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Awesome One
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
505 Posts |
 Posted - 11/02/2010 : 18:14:17
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Poll Question:
My vote goes to the central, two stanley cup contenders (Chicago and Detroit), perhaps the ultimate sleeper (Nashville), ateam that is always in the hunt (St. Louis), and a good team that is building for the future (Colombus).
What do you think?
There was once a license plate in Toronto that abbreviated "Go Leafs" it read "Golfs".
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HawkinOilCountry
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
318 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2010 : 20:25:14
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My vote goes to the pacific for the 2010/11 season. Two powerhouse teams (Sharks and Kings), one upstart team performing way above expectations (Stars), one coming off a fantastic season with a record number of wins and a really hot goalie (Coyotes), and one that boasts one of the best Top lines in the entire league (Ducks)
Central would be my second choice out west.
Out of the east, and I never thought I'd say this, but the Southeast looks like the strongest division in that conference.
-Washington. Best Offense in the league
-Tampa. 2nd best? Offense in the league. Open to arguments on that one
-Carolina. Strong team that many people under estimate thanks to a slew of injuries.
-Florida. On the rebuild for sure, but still a bubble team that can surprise a lot of people.
-Atlanta. Another bubble team that is taking advantage of the leavings of the Stanley cup Hawks. Definitely not playing like I thought they would.
When I look at the entire eastern conference I don't see another division that is quite as stacked. Atlantic and Northeast do not seem strong beyond 3 teams in each.
The arena wall in chicago should be credited with a goal. |
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
3670 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2010 : 21:51:17
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I also vote the Pacific, for pretty much the same reason as HawkInOilCountry - there are 4 teams that have a legitimate shot at making the post season (LA, SJ, ANA, PHX), and DAL is actually doing quite well so far.
In the East, the Atlantic division *would* have been my guess in September - PHI, PIT, NJ should have been competing for 3 of the top 5 spots in the division. We'll see how things pan out. |
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
3670 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2010 : 21:52:21
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| who on earth voted NE? After BOS, what potential top-4 conference team is there? |
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Pasty7
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2312 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2010 : 22:46:49
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quote:
Originally posted by nuxfan
who on earth voted NE? After BOS, what potential top-4 conference team is there?
The North east sent 4 of 5 teams to the playoffs last year... one to the conference finals. The habs Bruins and Sabres are all very good bets to make the post season again this year and honestly either the leafs or sens could surprise and step into the post season aswell... thats is again 4 of 5 teams... hence strong division
Pasty |
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
3670 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2010 : 23:52:49
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| Patsy, true enough - but that was last year. Do you think that the NE will send 4 teams to the postseason this year? I think only 2 - BOS plus one of BUF or MTL. |
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Pasty7
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2312 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2010 : 00:02:49
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quote:
Originally posted by nuxfan
Patsy, true enough - but that was last year. Do you think that the NE will send 4 teams to the postseason this year? I think only 2 - BOS plus one of BUF or MTL.
i think barring extrem injury Boston Montreal and Buf should all be there, Miller will put Buf on his back and walk into the post season, and I think the habs are one of the better teams in the east
Pasty |
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Awesome One
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
505 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2010 : 06:25:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Pasty7
quote:
Originally posted by nuxfan
Patsy, true enough - but that was last year. Do you think that the NE will send 4 teams to the postseason this year? I think only 2 - BOS plus one of BUF or MTL.
i think barring extrem injury Boston Montreal and Buf should all be there, Miller will put Buf on his back and walk into the post season, and I think the habs are one of the better teams in the east
Pasty
I just don't see either the Sabres or the Habs making it.
I assume there will be an off chance that Boston will be the only Northeast team in the playoffs.
There was once a license plate in Toronto that abbreviated "Go Leafs" it read "Golfs". |
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HawkinOilCountry
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
318 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2010 : 15:39:18
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With the pacific division, there are 3 teams that I will be surprised to NOT see in the playoffs this year (San Jose, LA, Phoenix) and 2 teams that could fight for 7th-8th seed right to the end.
Central has the former champ Hawks, the perennial contender in Detroit, and Nashville and St Louis are strong bubble teams. Columbus is the odd man out in this division.
Northeast is see a major contender in Boston, a bubble team in Montreal and Buffalo, and two long odds to even qualify in Ottawa and Toronto.
I'm not optimistic enough to beleive Toronto will go from 15th to 7th or 8th in the east. But prove me wrong Leafs, prove me wrong.
The arena wall in chicago should be credited with a goal. |
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Pasty7
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2312 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2010 : 21:54:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Awesome One
quote:
Originally posted by Pasty7
quote:
Originally posted by nuxfan
Patsy, true enough - but that was last year. Do you think that the NE will send 4 teams to the postseason this year? I think only 2 - BOS plus one of BUF or MTL.
i think barring extrem injury Boston Montreal and Buf should all be there, Miller will put Buf on his back and walk into the post season, and I think the habs are one of the better teams in the east
Pasty
I just don't see either the Sabres or the Habs making it.
I assume there will be an off chance that Boston will be the only Northeast team in the playoffs.
There was once a license plate in Toronto that abbreviated "Go Leafs" it read "Golfs".
Miller is a safe bet to win 35 games , that means his back up Lalime (who is a pretty decent backup) only has to win 5 and that should put the Sabres in the playoffs,,, and as for my habs , i agree they are a bubble team one of 5 or 6 that will be competeing for the final 3 spots but i think on paper right through the lineup they are a better team than they were a year ago, i think they will finish 7th to 5th
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2010 : 22:41:26
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quote:
Originally posted by HawkinOilCountry
With the pacific division, there are 3 teams that I will be surprised to NOT see in the playoffs this year (San Jose, LA, Phoenix) and 2 teams that could fight for 7th-8th seed right to the end.
Really, you're THAT high on Phoenix making it this year? I dunno, i just don't see it, but then again, i didn't see it coming last year either? |
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n/a
deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2010 : 05:51:54
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Yeah, the northeast has Boston, and last year they sent 4 of 5 . . . but Buffalo was a weak team with an outstanding goalie, and Ottawa was a fluke, and . . . the Leafs were beat up on by all.
This year, I think it might be Boston and a couple of bubble teams, pick two of Montreal, Buffalo and Toronto.
Speaking of the Southeast and the scoring there, you know who leads the conference in goals for as of this very moment? That's right, it's the . . . Atlanta Thrashers?!? Bizarre, but true. Even funnier is, they lead in goals scored and have still managed to let in even more . . . so no, I don't think Atlanta is a bubble team. There, for me, it'll be Washington and Tampa Bay, and that's it.
So if there's two from the Southeast, and three from the Northeast, there must be three from the Atlantic, where'd I'd have to think that Philly and Pittsburgh make it, New Jersey comes back to make it, and the New Yorks are bubble teams.
I still think the Atlantic is the strongest division in the East, but the gap is not as large as before, with bottome feeders in the other two divisions improving greatly. I think it'll be a very, very tight race to the playoffs there.
* * * * *
Which leaves the West, where there has to be at least one division with four teams that make the playoffs, right?
Pacific - San Jose, LA will be there for sure. Dallas, maybe, but we'd have to check back after the holidays to see where they're at then.
Vancouver is a given, and if Colorado keeps up its strong play, they are in as well. Minnesota is a crapshoot and may be a bubble team the way they are playing, but I still think they'll miss out, and Calgary and Edmonton may be two of the weaker teams this year (boy, when has that ever happened, eh?).
Then, we have the Central - Chicago, Detroit, a big bounceback season from St.Louis coming, the ever-pesky Preds, and an improving Columbus team. Two make the playoffs for sure, and three very probable with St.Louis and the Preds fighting it out to the end. This may be the only division with a chance to send 4 to the dance.
My vote is the Central.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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What is the strongest division? 
