I think the D overall is pretty darn close, I would agree 71. We are deeper upfront and score more, but on D with Karlsson for 30 mpg and Phaneuf as well, it is a coin flip I think. Won't argue that. And I hope they do cage. Let them play that style, we did well playing that style against Montreal. We lead the whole NHL in hits in the playoffs, so I am okay with them trying to goon and be cheap like Montreal did. Didn't work for them, doubt it works for Ottawa.
Just get healed fully from this tough series and go into it at full speed. Hopefully it dosent start until at least Thu.
This is in line with your thinking 71: Out of the three Atlantic teams in this bracket think that Ottawa is going to be the toughest matchup for the Rangers. They finished below Montreal but are deeper at forward than the Habs (Brassard, Stone, Hoffman, Turris and Bobby Ryan) added grit with Alex Burrows and have arguably the best defenseman in the world in Erik Karlsson, along with Dion Phaneuf and young Codi Ceci. They also have two unbelievable stories with Craig Anderson missing time as his wife battles cancer and then Clarke MacArthur returning after being out for so long with concussions. Those things aside, as we saw when Ottawa shut out the Rangers in November, they can play that 1-3-1 that can suffocate teams if you are trailing. That said, the Rangers did make a comeback against Ottawa in December. This will be a tougher series than some might expect and I think that the Rangers are in for another series that goes 6-7. They also still have Chris Neil hanging around even though he didn't play in the first round.
Going to be a tougher series than MTL in some ways. Adding Burrows did help plus Andersons story does play into it a little. They have some karma type stuff going if you believe in that. I think as a team overall they are slightly more rounded but you factor in Lundqvist and it's almost even. 7....get ready nerves!!
I still think you are a little bit crazy overrating the Sens......but we'll see how it plays out. I don't see this as an almost even series with a little edge to the Sens as your comments make it seem. I will go with Jones when he said last night I think the Rangers are better than both the Bruins and the Sens and it wouldn't matter which one they play. I hope a bunch of people pick the Sens though, I always prefer that.
The Zib v Brassard trade valuation will be mentioned a million times I'm sure. Our 3 young guys Skjei/Vesey/Buch are going to play big roles in this series.
For sure it will be. Right now edge goes Brass, but I will take the 24 year old potential of Zib for the long term over 29 year old Brass. And Zib turned it on the last 3 games of the Montreal series. I think we'll see good things out of the Miller/Hayes/Zucc line AND see more out of Kreider this series as well (KZB line).
I am hoping for Thursday Saturday games 1 & 2 in Ottawa, but it might be a Wednesday start. And as always when we start on the road, which I prefer, get a split and come on home.
Miller seems to be getting it together but i don't know what to make of Hayes though he has a big A last night. He looks like he did in soph year.
I thought Hayes played a great game last night, and he was well over 50% on face offs in the series. Yes he struggled, but he was huge at the dot. Look at that forward depth: Miller/Hayes/Zucc Kreider/Zib/Buch Vesey/Step/Nash Grab/Lindberg/Fast I guess the 4th line is G/L/F, but that is some 4th line. And the other 3 are all the same I think, not sure which one you check with your best group. Great balance.
Yeah i think you're right, on paper we do have a bit more forward depth, esp if Grabner gets the speed thing working. I might give Ottawa a slight edge at the very top but it's close. Depends what Nash and Kreider show up.
Agreed. Ottawa is weak forwards 8-12 I think. Bottom 3rd line and the 4th cannot match us. Their top 6 or 7 are neck and neck with us. Maybe they have a small edge, but it is darn close. And we have the talent if our guys show up (hello invisible Kreider). But I am a huge believer in depth and balance is needed to win playoff series, see the Hawks, and that's why I think we have the edge overall upfront. D is real close, maybe small overall edge them due to Karlsson and his 30 mpg. But their 3rd pair is a liability for sure. We have the clear edge in goal. And we have the edge at coach. That's how I see it overall.
Don't let Karlsson blow up the series, and stay patient against their trap (will need more dump and chase) and the Rangers will be fine. Those things are easier said than done though.
Karlsson has had very little success vs. the Rangers when they met in the playoffs. His game is speed and that doesn't work with the Rangers. Anderson was just like Price. Dominates vs. the Rangers in the regular season when those teams act like it's the finals vs. NY. Then in the playoffs, they aren't nearly as good. Ryan is also dumb. Rangers usually exploit is stupidity. Ottawa is a trap team. As long as the Rangers are patient, they should win this series. Brassard will also be a complete non factor in this series. Rangers know everything about him and just how to play him.
I think with Ottawa's trap type of style Kreider is going to have to have a big impact getting in and retrieving pucks on dumps and chases.
ESPN picks: 10 of 11 picked the Rangers (only one in 7 games the rest in 5 or mostly 6 games) 6 Caps/5 Pens 8 to 3 for the Preds and Ducks We go from big underdog in round 1 to big favorite in round 2.
I hope Ottawa continues their stupidity with the minutes they play guys in that style. Karlsson will be dead and Ryan who actually scored four goals for them against Boston only averaged 15 minutes a game. That may sound like it's decent but there were four OT games out of the six and one that went to double overtime.
With the season they had and adding Shatt, plus some of the people Pitt may be missing, I'm not sure why Washington isn't favored a little more in this. How much better of a team can they have to not be favored over Pitt this year? I think StL is pretty even with Nashville but i can see Anaheim winning in 5/6 if they get Fowler and Lindholm back.
People view the Rangers/Sens series like most of us in here do, Rangers a clear favorite, and that scares me. As for the Pens/Caps I am so torn on that one. I picked the Pens initially, but now I am sort of feeling the Caps are due to finally make the ECF. If not now that team will be broken up big time this summer and we'll see a different Caps team next year. The thing with the Caps is I still think they are too reliant on one line AND I don't trust Holtby. He is good, but not sure he is great as his numbers and Vezina from last season suggest.
