The Caps are better and more well rounded with Trotz so i don't see anything less than 7 against them. Heck it took 7 the last few series we played them. If the Isles had all their dmen i'd even put them as a slight favorite over the Rangers when you factor in the way they played them and their size at forward.
The Isles would never be the fav over the Rangers this year. Without Zucc I would say close if the Isles were fully healthy. But on the surface there would never be a situation where the Isles would be favored in that series.
Has nothing to do with it. The NHL playoffs we all know any team can beat any other team. But the Rangers are deeper than both teams. Have a better goalie than both teams. Have a better D than both teams. Have home ice over both teams. I would go 6 or 7 against either team, so the Rangers clearly can lose, but no way would the Rangers not be favored in both series.
Yeah, not huge favs. When you get down to the final 8 it is unsual in this day and age any team is a large fav over another. Who knows on their dmen. You don't get anything concrete on injuries. Vis I doubt soon given all his head issues. deHaan is nothing special anyway, but again no real info. The big one is Hamonic, and no one really has any clue on his situation. I think I saw knee, but again no real clue.
That's why I don't even think you can realistically pick one favorite over another, unless an 8 seed got through and was playing a 1. Being the Isles are missing half their D corps I guess you could definatively say the Rangers are the favorite. But now with MZ out it closes the gap more.
Pretty much every series has a fav and an underdog. The Wild are playing well, but the Hawks are the fav. That is no different than us being the fav over the Isles/Caps. The Wild can win for sure, the Isles/Caps can win for sure, but we would be the favs just like the Hawks are as well. What that means at the end of the day...not that much IMO.
Really looking forward to watching this game tonight. I'd like to see the Isles win to set up an awesome series, but something tells me the Isles are going to regret blowing game 2 and regret losing home ice in that shootout against the BJ's. Like Saturday though I consider this game a total coin flip, but I edge a little more towards the Caps because they are home and get last change, which may matter against the Isles beat up D. If I were a betting man I wouldn't touch this game...LOL.
