Is this the year that an Eastern team will be able to take Tampa out?

[SeanMoneyHands]

No team from the East has been able to take Tampa out in over 3 years now. With Boston, Toronto, NYR getting a lot stronger this year, does a team from the East finally beat Tampa this year or does Tampa make their 4th straight SCF appearance?

Click to read more...

 

[Siludin]

It's gonna be Toronto vs Tampa in round 1 again. Do you think they will beat Tampa? It's still a toss up imo

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Yes

 

[hurdemz]

My God, I hope so. Being a leaf fan is hard.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Yes. Last season Tampa was still trying to defend their championship and had the same core. They lost a big part of their defense in McD, and Vasi looks mortal more and more.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs win in 5.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Looks like they’ll be playing Toronto so I wouldn’t count on it

 

[DickSmehlik]

So it's the:

Bruins,
Hurricanes,
Devils,
Leafs,
Rangers,
a combination of 2 of the Pens/Islanders/Sabres/Red Wings

Vs. the Lightning?

I will take the field.

 

[sxvnert]

No matter what happens in round one, the Bruins will take the Lightning out.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I think the B's or Rags do it this year

 

[SympathyForTheDevils]

Probably. Not because of the way they're playing now (I remember them having bad stretches in their Cup years) but because the field is better than usual, and the team is worse. Especially on defense, with McDonagh gone and Hedman playing poorly.

That said that doesn't really spell doom for the Bolts. Everyone's acting like they're an "all-in" team, but pretty much all the moves they've made since last year were to acquire long-term (or medium-term I guess) assets. They're retooling; they should be back in the thick of it next year.

 

[PunchImlach is Alive]

Tampa pretty much has a bye in the first round this year so it's going to be an uphill battle to take them out already

 

[Kerberos]

It won't be Toronto so it'll have to be Boston or New York/Carolina.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Pretty obviously. Toronto will be a heavy favorite over then. Tampa really isn't a contender anymore if you've been following this season.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

As a Bruins fan I'm not scared of TB in round 1.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I think they lose in the first round to Toronto.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Probably. Not because of the way they're playing now (I remember them having bad stretches in their Cup years) but because the field is better than usual, and the team is worse. Especially on defense, with McDonagh gone and Hedman playing poorly.

That said that doesn't really spell doom for the Bolts. Everyone's acting like they're an "all-in" team, but pretty much all the moves they've made since last year were to acquire long-term (or medium-term I guess) assets. They're retooling; they should be back in the thick of it next year.

Losing McD hurt them for sure, I knew it would. McD was a beast for them on their second pairing logging big minutes. I think the Bolts biggest hurdle is whether they have the same motivation to get back to the cup finals again and how much do they have left in the tank? Last year Cooper even said, that the team was super motivated to make history by winning 3 cups in a row.

 

[therealkoho]

No team from the East has been able to take Tampa out in over 3 years now. With Boston, Toronto, NYR getting a lot stronger this year, does a team from the East finally beat Tampa this year or does Tampa make their 4th straight SCF appearance?

awwww this is nice a Leafs troll thread, so clever

 

[blankall]

Boston is clearly the favorite league wide. So yes, Boston could take out Tampa, in fact odds are in Boston's favor.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Tampa mark here - YES

With that being said, getting bounced early might not be the worst thing for them. It'll give the team an extra couple months of rest and they'll have basically their entire squad back next year. The only two players from the core in their 30s are Hedman and Stamkos. They might be the favorite next year if other teams in the East have attrition next year.

 

[WarriorofTime]

As a Bruins fan I'm not scared of TB in round 1.

because you won't be playing them? lol

 

[ViD]

I’m still not betting against Tampa. Since Columbus unleashed the dragon in them, they find the ways to win

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Take the field, easily.

 

[ViD]

Pretty obviously. Toronto will be a heavy favorite over then. Tampa really isn't a contender anymore if you've been following this season.

Toronto is not a favorite against anyone in play offs

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

because you won't be playing them? lol

 

[AfroThunder396]

This is the strongest the East has been in some time, and the weakest Tampa has been in some time. I'll take the field.