2018 Stanley Cup Predictions ?

[chuckertmg]

Define "real hockey fan".
The Preds can play it any way you want it.
Suggesting they are just a trapping team is off side.

The Jets are a really solid team that matches up extremely well, and they are definitely capable of knocking Nashville out.
But If had to put money down it would be on the Predators

Each game that Nashville won in this series, they got a thin lead and protected it with a smothering mid-ice trap with four men across the blue line and one at centre, slowing the game to something resembling a cricket match.
Each game the Predators lost, the Jets got an early lead forcing the Preds to play hockey, with three forwards up and two defence back - and each time they did that the Jets killed them.

Whether you want to call them a trapping team or not, it's to the benefit of hockey fans everywhere that they and their mid ice trap have been eliminated.
Vegas vs. Winnipeg will be a hugely exciting series.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Go Golden Knights!!! The most amazing group of castoffs ever. They make history with every win and its a great bunch of guys coached by a guy whose previous team pulled him off a team bus and fired him and sent home in a taxi!! Then gave the Knights two of their best players in the expansion draft while they failed to make the playoffs themselves.

Fuck you Florida you morons..Gallant gets the last laugh.

 

[Mr Quim]

Well that was a Hell of a Game 7, and look at Who, got Smashed ? It wasn't even close, like a a couple bad bounces, cost Nashville the Game ? And, You certainly can't put It all, on Rinne ?
The Jets turned on the Afterburners, and roasted the Predators, on their own Rink !

Thank Christ, as the Dark-Horse, rides on ! LOL

Technically I'm out, as the Penguins are done .
But, I'm taking my Mulligan, on my Darkhorse !

Round Three:

Jets - Knights
Sorry Vegas, but, the Dream turns into a Nightmare !
It's been a "Hell of a Run", and as an Expansion Team, You have a lot to be proud of !
But, the Jets are getting the Cup now !

Lightning - Capitals
Washington is certainly going to get struck by Lightning !
Maybe not, till the 7th Game ?
But, Tampa Bay will skate away, with this Series !

Jets will hoist the "Lord Stanley", this Year !

Cheers

P.S. Thanks Blackhawks, for giving up on Dustin Byfuglien !
I think, You made the right Choice ? LOL
He's going to rock, Vegas' World !

https://perb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?249370-Riley

 

[badbadboy]

hmm not bad, 7 out of 8 called right.

Round Two

Tampa v Boston - Tampa in 6 games
Washington v Pittsburgh - Pens in 6 games
Winnipeg v Nashville. This one is tough and will go 7 games with Preds taking it.
Las Vegas v San Jose - Las Vegas will win this series.

Two out of four ok

Jets v Knights = Canada's Jets just to see Bettman's face when Winnipeg spoils his all US Cup Finals Go Jets!

Caps v Lightning = Lightning in 6 games

 

[ddcanz]

The Jets are a really solid team that matches up extremely well, and they are definitely capable of knocking Nashville out.
But If had to put money down it would be on the Predators

Well now.
A hardcore Jets fan I know gave me 4-1 odds (and dinner on the loser) that the Jets would win.
He now has my $250 and I'm buying him a good steak and a bottle of Napa Cab to wash it down.
Go Jets!

 

[Fullhouse]

For my previous prediction in post 12 to come true, the Knights have to beat the Jets, which they will in 6 games.

 

[87112]

Had game 7 hangover today. How can you not root for the Jets, to me they are the Rodney Dangerfield of Hockey. Does anyone before this year not think they are a year to year pushover?

 

[80watts]

Maybe it will come down to which team has the most Canadians on it.....

 

[Man Mountain]

Well, the last round really did me in... I guess at this point, I'll be cheering for the Jets the rest of the way and I figure it'll be the Lightning that they'll meet in the finals.

 

[chuckertmg]

Jets v Knights = Canada's Jets just to see Bettman's face when Winnipeg spoils his all US Cup Finals Go Jets!

Caps v Lightning = Lightning in 6 games

The thing about Vegas is that the franchise might be new, but they've got a ton of veterans and as a whole they've got way more playoff experience than Winnipeg.
Can't wait to see how this plays out.

Capitols are off to an impressive start in Tampa Bay.

 

[badbadboy]

The thing about Vegas is that the franchise might be new, but they've got a ton of veterans and as a whole they've got way more playoff experience than Winnipeg.
Can't wait to see how this plays out.

Capitols are off to an impressive start in Tampa Bay.

Good point on Las Vegas. I listen to Team 1040 when driving and there has been a lot of grousing from on air personalities as well as those who tweet etc to them. The 'ready made' playoff ready first year team seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way. It's like they didn't have to earn their stripes through years of more downs than ups. It is what it is.

I guess that's why I jumped on the Jets bandwagon. They've gone for years trying to get back to the show and could appear in the Cup Final.

 

[Mr Quim]

Stanley Cup Sidebar:

Is it just Me..., or does Martine Gaillard get hotter, as She matures ?
Not sure, if She'd be termed, a classic Cougar ?

This isn't the 1st Time, I've had this Thought !

But, watching the Post-Game highlights on Sportnet, just reinforced that thought !

We now return You, to your regular Viewing ! LOL

Cheers

P.S. One Hell of a Game 1 !
It's going to be an exciting Series, to Watch !

 

[ddcanz]

Good point on Las Vegas. I listen to Team 1040 when driving and there has been a lot of grousing from on air personalities as well as those who tweet etc to them. The 'ready made' playoff ready first year team seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way. It's like they didn't have to earn their stripes through years of more downs than ups. It is what it is.

You are speaking of Matt Sekeres. He cries non-stop with his ABV (Anyone but Vegas) lament. And then says it's not so much about the players/coaches/management but about the fans because they haven't been 'long suffering' like so many other fan bases.
Fuck him.
The team that WINS the cup is the team that DESERVES the cup. And the fans that support the team- even if just for a year- are also deserving.
Period.
And while on the Team 1040 subject- I'm glad I don't have to listen to Pratt's whine about the Preds and Jets meeting in Round 2, rather than the Conference Final. Every 10 minutes he'd bring it up- and always punctuated with a 'Thanks, Gary'.
Fuck him too.
It doesn't always work out with Conference alignments- sometime the best teams meet earlier than we would like. And who says that Winnipeg or Nashville would even make the CF if they had to go through Vegas or San Jose first?
Be thankful we saw the match up at all.
How much fun was it watching Vancouver beat Chicago in Round One in 2011? Sure, the 'Hawks were the 8 seed, but they were HOT and the defending Cup Champs.

 

[badbadboy]

You are speaking of Matt Sekeres. He cries non-stop with his ABV (Anyone but Vegas) lament. And then says it's not so much about the players/coaches/management but about the fans because they haven't been 'long suffering' like so many other fan bases.
Fuck him.
The team that WINS the cup is the team that DESERVES the cup. And the fans that support the team- even if just for a year- are also deserving.
Period.
And while on the Team 1040 subject- I'm glad I don't have to listen to Pratt's whine about the Preds and Jets meeting in Round 2, rather than the Conference Final. Every 10 minutes he'd bring it up- and always punctuated with a 'Thanks, Gary'.
Fuck him too.
It doesn't always work out with Conference alignments- sometime the best teams meet earlier than we would like. And who says that Winnipeg or Nashville would even make the CF if they had to go through Vegas or San Jose first?
Be thankful we saw the match up at all.
How much fun was it watching Vancouver beat Chicago in Round One in 2011? Sure, the 'Hawks were the 8 seed, but they were HOT and the defending Cup Champs.

Interesting listening to George McPhee yesterday in a re broadcast of the 1040 interview.

He said he was surprised as everyone else that the Vegas team made the playoffs and are on this run. Claiming nothing special except the players they chose really gelled as a team early in the season. A lot of the players are the age of 26 - 28, are really team players and some are exceptionally talented too. He said the owner wanted players that would be part of the community and not to go for the top end players that need constant babying and nurturing.

McPhee said every night is sold out and they are over capacity for season ticket holders next year. Nice place to be for them and enjoy it while it lasts. Go on a losing streak for a few seasons and it will be like the Canucks. Went from well over 300 sellouts and last season you could have virtually any good seat in the house walking up to the ticket booth.

Whoever wins the Cup is like every other year the Stanley Cup has been played. They will deserve it. No other sport has to have 16 playoff wins to get a Cup. Sekeres is a homer and all his rants are like the Canucks have been ripped off while Vegas got a free ride to the playoffs.

As far as the Canucks are concerned, it's been mismanaged for a long time from the owner down to Benning. Scouting has been dubious except of Brock Boeser which some say Benning lucked out with his success. it's At least they now have a coach respected by the players.

 

[87112]

Dont know about you but I feel like the Cup has been played already. Jets Preds. The 1st 2 games was a skating clinic in speed. Now that the dreaded Preds are out no one to hate. Did I say before the Preds always knock out my beloved Ducks.

 

[badbadboy]

Dont know about you but I feel like the Cup has been played already. Jets Preds. The 1st 2 games was a skating clinic in speed. Now that the dreaded Preds are out no one to hate. Did I say before the Preds always knock out my beloved Ducks.

Have you noticed the smash mouth hockey the Capitals are playing? Tampa is clearly freaked out about now.

 

[ddcanz]

I expect TB to play their absolute best game this evening. They pretty much need a win or it's Good Morning! Good Afternoon! and Good Night Tampa!
The Caps are completely energized. Home fans will be going wild. A couple of quick TB goals will suck the air out of the building. Don't count them out yet.

 

[badbadboy]

I'm not. They have a lot of talent, scorers and have been there before. They should be on their game tonight. They had better be!

Watching the Caps play reminded me of the Bruins v Canucks. Canucks the President's Cup winner was clearly no match for the constant BS like Slew footing, face rubs and punches in the head during a scrum. All unpenalized of course just like this series.

I believe we had this type of discussion a while ago how the refs swallow their whistles in the playoffs. Same old same old. On top of that, the refs have blown a few goals in these two series going on now. But that's the imperfect game of hockey.

 

[87112]

Jets got undone by bad goaltending last 2 losses. Both games the lead was given back by goalie errors. You cannot escape a death penalty like that.

Winnipeg will not win 3 in a row. thats for sure against this deadly Vegas attack.

Maybe the Canadian drought is over next year??

 

[Hugh Jass]

Im a huge Vegas fan and they are going to the Stanley Cup Final and have a good chance to win it all! but.....
Next year will be a much different story no matter whether or not they win. This has been an incredible run. They will have the summer to think about it and will probably start out the season overconfident, satisfied..a bit smug and sluggish. They will probably be without a couple of their main glue guys...I doubt they will be able to keep Neal. Fleury is a great goaltender when he's hot...and he has been most of the year and throughout the playoffs...but he is incredibly streaky. Dont expect this level of play next season. Vegas has been basically injury free most of the year with the exception of their goaltenders, (remember how beaten up the Canucks were during their run) that is unlikely to occur two years in a row. Also so many players playing way way over their heads and Luca Sbisa being one of their go to defencemen....the miracle just cant keep on happening. Its lucky for Luca they play great team defense because they are continually having to cover up the many errors he makes in his own zone.

Everything has gone right this year and its a fabulous story which I hope culminates in them taking the Stanley Cup. But if they make the playoffs next season it will be a struggle and they will probably be this seasons Calgary or Edmonton. My solemn prediction.

Enjoy it while it lasts guys. Its got to be this year. 4 more wins.