

Someone forgot to send Pittsburgh the memo that the playoffs have started. This could easily be a 4-0 game with the Pens' complete lack of intensity.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

I think Ottawa is just too good. I hope they advance!

[CanadianChris 0]

WTF is with the new graphics on CBC? Why don't they show the power play timer continuously anymore?

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Oh, Cheechoooo

[Brush with Greatness 0]

the wild in 7? care to put money on that?

 

whats the matter with you people. its amazing what a few fluke playoff series will do to your brains. quit trying to seem provocative & work within the boundries of reality.

 

 

like, anyone can win the cup, but people are trying to make sexy picks just so they can look back in 3 months & say "i told you so". any hockey expert, or anyone with an sincere unbiased taste in hockey last year would not have picked the oilers. if you did, you weren't a real hockey fan. teams can get hot, but it is impossible to pick. based on the facts & hockey knowledge, teams like the islanders & wild should not even be uttered in the same breath as the sabres or wings...or even the penguins.

 

Are you fucking dense?

 

My apologies for picking Minnesota to defeat Buffalo. If it appeases you I will change the prediction to Buffalo in 6. I very much think that a Buffalo v. Minnesota series would end up that way but (despite predicting a Buffalo v. Anaheim Cup final before the season) I wanted to avoid the cliched pick of the President's Trophy winner.

 

Predicting a 7th place team to have success has nothing to do with recent "fluke" playoff series'. I should mention that since 1994 (the current seeding format), 7th seeds are 14-10 against 2nd seeds. Furthermore, I think it has been conceded by many that any team in the West is capable of advancing to the final.

 

I'm not sure what "facts & knowledge" of hockey you are referencing (or have for that matter), but taking a close look at things means that they could easily be considered as much of a contender as anyone.

 

First off, in the recent Hockey News Stanley Cup odds, Minnesota is considered the 5th favourite to win the Cup (behind Anaheim, Buffalo, New Jersey and San Jose - Detroit is 9th, Pittsburgh 10th).

 

Taking a look at the standings, Minnesota had only two fewer wins than Detroit and actually had one more win then Pittsburgh (yet based on your "facts" shouldn't be uttered in the same breath as the Wings or Penguins!?).

 

Now, keep in mind that Detroit plays in the Central Division which includes the awful Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, and up until Andy Murray's hiring, Blues. Meanwhile, the Northwest had five teams that were competing for the playoffs for the majority of the season (up until the Oilers fell apart).

 

Detroit was 22-4-6 (.846) against their own division while going 28-15-7 (.651) against the rest of the league (are these the "facts" that you were referencing)?

 

Now, add in the fact that Minnesota with Gaborik was 33-10-5 (.767) while they were 15-16-3 (.484) without him and it seems as if, as long as he is healthy, they are very effective.

 

With all of this said, I think it is pretty easy to justify having Minnesota in the Cup final. Furthermore, I do believe that it is a possibility that they could also go out in the first round as Anaheim is just as good (if not better).

 

But to write off the Minnesota prediction as a provocative prediction and sexy pick and as a team that shouldn't be uttered in the same breath as the Sabres, Red Wings and Penguins is asinine.

 

Maybe you should heed your own advice and take a look at the "facts" to help you gain some "knowledge".

[bob_barron 0]

Trevor Daley, the guy who John Vanbiesbrouck called a nigger, scored in the Stars-Canucks game.

 

Vanbiesbrouck is calling the game, making it hilarious

[Red Baron 0]

Looks like we got our first Double OT of the playoffs.

[Guest]

This Dallas game will never end.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

I fell asleep during the 1st overtime. Ducks won though.

I'm waiting for Turco to colapse again.

[Guest]

I've got the feeling that Luongo will first. Just a hunch.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Vancouver and Dallas going into quadruple OT now, Dallas has 66 shots.

[bob_barron 0]

To go to bed or stay up...what do I do???

[Guest]

I'm watching the whole thing. Norstrom has played like a beast, and I'm lovin' it.

[Guest]

OT4 is almost over, lol.

[Guest]

Good thing it finished before another 15 minute intermission. Sedins.

[bob_barron 0]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES.

 

What a fucking game.

 

Welcome to the playoffs