Which team would you like to see the Bruins meet in Round 1?

[Fenway]

As of Thursday morning there is roughly a 33% chance the Bruins can meet any of these 3 teams.

The sobering stat - as of Thursday morning the Bruins are a combined 0-9-0 against the 3 possible opponents.

Click to read more...

 

[finchster]

I would be fine with any team not named Washington. If you can get out of the first round healthy, anything can happen.

 

[Aeroforce]

I went with Toronto.

I think a series with Washington would be short, and a series with Boucher's Sens could be boring.

There's a recent playoff history with the Leafs (2013) and a nice rivalry with their fans on the main board.

 

[Mantis]

Anyone but Washington

 

[Fenway]

I would be fine with any team not named Washington. If you can get out of the first round healthy, anything can happen.

The crossover this year makes the playoffs a little more complicated.

The Rangers will be in the Atlantic Bracket and Wild Card 2 will be in the Metro.

If the Bruins draw Washington and somehow win they would then get the Pittsburgh/Columbus winner. The Rangers if they beat Montreal get the winner of A2/A3.

 

[talkinaway]

I don't care. As Fenway astutely noted, we've yet to win a game against either of the teams in the regular season, and a win Thursday won't really change my mind.

They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Toronto's young. It's often been said that the jump from playing 68 or so games in the minors to a full 82 game NHL schedule is a big leap. Add the fact that AHL series start at 5 games (I don't know about CHL games off the top of my head), and getting to the playoffs might cause a young Toronto team to collapse. Or they might surprise us....as Auston Matthews did by scoring a Joe Thornton Rooster Trick regular season premiere.

Ottawa looks banged up. On paper, I'd guess they're the weakest. But something makes me worry about them...probably the fact that every game this regular season, we've played them, and I've thought that we had a good chance to win. Every time I've been disappointed. It's a pattern, and patterns tend to continue.

Washington has been famous for choking in the playoffs...but dammit, we just can't figure out Holtby. Hell, it might be worth it to just face this particular demon 4 (or hopefully more) times in a row. Maybe the young Bruins learn something for 2017-8.

I feel like we just got nominated for an Oscar, and Meryl Streep is our competition. And, y'know, it IS an honor just to be nominated....

 

[finchster]

I don't care. As Fenway astutely noted, we've yet to win a game against either of the teams in the regular season, and a win Thursday won't really change my mind.

The fact we haven't won a game against these teams is irrelevant in the playoffs. Remember in 08 when we didn't win a game against Montreal and took them to 7 games? Or when Carolina beat us in 09 after losing all their games against us that year? Playoffs are a different animal altogether and the Bruins have the experience advantage over Toronto and Ottawa.

 

[Aeroforce]

The fact we haven't won a game against these teams is irrelevant in the playoffs. Remember in 08 when we didn't win a game against Montreal and took them to 7 games? Or when Carolina beat us in 09 after losing all their games against us that year? Playoffs are a different animal altogether and the Bruins have the experience advantage over Toronto and Ottawa.

All great examples.

I still view that last loss to Toronto with a bit of an asterisk, thanks to that questionable late penalty against Moore.

Rask is dialed in and the team has the monkey off their back from the last couple of years collapsing in the final week of the season.

 

[bobbyorr04]

I think the B's would have a better chance against the Sens than the Leafs, and I definitely don't think it's in the Bruins best interest to play the Caps in the first round.

 

[Fenway]

The fact we haven't won a game against these teams is irrelevant in the playoffs. Remember in 08 when we didn't win a game against Montreal and took them to 7 games? Or when Carolina beat us in 09 after losing all their games against us that year? Playoffs are a different animal altogether and the Bruins have the experience advantage over Toronto and Ottawa.

Which is why I prefer either Toronto or Ottawa.

Washington is another animal entirely and they have been a bad matchup now for several years. That said if the Bruins could win one of the first two games at Verizon Center the whispers would start up about the Caps yet again.

The Caps are now locked in and they know they are playing WC2 in the first round. How the Bruins fare against Ottawa will give us a clearer picture on how the Atlantic plays out. Washington has 2 games left but Barry Trotz has to decide if he wants the Caps to go all out Saturday to see if the Bruins wind up at WC2 or would the Caps prefer to meet Toronto or Ottawa.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

Toronto. I don't like our chances vs Washington and the Sens are so boring, at least vs the Leafs we have both a good chance to win and be entertained.

 

[BruinDust]

Common sense to me says the best opponent for Boston is Ottawa.

But there is a part of me that wants Washington and the Metro Division. Boston going into each series as a complete underdog I think fits the narrative of this team under Cassidy, and would bring out the best in them.

 

[Pia8988]

Give me Toronto. Would love for Boston to be the team to knock that smug ****ing fan base out.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

We go 0 for vs Ontario so far?

Anyway I went Ottawa for selfish reasons. But Toronto would be fun.

 

[TimThomas24]

Ottawa because it would produce the most line brawls

 

[ChaosLord]

Caps fan here. Here's how I see it playing out:

BOSTON: vs Ottawa. WIN (Boston impressed vs Tampa, have won their last 6,
Ottawa 3-4-3 in their last 10, playing Ottawa at home,
all signs point to Boston)

vs Washington. WIN (Caps nothing to play for, will likely be looking to
protect/rest players. This is Bostons for the taking)

Boston final points: 98

OTTAWA: @ Boston. LOSS
vs NYR. WIN (NYR nothing to play for, looking to rest/protect players)
@ NYI. WIN (NYI should be out of it at this point)

Ottawa final points: 98

TORONTO: vs Tampa. WIN (Both teams fighting for their playoff lives,
but Toronto 7-2-1 in their last 10, playing at home,
vs Tampa who are coming off of a confidence-crushing
4-0 loss to Boston. All signs point to Toronto)

vs Pittsburgh. LOSS (Penguins still fighting for seeding vs Columbus)
vs Columbus. WIN (Jackets with nothing to play for at this point)

Toronto finals points: 97

So Boston will face Ottawa, and the Leafs get the Caps. Looks like a pretty realistic scenario to me.

 

[Ivo]

Regular season record means little. Didn't we lose all regular season games with the Pens the year we swept them in the conference finals?

Anyway, I think playing Ottawa gives us the best chance. They haven't been very good lately.

 

[xgallantx]

Ass for the poll, it's going about as I figured. Practically nobody wants the Caps. More want Ottawa than Toronto, simply because Ottawa is facing some injuries. Both Toronto and Ottawa giving us fits this year anyway. No scenario looks great but the B's are playing well at the right time. Just fun to be back in, I voted Ottawa because of their injuries to the backend, but they won't be easy either.

 

[Kate08]

I've learned my lesson several times over and stopped desiring one opponent over another.

That said I'd like to avoid Washington mostly because they scare the **** out of me and I hate their goal horn.

 

[Gee Wally]

I've learned my lesson several times over and stopped desiring one opponent over another.

That said I'd like to avoid Washington mostly because they scare the **** out of me and I hate their goal horn.

same for me on all counts.

 

[Fenian24]

Anybody but Washington

 

[caz16]

I would prefer Ottawa because I don't think we have much of a chance against the Caps.

I don't want the Leafs because I live too close to Toronto and would rather not listen about how great they are 24/7. Not because I'm afraid of them, just don't want them if possible.

 

[bbfan1972]

A little off topic, but if Boston wins tonight in regulation, and the Leafs lose, does Boston get guaranteed home ice in the first round?

 

[ODAAT]

Voted Sens. Despite the B`s lack of success against all 3, the skill and speed of the Caps and Leafs have, so far, given the B`s far too many problems.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Toronto