Looking ahead to the 1st round

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I don't like any matchup against the Wings in the first round. I feel like any team in the West is capable of beating the Wings in a 4 game series.

And vice versa, Wings are more than capable of finishing teams off early as well.

Doesn't matter to me who the Wings face, other teams will be cranking up their effort since the Wings are typically good and are the SC defending champs, no matter who they face.

For distance sake though and first time matchup, I'd like to see them face Columbus.

[Guest Murph]

The thing is though, Columbus is the only team in the NHL to have NEVER made the playoffs. I would love to face a team with zero playoff experience in the first round.

Actually, Columbus is the team I wouldn't want to face in the first round. Rick Nash has great numbers against The Wings, and Mason, as said earlier in the thread, is a freak.

[Broken 16 381]

I want to avoid playing.

1- Anaheim

2- Calgary

3- Vancouver

Holy crap... give me Anaheim every day and twice on Sunday. They have no identity whatsoever.

I agree with Calgary though. They always give me the heebee jeebees

[elevenandcounting 0]

don't care. as long as we have a full lineup and whoever is in the goal doesn't let in softies i'll take whatever happens. i just hope the players understand (especially older ones) that this maybe one of the last chances to take a run at the cup with all this talent. the salary cap is going down in two years so make the most of it. i might be a greedy s.o.b. but i always felt that this team underachieved over the past 15 years meaning they should've won at least one or two cups more.

[Doggy 130]

I just really, really, really don't want to take on the Flames. Even if we're lucky enough to get by them... I can see the series having a negative effect on our subsequent matchups. They're a tough, big, hard-nosed yet skilled team with plenty of character. They scare the s*** out of me.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Poor use of sarcasm, I suppose. You can brush him off if you want, but he's good enough to do it on his own.

Haha where is the sarcasm when I said "Thornton is the only player that scares me on that team, he is the only one who could take over the game. Great supporting cast, but I don't think they could handle us in a 7 game series where our best players step up their games while theirs....don't."

In a seven game series no team worries me. Before Thornton joined the Sharks Patty didn't accomplish anything spectacular. So I still stand my statement, you shut down Thornton you shut down that whole line, which includes Patty. Before THornton, Marleau never put up more than 57 points in a season. That doesn't scream dominate player does it. He sucks at passing too, so if you keep Thornton from using his amazing passing ability to feed the other forwards on the line, there is not much of a threat from Marleau to do any damage. Marleau has a very good shot, but if he has to go end to end with the puck since Joe T wouldn't be able to get off a nice pass because of Z or D being all over him, then I have no worries.

It's the same thing we did against the Pens, shut down Crosby from using he amazing passing ability and you shut down Malkin as well. Match Malkin with a great checking forward then he is shut down doubly.

Edited February 23, 2009 by Konnan511

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Haha where is the sarcasm

I meant on my part.

Before THornton, Marleau never put up more than 57 points in a season. That doesn't scream dominate player does it.

The new rules had more to do with it more than anything. He hasn't been lined up consistently with Joe until this season, as he is normally a center, not a winger.

I've seen more San Jose games than any other non-Detroit ones (know thy enemy ) and I've been impressed enough with Marleau to believe he'll be a handful for anyone that he squares off against.

[miller76 463]

I learned my lesson about speaking of this topic in 2006.

Me in 2006: "I want the Oilers. The Oilers suck, and they're barely holding on to that eighth seed! No problem"

There are a lot of teams I would rather not play though. I think Detroit would have harder times with Columbus, Vancouver, and Dallas rather then with teams like Calgary, Minnesota, and Anaheim.

But right now, I don't think this team could handle any of these teams in a series with this penalty kill, lack of goaltending, and absent mindness with the D. I sure hope they take advantage of rest and time to practice to get some of these issues squared away. If there's a switch to be flipped for this team to sharpen up, it needs to be flipped now!

[C-TownWing 0]

Actually, Columbus is the team I wouldn't want to face in the first round. Rick Nash has great numbers against The Wings, and Mason, as said earlier in the thread, is a freak.

Mason's been very human over the last month: 2.56 GAA, .893 SV%. Far and away the second best goalie in the NHL...named Mason. Yeah, I know he had mono for some of that, but he doesn't now, and he got shelled yesterday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's crashing back to earth a little.

That said, I still don't want to face Columbus BECAUSE it'd be the first playoffs in franchise history. Think they won't be up for that series? Not to mention the fact that they consider us an archrival, and we could give a crap about them.

[Wingaling 0]

I want Vancouver 1st. Thats it thats all. I want to beat Vancouver 1st.

[Wingaling 0]

Then Calgary and San Jose

Edited February 23, 2009 by Wingaling