Does Florida make it back to the Cup final for the 3rd time in 3 years?

[AvroArrow]

Isn’t Vegas in the Pacific?

I didn't have my morning coffee, excuse me for being a dumbass

 

[landy]

Highly likely. East is pretty weak.

 

[Stealth JD]

Probably. They get a second round bye before a matchup with the metro winner whom they’d be favored against.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Probably. They get a second round bye before a matchup with the metro winner whom they’d be favored against.

Some real c**ky fans in here. I wouldn’t count my chickens before they hatched.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

Panthers won’t play as hard and as physical as they did in 2023. They’ve learned a lot about energy management over the last few years.

IMO that was something the Caps struggled with in round 1. Will be one of Carbery’s biggest challenges going forward this playoffs.

 

[NVious]

I'm praying on their downfall, but I think they have good odds to do it.

 

[DFC]

If they stay healthy, they're the team to beat.

 

[IceManCat]

Whens the last team a team went to three straight cups? Anyone know?

 

[Video Nasty]

I'm extremely surprised at the disrespect to the Caps (this isn't directed at OP but just in general), Florida struggled against them all year, and yeah regular season record is meaningless but I don't see why they aren't the favorite tbh.

Most, including myself, are likely looking through the lens of the Capitals winning just a single second round series during the entire Ovechkin era. We’ve also seen them finish as the top seed in the Eastern Conference multiple times and flame out. While this is a different team, it’s hard to not let those odds creep in.

Florida has a lot of mileage building up from these deep runs, but as the defending champs with back to back Finals appearances, it’s easy to see why they are the popular pick.

Considering Washington had such a surprising season, they do have a slight Cinderella feel to them, with Ovechkin’s resurgence and breaking the record, but I trust Florida here and I think we’re on a crash course for a 2024 Finals rematch.

 

[Danarqhy]

They would have if they faced anyone but the Berube-coached Leafs. This is not the Leaves HFBoards knows and love for their endless ability to choke when the games matter the most... this team is just built different. The haters will see soon enough.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Yes

And they will also win the Cup

Bob is ridiculously good and is clutch in the playoffs and will steal games if the team is struggling the odd game

 

[Melkor]

I think they will lose in the ECF. Good team but far from perfect. One of those really good teams that if you place them against a stylistically tough matchup I fully expect them to fall apart.

 

[Sniper99]

They probably get past Toronto, after that not sure, tough to goto the finals 3 times in a row.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

They would have if they faced anyone but the Berube-coached Leafs. This is not the Leaves HFBoards knows and love for their endless ability to choke when the games matter the most... this team is just built different. The haters will see soon enough.

They’re gonna get smoked

 

[Fatass]

Some real c**ky fans in here. I wouldn’t count my chickens before they hatched.

Can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs.

 

[bobholly39]

I'm extremely surprised at the disrespect to the Caps (this isn't directed at OP but just in general), Florida struggled against them all year, and yeah regular season record is meaningless but I don't see why they aren't the favorite tbh.

Caps have been beyond round 2 once in about 20 years now.

They also weren't expected to be this good this season (ie, they over exceeded, and maybe aren't quite as good as their record).

Caps can obviously win, but it's not surprising why they're not favorites.

That being said - don't worry. The Leafs will eliminate both teams.

 

[Terry Yake]

Whens the last team a team went to three straight cups? Anyone know?

bolts?

 

[wickedwitch]

Whens the last team a team went to three straight cups? Anyone know?

From earlier in the thread:

No team has made the Cup final 3 years in a row since the 1980s (with the exception of Tampa who did it in 2 Covid shortened seasons). The extra games wears players down.

 

[Lainestache]

They would have if they faced anyone but the Berube-coached Leafs. This is not the Leaves HFBoards knows and love for their endless ability to choke when the games matter the most... this team is just built different. The haters will see soon enough.

I don't hate the Leafs. I actually wish that they would advance and go all the way to the finals but it just seems that every year the talk is always the same, that this time is different. I hope it is, but I don't still think it is. I understand the people counting the leafs out and they don't have to be "haters" for that opinion.

 

[pb1300]

I think they will lose in the ECF. Good team but far from perfect. One of those really good teams that if you place them against a stylistically tough matchup I fully expect them to fall apart.

When you say far from perfect, what are they missing? They have two #1 lines, a #2 line that happens to be a solid #3 (checking) line, and two 4th lines. They’re missing a #6 Dman. When healthy, they are the best 200 foot team in the league, the best overall team, and perfectly build for the playoffs.

 

[behemolari]

Their chance was if the Sens beat the Leafs. Leafs are a better team than the Panthers and will beat them.

Leafs are the best team every year but it doesn't seem to help much

 

[HockeyVirus]

Leafs are the best team every year but it doesn't seem to help much

No they certainly are not. Every year I think they have reasons why they can win and I like to believe in those.

This is the first year I see no flaws on the Leafs roster. But I get how this goes by now, in 2 weeks we are talking about how the Leafs have no shot against the Caps / Canes and on and on

 

[behemolari]

They would have if they faced anyone but the Berube-coached Leafs. This is not the Leaves HFBoards knows and love for their endless ability to choke when the games matter the most... this team is just built different. The haters will see soon enough.

What? Its literally same team filled with some leftovers from previous year Panthers

 

[behemolari]

No they certainly are not. Every year I think they have reasons why they can win and I like to believe in those.

This is the first year I see no flaws on the Leafs roster. But I get how this goes by now, in 2 weeks we are talking about how the Leafs have no shot against the Caps / Canes and on and on

like broken record, we have heard same bravado a full decade

 

[HockeyVirus]

What? Its literally same team filled with some leftovers from previous year Panthers

I mean, what do you want people to say to this when it is just blatantly wrong.

"What do you mean it's cloudy today just like it was yesterday". *Looks outside to a blue sky*