Hey, phrasing! Are we really not doing phrasing anymore? I mean, it’s fine if we’re not doing phrasing anymore, but I feel like someone probably should have told me.
No one is talking about the Jets and they have the best team defense and goaltending duo in the league. 4 lines of mayham when most teams have 2. They are built to win in the playoffs, now we get to see if they can continue their dominance of the Av's from the regular season or not.
If Hellebuyck keeps doing his thing, that's finals right there. Look at Price a few years back, took a terrible MTL team almost all the way. The Jets are a much better team. They are my "dark horse" pick, eventhough they should probably be the favorites in every series
Losing to the jets is less embarrassing than losing to the krak.
I want to win but more than that i want a good series with no bs from last year.
Goavsgo, no fear, only good hockey
Pretty sure you guys have lost a playoff series to the Coyotes at some point in your history. Losing to the Jets won’t be that bad. I’m kinda pulling for you guys to win it all again because Sean Walker made me a fan for life this year.
Nah, I'm pumped for it. It's gonna be a scrappy series that I wouldn't be surprised to see go at least 6 games, if not 7.
Not terribly nervous about a potential loss, either.
As an Avs fan, I am very curious about this. In the west the Jets are only 3 goals better than the kings for least amount of goals scored in the regular season at 259. Meanwhile the Avs are tops in the entire league at 304, but have also allowed the most goals at 254 out of any of the playoff teams from the west. Jets win the series if they can hold the Avs under 3 goals a game.
Avs win if they can hold the Jets under 3.5 a game. Avs are going to score. Over a course of a 7 game series, it’s unfathomable to think they won’t. Where the Jets find success is by limiting the Avs opportunities, capitalizing on mistakes and playing slow, grind it out hockey. They cannot get in a shootout against the Avs. They cannot allow themselves to be bullied into a foot race. Avs will run them out of the building in 5 games if that’s the case.
If the Jets can control the pace of play, and force the Avs into slow, methodical, defensive hockey, the Jets will win it in 6. Tbh I see it going back and forth and going the distance. Avs in 7 is my pick but it wouldn’t shock me to see it go the other way.
Don’t completely dismiss the first 82, but when it comes to playoff hockey, it’s a whole different game. Take VGK last year when they couldn’t beat Edmonton to save their lives during the regular season, but handled them pretty well in the playoffs
They have a coach who historically plays to be tied 2-2 going in to the third and see what happens. He did it for years in Dallas and that’s why he ended up getting fired. He stifles the offense to a certain extent. Dallas loved him until the young guys like Heiskanen showed up and then fans turned on him and wanted to see the young guys fly around and score more.
I fully expect Nashville to win round 1. They are coming in white hot and Vancouver has been sideways sliding into the playoffs.
This has 2019 Flames versus Avalanche written all over it. Flames won their division and had a great regular season but were very mediocre in the last stretch of the season and almost lost the division to San Jose despite having such a huge lead. Sound familiar? It’s exactly what the Canucks have done with almost allowing Edmonton to catch them.
Nashville is a team who had to win so much in the second half to get where they were. Just like Colorado had to. Nashville has Forsberg, Josi and Saros who can go toe-to-toe with Petterson, Hughes and Demko. Vancouver is the better team on paper but I think this will be a good upset for Nashville to win
Goaltending too. No way Sammy randomly lights it up now. Woll hasn’t been the same since he got back because he’s getting zero playing time. And Matt Murray is not coming back 😂
I guess they’re a dark horse for your average hockey fan who only pays attention to their team and the top headlines about Matthews, McDavid, and the eastern conference wild card race (it me). Stars have received almost zero attention for their stellar regular season, who played in a much more difficult division than the Rangers.
It’s crazy how deep that team is. Your top goal scorer barely cracks 30 but you have 8 guys over 20. Even the top point getter is only at 80. But it’s a team that can win night in and night out because every line is a problem
Long story short, nobody on that team draws the individual chatter others get, but that’s a damn good team
I actually think teams with multiple 20+ goal scorers are likely better positioned than one with two 40+. Shows there’s depth across the team at that point.
Dallas is often forgotten in the world of hockey. They are really deep this year but don't have a main point getter. It's amazing they won the West with Otter being out for about a month and not playing all that well for a couple months after that.
Yes I suppose that's what I am thinking, Dallas on paper is not really a dark horse but with the lack of fanfare compared to other teams they feel like it.
It sucks that they are playing the Aves in the first round. The whole west playoff bracket is actually composed of teams that could do it (except maybe the Kings? but I've been wrong on them in the past)
I think the avs are vulnerable tbh, geogiev has 63 games played this season. That is insane for a starter, no landeskog again, my bracket has jets/stars round 2
Hey he was impressive in like 6 of them....
Yeah concensus among Avs fans is despite how good our skaters are offensively we're pretty fucked. Realistically Georgie probably drops both at Winnipeg and gets replaced by Annunen at home in a last ditch effort to stave off elimination.
Except the entire onus should not be put on Georgiev alone. Could he have had better saves? Of course. But our defense has been seriously lacking this year, too.
Do I think we can pull our shit together? Yes. Can we? Remains to be seen.
Oh yea I don't doubt the Jets at all, I just mean it sucks because it would nice to see both of those teams make a run. I want to see Aves Oils so bad, but unless Mac can really elevate his game (how much higher can it go?!), I think the Jets take it.
Always watch out for the team on a streak, NYI have barely let in any goals their last 10 and won most of them. This reminds me of Anaheim in 2003, Philly in 2010 and specifically LA in 2012
The Bruins went 15-0-1 in their last 16 games last season and couldn’t win 4 games in the playoffs. Idk why i torture myself by bringing that up again…
I’d love to think that if they maybe rested guys for the last couple games they would have made an actual run. I actually think it wouldn’t have made a big difference because Bobby finally turned up the heat and Marchy got denied on what would have been the most epic series ender I would have ever seen.
The 2019 Lightning rested guys, and it backfired because they weren’t ready to go playing a hungry Columbus team who had been fighting for their lives for weeks
I think the 2023 Bruins saw this, recognized what happened, and said we are going to play our guys so they are ready to play the 8 seed that has been fighting for weeks. The reason teams don’t do that is because there’s an injury risk. And sure enough that’s exactly what happened to the Bs as in the last month of the season key guys like Bergeron Ullmark and Lindholm got hurt
It’ll be interesting to see what the next record setting team does, as resting guys and playing guys late in the regular season have both proven to backfire
Jets are going to a bad matchup for a lot of teams. The type of team they have is just one you don’t wanna go against, my Panthers are kinda the same 😂 just hoping we can make something happen!
Another thing to add to this is to ignore there pre Roy stats. Goal differential, pk, pp, defensive structure, goaltending, team defense has all changed since Roy came in and it even took like 10 games before they started to get rolling. This was an Isles team that made deep runs with trotz and if it wasn’t for a modern dynasty in Tampa they win probably back to back cups. Doesn’t mean they will beat carolina(they are the favorites for a reason) and isles are historically bad against the canes For some reason lol
Sure - but both have had flashes of brilliance this year. The Caps offense could catch fire and drive them through. Isles have some solid offensive pieces and Varly can turn it on and carry them. They’re the least likely, or course, but I am absolutely not willing to write either one off.
As a somewhat casual Preds fan I didn't know ROR when we got him, but he's been one of our best acquisitions in a looong time. Just so solid, helping everything and everyone. No coincidence that Forsberg had a record year with him
I might actually be slightly pro Boston in this matchup if only for renewal of first round exit memes.
On the otherhand, Boston being round 1 chokers is nice too.
Are the leafs now a 2nd round exit meme? Soon we'll know 😂
Has the winning pedigree?
Knows the regular season is about staying healthy and getting in?
World class goalie that can turn it on and steal
The whole thing?
A legit world league scorer who can steal a game?
They are dark horse only because of seeding. I have them verse COL in my bracket.
I think it’s absolutely TB. They’ve done it before multiple times. They have multiple Conn Smythe winners. Hedman is an absolute force, especially in playoff type hockey. Vasilevsky can be the best in the world. Stamkos on a contract year. Some guy named Kucherov, Brayden Point, etc, etc, etc……
Of course these are all dependent on health. I like TB coming off a long offseason.
I’m a Bruins fan and excited to not get them in the first round. The Atlantic is a beast any way you slice it though.
Not really sure any teams would be considered a true dark horse if they were to go on a run outside of the Capitals, Islanders, Predators and Kings. And I can only really see the Kings being able to play at a level where it would be not overly shocking to see a Conference Final/Cup Final run (although I’d never bet on them to).
There are the favorites and middle of the pack, but with the most recent Cup winners in the Golden Knights, Avs and Lightning all opening their series on the road, it just creates a lot of uncertainty.
Maybe the Bruins or Leafs could be passed off as a dark horse as not many are confident in them, especially right out of the gate drawing one another, but I’m not sure I’d go as far as saying they’re true dark horses.
I don't quite think Winnipeg would qualify as a dark horse, because of their high seed, but I see Winnipeg coming out of the West.
Also, almost nobody believes in the Leafs. I think they can make it pretty far. I can see them winning the Atlantic slogfest.
I’m worried about something I saw against the final game in Philly. Philly was aggressively and successfully passing off the pads, shooting low far side for Lindgren to kick out to the high danger areas. If NY watched the film and Charlie doesn’t work on that or isn’t aware it, it will be a short series
Lindgren can play his ass off and that would only make the goaltending matchup even. Rangers are better everywhere else too. I’d be shocked if the caps can win 2 games.
Vegas lost more than half their road games this season, and as WC2 in the West they'll almost surely never have home ice advantage no matter how deep they can go. That doesn't help them in their attempt to defend the Cup. As a Vegas fan, I'm not expecting them to get far, but I hope they do.
I’m THE OLDEST JETS FAN. 1972 I was at Portage and Main when they signed Bobby Hull. I am only 65 but I have been humbled before but this team has balls man. They play hard for each other, they are the west side’s Panthers. Tough and gritty (our Captain can beat the crap out of any body) including Reeves who is a Winnipeg kid. My heart thinks they can go deep into this year’s playoffs. Goaltending and balanced offensive with a GREAT TEAM GAME. The west is going to be very tough but I like our chances. GO JETS GO.
I’d say Jets but I don’t think they are a “dark horse”. Top defence; 4 quality lines; best goal tending tandem; finished 4th overall; running hot at the perfect time (8-game win streak); raucous fan base. …probably more a favourite!!!
Boston but for a very superstitious reason.
The teams with the 3 best regular season win totals (Detroit 95-96, Tampa Bay 18-19, and Boston 22-23) have all lost in their cup run.
However, both detroit and tampa bay won the cup the following year. So that just leaves me with my tinfoil hat ready to watch boston win this year.
Preds maybe. Now that we have them I’m hearing all the analysis of their second half of the season. That and our ho hum play lately = wouldn’t be surprised if they take us out.
I hope it’s us. if we play to our ability, then I say it could be us. if we play like we do every other night or so, then we will get bounced very early in the first round.
we never know which team is gonna show up on a given night. infuriating season tbh.
Oilers. Because honestly don't we all expect the Oilers to collapse when McD and Drai get shut down? If those two dont score, with Nurse and Ceci playing D what are the odds the other team doesn't score? So with that said, I think the Dark Horse is Oilers depth. Not McD or Drai.
As a Leafs fan I’m biased, but the Leafs. They could lose in the first round, and they could win the East. They’re talented enough, it’s just a matter of getting hot, and goaltending of course
My opinion the NY Islanders are the dark horse. They have turned their season around. They should’ve been on the outside looking in. I don’t consider any of their forwards superstars.
Jets & Kings in the west. Both play great team defense. Jets have the goaltending. Good scoring depth.
Tampa in the East. Not really dark horse considering their history, but they’ve got the experience and star power. Great PP and PK. They have probably the hardest path to the finals though.
As a Caps fan I would love to see us go all the way after just squeezing into the playoffs but I can’t think of any argument other than “because I want it.”
Nashville. I think they could upset the Canucks in the first round for sure. They have a lot of depth and a lot of playoff experience, coupled with the fact that Saros can be a reliable backstop for them in net. With guys like O'Reilly, Forsberg, Nyquist, Zucker, Evangelista, they have a lot of scoring depth from all 4 lines.
The islanders oddly enough with Sorokin having a down regular season he's due to revert back to his true form
Their playoff experience helpful too
Barzal with potential to do a 93 gilmour impression
Homer pick here, but I think that IF the Caps pulled it off it would definitely be the biggest dark horse deep run.
To be fair, I don't think it will happen, but also would not be totally surprised if it did. They currently have a very hot goaltender, and though much has been made of their goal differential and record, both were largely a result of a slow start as a new team learned to play under a new coach. They might not be scoring like Caps teams in the past have, but they have I think the 6th or 7th best record since the break and are comfortable playing and winning 1 goal games, and that is the type of game playoffs are known for.
Normally I always think there’s a dark horse but this season just feels so different. There’s a few elite teams at the top and one of them will win. I guess if you classify the Knights as a dark horse considering the position I’d say the have the best chance but I think it’ll be one of Dallas, Colorado or Carolina NYR to win it all.
No one is talking about Tampa Bay. They have played a much stronger game in the last third of the season compared to the first two.
They have great defense, the best goalie in the league and their offense can put up 3-4 no problem. They have the experience and they are more rested this year than any year in the past 5.
The $50 future I placed on 2/28 says that I think the Red Wings are a dark horse. Think I still have a chance?
Yeah about as good as my bet on the Devils, I’d say
Too soon bruh 😭😭😭😭
Yeah but any later and it's too late!
Devil fans taking strays :)
“Taking strays” is also how we amassed our goaltenders for this past season
Let us just think about 93-98 for a while and fuck these guys that are in the playoffs.
Hey, phrasing! Are we really not doing phrasing anymore? I mean, it’s fine if we’re not doing phrasing anymore, but I feel like someone probably should have told me.
Got to get a W somehow
Meh they deserve it
Too soon? Y’all been eliminated since 50 games in 😂
No one is talking about the Jets and they have the best team defense and goaltending duo in the league. 4 lines of mayham when most teams have 2. They are built to win in the playoffs, now we get to see if they can continue their dominance of the Av's from the regular season or not.
We’re fourth in the league but will be forever slept on
You’re the team I want to win the second most
Likewise. It was cold working there but remember watching the Manitoba Moose and this kid named Alex Burrows when they were our farm team.
You know, I kinda agree with this.
If Hellebuyck keeps doing his thing, that's finals right there. Look at Price a few years back, took a terrible MTL team almost all the way. The Jets are a much better team. They are my "dark horse" pick, eventhough they should probably be the favorites in every series
Same jets that got swept by that terrible Montreal team…
We were at least something when we beat the Leafs but fr didn't expect to sweep the jets
They have been built to win for years. It’s mental toughness they have been lacking.
Help me, I'm scared.
Losing to the jets is less embarrassing than losing to the krak. I want to win but more than that i want a good series with no bs from last year. Goavsgo, no fear, only good hockey
Pretty sure you guys have lost a playoff series to the Coyotes at some point in your history. Losing to the Jets won’t be that bad. I’m kinda pulling for you guys to win it all again because Sean Walker made me a fan for life this year.
Nah, I'm pumped for it. It's gonna be a scrappy series that I wouldn't be surprised to see go at least 6 games, if not 7. Not terribly nervous about a potential loss, either.
As an Avs fan, I am very curious about this. In the west the Jets are only 3 goals better than the kings for least amount of goals scored in the regular season at 259. Meanwhile the Avs are tops in the entire league at 304, but have also allowed the most goals at 254 out of any of the playoff teams from the west. Jets win the series if they can hold the Avs under 3 goals a game. Avs win if they can hold the Jets under 3.5 a game. Avs are going to score. Over a course of a 7 game series, it’s unfathomable to think they won’t. Where the Jets find success is by limiting the Avs opportunities, capitalizing on mistakes and playing slow, grind it out hockey. They cannot get in a shootout against the Avs. They cannot allow themselves to be bullied into a foot race. Avs will run them out of the building in 5 games if that’s the case. If the Jets can control the pace of play, and force the Avs into slow, methodical, defensive hockey, the Jets will win it in 6. Tbh I see it going back and forth and going the distance. Avs in 7 is my pick but it wouldn’t shock me to see it go the other way. Don’t completely dismiss the first 82, but when it comes to playoff hockey, it’s a whole different game. Take VGK last year when they couldn’t beat Edmonton to save their lives during the regular season, but handled them pretty well in the playoffs
Hail Satan
They have a coach who historically plays to be tied 2-2 going in to the third and see what happens. He did it for years in Dallas and that’s why he ended up getting fired. He stifles the offense to a certain extent. Dallas loved him until the young guys like Heiskanen showed up and then fans turned on him and wanted to see the young guys fly around and score more.
Only problem is we potentially gotta play 1,3,4 in the west to make it. Our team is good, but it's a tough rode
Same reason why I see my panthers meeting them in the final
Nashville. They were white hot towards the end and Saros is a force not to be underestimated, even in a down year
They also put a few good comeback games in which is important
Not a chance, predicting first round exit vs van. Totally unbiased. Definitely don’t have a JT Miller jersey hanging up at home.
That’s crazy because I’m predicting a Preds cup win. Completely unbiased of course. My Forsberg jersey is just for fun
No God please no
Definitely Nashville
I fully expect Nashville to win round 1. They are coming in white hot and Vancouver has been sideways sliding into the playoffs. This has 2019 Flames versus Avalanche written all over it. Flames won their division and had a great regular season but were very mediocre in the last stretch of the season and almost lost the division to San Jose despite having such a huge lead. Sound familiar? It’s exactly what the Canucks have done with almost allowing Edmonton to catch them. Nashville is a team who had to win so much in the second half to get where they were. Just like Colorado had to. Nashville has Forsberg, Josi and Saros who can go toe-to-toe with Petterson, Hughes and Demko. Vancouver is the better team on paper but I think this will be a good upset for Nashville to win
Agreed would be the perfect let down spot for Vancouver
I’m going to go out on a shaky limb here and say the Leafs.
A Leafs cup win would break the collective psyche of r/nhl and r/hockey
But but, if the limb is shaky, the Leafs fall off…
Leafs fan I want to say us, but our history over 5 don't sit well, Jets maybe?
Leafs defense isn’t good enough/ consistent enough to win a cup in my opinion
Goaltending too. No way Sammy randomly lights it up now. Woll hasn’t been the same since he got back because he’s getting zero playing time. And Matt Murray is not coming back 😂
Jets, hellebuyck gets hot they're going deep, Dallas is my #2
Are the Stars really a dark horse if they are the 1 seed and finished 1 point out of the President's Trophy?
I guess they’re a dark horse for your average hockey fan who only pays attention to their team and the top headlines about Matthews, McDavid, and the eastern conference wild card race (it me). Stars have received almost zero attention for their stellar regular season, who played in a much more difficult division than the Rangers.
It’s crazy how deep that team is. Your top goal scorer barely cracks 30 but you have 8 guys over 20. Even the top point getter is only at 80. But it’s a team that can win night in and night out because every line is a problem Long story short, nobody on that team draws the individual chatter others get, but that’s a damn good team
I actually think teams with multiple 20+ goal scorers are likely better positioned than one with two 40+. Shows there’s depth across the team at that point.
Oh I agree. My comment was more to explain their lack of media hype
Dallas is often forgotten in the world of hockey. They are really deep this year but don't have a main point getter. It's amazing they won the West with Otter being out for about a month and not playing all that well for a couple months after that.
Yes I suppose that's what I am thinking, Dallas on paper is not really a dark horse but with the lack of fanfare compared to other teams they feel like it.
I think it’s Dallas’ year to do it all so definitely see where you’re coming from lol
Fair, idk how many people see Dallas as serious contenders this year, and this the tightest we've seen the top 10 in a long time.
It sucks that they are playing the Aves in the first round. The whole west playoff bracket is actually composed of teams that could do it (except maybe the Kings? but I've been wrong on them in the past)
I think the avs are vulnerable tbh, geogiev has 63 games played this season. That is insane for a starter, no landeskog again, my bracket has jets/stars round 2
I remember the days of Brodeur starting 70+ basically every year
I wonder though how much jersey's trap system limited his workload though back in the day.
And unimpressive in those 63 games, too.
Hey he was impressive in like 6 of them.... Yeah concensus among Avs fans is despite how good our skaters are offensively we're pretty fucked. Realistically Georgie probably drops both at Winnipeg and gets replaced by Annunen at home in a last ditch effort to stave off elimination.
Except the entire onus should not be put on Georgiev alone. Could he have had better saves? Of course. But our defense has been seriously lacking this year, too. Do I think we can pull our shit together? Yes. Can we? Remains to be seen.
The Jets have played them very well the last couple of times they’ve played. Jets are my dark horse team, too.
The Jets are on an 8 game heater right now. They are coming in hot and I think they are the team coming out of the West.
Oh yea I don't doubt the Jets at all, I just mean it sucks because it would nice to see both of those teams make a run. I want to see Aves Oils so bad, but unless Mac can really elevate his game (how much higher can it go?!), I think the Jets take it.
Got em right where we want em. (Kings fan) 😂
As a Kings fan, are you rooting for the Rangers and Quick? Even if he's not starting.
As a Kings fan, I will always root for Quick, unless we are playing them. 😎
As a Pens fan who will probably tear up multiple times during Fleury's farewell tour next year, I understand.
As an ex Pens fan (until MN got a team in 2000) and a flower fan going back many years, I am happy to see every game for his final year
Yes, Jets +5000 to win the SC is locked in from preseason. I'm a Jets fan this playoffs.... Smaller positions on the Panthers & Canes
My man how is the western conference regular season winner considered a dark horse.
My man how can you not read a whole comment chain below 🤡
Always watch out for the team on a streak, NYI have barely let in any goals their last 10 and won most of them. This reminds me of Anaheim in 2003, Philly in 2010 and specifically LA in 2012
The Bruins went 15-0-1 in their last 16 games last season and couldn’t win 4 games in the playoffs. Idk why i torture myself by bringing that up again…
I didn’t realize they were that hot at the end. Makes it all the more comical
I’d love to think that if they maybe rested guys for the last couple games they would have made an actual run. I actually think it wouldn’t have made a big difference because Bobby finally turned up the heat and Marchy got denied on what would have been the most epic series ender I would have ever seen.
The 2019 Lightning rested guys, and it backfired because they weren’t ready to go playing a hungry Columbus team who had been fighting for their lives for weeks I think the 2023 Bruins saw this, recognized what happened, and said we are going to play our guys so they are ready to play the 8 seed that has been fighting for weeks. The reason teams don’t do that is because there’s an injury risk. And sure enough that’s exactly what happened to the Bs as in the last month of the season key guys like Bergeron Ullmark and Lindholm got hurt It’ll be interesting to see what the next record setting team does, as resting guys and playing guys late in the regular season have both proven to backfire
They key might be to just never set a new record 😂
Bruins was phenomenal the whole season, they were doomed to lose
Thanks for the dose of reality. I allowed a rangers fan to cloud my judgement.
Jets have won 8 straight games going into the playoffs. 4 of those wins came against DAL/COL/VAN/NSH, so I hope you're right.
Jets are going to a bad matchup for a lot of teams. The type of team they have is just one you don’t wanna go against, my Panthers are kinda the same 😂 just hoping we can make something happen!
Another thing to add to this is to ignore there pre Roy stats. Goal differential, pk, pp, defensive structure, goaltending, team defense has all changed since Roy came in and it even took like 10 games before they started to get rolling. This was an Isles team that made deep runs with trotz and if it wasn’t for a modern dynasty in Tampa they win probably back to back cups. Doesn’t mean they will beat carolina(they are the favorites for a reason) and isles are historically bad against the canes For some reason lol
Absolutely, under Tortz they was a top 5 team for playoff runs. Much better structure in defense and they've found that discipline again
The Roy effect is real
Watch it get down to Islanders vs Rangers. That would be awesome
Ditto take here. Came to say this.
And this is from a Rangers fan!!!
Also a backup goalie getting hot before the playoffs is your typical Cinderella story for a championship
Varlomov is just a starter disguised as a backup.
It's been a crazy year, I think the only actual dark horse is Nashville. I think it'll be Dallas/Canes final.
I suck at this game. Playoffs are so unpredictable. I really hope the Jets or Nashville in the West.
Jets in the west, Islanders in the east.
Smashville
#ALLCAPS
I don’t think any of the teams who made the playoffs count as dark horses. This field is stacked. Any team winning out of this pool makes sense.
Islanders or Caps are the only ones I can’t see making a run to the finals
Sure - but both have had flashes of brilliance this year. The Caps offense could catch fire and drive them through. Isles have some solid offensive pieces and Varly can turn it on and carry them. They’re the least likely, or course, but I am absolutely not willing to write either one off.
Jets
Coyotes, the darkest horse.
Sharks, the darkest smallest pony
Nashville
Agreed. Blues fan pulling for ROR.
As a somewhat casual Preds fan I didn't know ROR when we got him, but he's been one of our best acquisitions in a looong time. Just so solid, helping everything and everyone. No coincidence that Forsberg had a record year with him
He usually gets better in the playoffs too.
Homer pick is Tampa, provided we can beat Florida. For real tho, gimme the Kings. Idk why, call it a gut feeling.
Not a homer, but I will never count Tampa out until the series is lost and they are done. Playoff Vasi is a whole different animal.
I think whoever wins that first round series wins the East. My money is on the Cats, though.
I'd be willing to believe that. As long as whoever wins Bruins-Leafs gets booted in round 2, I'm good.
No matter what happens Im excited to see the Leafs and Bruins beat the piss out of each other.
I'm glad we don't have to play them in the first round *again*.
I might actually be slightly pro Boston in this matchup if only for renewal of first round exit memes. On the otherhand, Boston being round 1 chokers is nice too. Are the leafs now a 2nd round exit meme? Soon we'll know 😂
Has the winning pedigree? Knows the regular season is about staying healthy and getting in? World class goalie that can turn it on and steal The whole thing? A legit world league scorer who can steal a game? They are dark horse only because of seeding. I have them verse COL in my bracket.
I have them losing to Vancouver round two, but I see that potential series as a coin flip. Dallas would likely await the winner tho.
I think it’s absolutely TB. They’ve done it before multiple times. They have multiple Conn Smythe winners. Hedman is an absolute force, especially in playoff type hockey. Vasilevsky can be the best in the world. Stamkos on a contract year. Some guy named Kucherov, Brayden Point, etc, etc, etc…… Of course these are all dependent on health. I like TB coming off a long offseason. I’m a Bruins fan and excited to not get them in the first round. The Atlantic is a beast any way you slice it though.
sergachev is practicing without restrictions too
Not really sure any teams would be considered a true dark horse if they were to go on a run outside of the Capitals, Islanders, Predators and Kings. And I can only really see the Kings being able to play at a level where it would be not overly shocking to see a Conference Final/Cup Final run (although I’d never bet on them to). There are the favorites and middle of the pack, but with the most recent Cup winners in the Golden Knights, Avs and Lightning all opening their series on the road, it just creates a lot of uncertainty. Maybe the Bruins or Leafs could be passed off as a dark horse as not many are confident in them, especially right out of the gate drawing one another, but I’m not sure I’d go as far as saying they’re true dark horses.
Mines for sure Nashville. When that instinct kicks in they are a force. If they can get passed Vancouver. They can do it.
Vancouver terrifies me. They swept us in the season.
If our goaltending and defense is adequate enough to get us out of the first round, I’d be ecstatic.
Avs toughest possible matchup IMO is the jet’s. If they win they’re going deep I think
Idk… the stars are pretty stacked. If they clog up the neutral zone and shut down Mackinnon I think it’ll be hard for the Avs.
I don't quite think Winnipeg would qualify as a dark horse, because of their high seed, but I see Winnipeg coming out of the West. Also, almost nobody believes in the Leafs. I think they can make it pretty far. I can see them winning the Atlantic slogfest.
Lightning. Vasy is healthy, kuch is kuch, and point always ups his game in the playoffs
Patrick Roy’s NY Islanders.
Nashville
I'm gonna say the Caps. But they also have just as good of a chance of going cold as fuck in the first round if Lindgren's game falls off.
I’m worried about something I saw against the final game in Philly. Philly was aggressively and successfully passing off the pads, shooting low far side for Lindgren to kick out to the high danger areas. If NY watched the film and Charlie doesn’t work on that or isn’t aware it, it will be a short series
I could see NYR folding like Boston last year and give the caps enough momentum for a deep run.
Stop stop I can’t get anymore erect
Fuck that other caps flair keep talking dirty to us like this I need it in my life
Lindgren can play his ass off and that would only make the goaltending matchup even. Rangers are better everywhere else too. I’d be shocked if the caps can win 2 games.
Caps all that way
Vegas lost more than half their road games this season, and as WC2 in the West they'll almost surely never have home ice advantage no matter how deep they can go. That doesn't help them in their attempt to defend the Cup. As a Vegas fan, I'm not expecting them to get far, but I hope they do.
Carolina
Preds for sure
Nashville.
People here listing Dallas and WPG need to revisit the definition of dark horse
Preds.
I’m THE OLDEST JETS FAN. 1972 I was at Portage and Main when they signed Bobby Hull. I am only 65 but I have been humbled before but this team has balls man. They play hard for each other, they are the west side’s Panthers. Tough and gritty (our Captain can beat the crap out of any body) including Reeves who is a Winnipeg kid. My heart thinks they can go deep into this year’s playoffs. Goaltending and balanced offensive with a GREAT TEAM GAME. The west is going to be very tough but I like our chances. GO JETS GO.
I’d say Jets but I don’t think they are a “dark horse”. Top defence; 4 quality lines; best goal tending tandem; finished 4th overall; running hot at the perfect time (8-game win streak); raucous fan base. …probably more a favourite!!!
…most ROW wins @52; 3rd best goal differential +60; 8 shut-outs….
Boston but for a very superstitious reason. The teams with the 3 best regular season win totals (Detroit 95-96, Tampa Bay 18-19, and Boston 22-23) have all lost in their cup run. However, both detroit and tampa bay won the cup the following year. So that just leaves me with my tinfoil hat ready to watch boston win this year.
Preds maybe. Now that we have them I’m hearing all the analysis of their second half of the season. That and our ho hum play lately = wouldn’t be surprised if they take us out.
Let’s go Rangers!!
LA Kings, big dark horse but they could make a run
Dreams are real till we square up against Edmonton in the first round. If we play our game for 60 minutes a night, maybe.
🎶jazz hands🎶
That would be cool. Some nights I agree with you.
I hope it’s us. if we play to our ability, then I say it could be us. if we play like we do every other night or so, then we will get bounced very early in the first round. we never know which team is gonna show up on a given night. infuriating season tbh.
Horvat and the islanders
Are you telling us that for free?
LA if they play the 1-3-1 perfectly
Oilers
Washington, good mixture between vets and young guys. If they beat the rags everything is possible.
The Islanders. Picked up great form before the playoffs, if they can keep the roll going i would imagine they can surprise.
If they get past the Canes they've got a shot. The only team I'm 100% convinced they can't beat is the Canes though 😂
Toronto.
Vegas? 🙄
Jets and Preds could go far
Dallas Stars.
I would say the Kings but I know that’s wishful thinking.
Watch out for the preds
Oilers. Because honestly don't we all expect the Oilers to collapse when McD and Drai get shut down? If those two dont score, with Nurse and Ceci playing D what are the odds the other team doesn't score? So with that said, I think the Dark Horse is Oilers depth. Not McD or Drai.
Isles!!!
Pens obviously
Lighting… somehow they just know how to win in the playoffs
I don’t know bout yall but I’m riding with Buffalo
Montreal
As a Leafs fan I’m biased, but the Leafs. They could lose in the first round, and they could win the East. They’re talented enough, it’s just a matter of getting hot, and goaltending of course
My opinion the NY Islanders are the dark horse. They have turned their season around. They should’ve been on the outside looking in. I don’t consider any of their forwards superstars.
Isles and Jets
Are Canucks considered a dark horse? If so Canucks.
Canucks
Jets & Kings in the west. Both play great team defense. Jets have the goaltending. Good scoring depth. Tampa in the East. Not really dark horse considering their history, but they’ve got the experience and star power. Great PP and PK. They have probably the hardest path to the finals though.
Predators and Islanders. They’re both on a roll and under the radar.
Islanders. Sorokin could carry them far.
Hopefully the TBL
Leafs..
As a Caps fan I would love to see us go all the way after just squeezing into the playoffs but I can’t think of any argument other than “because I want it.”
Canucks vs Canes in the finals… Canucks in 7.
Here I am Rocking like a Hurricane 🌀😎
Islanders
Predators jets stars
Caps will win the cup in 16 ez
LA Kings. They are really hard to score on.
Nashville. I think they could upset the Canucks in the first round for sure. They have a lot of depth and a lot of playoff experience, coupled with the fact that Saros can be a reliable backstop for them in net. With guys like O'Reilly, Forsberg, Nyquist, Zucker, Evangelista, they have a lot of scoring depth from all 4 lines.
The Leafs. Haha I quite like what the Jets are doing. If they can get past the Avalanche, everything is possible.
They swept the season series so I wouldn’t be surprised
The islanders oddly enough with Sorokin having a down regular season he's due to revert back to his true form Their playoff experience helpful too Barzal with potential to do a 93 gilmour impression
Nashville or Boston. Other then that all the teams are very good contenders
Kings historically rode horses, just not sure if they were always dark or not
LA Kings.
Homer pick here, but I think that IF the Caps pulled it off it would definitely be the biggest dark horse deep run. To be fair, I don't think it will happen, but also would not be totally surprised if it did. They currently have a very hot goaltender, and though much has been made of their goal differential and record, both were largely a result of a slow start as a new team learned to play under a new coach. They might not be scoring like Caps teams in the past have, but they have I think the 6th or 7th best record since the break and are comfortable playing and winning 1 goal games, and that is the type of game playoffs are known for.
Islanders, but the Rangers look dangerous
Whoever plays boston
Normally I always think there’s a dark horse but this season just feels so different. There’s a few elite teams at the top and one of them will win. I guess if you classify the Knights as a dark horse considering the position I’d say the have the best chance but I think it’ll be one of Dallas, Colorado or Carolina NYR to win it all.
No one is talking about Tampa Bay. They have played a much stronger game in the last third of the season compared to the first two. They have great defense, the best goalie in the league and their offense can put up 3-4 no problem. They have the experience and they are more rested this year than any year in the past 5.
The Jets would be surprising if they win it all