150 replies to this topic

[hockey23]

Since Calgary can only get to 95, Chicago has to effectively lose at least 3 of their last four games in regulation in order to miss the playoffs, while Calgary has to win out. Anaheim has to essentially have a meltdown to miss the playoffs as well. Dallas on the other hand can still gain 8 points to add to their current total of 89 to hit 95. If three of those are ROW's and Chicago hits 95, Dallas makes it while Chicago doesn't.

tl;dr version:

If Chicago gets 96 points or better, they're in. The way I see it though, if they lose to Montreal tomorrow and St. Louis, we could put a dent in their playoff hopes with at least one win in regulation. If Dallas loses more than one game in regulation, they're out, and Calgary plain needs to win out to have any shot in hell.

LGW.

89+8=97 not 95 for Dallas. Dallas has the easiest schedule possible and should win all 4 of their games to get to 97 points. That way Chicago would be behind Dallas if Chicago went 2-2 their last 4 games. Then Anaheim would have to get 3 points in their last 3 games and as long as none of the 4-6 seeds completely choke, then Chicago would be out.

Edited by hockey23, 04 April 2011 - 11:44 AM.

[lookalive07]

Oops, my bad. Thanks for catching that mistake.

[Heaten]

That's probably a little bit of wishful thinking right there...despite the travel issue, of all the possible playoff match ups the Coyotes have given the Wings the least amount of difficulty this season.

It's not wishful thinking, I actually made a .CSV file on my computer and imputed all the data and spent a couple of hours researching.

[Heaten]

89+8=97 not 95 for Dallas. Dallas has the easiest schedule possible and should win all 4 of their games to get to 97 points. That way Chicago would be behind Dallas if Chicago went 2-2 their last 4 games. Then Anaheim would have to get 3 points in their last 3 games and as long as none of the 4-6 seeds completely choke, then Chicago would be out.

True, Dallas does have the easier schedule, but they are also struggling. Hawks are playing pretty damn good despite their record... and I hate the 'hawks. So it saddens me to say anything good about their team.

I see Hawks beating Canadians, Blues, and getting, at the very least, a point out of one of the Detroit games. That 5 points will put them at 97 points. I think a miricle will have to happen for Ducks and Hawks to not take 7th and 8th place.

It should also be pointed out that Dallas only have 89 points (3 behind 'hawks) and only have 39 wins (3 behind hawks). So if they tie each other in points, then it may come down to who has more wins. Which Hawks will likely have more wins unless they lay a huge goose egg.

Edited by Heaten, 04 April 2011 - 01:35 PM.

[puckbags]

Either way, west coast games which means not much sleep for those of us who have to wake up early in the morning.

Also, if the Hawks and Canucks played in the first round, I would probably say the Hawks would win the series. Am I the only one that thinks Vancouver could find themselves going home after the first round?

They are way too good of a team to lose in the 1st round even to their nemesis the Hawks. They are deeper than previous years as proven by the fact that they have played down 3-4 regulars all year. Edler and Alberts will both be back by the playoffs most likely which only leaves them without Malholtra. I hope they lose but I don't see it happening until they play us

[GMRwings1983]

Chicago, Anaheim and Nashville will be really tough matchups.

Phoenix or LA could also be tough, but I don't see those series' being as difficult as the ones above.

[Jersey Wing]

I don't want Anaheim as we all know it's one great line, that Swiss Miss goalie and 16 cave trolls. They are capable of any evil. Playing Nashville is like playing a hive of bees with a sharp netminder. There are +'s and -'s to each matchup I suppose but those two I would not like

[Lovin Jiri Fischer]

Chicago, Anaheim and Nashville will be really tough matchups.

Phoenix or LA could also be tough, but I don't see those series' being as difficult as the ones above.

Exactly my thoughts. We can beat any of these teams in 7 if we play actual Red Wings hockey, but I think Chicago, Nashville, or Anaheim would be really tiring.

[Firehawk]

The aggravating thing is Detroit could potentially eliminate Chicago from playoff contention single handedly but they won't, and we'll draw Chicago in round 1. And then we're going to be in a world of s***. Chicago is no joke and they're the one team below 4th seed that has something to prove against us and I desperately don't want to play them. But we will. That's my prediction. I really hope SJ draws CHicago, then either way one big boy is eliminated.

My prediction:

Van/Anaheim
SJ/Nashville
Det/s***cago
LA/Phoenix

The east I don't follow enough to make predictions at this time.

[Booster313]

I am really torn on one hand I want to see Chicago out and Detroit in 2nd place probably playing Anaheim, yet I don't like the travel. Every time in recent history that we've won the cup we've had at least one close series.

97: St. Louis, Anaheim, Colorado, Philly (St. Louis is only one hour difference and Anaheim was a joke at the time we swept them so we only went West once.)

98: Phoenix, St. Louis, Dallas, Washington (Very easy in terms of travel)

02: Vancouver, St Louis, Colorado, Carolina (After starting on the West coast the travel was not bad.)

08: Nashville, Colorado, Dallas, Pittsburgh (Another easy road to the cup in terms of time zones, We swept Colorado so we again only traveled there once.)

[Jasper84]

For the whole year I've been hoping that Chicago would miss the playoffs. But now this past week, (and I HATE to admit it) I have been kind of wanting them to finish 8th, because I think they could bounce the 'nucks. I don't think Dallas or even if the Flames end up making it would be able to take the 'nucks

[pazzloski]

Does anyone have or know where to find the wings record against those teams mentioned above for this year? I know that the playoffs are a different story but it might be useful to know. but im sure that the wings could beat anyone of those teams on any given night if they play well.

[GMRwings1983]

For the whole year I've been hoping that Chicago would miss the playoffs. But now this past week, (and I HATE to admit it) I have been kind of wanting them to finish 8th, because I think they could bounce the 'nucks. I don't think Dallas or even if the Flames end up making it would be able to take the 'nucks

I agree.

The Canucks would have to exercise some demons to beat the Hawks, after losing to them two years in a row.

Not to mention, they've never been in this position before and already have so much pressure from the Vancouver media and obsessed fans. It might be too much for them.

[aflac9262]

I'm kind of rooting to see a Vancouver-Chicago rematch. Although highly unlikely, I wouldn't mind seeing a Vancouver-Calgary rematch from 2004.

1. VAN
2. SJ
3. DET
4. NSH
5. LA
6. PHX
7. ANA
8. CHI

[Jasper84]

I agree.

The Canucks would have to exercise some demons to beat the Hawks, after losing to them two years in a row.

Not to mention, they've never been in this position before and already have so much pressure from the Vancouver media and obsessed fans. It might be too much for them.

And at the same time, looking at it the opposite way, if the canucks were to beat the hawks in the first round, then I could see them going all the way, because for them that would have to be a huge confidence booster.

[Trapt1307]

Honestly, I'm thinking it may be best off if the Wings finish 3rd just because I think Chicago and Anaheim will end up 7/8. I'd rather see PHO or LA in the first round, and hopefully VAN or SJ would get upset so the Wings would have home ice in the second round.

Edited by Trapt1307, 04 April 2011 - 10:38 PM.

[pucktividi]

I might be the only one here who wants from Chicago to beat the crap out of Sharks in the 1st round

[Heaten]

Sharks would have to choke bad to not take 2nd place now. Probably for the best that Red Wings are in 3rd place.

[mmamolo]

I dislike seeing the Wings having to travel as much as the next fan. Obviously because it is tiring for the players and because those west coast games are on so late at night. But to be honest I think the playoff draw is far more important than the travel that a team has to do. If you look back at the last bunch of cup winners it's always about the path to the finals. Teams face injuries and long series'. It's so often the team in the finals that had the path of least resistence that ends up winning because they have more fuel left in the tank.

2010: Chicago cruised to the finals without any legit, serious threat when compared to what Philly had to go through.
2009: Pittsburgh had a cake walk to the finals and the Wings were injured and beaten up after a 7 gamer with the Ducks
2008: After Hasek's weak goals Detroit pumped Nashville, manhandled Colorado, and despite letting Dallas get two worthless victories the Wings cruised to the finals while the Pens, although they also had an easy path, just had nothing left in the tank due to inexperience.

you get the point.

Long, 7 game series' are killers. Injuries and extra flights are more of a factor than longer flights or changing time zone.

[Firehawk]

I dislike seeing the Wings having to travel as much as the next fan. Obviously because it is tiring for the players and because those west coast games are on so late at night. But to be honest I think the playoff draw is far more important than the travel that a team has to do. If you look back at the last bunch of cup winners it's always about the path to the finals. Teams face injuries and long series'. It's so often the team in the finals that had the path of least resistence that ends up winning because they have more fuel left in the tank.

2010: Chicago cruised to the finals without any legit, serious threat when compared to what Philly had to go through.
2009: Pittsburgh had a cake walk to the finals and the Wings were injured and beaten up after a 7 gamer with the Ducks
2008: After Hasek's weak goals Detroit pumped Nashville, manhandled Colorado, and despite letting Dallas get two worthless victories the Wings cruised to the finals while the Pens, although they also had an easy path, just had nothing left in the tank due to inexperience.

you get the point.

Long, 7 game series' are killers. Injuries and extra flights are more of a factor than longer flights or changing time zone.

I agree about the travel and about the opponents. But keep in mind, SJ, Van, LA, Phx, those all have to do plenty of travel themselves. I don't know if it's harder for them to travel here and play earlier games to their biological clocks or for east coast teams to travel west and play later games according to their biological clocks (probably better to travel east than west actually).

In a perfect scenario, Chicago gets 7th or 8th, we get 3rd, avoid Chicago, and let Chicago take a shot at upsetting one of the other two big boys who in my opinion, and it is painful to say it, look to be the teams to beat over the Wings in the west. Not just because they finished higher in standing, but because they have not won anything and both teams are very good, well rounded, well coached, and have had disappointing post seasons in recent memory.

I don't know if I'm more afraid of Vancouver or SJ this year. San Jose just looks scary as hell. They just dismantled Dallas, a team that is trying ot make the playoffs, then just dismantled LA, which was trying to catch them in the standings. scoring 6 goals on both of those teams in a 'playoff atmosphere' to me is scary.

Chicago scares me because they're the one team that has something to prove specfically with beating Detroit. I don't think the wings will go to Chicago and win any games there. I think it would be a seven game series and a home team series (home team wins all the games). That chitcago crowd is BRUTAL. I can't stand the "Detroit Sucks" chant constantly. I just don't want to go through that, at least not in round 1. IF we were to get them in round 2 or even 3 I could deal with it then, but not round 1. That would likely mean we'd have to face Chicago, SJ, then VAN and that would probably be an overbearing path.

Edited by Firehawk, 05 April 2011 - 03:31 PM.