How Will The Playoff Teams Finish?

Did I ever tell you I hate, Hate, HATE loser points? Why not just go whole hog and give 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/SO win. Then the loser point at least doesn't dick around with standings as much.

Even better would be to give 2 points for a regulation *or* OT win, but if it goes to a shootout give both teams a single point. Let the goalie get the W but the team gets a tie.

wprager wrote:Did I ever tell you I hate, Hate, HATE loser points? Why not just go whole hog and give 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/SO win. Then the loser point at least doesn't dick around with standings as much.

Even better would be to give 2 points for a regulation *or* OT win, but if it goes to a shootout give both teams a single point. Let the goalie get the W but the team gets a tie.

Or go back to wins, losses and ties...same diff IMHO.

The difference is we keep the shootout. They keep telling me that shootouts are exciting. I don't really find them all that exciting, but ok, fine, keep 'em. Give out the GWG and the W for the winning goalie -- those are individual stats, which is appropriate for what the shootout is. But if two teams played through 65 minutes without deciding a winner, then give them both a single point.

Flames beat the Wings 5-3...and are now five points ahead of the Nucks. What a game.

BTW in case anyone is interested...here's how Eklund had predicted the playoff order back at the beginning of the season. The actual current standing is in brackets...

West:
1.San Jose (1)
2. Detroit (2)
3. Edmonton (7)
4. Chicago (4)
5. Calgary (3)
6. Phoenix (14)
7. Anaheim (9)
8. Vancouver. (5)


East

1.Pittsburgh (6)
2. Washington (3)
3. Montreal (8th/tied w/Florida on points)
4. Philly (4)
5. Boston (1)
6. NY Rangers (7)
7. Buffalo (10)
8. Ottawa (11)

What were your pre-season predictions?

With ten games or less to go, here are "The Outsiders"...and how they are trending:

East:

Florida, fit to be tied--stuck in neutral. The Cats are a meow away but can the Tabbies catch the Habbies?
Buffalo, five to stay alive--down...unless MillerTime can sharpen their blades again...
Ottawa, seven to get to heaven--up...can Zen Master Cory and Ardent Alfie make The Melnyk Miracle real?
Toronto, eight 'fore it's too late--who the diddle knows? Ronnie Napoleon says 'bin it', but some be-Leafers say they can win it.

See you on the golf course: Tampa, Atlanta, Long Island (fish sticks on the barbie, eh).

West:

Anaheim, one to get it done--the Ducks keep pecking away.
Minnesota, uno mas por favor--too mild to be Wild?
St. Louis--singing the two point blues.
Dallas--just three and they'd be home free, not free-falling.
Los Angeles--punch seven on the speed dial, or say goodbye to Hollywood.

R.I.P.: Phoenix, Colorado

It's amazing to think that the Sens are on a 5 game winnig stream while Montreal is on a 5 game losing streak, which means that 5 games ago we were 17 point behind them.

I like trends:)

Until they stop

Interesting to look at a snapshot of the standings right now and note that very few teams have been playing better than .500/.600 hockey over the last 10 games.

In the East, these are Carolina, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Ottawa, Atlanta; in the West, Detroit, Vancouver, Columbus.

That can make for some very unpredictable finishes to this season.

Rangers shut down the Wild 2-1 and catch the Pens...

davetherave wrote:BTW in case anyone is interested...here's how Eklund had predicted the playoff order back at the beginning of the season. The actual current standing is in brackets...

West:
1.San Jose (1)
2. Detroit (2)
3. Edmonton (7)
4. Chicago (4)
5. Calgary (3)
6. Phoenix (14)
7. Anaheim (9)
8. Vancouver. (5)


East

1.Pittsburgh (6)
2. Washington (3)
3. Montreal (8th/tied w/Florida on points)
4. Philly (4)
5. Boston (1)
6. NY Rangers (7)
7. Buffalo (10)
8. Ottawa (11)

What were your pre-season predictions?

I went back and found an old Spectors Hockey forum post of mine from August 22 2008...boy, I sure got some of these wrong LOL...

East

1. Pittsburgh
2. Montreal
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. Carolina
6. Rangers
7. Devils
8. Boston

Out: Ottawa, Tampa, Buffalo, Florida, Atlanta, Toronto, Islanders

West:

1. Detroit
2. Dallas
3. Edmonton
4. San Jose
5. Anaheim
6. Chicago
7. Calgary
8. Minnesota

Out: Nashville, Phoenix, Vancouver, Columbus, Colorado, St. Louis, Los Angeles

Of course, I didn't expect Sundin to come back with the Canucks, The Hitchc0ck Effect, McLellan's San Jose success, Dallas to tumble with Avery, or Edmonton and Anaheim to struggle as they have. Nor did I anticipate the Pens stumbling, Montreal melting down, Jersey's bounce back, Boston's boom or Florida's rise.

Back then, I had looked at several predictions by The Hockey News, McKeen's Hockey and The Score as well. I might post all of these on the Member's blog, or maybe this is worth a thread of its own...

davetherave wrote:
What were your pre-season predictions?

I went back and found an old Spectors Hockey forum post of mine from August 22 2008...boy, I sure got some of these wrong LOL...

East

1. Pittsburgh
2. Montreal
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. Carolina
6. Rangers
7. Devils
8. Boston

Out: Ottawa, Tampa, Buffalo, Florida, Atlanta, Toronto, Islanders

West:

1. Detroit
2. Dallas
3. Edmonton
4. San Jose
5. Anaheim
6. Chicago
7. Calgary
8. Minnesota

Out: Nashville, Phoenix, Vancouver, Columbus, Colorado, St. Louis, Los Angeles

I'm in on this one. :D

August 17, 2008

EAST:
1.New Jersey
2.Boston
3.Washington
4.Philadelphia
5.Montreal
6.Pittsburgh
7.Ottawa
8.New York Rangers

WEST:
1.Detroit
2.Anaheim
3.Calgary
4.San Jose
5.Dallas
6.Minny
7.Chicago
8.Edmonton

^ Not too shabby, huh?

8)

Damn...you're good :pirat:

We both missed the target with Dallas and the Ducks, eh...

davetherave wrote:Damn...you're good :pirat:

We both missed the target with Dallas and the Ducks, eh...

It was all luck - or mostly anyway.

OK, well it's just about two weeks to the end of the regular season...and the cards are being shuffled, with more shuffling perhaps yet to come.

The venerable and always entertaining ESPN and NHL Network columnist EJ Hradek has his views on view today:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4014558&name=hradek_ej

Hradek senses the playoff order in the East is pretty well set. He thinks the Habs may hang on as the Panthers seem to be running out of steam, but he doesn't count the Sens out--yet.

In the West, beyond the Detroit-San Jose horse race, he notes the Nucks and Flames will be in tussle of their own for top dog in the Northwest, with a decisive matchup coming April 7. He likes the Hawks and Jackets where they are, and figures the Oil and Ducks will round out the Stanley dance partners.

But EJ also reminds us that there may still be a few more kinks in this road to the post season...which means more excitement for hockey junkies.

Yeah, I think the East is set pretty much. I like Boston to crush the Habs in 4. Or maybe I just hope - no, I like it as well. :excite:

504Heater wrote:Yeah, I think the East is set pretty much. I like Boston to crush the Habs in 4. Or maybe I just hope - no, I like it as well. :excite:

Yeah, if the Habs do make it in, it would be nice to see them b1tch slapped out in 4 straight.

Ah, but Les Canadiens are not 'home free' yet...and does it get any more exciting that tonight's line up of frozen frolic?

The Amazin' Mets...oops, I mean The Amazin' Sens...chug into Raleigh and the eye of the Hurricane...stopping Staal and cooling off Cole will be Job One...and how about Ruutu versus Ruutu? No brotherly love lost there. Sens Fans Gotta Believe, and the Sens gotta achieve.

And how about the Panthers-Sabres death match in Buffalo? The Kitties will need every claw to be razor sharp as the Ruff Rabble play goalie Scrabble...and hope Patty Lalime doesn't play Patty Cake.

The Flames have Roast Penguin on their menu, but The Sid & Geno Show, co-starring Gonchar, Guerin, Kunitz and Marky Flower, may have their own plans to cook the Cowtowners.

Isles Gone Wild? 'Beam me up, Scotty' is the operative phrase as the Long Island Ice Teas served by SwissMeister Streit will be potent punches for the suddenly Mild Bunch from Minny...unless Marian the Gab picks up the tab.

The Avs will do their darndest to bury the Ducks, but the Anaheim Express is rolling with Rockin' Randy Carlyle at the controls, and new juice with kids like Wiz Wisniewski and Crafty Christensen backing up the buzzsaws of Getzlaf & Perry..not to mention Godzilla Pronger, the Niedermayer Boys, and the Teemunator.

And the Blackhawks are flyin' high again after konking the Kings...but can they submarine the Sharks once again? Will Khabby out-goalie Nabby? Will JR get a warm welcome but a cool reception? Will Sharp be sharp, and will Slammin' Sammy shut down Jumbo Joe? The roof will be coming off the UC.

Great hockey again on tap! :D

davetherave wrote:Ah, but Les Canadiens are not 'home free' yet...and does it get any more exciting that tonight's line up of frozen frolic?

The Amazin' Mets...oops, I mean The Amazin' Sens...chug into Raleigh and the eye of the Hurricane...stopping Staal and cooling off Cole will be Job One...and how about Ruutu versus Ruutu? No brotherly love lost there. Sens Fans Gotta Believe, and the Sens gotta achieve.

And how about the Panthers-Sabres death match in Buffalo? The Kitties will need every claw to be razor sharp as the Ruff Rabble play goalie Scrabble...and hope Patty Lalime doesn't play Patty Cake.

The Flames have Roast Penguin on their menu, but The Sid & Geno Show, co-starring Gonchar, Guerin, Kunitz and Marky Flower, may have their own plans to cook the Cowtowners.

Isles Gone Wild? 'Beam me up, Scotty' is the operative phrase as the Long Island Ice Teas served by SwissMeister Streit will be potent punches for the suddenly Mild Bunch from Minny...unless Marian the Gab picks up the tab.

The Avs will do their darndest to bury the Ducks, but the Anaheim Express is rolling with Rockin' Randy Carlyle at the controls, and new juice with kids like Wiz Wisniewski and Crafty Christensen backing up the buzzsaws of Getzlaf & Perry..not to mention Godzilla Pronger, the Niedermayer Boys, and the Teemunator.

And the Blackhawks are flyin' high again after konking the Kings...but can they submarine the Sharks once again? Will Khabby out-goalie Nabby? Will JR get a warm welcome but a cool reception? Will Sharp be sharp, and will Slammin' Sammy shut down Jumbo Joe? The roof will be coming off the UC.

Great hockey again on tap! :D

I swear I could hear the CBC's Hockey Night In Canada music playing in the background as I read that... awesome!