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News Article: ESPN'S Panel picks their Div, Conf and Cup winners

deeshamrock

deeshamrock

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
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2,291
Philadelphia, PA
With the NHL season about to get underway, ESPN's panel of 'experts' picked their Division, Conference and Cup winners.
Of the 12 panelists, 7 have the Kings in the finals with 6 picking them to win, which is the most for any team.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2013/story/_/id/9719419/stanley-cup-awards-predictions


I like LeBrun and was disappointed that he has the Kings exiting by the 2nd round. The other 2 I follow Craig Custance and John Buccigross both picked the Kings and like Custance, I think the Kings will beat the Senators for the Cup. Although I can see Detroit getting there too.

Oddest choice was Scott Burnside picking the Yotes to win the Cup (which I heard him try to explain on the ESPN NHL radio podcast today and still don't see it.) But to each his own.

Looking forward to the season finally starting and the Leafs beating the Habs tomorrow night.
Click to read more...
 
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Burnside thinks the Coyotes are going to win the Stanley Cup? Haha.
 
So 2 of the 12 have LA taking the Pacific, but 9 of the 12 have us in the Western Finals, 7 of the 12 say we move on to the cup finals, 6 of whom pick us to win. I'm rather surprised that they've essentially called us the favorites.
 
Most surprising on that list is Melrose picking Kopitar for the Hart.
 
I have so enjoyed watching us go from a team that nobody in the media respected/acknowledged to where we are today. Amazing and about time!
 
Preseason favorites are always such ********. Pens won't win jack with their goaltending. I think the Blues could take a step back this year. And San Jose? Give me a ****ing break.

There's always this idea of these "powerhouse" teams with a great lineup. Give me the team that's hottest going in to the playoffs or after round 1.
 
Wasn't Burnside the one that picked against the Kings in 7 straight playoff series and was wrong until Chicago beat the Kings in WCF?
 
It could happen for Phoenix. Tippett has been doing very well considering what the team has gone through. But with the playoff change I would say it has gotten much harder for them. Since they almost can't avoid both us and San Jose.
 
Here in MontreAl, in today's edition of La Presse (major French newspaper) 2 of the 5 sports analysts giving their NHL 2013-2014 predictions give the Kings winner of the Stanley Cup!

One writes that the core of the team is at their pinacle.

Go Kings Go!
 
Axl Rhoadz said:
Are you implying SJ has no chance because of their past playoff failures?

That's kind of like saying the same thing about the Kings prior to June of 2012.
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Not really. San Jose has been in the playoffs 9 straight years, all of them with Marleau, all but one with jumbo Joe and 7 seasons with Pavelski.

Even now, the Kings have only been in the the playoffs the last 4 years.
 
Axl Rhoadz said:
Are you implying SJ has no chance because of their past playoff failures?

That's kind of like saying the same thing about the Kings prior to June of 2012.
Click to expand...

But the Kings were never a favorite year after year the way the Sharks were. They still, for some reason get picked by someone to win it all, including once again...this year.

Burnsides pick of PHX might have carried some weight had he backed up it up with something other than "why not?". It was a badly written article only to meet his work quota, and to get page hits.
 
Here is something from a writer named Ryan Dunn I agree with.

"They have the pieces to win the Stanley Cup again, provided that Robyn Regehr, Matt Greene, and Willie Mitchell are able to play shutdown defense once more (or in Regehr’s case, ever), and Daniel Carcillo never touches the ice."
 
tsanuri said:
It could happen for Phoenix. Tippett has been doing very well considering what the team has gone through. But with the playoff change I would say it has gotten much harder for them. Since they almost can't avoid both us and San Jose.
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Then, IF they manage to get by us and the Sharks , they still have to possibly face the Blues and the Hawks. PHX just isn't built to withstand that kind of pounding throughout a long playoff run.
 
Maynard said:
Suddenly ESPN isn't full of **** like everyone always says.
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They still are. Any prediction is crap. Injuries, or the lack thereof, play a bigger role than any team's potential at the start of a season.
 
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