Who are your Final Four?

I'm not betting but I obviously expect another Playoff flop from the Sharks.

504Heater wrote:

Tukker wrote:I'm betting Wash picks up a goalie at the deadline.

How much? I'll take this wager. 8)

I'll bet you Capn's soul.

Dont ask how I got it....

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I'm not betting but I obviously expect another Playoff flop from the Sharks.

I dunno...Boyle and Blake add a major infusion of Cup experience and skill.

504Heater wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I'm not betting but I obviously expect another Playoff flop from the Sharks.

I dunno...Boyle and Blake add a major infusion of Cup experience and skill.

Meh.

Boston Philly
Detroit Calgary

We should also relook this after the March 1 trade deadline IMHO :pirat:

The deadline changes nothing. When was the last time a deadline trade made any kind of difference? Butch Goring? I wasnt even born.

The best teams will still be the best teams after the deadline. It doesnt make a world of difference to any of the top 4 teams that are going to compete for the cup.

Neely4Life wrote:The deadline changes nothing. When was the last time a deadline trade made any kind of difference? Butch Goring? I wasnt even born.

The best teams will still be the best teams after the deadline. It doesnt make a world of difference to any of the top 4 teams that are going to compete for the cup.

No love for Hossa there?

They didnt win the cup and he didnt stay. Pitts was still leading their division last year at that time and prob would have made it the way things went down for them.

Sure Hossa helped, but he wasnt all the difference in the world. Rentals hardly ever win with the team they go to, if ever.

Neely4Life wrote:They didnt win the cup and he didnt stay. Pitts was still leading their division last year at that time and prob would have made it the way things went down for them.

Sure Hossa helped, but he wasnt all the difference in the world. Rentals hardly ever win with the team they go to, if ever.

Would they have rolled into the Finals without him? Remember how huge he loomed on Crosby's wing.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:They didnt win the cup and he didnt stay. Pitts was still leading their division last year at that time and prob would have made it the way things went down for them.

Sure Hossa helped, but he wasnt all the difference in the world. Rentals hardly ever win with the team they go to, if ever.

Would they have rolled into the Finals without him? Remember how huge he loomed on Crosby's wing.

They did, but he wasnt the difference between losing in the finals and winning the cup. He wasnt the difference between getting there and missing out. In the long run, that deal is going to hurt Pitts. They lost their 1st rounders from 07 and 08, plus additional draft picks for Gill.

Pitts is going to have real trouble the next few years and IMO will be forced to deal one of Malkin or Crosby eventually. They will be in the EXACT same position as Ottawa, just with more money tied up in a bad goaltender than we had.

I'm going to go with

Boston-Jersey
Chicago-SJ

Neely4Life wrote:
They did, but he wasnt the difference between losing in the finals and winning the cup. He wasnt the difference between getting there and missing out. In the long run, that deal is going to hurt Pitts. They lost their 1st rounders from 07 and 08, plus additional draft picks for Gill.

Pitts is going to have real trouble the next few years and IMO will be forced to deal one of Malkin or Crosby eventually. They will be in the EXACT same position as Ottawa, just with more money tied up in a bad goaltender than we had.

Oh man...they are so screwed it's not even funny. It's happening a lot quicker than I thought it would, but they just don't seem to have the stones to make the requisite moves.

Fleury is an average - to even below average - tender who is making way too much $$.

SensGirl11 wrote:I'm going to go with

Boston-Jersey
Chicago-SJ

That's what I was going to say too StarGate.

Final 8 are going to be

East:
Boston v Philly- which will be a hell of a series
New Jersey v Washington

West:
San Jose vs Calgary (CGY will fall in the standings)
Detroit vs. Chicago (HELL of a series)

Neely4Life wrote:The deadline changes nothing. When was the last time a deadline trade made any kind of difference? Butch Goring? I wasnt even born.

The best teams will still be the best teams after the deadline. It doesnt make a world of difference to any of the top 4 teams that are going to compete for the cup.

Gee, did you forget about Marian Hossa and the Pens already? 8)

How about Dwayne Roloson and the Oilers?

BTW I remember Butch Goring. And those great Islanders teams.

Jordo wrote:
That's what I was going to say too StarGate.

Final 8 are going to be

East:
Boston v Philly- which will be a hell of a series
New Jersey v Washington

West:
San Jose vs Calgary (CGY will fall in the standings)
Detroit vs. Chicago (HELL of a series)

Oh wow, the Final 4 in both Conferences are gonna be so much fun!

no one else has faith in Phoenix?

Tukker wrote:no one else has faith in Phoenix?

Not me personally, no. Bryz is pretty good, their D is...unremarkable. Their forwards are...young. We'll see.