Pffft...Calgary couldn't even manage the cap this year and look where they ended up. I love how lames fans seem to think playing with 15 players is a good excuse
Your GM is part of the team and he drove this team into the ground. For one he overpaid and over bought and two, he traded the heart and sould of the team (Lombardi) at the deadline. Why would you trade Iginla's premier linemate and one of his best friends????? Jokinen is a JOKE. All he does is shoot the puck from all over the ice and old teammates have said he has an ego that can tear a team apart.
Injuries or not...St. Louis was one of the hottest teams in second half of the year and guess what...top forward (Kariya) and top two defensemen have been out that whole time!
If the Flames get out of the first round it would be a miracle. I will say that a healthy Flames team (or even one with cap room) would take on Chicago and probably have a chance. Actually on paper would beat them...healthy. Not a chance now. I would say Hawks in 5 even if Regher comes back soon and Dion grows back some balls and figures out how to play hockey like he used to. But then theres Kipper and everyone knows, a few goals early and he lets in 10! THE most delicate of the top 5 goalies in the league. When he is on his game, hes got to be 3 or 4th best in the league but man if he gets behind, he done.
As for the Nucks, they have it very, very tough in the first round too. Anyone who thinks this is an easy team to play doesn't know hockey. Mason is 17-6-3 since the All Star break! This team is THE best on special teams since then and the Canucks take WAY too many penalties. My hope is that Shane O'Brien is benched in favor of Ossie V. Bieksa better behave too
The canucks had a very rough finish to the season...three losses in a row, a game Calgary played better than them but Luongo bailed them out and then two crap games again poor teams to end the season...yeah they won but if those games don't worry you, I don't know what to say!
Hopefully the Cancuks will figure out how to score and stay out of the penalty box.
I will say canucks in 7...I kind of hope for 7 because I haven't been to a 7th game in a LONG time.
On a unrelated note, I got my playoff tickets book the other day (season tix) and man the face value price of the Stanley Cup Finals tix are
once I figured it out. They don't actually have the prices printed on the tickets...
Let's hope they get there so my poor credit card can get racked up! (they automatically charge me for each game as they go)
GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!