Ideal Playoff Matchups

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I want a sweep. I want there to be ZERO doubt who the better team is. I want total dominance in all possible ways down to blocked shots and beers sold. 2 wins, 1 loss.

This.

Although it's worth noting that we've beaten them 7 times in the finals and they've only beaten us 6 times.

[mmamolo 287]

Personally I dont want Vancouver in the first round. I think the Sedins are playing really well I'd rather see if they can make it or break it against someone else....same thing for Samuelsson. Luongo hasn't looked that great since the Olympics but he *can* be a game changer.

The thing with Phoenix is although they have been playing really well since the Olympic break they have won a chunk of their games in shootouts. That's not to take anything away from them but it is worth noting. Also, in all fairness they do have players that are playing well above their heads. Since the deadline Lee Stempniak has 12 goals in 12 games. There is zero chance that he keeps up that pace. To me, the Coyotes just reak of a team that will be happy to get into the playoffs and some of their overachieving players will fizzle out. The only thing they legitimately have going for them is Bryzgalov and as good as he is I think the Wings could beat him.

I dont want to pick my poison but I'd rather not seeing a Wings/Canucks first round match up.

[RedWings 79]

I'm afraid of Vancouver.

They really made the Wings look bad this year. Probably the most dangerous playoff team in the West.

Chicago and SJ will choke. Phoenix is a regular season success story which will end up playing golf soon.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

Why are people more afraid of Luongo than Nabokov?

Luongo: 14th in Sv%, 12th in GAA

Nabokov: 6th in Sv%, 8th in GAA

Nabby has better numbers on an equally good defensive team. Neither is as scary as Bryzgalov but Luongo is definitely the the less impressive of the three. He's easily taken off his game and has been pulled about 82 times this year.

Luongo has the potential to be terrifying but he's really not been impressive this year.

Why regular season stats?

I don't think Luongo has had as long to prove himself as Nabokov has. Their stats in the playoffs aren't too dissimilar I think.

[dicksmack 33]

<br />I'm afraid of Vancouver.<br />They really made the Wings look bad this year. Probably the most dangerous playoff team in the West.<br />Chicago and SJ will choke. Phoenix is a regular season success story which will end up playing golf soon.<br />

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Vancouver is also the team I'm most concerned about in the first round. I'm not so sure the Nucks made us look that bad as we took the season series handily. However, their offense is top notch, their D is good and they have do have Luongo after all... Zetterberg can definitely score at will on Luongo; Hank has Lu's # big time so if Z should falter, we are in big trouble. Another concern is how we lost the second last game vs them at the Joe. They were chucking pucks at the net for deflections (one of their trademarks) and Howard really struggled with this in the 6-3 loss. We need to remember that Luongo's achilles heel is that he doesn't like those passing plays that get him moving side to side and he esp. doesn't like #40 coming down on him!

[BlakKy 58]

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Vancouver is also the team I'm most concerned about in the first round. I'm not so sure the Nucks made us look that bad as we took the season series handily. However, their offense is top notch, their D is good and they have do have Luongo after all... Zetterberg can definitely score at will on Luongo; Hank has Lu's # big time so if Z should falter, we are in big trouble. Another concern is how we lost the second last game vs them at the Joe. They were chucking pucks at the net for deflections (one of their trademarks) and Howard really struggled with this in the 6-3 loss. We need to remember that Luongo's achilles heel is that he doesn't like those passing plays that get him moving side to side and he esp. doesn't like #40 coming down on him!

7uongo's weakness is that he comes off the inside post too easily. You can't beat his pads or blocker but if you shoot from tough angles or lob shots in from the blue (a la Datsyuk) line you've got a chance.

[Guest mjtm77]

no one els would like to see hossa loose in another cup final

[wingsaroundtheworld 3]

I too think the top 4 are close, and all strong, but I just feel Phoenix would be our best matchup. We lost to them this season but we somewhat dominated that game with injuries and they got 2 late ones to tie it up. Also, I know we've had trouble in the past with teams under the radar in the first round but that was with what i think was a very different team (pre 2007).

I'm stoked for jimmy howard, and i think our goaltending and team defence is better this year than last (even though our offence may be not as good).

Also, I don't really get the argument about bad travel. Unfortunately we are an Eastern time zone team playing in the Western conference, pretty much all teams we play against are gonna require considerable travel. Also, both teams have to travel. I dont know, just seems like a poor excuse to me.

Oh, I also think Nashville will upset whoever they play in the first round, getting good goaltending, with great D (Weber, Suter, Hamhuis). Not too high on the avs or kings.

[Icesurfer 75]

NO ONE is afraid of Luongo.....

IT IS THE POSSIBLE THREE FRIGGIN' FLIGHTS OUT TO VANCOUVER THAT IS THE KILLER! And if the Wings have to fly out to Vancouver three times (for games 1 & 2, 5 and 7)to beat Vancouver they will be cooked in the next round.

When Wings won the cup two year ago they had a VERY easy flight schedule!

[Icesurfer 75]

I think Colorado and LA are sandbagging... LOL. LA has lost the last 4 games to teams who are below them in standings. Colorado has lost 5 of the last 6 but I attribute that to the fact that I think Duchene is running out of gas. Colorado and LA do not want to play Vancouver or Phoenix.

The last time Colorado lost 5 out of 6 was December 3rd. The last time LA lost four in a row was December 30th.

[webwing91 4]

Also, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I do think they might find the refs being a little lenient to Bettman's current prized organization. I could see a few calls going their way so that they can bring in more playoff revenue.

Please, seems incredibly unlikely that this could happen. I've been watching them all season long, they get no more calls go there way then any other team does. Just like I don't buy that the league "fixed" the cup finals against us last year.

The thing I love about hockey the most is that you have to EARN everything, and if I didn't see that in the NHL, then I wouldn't watch.

[skyphoenix 153]

I would like San Jose or Chicago first round. San Jose because they are notorious for choking in the playoffs and because we haven't had any trouble with them all season even with a depleted lineup. Chicago would be good to get out of the way early, because I think we have a solid chance of beating them. I don't want to face Vancouver in any case. Nashville/LA/Colorado/Phoenix don't scare me much although out of that group, Phoenix seems the most dangerous.

[Guest screwdahawks]

I'd want us to play Chicago, because they have the worst goaltending out of those other teams. I don't think they want to play us in the first round.

Phoenix is not going to be as scared of the Wings as the other top 3 teams, because they just don't know any better, and they don't have as much pressure on them as Chicago or San Jose per se. They're the kind of team we always struggle against. A no name team with a hot goalie and a tight defensive system of hockey.

Everyone is expecting San Jose to choke, so this may be their year under the radar where they finally succeed.

Vancouver is a bad travel matchup, and Luongo and Sammy would kill us.

So yeah, I'd have to go with Chicago.

Plus I like the travel in that matchup..........