Which Canadian Team Will Go the Farthest?

[Craig Button]

The Jets

 

[MrLunatik]

All of the Canadian teams have very favorable matchup/bracket scenarios, once again showing how broken this playoff format is. Toronto & Winnipeg get to avoid the two cup favorites playing each other in their respective divisions. Edmonton gets to play LA for the 17th time in a row. Ottawa gets perennial choker Toronto. And even Montreal as an 8 seed has a Washington team that we dont quite know if they're legit yet.

They have the favorable matchups because they were better in the regular season... there are arguably 5 contenders in each conference, regardless of format, 2 were getting eliminated in round 1 no matter what, this is a result or parity, not the playoff format. Using the current standings...

Current Format	Conference Format
Capitals/Canadiens	Capitals/Canadiens
Hurricanes vs Devils	Maple Leafs/Devils
Maple Leafs vs Senators	Lightning/Senators
Panthers vs Lightning	Hurricanes/Panthers
Jets/Blues	Jets/Blues
Stars/Avalanche	Golden Knights/Wild
Golden Knights/Wild	Stars/Oilers
Oilers/Kings	Avalanche/Kings

All you do really is swap Panthers/Lightning and Stars/Avs for Panthers/Hurricanes and Stars/Oilers. I would say it's no better.

 

[JKG33]

They have the favorable matchups because they were better in the regular season... there are arguably 5 contenders in each conference, regardless of format, 2 were getting eliminated in round 1 no matter what, this is a result or parity, not the playoff format. Using the current standings...

Current Format	Conference Format
Capitals/Canadiens	Capitals/Canadiens
Hurricanes vs Devils	Maple Leafs/Devils
Maple Leafs vs Senators	Lightning/Senators
Panthers vs Lightning	Hurricanes/Panthers
Jets/Blues	Jets/Blues
Stars/Avalanche	Golden Knights/Wild
Golden Knights/Wild	Stars/Oilers
Oilers/Kings	Avalanche/Kings

All you do really is swap Panthers/Lightning and Stars/Avs for Panthers/Hurricanes and Stars/Oilers. I would say it's no better.

Habs and Jets have it the same (Habs have an easier path under the current format if they win rd 1.)

Oilers have it way easier getting LA instead of Colorado/Dallas/Vegas.

Sens have it easier getting Toronto instead of Tampa.

The only one who has it maybe slightly harder is Toronto getting Ottawa instead of NJ.

Edmonton, Montreal, and Ottawa all do not have it easier because they were better in the regular season lmao. Its all format dependent

 

[MrLunatik]

Habs and Jets have it the same (Habs have an easier path under the current format if they win rd 1.)

Oilers have it way easier getting LA instead of Colorado/Dallas/Vegas.

Sens have it easier getting Toronto instead of Tampa.

The only one who has it maybe slightly harder is Toronto getting Ottawa instead of NJ.

Edmonton, Montreal, and Ottawa all do not have it easier because they were better in the regular season lmao. Its all format dependent

team is better for 82 games but is "easier"... I just can't

 

[JKG33]

team is better for 82 games but is "easier"... I just can't

Is this the first time youve watched the playoffs?

 

[MrLunatik]

Is this the first time youve watched the playoffs?

there is no format that will account for teams you think/assume are better... all we have is standings

 

[JKG33]

there is no format that will account for teams you think/assume are better... all we have is standings

No, but the other format at least kinda accounts for this by not locking teams into a weaker/stronger side of the bracket

 

[Snatcher Demko]

I think one of the Leafs or Jets will take it this year. What a Finals that would be too if both teams met.

 

[KCC]

The Jets

The Jets have proven nothing and Hellebuck especially has everything to prove. Great regular season goalie, terrible in the post season. Maybe it's their year but I still don't think they will. I know this is only Canadian teams but I would take a team with more experience honestly like Vegas or Colorado in the West to beat them. JMO.

 

[Coffee]

The Jets have proven nothing and Hellebuck especially has everything to prove. Great regular season goalie, terrible in the post season. Maybe it's their year but I still don't think they will. I know this is only Canadian teams but I would take a team with more experience honestly like Vegas or Colorado in the West to beat them. JMO.

Okay, Habs then

 

[The Eyeball Kid]

I'll say Ottawa. If he's on his game, Ullmark can steal a game or two.

 

[Daximus]

The Jets have proven nothing and Hellebuck especially has everything to prove. Great regular season goalie, terrible in the post season. Maybe it's their year but I still don't think they will. I know this is only Canadian teams but I would take a team with more experience honestly like Vegas or Colorado in the West to beat them. JMO.

Hellebuyck has at least seen the 3rd round. He had a bad go of it last year so he's got a lot to prove. Hoping he has the same chip on his shoulder he's had all year. Helle is fuelled up on Haterade.

 

[BonMorrison]

Both the Jets and Leafs go to their conference finals and TSN and CBC collectively jerk off at the thought of an all-Canadian final so they can run all their "da cup is coming back to canada!" propaganda and then both American teams advance to the SCF instead.

 

[McSomnii]

- Winnipeg will get a tough challenge in R1, but it's one that's winnable for them to be sure. Maybe they can piggyback off of that momentum and make their R2 series against one of the Stars or Avs a close one, but I personally favour either of the latter two teams over them.

- Edmonton remains my personal favourite of the Canadian teams, but I honestly can't say that I've been overly impressed with them this year, and they're going up against a Kings team that is better than they've been in their previous 3 matchups. Even if they do manage to survive LA, they're almost certainly going to go up against the Golden Knights in R2, and I don't like Edmonton's chances against that squad unless they can channel some of last year's magic.

- Toronto vs Ottawa should be a pretty close series tbh, though I do think that the Leafs match up well against that Sens team and should make it to R2. Speaking of, I also believe that the Leafs match up fairly well against the Lightning and would have a better chance at making R3 playing them than they would against the Panthers.

- Montreal is an intriguing team that I'll be keeping a closer eye on in future playoff appearances, but assuming that they clinch the final WC spot, they're in tough against that Capitals squad.


All in all, not really expecting anything more than R2 for any of the Canadian teams, but I could see the Leafs at least having a feasible chance of making R3 if they remember that they're allowed to win games in playoffs.

 

[Fatass]

Leafs will lose in the Cup Final to the Avs.

 

[banks]

Leafs will lose in the Cup Final to the Avs.

I think you're half right. Leafs will be in the final against the Avs, but win.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I think you're half right. Leafs will be in the final against the Avs, but win.

Sorry, you are still only half right. Leafs will win in the finals against the Avs, in a sweep

 

[Osakahaus]

Toronto. This literally has to be their chance at a stanley cup. East is wide open after the 2nd round. Prove every pundit and hater wrong.

Edmonton's getting knocked out round 1, Winnipeg is forever on fraud watch after what happened last season, I don't think that the Senators go far, and we have to wait and see with the Canadiens if they wanna clinch or not.

 

[Daximus]

Winnipeg and Toronto are primed to make deep runs this year. They both have their playoff demons but I think both team have never been better in the modern era.

Edmonton if healthy is right there with them but battling a tonne of injuries to key players, this might be the year the Kings break through.

Ottawa, like St. Louis, has that spoiler potential, they have that underdog mentality. I don't think they can make a deep run with the path that is laid out before them but crazier things have happened.

 

[authentic]

I’d say Toronto, I think they are going to be a problem this year.

As a Leafs fan I could see problems getting out of their own end or the first round!

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

For the east, I can see Ottawa going deep this year. They can beat anyone in the east. Good at all positions, they have nice mix of vets and youth, and they're hungry. Tkachuk wants it & will fire up rest of their team.

Can also see Toronto going deep. I like their build. Metro stinks so if they can get through the Atlantic, I think they go all the way to cup finals.

As a homer I think Habs can beat anyone when at their absolute best. Especially now with demidov......problem is they run out of gas playing that way and too inconsistent. Tough to always be perfect, their margin for error is so small

Is this the same Habs team that couldn't beat the hawks the other day to secure a playoff spot?

 

[HabzSauce]

Is this the same Habs team that couldn't beat the hawks the other day to secure a playoff spot?

Yea it's also the same team that went 4-0 against defending cup champs.

Habs have had some good stretches this year against very good teams. They've been a top 10 team since Christmas. What's your point exactly?

 

[Zerotonine]

Both the Jets and Leafs go to their conference finals and TSN and CBC collectively jerk off at the thought of an all-Canadian final so they can run all their "da cup is coming back to canada!" propaganda and then both American teams advance to the SCF instead.

Ideal final would easily be edmonton vs leafs for all candian media lol

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

Yea it's also the same team that went 4-0 against defending cup champs.

Habs have had some good stretches this year against very good teams. They've been a top 10 team since Christmas. What's your point exactly?

Top teams take nights off. When they see a bad team on the schedule they see a good opportunity to do that. Habs had a hot stretch where they goalie stood on his head but they get outshot and outchanced almlst every night. I just don't want you to be too shocked for what's about to happen when round one starts.

 

[HabzSauce]

Top teams take nights off. When they see a bad team on the schedule they see a good opportunity to do that. Habs had a hot stretch where they goalie stood on his head but they get outshot and outchanced almlst every night. I just don't want you to be too shocked for what's about to happen when round one starts.

Lol right, Florida decided to take off 4 games.....Tampa, Colorado, Vegas - same thing, they were just going easy on the Habs.

I'm not expecting anything this post season btw so your heartfelt concern is much appreciated but not needed at all. Like I said In my original post that you replied to - they CAN play good hockey but are far too inconsistent & get gassed easily.