One reason why your team will go deep and one reason why they won't

[HockeyVirus]

Thought this could be a fun thread for fans of teams in playoff contention before things get too serious.

As we sit here with ~15 games left before the playoffs, what is the best reason you think your team can go deep and the biggest reason you think your season mind end.

For the Leafs

Win: They have had very strong goaltending this year, there is a possibility goaltending can steal them some games.
Lose: They are the Leafs who are losers when it counts. For an actual answer, the lack of scoring has been very concerning this season and I won't be shocked to see them struggle to score more than 1 goal again this playoff.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

For the devils:

Win: our opponents play with 6 skaters and no goalie

Lose: we play like we have been since Christmas

 

[Moose Head]

Habs

This is contingent on the habs criss crossing divisions. The Habs have a chance at a WC birth and I think the Caps are ripe for a first round upset. In the 2nd round, both the Canes and Devils look vulnerable.

On the other hand, they are a pretty mediocre team, lol.

 

[flyfysher]

Avs

Win - We have Makar
Lose-need another RHD to back up Manson as he’s often injured.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Jets
Best goalie, super hot.
Problem: jets haven’t shown they can make it past 1st rd.

 

[BHD]

For the devils:

Win: our opponents play with 6 skaters and no goalie

Lose: we play like we have been since Christmas

It's been a tale of two seasons for the Devils. Winning a round or two didn't sound unreasonable during November and December. Now, you have a tough time seeing them beat the Canes.

 

[Ararana]

Avs:

Nichushkin stays clean.

Nichushkin doesn't stay clean.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Sharks

n/a

Already clinched not making the playoffs

 

[Dr Pepper]

Jake Oettinger.

That is all.

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

Reason we will: Team looks much better since getting the Rantanen cancer out of the lockerroom and the East is pretty weak this year.

Reason we wont: Burns and Orlov are very bad at this point in their career, and a weak defense will be our undoing. We also are historically bad at the PP.

 

[robbieberns]

Canes

Win - Rod has a history of getting his Canes teams to over perform and he’s got his roster full of dig in and grind types

Lose - Terribly power play and rough defense, we’re in the year after Skjei and Pesce and also in the year before Nikishin and Morrow, plus Burns and Orlov suck now

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Avs:

Nichushkin stays clean.

Nichushkin doesn't stay clean.

This.

13-0-1 in Nichushkin's last 14 games and the overall record in his entire time with the Avs is insanely lopsided when he's in vs. when he's not.

With Nuke in, the Avs can beat anybody. With him out, we become a one line team and very easy to shutdown.

MacKinnon and Makar may be the drink, but Nichushkin is the straw that stirs(hopefully not snorts) everything.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Canes:

Will — they have reached that stage of maturity where they’re so focused on playoffs that the regular season feels like sleepwalking. They’re due for some luck, and the Eastern bracket is soft. These are the things you usually see coming together around a team that finally gets over the hump.

Won’t — They’ve got some glaring weaknesses, especially their lack of depth at center. To go deep they would really need Kotkaniemi and Staal to be net-positive players and most likely the offense would have to come from somewhere else in the lineup. It’s one thing to do that during the regular season, but playoffs are when depth down the middle really matters as the play shifts toward the dirty areas. Even if they make their usual 2-3 round run, it’s hard to visualize a scenario where they go all the way with their current roster.

 

[BonMorrison]

Leafs

Will - Have elite talent at forward, generally good defensive structure and depth, solid goaltending tandem

Won't - Are the Toronto Maple Leafs

 

[Section 104]

Rangers
Go far Shesterkin, Miller
Early exit. Fat cats Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider, Miller, Fox, Lafreniere

 

[miscs75]

Isles:
Go far (not a chance unless you mean actually making it): Sorokin
Won’t go far: the whole team being a mess

 

[NyQuil]

Sens:

Will: Deep team that will play a physical and forechecking style of hockey.

Won't: Virtually no playoff experience among the core of the team. Could be a big wake-up call when the game gets a lot faster and the intensity ramps up.

 

[tfwnogf]

Oilers:
Go deep - E. Kane returns
Go not deep - E. Kane is too beat up to play his game

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Penguins:
Will - Crosby continues willing this team to offensive success while every other metro team loses.

Won't - The normal timeline occurs.

 

[Tawnos]

Rangers

Will: Capitals lose their emotional momentum after Ovechkin breaks the record, plus the Canes are always beatable by Shesterkin.

Won't: The team isn't capable of playing good offense and good defense at the same time. It's only one or the other.

 

[Dynamite Time]

Dallas:

If Heiskanen can start the postseason fully recovered and balance out our defense we could go all the way, if not our defense is too weak.

 

[Sensatauro]

Sens

Will, because we're the f***ing best

Won't? That sounds like doubt. Only fools doubt. We're the f***ing Eastern Conference Champs this year

 

[Akrapovince]

Senators:

Ullmark is the best goalie in the series & we roll three lines of attack over and over again.

Sanderson does what he did against Matthews last game and shuts down opposition’s biggest threat.



Inexperience, I’m worried we will also get out coached. As tough as Stützle is, and he does play a mean game, I’m worried he’s either going to get shut down, get frustrated or get hurt.

Injuries are also a concern. If Ullmark goes down, Levi can come in and maybe do the job but we need our team healthy as we rely on depth.

 

[Caps8112]

Caps

Will: four lines of offense continues with steady D and elite goaltending. Leonard joins team and hits the ground running.

Wont: scoring always dries up in the playoffs. Will have to see how Protas, Mcmichael and others continue the breakout seasons.

 

[shortfuze]

Toronto

go deep - more depth

out early - core 4 disappearance (again)