For the past week we’ve been posting our predictions for how the four divisions will look at the end of the regular season. We end the week today with our look at how we think they playoffs will shake out. There are some interesting choices:
MIKE
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Bruins (1st ATL) over Flyers (WC2)
Penguins (1st MET) over Islanders (WC1)
Blue Jackets (2nd MET) over Rangers (3rd MET)
Lightning (2nd ATL) over Canadiens (3rd ATL)
Ducks (1st PAC) over Canucks (WC2)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Wild (WC1)
Stars (3rd CEN) over Blues (2nd CEN)
Kings (2nd PAC) over Coyotes (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Lightning over Bruins (Lightning are Atlantic Division Champs)
Blue Jackets over Penguins (Blue Jackets are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Blackhawks over Stars (Blackhawks are Central Division Champs)
Kings over Ducks (Kings are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Lightning over Blue Jackets (Lightning are Eastern Conference Champs)
Blackhawks over Kings (Blackhawks are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Lightning over Blackhawks (Lightning are Stanley Cup Champs)
DAN
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Canadiens (1st ATL) over Capitals (WC2)
Penguins (1st MET) over Red Wings (WC1)
Blue Jackets (3rd MET) over Rangers (2nd MET)
Lightning (3rd ATL) over Bruins (2nd ATL)
Kings (1st PAC) over Stars (WC2)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Wild (WC1)
Avalanche (2nd CEN) over Blues (3rd CEN)
Ducks (2nd PAC) over Sharks (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Canadiens over Lightning (Canadiens are Atlantic Division Champs)
Penguins over Blue Jackets (Penguins are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Blackhawks over Avalanche (Blackhawks are Central Division Champs)
Kings over Ducks (Kings are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Canadiens over Penguins (Canadiens are Eastern Conference Champs)
Kings over Blackhawks (Kings are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Canadiens over Kings (Canadiens are Stanley Cup Champs)
ANDY
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Canadiens (1st ATL) over Capitals (WC2)
Lightning (WC1) over Penguins (1st MET)
Blue Jackets (2nd MET) over Rangers (3rd MET)
Bruins (2nd ATL) over Senators (3rd ATL)
Ducks (1st PAC) over Stars (WC2)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Blues (WC1)
Avalanche (2nd CEN) over Wild (3rd CEN)
Kings (2nd PAC) over Sharks (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Canadiens over Lightning (Canadiens are Atlantic Division Champs)
Blue Jackets over Bruins (Blue Jackets are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Avalanche over Blackhawks (Avalanche are Central Division Champs)
Kings over Ducks (Kings are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Canadiens over Blue Jackets (Canadiens are Eastern Conference Champs)
Kings over Avalanche (Kings are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Kings over Canadiens (Kings are Stanley Cup Champs)
ERIC
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Bruins (1st ATL) over Lightning (WC1)
Penguins (1st MET) over Flyers (WC2)
Blue Jackets (3rd MET) over Rangers (2nd MET)
Canadiens (2nd ATL) over Red Wings (3rd ATL)
Ducks (1st PAC) over Wild (WC2)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Stars (WC1)
Avalanche (3rd CEN) over Blues (2nd CEN)
Kings (2nd PAC) over Sharks (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Bruins over Canadiens (Bruins are Atlantic Division Champs)
Blue Jackets over Penguins (Blue Jackets are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Blackhawks over Avalanche (Blackhawks are Central Division Champs)
Kings over Ducks (Kings are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Bruins over Blue Jackets (Bruins are Eastern Conference Champs)
Blackhawks over Kings (Blackhawks are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Blackhawks over Bruins (Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champs)
JEFF
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Bruins (1st ATL) over Flyers (WC2)
Penguins (1st MET) over Red Wings (WC1)
Blue Jackets (2nd MET) over Rangers (3rd MET)
Canadiens (2nd ATL) over Lightning (3rd ATL)
Ducks (1st PAC) over Canucks (WC2)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Blues (WC1)
Avalanche (2nd CEN) over Wild (3rd CEN)
Kings (2nd PAC) over Sharks (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Bruins over Canadiens (Bruins are Atlantic Division Champs)
Blue Jackets over Penguins (Blue Jackets are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Avalanche over Blackhawks (Avalanche are Central Division Champs)
Ducks over Kings (Ducks are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Bruins over Blue Jackets (Bruins are Eastern Conference Champs)
Avalanche over Ducks (Avalanche are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Avalanche over Bruins (Avalanche are Stanley Cup Champs)
MATT
CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS
Penguins (1st ATL) over Maple Leafs (WC2)
Bruins (1st MET) over Islanders (WC1)
Blue Jackets (3rd MET) over Rangers (2nd MET)
Canadiens (2nd ATL) over Lightning (3rd ATL)
Ducks (1st PAC) over Wild (WC1)
Blackhawks (1st CEN) over Sharks (WC2)
Stars (3rd CEN) over Blues (2nd CEN)
Kings (2nd PAC) over Coyotes (3rd PAC)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Canadiens over Bruins (Canadiens are Atlantic Division Champs)
Blue Jackets over Penguins (Blue Jackets are Metropolitan Division Champs)
Stars over Blackhawks (Stars are Central Division Champs)
Ducks over Kings (Ducks are Pacific Division Champs)
CONFERENCE FINALS
Canadiens over Blue Jackets (Canadiens are Eastern Conference Champs)
Ducks over Stars (Ducks are Western Conference Champs)
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Canadiens over Ducks (Canadiens are Stanley Cup Champs)
Of the six of us who participated, five of us have the Jackets losing in the Eastern Conference final, while Dan has the team losing in the Eastern Semis (second round). Yes, there is some bias, but on paper the path to the Eastern final series is within the Jackets’ grasp. They won’t be sneaking up on anybody this year, so they’ll have to be ready to withstand the heat.
Matt and Dan both chose the Habs to win the ‘Cup. Do they have enough scoring? Andy has the Kings to repeat, Eric has the Blackhawks winning again, while Jeff has a surprise pick in the Avalanche. I went with the Lightning as my Cup winner.
We’d love to hear how you see things shaking out. Can the Jackets go as far as we have them going?