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Post Info TOPIC: Handicapping the Divisional/Conference Races
GossipMan


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Handicapping the Divisional/Conference Races
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As the season winds down, we are being treated to some very exciting playoff races. Can the Northwest have 4 teams make the playoffs? Does the Atlantic deserve to have anyone in the playoffs? Which of the 3 Northeast teams slugging it out will wind up on top? Will the Central have more than 1 combatant? Which Florida team will win the division?

 

We start off in the western conference. The Northwest division, is jammed tight as right now everyone but Vancouver is in  playoff spot. The Wild have been struggling horribly at 1-6-3 in their last 10, and one time dreams of the #1 seed seem to have disappeared, and they now trail the Avalanche by 4 points for first in the division. Speaking of the Aves, they’ve overachieved as much as anyone, but not appear built for a great run at the cup. The Flames have been consistenly decent all season and behind a rock solid goalie combo of Lethonen and Mason, should get in the dance. Riding a 4 game winning streak, the Oilers have vaulted into the playoff picture, but unless they keep their hot play up, it will be tough for them to make the playoffs with so many games left against the top teams in the division. I don’t think they make it.

 

The central division is much like the NHL, quite weak. The Jackets have a very good team and are running away with the division. Although they could be derailed quickly with a few injuries, the Jackets should coast to the division title. The Red Wings have overachieved all season, and really didn’t make a push at the end of the season to load up. Eventually that is going to cost them and the Wings won’t make the playoffs. The team I think that’ll sneak in in 8th spot is the Chicago Blackhawks, with an easy schedule down the stretch, and solid scoring depth throughout, the Blackhawks are primed for a mini-run to get in and get smoked in the playoffs.

 

In the Pacific Division the Stars and Coyotes appear poised to battle it out until the end as they fight for the division crown. Dallas has been near the top all season, while the Coyotes have come on strong in the last 30 games or so. Both teams are legit threats to go all the way in the playoffs. The Ducks have played well of late, and are comfortably in a playoff spot right now, down the stretch they will need to improve on their sub .500 conference record to ensure a playoff birth, but the Ducks should get in. With multiple games against the morbid Sharks and Kings, all teams in this division should see a boost to their playoff seedings.

 

Out east, in the Southeast conference, the Lightning and Panthers have been battling it out for the division all season long. As we go down to the wire, tha does not look to change. Although the Hurricanes have closed the gap, and have made an unexpected playoff push, they could still easily be knocked down from the playoff picture. Both Washington and Atlanta have underperformed this season, and as we head down the stretch, will likely take pleasure in the spoiler role, and could eventually cost the Hurricanes a playoff birth. The Lightning will win the division because of the Panthers inability to get it done on home ice.

 

In the Northeast, there is a 3 team battle royal for top spot in the division and the #4 seed in the conference. At one point the Bruins would have never expected to be in the position they are in, but having owned the Senators, they’ve climbed up quickly and the Habs have passed the struggling Sens for now. Curiously, only the Senators were buyers at the deadline, and are still our favourite to win the division, but the Habs have been surprising all year long, and there is no reason to believe they’ll stop now. The Leafs have sold off and the Sabres suck, so each of the top 3  in the division can get fat off the bottom 2 down the stretch. The key to this race is the Senators improving their .500 home record.

 

Finally, the worst division in the league, the Atlantic division. Both New York teams are a joke. The Pens have probably outperformed their roster but realistically, scare no one, and the Flyers and Devils are probably the 2 best in the division, but both have under whelmed thus far. They did stock up at the deadline and whoever wins this division will have the 3 seed. That being said, the Flyers have a cakewalk schedule down the stretch, and ultimately win the division because of the surplus of games against New York teams.

 

Here’s my top 8 projections for each conference.

 

West

  • Dallas
  • Columbus
  • Minnesota
  • Phoenix
  • Colorado
  • Anaheim
  • Calgary
  • Chicago
    •  

    Eastern

  • Ottawa
  • Tampa
  • Philly
  • Montreal
  • Florida
  • Boston
  • New Jersey
  • Carolina


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    BryceBruins


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    Ya thats right Rob, my Bruins have OWNED your Senators

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    Philippe27


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    That's right Tampa #2
    yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

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    Predsgm


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    That's right ..... Nashville not in the top 8 YAAAAAAAP. lol


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    Sabres


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    That's right...Buffalo's lost 10 straight...YAAAAAAAP

    I honestly dont think i've ever heard of a team losing close to that many games in a sim league.

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    OilersBrent


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    Chicago making it over my Oilers? NO CHANCEEEE

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    Philippe27


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    I think Oilers should make it actually.

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    Florida Panthers


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    Philippe27 wrote:

    That's right Tampa #2
    yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

    #2 in the division?  Yeah that sounds about right.  BBBBBLLLLLLLLOOOOOORRRRRRPPPPPPPP.

    Of course at the end of the day, the Panthers really care about 1 prize and 1 prize only, that being the cup.  Sure taking the division would be nice and all, but if the Lightning take it, hey, no biggie. 



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    Philippe27


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    Florida Panthers wrote:

    Philippe27 wrote:

    That's right Tampa #2
    yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

    #2 in the division? Yeah that sounds about right. BBBBBLLLLLLLLOOOOOORRRRRRPPPPPPPP.

    Of course at the end of the day, the Panthers really care about 1 prize and 1 prize only, that being the cup. Sure taking the division would be nice and all, but if the Lightning take it, hey, no biggie.


    lame lame lame
    preparing the defeat and expecting that he'll finish behind me.
    shame shame

     



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    Sens


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    BryceBruins wrote:

    Ya thats right Rob, my Bruins have OWNED your Senators
    Maybe if the goalie I wanted (Miller) started the game the result would of been a bit different and the season series would of been even, but either my lines got missed when I sent them in on Monday or I made a mistake doing my lines.

    -- Edited by Sens at 15:15, 2007-02-21

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    VanIslander


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    GossipMan wrote:

     Dallas has been near the top all season, while the Coyotes have come on strong in the last 30 games or so.


    Coyotes has been consistently top-10 in the league all season long. I Vanny wrote stories about them earlier in the season, the team that doesn't go on extended losing streaks (except when Brodeur was injured), marches along, but not until recently did they become Top-2, now tops in the conference. They were picked as the scarily consistent contender at the first quarter mark of the season, and they indeed have continued. They are the real deal. Others have fallen by the wayside.




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    VanIslander


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    GossipMan wrote:
    Speaking of the Aves, they’ve overachieved as much as anyone, but not appear built for a great run at the cup.

    Colorado and Montreal look to be the great pretenders this postseason, as neither made the trades needed - on paper - to compete against opposition that has become stronger and stronger. And in the playoffs there's no Buffalo and Toronto to play 16 times a season!! The upside is that without having to make sacrifices of their future in trades, both the Avs and Habs can consider their season a big success if they merely win the one playoff round they appear geared toward winning. But perhaps they'll defy all odds and play their best against the best, but that would require them to take their game to a higher level, and with the Canadiens lacking passing up and down the line-up and needing Halpern and Hunter to continue to outperform themselves, coach Jacques Lemaire has to keep weaving his defensive magic and shut down the opposition consistently when the opposition is consistently top teams! Montreal has the least amount of scoring by all playoffbound teams and a below average powerplay. The have an 0-3 record against the Senators and 3-4 losing record against the Bruins but have lost only 2 of 11 games against bottom-dwelling Buffalo and Toronto, have won none of the three games against the top teams in the other conference, Phoenix and Dallas, though they have had success against the two teams in Florida. Put statistically, 22 of Montreal's 39 wins have been against nonplayoff bound teams!!! As for the Avs, they have Rivet now, who looks like an all-star next to his blueline mates, and Patrick Sharp is not a second line right winger except for - again - no knocking chemistry. Perhaps the playoffs will show that one shouldn't mess with chemistry and these teams might go farther than they seem set to go, which is win one round and out. We'll see.



    -- Edited by VanIslander at 17:14, 2007-02-21

    -- Edited by VanIslander at 17:54, 2007-02-21

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    Pittsburgh GM


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    Just like to add that the Pittsburgh organization does not read such tabloid fodder.

    Besides we will rock when it counts ! Atlantic is not a bad division, just we all beat the snot out of each other over here.

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    VanIslander


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    Pittsburgh GM wrote:

    Pittsburgh... will rock when it counts ! Atlantic is not a bad division, just we all beat the snot out of each other over here.

    The Pens are lucky because after recently beating the Rangers twice, they get to meet them six (6) more times down the stretch! And the Islanders - whom they've never lost against in six games - they meet two more times. But the deciding factor as to whether 8th place pens or Flyers will get the final playoff spot may rest on the four (4) clashes yet to come between the two Pennsylvania state rivals!! That's 12 of the Pens remaining 16 games against fellow Atlantic division opponents. Their odds are good.




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    Philippe27


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    Pittsburgh GM wrote:

    Atlantic is not a bad division, just we all beat the snot out of each other over here.
    Is that why you guys are a combined 25 games below .500
    You can beat eachother as much as you want, it keeps you at .500, not 25 games below lol

     



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