GDT Game 76: 3/27/18|7:00 PM CT|vs Sharks|FSMW/KMOX

[Robb_K]

Blues are only 3 points back of the Wild and have 1 more ROW with the same number of games remaining. 3rd place in the Central is reachable which would mean facing Winnipeg in the 1st round, instead of Nashville or Vegas.

I would rather play against Vegas than the Jets. They have absolutely no playoff experience as a team, and looking at their roster they don't really have have any player who's already proved himself in the post season, maybe other than Neal. Not like the Blues have so much playoff stars but still...

I would also prefer The Blues to play Las Vegas. But, I think they will pass The Wild, and finish in 3rd.

Just where is "The Heart of Europe? Deutschland? Czech Republik? Polen? Slovakija? Slovenija? Ungarn? Lichtenstein? Osterreich? Die Schweiz?

[SamJunior]

Blues are only 3 points back of the Wild and have 1 more ROW with the same number of games remaining. 3rd place in the Central is reachable which would mean facing Winnipeg in the 1st round, instead of Nashville or Vegas.

I would rather play against Vegas than the Jets. They have absolutely no playoff experience as a team, and looking at their roster they don't really have have any player who's already proved himself in the post season, maybe other than Neal. Not like the Blues have so much playoff stars but still...

I would also prefer The Blues to play Las Vegas. But, I think they will pass The Wild, and finish in 3rd.

Just where is "The Heart of Europe? Deutschland? Czech Republik? Polen? Slovakija? Slovenija? Ungarn? Lichtenstein? Osterreich? Die Schweiz?

Ungarn

[theohall]

Vegas has Stanley Cup winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Winnipeg has Connor Hellebuyck (0 playoff games) and Steve Mason (2-9; .897; 3.37 in playoffs)

With the way Vegas keeps breaking expansion records, it wouldn't be surprising for them to keep breaking records in the playoffs, especially with Fleury in goal.

Winnipeg has the same issue with inexperience in the playoffs, but doesn't have the playoff experience in goal. It's one of the reasons they traded for Paul Stastny, Look at the Jets roster and count the number of playoff games all of them have played combined. It's not that far off from Vegas and could be less due to Fleury. Don't know the exact number. Blake Wheeler keeps reminding teammates they haven't won anything, yet, because their top players haven't proven anything in the playoffs, with few exceptions.

Since the Jets moved to Winnipeg, they've been to the playoffs once in 2015 and were swept by the Ducks. Basically half of the Jets current roster wasn't on that team in 2015. Lots of playoff inexperience there also.

[theohall]

Because I was bored...

This is using every player currently listed on the Jets and Golden Knights rosters this season at hockey-reference.

Jets: 264 total man-games in the playoffs. 9 players with 10 or more games experience. Half of those 264 is accounted for by Paul Stastny, Matt Hendricks, and Dustin Byfuglien.

Golden Knights: 480 man-games in the playoffs. 14 players with 10 or more games experience. James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury account for just over 40% of those games.

Neither team has done anything in the playoffs. The Jets have Byfuglien's SC experience while the Knights have Marc-Andre Fleury. IMO, an experienced, quality playoff goaltender is more valuable than one experienced defenseman.

It's a wash though in terms of either the Jets or Golden Knights players playoff experience. Claiming the Vegas roster hasn't proven anything in the playoffs? What has the Jets roster proven in the playoffs? The same criticism applies.

[gaijin]

Blues are only 3 points back of the Wild and have 1 more ROW with the same number of games remaining. 3rd place in the Central is reachable which would mean facing Winnipeg in the 1st round, instead of Nashville or Vegas.

I would rather play against Vegas than the Jets. They have absolutely no playoff experience as a team, and looking at their roster they don't really have have any player who's already proved himself in the post season, maybe other than Neal. Not like the Blues have so much playoff stars but still...

I would probably also prefer to face Vegas than Winnipeg- I think the Jets have it in them to compete, while the Knights could be exposed as piecemeal. That said, the deciding factor is whether Fleury has another good series or two in him- if he does, chances are good Vegas goes to the 2nd or 3rd Round.

Anyways, after the Blues' win and the Ducks' loss last night (thanks Vancouver), we stand at:

Wild Card 28 Mar.jpg (58.32 KiB) Viewed 1138 times

That's a heck of a climb by the Blues in the last two weeks, and they sit in a pretty good position, thanks to Dallas tanking and Colorado playing average. I dropped Calgary off the list, as they are mathematically out.

Colorado plays Philly tonight, which will be a tough game. Good news is, even if the Avs win and pass the Blues, the Blues hold the tiebreaker with Anaheim for the 2nd wild card. Again, quite a change from not long ago.

[gaijin]

Tarasenko's OT winner was so vicious it cut Dell in half and left his legs lying there.

Fatality.jpg (122.12 KiB) Viewed 1135 times

[glen a richter]

I'd rather play Nashville. Suffice to say, this team is hot right now. Not as hot as they should be, and may they please get the PP going! But this team minus Bouwmeester is leaps and bounds better than this team plus Bouwmeester, and it's showed both at the beginning of the season and now at the end of the season. Expectations for a solid playoff run are probably low, as they should be, but why waste being hot on a lesser opponent when the path out of the west runs through Nashville? Get them while the going's good and see what happens. They beat the Predators and get a big confidence boost heading to the next opponent. They lose to the Predators? They probably would have lost anyway, since they're not on the same level as them.

That said, if they could overtake Minnesota and get the 3 seed I wouldn't snivel. I'd rather comfortably enter the playoffs than be fighting the last game for seed #8, potentially missing the playoffs and throwing away a decent 1st round pick to the Flyers in the process.

[WaukeeBlues]

This team just keeps right on surprising me. When Kane scored that first goal I thought "uh oh, here we go" but the boys hung in there. Seeing Sundqvist score for the first time in two years and he's just cheesin' ear to ear was pretty cool to see. Good for him the young fella. I've been there, goal scoring droughts suckkkkkkk.

Was it just me or every time Schmaltz had the puck it ended up going right back to the Sharks shortly after? The kid is just NOT there yet IMO and I wonder if he ever is going to be.

This playoff chase is just awesome. Even if the Blues ultimately fall short this has been amazing to watch. They're playing with heart, grit and determination that I haven't seen from a Blues team in a long time. Great to see.

If all these Western Conference "playoff picture" games keep going to OT's and shootout's it might take 100 friggen points to get in. Kinda frustrating the Blues have rolled off 6 straight and they're barely hanging on to a wild card spot.

[theohall]

I actually agree on playing Nashville in the 1st round would be better.

Schmalz made a few good plays last night, but still turns the puck over too much and loses too many one-on-one battles. That has not changed.

Which is probably one reason Reinke is with the Blues, instead of in San Antonio. I wouldn't be surprised if Reinke plays in Schmalz's place vs Vegas.

[Toasted Oates]

It's kinda funny that 3-4 weeks ago we were talking about these guys tanking. Now it's "who would you rather play in the playoffs?" What a time to be alive.

I wouldn't mind Nashville for the reasons listed above, but put me in the "passing Minnesota" camp. Winnipeg's rink will be jumping, but I'll take my chances vs their inexperience.

Still some work to do, obviously.

[Robb_K]

Flyers win 2-1!!! Blues keep their lead over Avs, who now have 1 game less to catch up. Blues are now a full game ahead of Colorado, with a game in hand and the tiebreaker, as well. Things are looking up. The Blues are hot, and have an easier schedule than The Wild, who have been inconsistent lately. They are only 1.5 games behind, with 6 to go.

[WaukeeBlues]

Huge game tonight Wild v. Stars. Just no OT please. I frankly already count the Wild as "in" so if I had my druthers the Stars lose in regulation.