A Risk Free and Transparent Option Payday loan How do you make repayments

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Mar. 5: Bruins, Avalanche

Posted on March 4, 2011 by arseneau

This Hockey Survivor Pool (the original) just refuses to end. While Mike puts together a contingency plan in case our three contestants run out of teams to choose from, let’s take a look at this week’s matchups.

Keep in mind that Vancouver, Tampa Bay, Washington, San Jose, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Atlanta are off the table for all three of our remaining contestants, so short of picking some big underdogs to outright win, the choices are pretty slim.

Boston Bruins vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Pittsburgh has done an admirable job holding it together without Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, but their lack of depth is starting to shine through. The Pens have won just three of their last ten, and they roll into Beantown to face a streaking Bruins team that has won six straight.

Not only are the Bruins on a tear, but they are the NHL’s leaders in goals against. The B’s have allowed just 148 goals so far this year. This doesn’t bode well for a Pens team that is missing its two best offensive players.

Prediction: Bruins win 4-1

Colorado Avalanche vs. Edmonton Oilers (Saturday, 10:00)

In a battle of two of the NHL’s worst teams, the Avs get a slight edge. They still have most of the core that made it to the playoffs last year, and can at least boast a couple of legit offensive stars in Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny. The Oilers are still too erratic, and frighteningly thin on D as long as Ryan Whitney is out. Taylor Hall injured his ankle in their game Thursday and is questionable. Dealing Dustin Penner won’t help them this year, but I can’t help but marvel at how much Steve Tambellini was able to fetch for the one dimensional winger.

Prediction: Avalanche win 4-3

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Feb. 19: Sharks, Maple Leafs, Red Wings

Posted on February 17, 2011 by arseneau

We almost decided the Hockey Survivor Pool last week. Somehow the New York Islanders took the Buffalo Sabres to overtime in a wild 7-6 game, with the Isles on the winning side. Since it went to OT, the Sabres pick counted as right for the three entries who took them in the original survivor pool, and they barely survive.

Had the Sabres lost in regulation, this pool would be decided with markymark2281 declared the winner. Instead, his pick of the Dallas Stars failed him, yet he is still alive in the pool because that is just his first incorrect since we started 13 weeks ago. This pool is double elimination remember. The other three entries are all on their last life.

On to this week, pickings are definitely getting slim because we’re almost halfway through the available NHL teams! In fact, at this point, five teams are off limits for all four of our contestants: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, and Washington. This does take some of my favourite matchups off the table, but there are still some solid picks this week. Let’s have a look!

San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche (Saturday, 10:30 Eastern)

Last year, the Colorado Avalanche looked like they could be the league’s next up and coming contender, with their solid core of drafted talent. They still should be, but this year has been a rough learning experience for the young bunch. The recent distractions surrounding Foppa’s abbreviated comeback surely didn’t help, and this was evident in the Avs 9-1 dismantling at the hands of the Calgary Flames on Monday. To make matters worse, the Avs lost their leading scorer, Matt Duchene, to an injury in that same contest. With a 1-8-1 record in their last ten, things are looking pretty bleak for one of last season’s biggest surprise teams.

On the flipside, the Sharks seemed to have turned things around nicely after a rough holiday season. They are 7-2-1 in their last ten, thanks largely due to efforts from depth players such as Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. If Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Ryan Clowe can get back on track, the Sharks could be scary.

ezcollectibles and JoePoolGuy, this one’s for you.

Prediction: Sharks win 4-2

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators (Saturday, 7:00)

I can’t believe it’s come to this. I am picking the Toronto Maple Leafs to win a hockey game. Not only that, I’m actively telling others, who have money at stake, that I think they should do the same.

Let’s look at the facts though: the Senators have recently shipped out Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly, and Daniel Alfredsson is out indefinitely. Things aren’t looking good. The Fisher and Kelly deals sort of puzzle me, because I really don’t think they were part of the problem in Ottawa. Unfortunately for Brian Murray, he doesn’t have much else in the way of marketable assets, as guys like Alex Kovalev, Jason Spezza, Filip Kuba and Sergei Gonchar all have contracts that seriously hamper their trade value. So Murray is stuck with dealing two of his character guys for draft picks in what is supposed to be one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory.

The Senators have also won just once in their last ten, while the Maple Leafs have won six of their last ten and are currently riding a two game winning streak. As if I needed to rub more salt in the wound… not surprisingly, all of our contestants still have the Leafs available as a pick. Hold on tight and good luck!

Prediction: Leafs win 3-1

Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild (Sunday, 12:30)

I was actually pretty shocked that only one of our contestants (Eugenius) picked the Red Wings so far. The Wings and Wild have actually split their two meetings thus far this season, but Detroit took the last meeting in Minnesota by a 4-1 margin, and their other matchup needed OT to be decided.

Detroit is currently riding a two game winning streak, and getting Dan Cleary back in the lineup has helped the team get back to its regular forward lines and re-establish their depth up front. Minnesota meanwhile, is currently riding a two game losing streak.

Prediction: Wings win 4-2

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Feb. 5: Lightning, Hurricanes, Sabres

Posted on February 3, 2011 by arseneau

Just after we started to make some headway trying to decide the never ending Hockey Survivor Pool, the All-Star break had to hit and bring the pool to a halt. We did lose another entry, former champ lyonn, two weeks ago, and that was the first booting from the pool in three weeks. Now the All-Star game is behind us, we’re back at it this week.

As mentioned a couple weeks ago, our poolies are starting to run out of elite teams to choose from, making some tougher matchups more and more relevant. This is definitely evident in this week’s picks.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. St. Louis Blues (Sunday, 3:00 Eastern)

Tampa Bay is red-hot, currently riding a six game winning streak. They’re also sporting a solid 17-4-2 home record. St. Louis, on the other hand, would actually probably be in the playoff picture if they could manage to play .500 hockey on the road. The Blues are 15-8-3 at home, but sit at 7-12-4 on the road.

This is my favourite pick this week, and of our remaining contestants, only JoePoolGuy used Tampa Bay already.

Prediction: 5-3 Lightning

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Atlanta Thrashers (Saturday, 7:00)

Carolina is simply too good, and too battle-tested, to not make the playoffs. If they’re going to make the playoffs however, it’s likely they will need to leapfrog their Southeast Division rivals, the Atlanta Thrashers. Carolina currently sits one point back of Atlanta, but the ‘Canes have a pair of games in hand.

With so many of the ‘Canes players having won a Stanley Cup together, you can bet this group will recognize the importance of Saturday’s tilt in Raleigh. Add to this the fact that the Thrashers have won just two of their last ten, plus the ‘Canes have won both meetings between the two this year. It’s a strong bet that Carolina will find itself sitting in a playoff position come Sunday morning.

Of interest for our poolies, JoePoolGuy was left out from the Tampa Bay pick, but is our only entry that can still pick Carolina. Bring it home, JPG!

Prediction: 4-1 Hurricanes

Buffalo Sabres vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday, 7:00)

The Buffalo Sabres have very quietly won seven of their last ten, and moved themselves into a great spot to make a playoff push. They sit six points back of Atlanta for the eighth and final playoff spot, but currently have four games in hand on the Thrashers.

It won’t be easy for the Sabres down the stretch, as they will have to do without arguably their best forward in Derek Roy, but Sabres fans can take some solace in the fact that Buffalo is 2-0 against the Leafs this season.

All four of our remaining poolies can pick Buffalo. Perhaps the choices aren’t that tough just yet, but we’ll know for sure after Saturday.

Prediction: 3-1 Sabres

More Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Jan. 22: Capitals, Canucks, Sabres

Posted on January 20, 2011 by arseneau

We’re getting to a bit of an interesting point in our Hockey Survivor Pool. One of the first games that jumped out at me this week was the Flyers vs. Devils matchup on Saturday night. Unfortunately, none of our remaining poolies have Philly at their disposal. In fact, only one of our survivors (ezcollectibles) even has the option of taking my favourite matchup this week, the Canucks hosting the Flames!

Not to worry though, all five survivors have the Sabres at their disposal, and JoePoolGuy and lyonn can also turn to the Capitals.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames (Saturday, 10:00 Eastern)

Lost in the Flames’ disappointing record this season is the fact that they’re actually playing better than .500 hockey at home. Unfortunately for them, they are a terrible road team, posting a 9-12-5 record away from the Saddledome. Even more unfortunate for the Flames is the fact that the Canucks are a ridiculous 15-3-3 on home ice.

When you take into account all the NHL team payrolls and the state of their respective farm systems, it’s hard to argue there is an NHL team in worse overall shape than the Calgary Flames. I can’t help but hope that Jarome Iginla gets dealt to a contender, because there isn’t a guy in the game who deserves to win more than Iggy.

Prediction: Canucks win 4-1

Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday, 7:00)

Toronto’s actually a respectable 5-4-1 in their last ten, and the Capitals are a very pedestrian 9-9-3 on the road. Ovechkin loves the original six matchups and the big atmosphere buildings though, and the Leafs just got handed a 7-0 thumping at the hands of the Rangers. It’s not too late to call James Reimer back up, is it?

Prediction: Capitals win 5-2

Buffalo Sabres at New York Islanders (Sunday, 3:00)

Buffalo started the season off on the wrong foot, but has slowly worked themselves back to .500 and into playoff contention. The Sabres are 6-3-1 in their last ten, and their resurgence has oddly enough come after Derek Roy was lost to injury.

The Islanders, on the other hand, currently hold the distinction of being the only NHL team currently using two goalies I had never heard of prior to this season. Dwayne Roloson was just shipped out of town, and Rick DiPietro’s latest injury woes have left the Islanders with Kevin Poulin and Nathan Lawson to man the crease. Maybe Islanders owner Charles Wang can convince Garth Snow to come out of retirement.

Prediction: Sabres win 3-2

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Jan. 15: Red Wings, Kings, Capitals

Posted on January 13, 2011 by arseneau

All five entries survived another week in our Hockey Survivor Pool, and the good news doesn’t stop there – all five of our remaining entries have at least one option amongst our three favourite teams this week! The Ottawa Senators-Washington Capitals matchup is my personal favourite, unless Cory Clouston gets his walking papers soon and that sparks the Sens.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Columbus has lost five straight, and the Wings just keep plugging along like they always do, currently tied with Philly for second most points in the league. As if that alone wasn’t reason enough to pick the Wings, Detroit is 2-0 against Columbus this year, and went 4-1 against the Blue Jackets last year. It seems as if maybe the Blue Jackets are still haunted by their four game sweep against the Wings in their only playoff appearance to date.

Prediction: 4-1 Wings

Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (Saturday, 10:00)

The Oilers have won just once in their last ten, so it seems like a safe bet to pick against them versus almost anyone right now. All is not well in L.A. though, where the Kings currently find themselves on the outside looking in as far as the playoff picture is concerned, and Drew Doughty has regressed significantly since last year.

Kings fan and our survivor pool players can take some comfort in the fact that the Kings are 14-7-1 at home, compared to 9-11-0 on the road.

Prediction: 5-2 Kings

Washington Capitals vs. Ottawa Senators (Sunday, 3:00)

The Ottawa Senators are a mess. Firing Clouston is probably the next move, but the team’s problems run much deeper than that. The Sens aging, high-priced core of Alex Kovalev, Daniel Alfredsson, and Sergei Gonchar is not producing at all, and their salaries render them virtually untradeable. Jason Spezza is out for an extended period, and Pascal Leclaire and Brian Elliott have played so poorly that the club is currently looking into bringing Evgeni Nabokov back across the pond.

The Capitals, meanwhile, have turned things around in a big way since enduring one of their worst slumps during Bruce Boudreau’s tenure. They are 6-1-3 in their last 10, and it’s only a matter of time before Alexander Ovechkin breaks out in a big way.

Prediction: 6-2 Capitals

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Dec. 4-5: Penguins, Bruins, Capitals

Posted on December 3, 2010 by arseneau

There wasn’t a single misstep last week amongst the MOP $20 Poolies group in the Hockey Survivor Pool. This is no time to be resting on our laurels though, as this week features some tough matchups and most entries, everyone except ezcollectibles and markymark2281, are already on the second of their two lives.

Predicting the Philadelphia Flyers over New Jersey Devils could be the best of the available games this weekend, but since a bunch already used Philly earlier in the pool, I’ll bypass that one and give you my remaining, top three picks.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

The Penguins have won a ridiculous eight straight games, which is reason enough to like them this weekend. Streaks obviously have to end sometime, but it’s tough to bet against this bunch right now. Sidney Crosby apparently took offence to the early season buzz Steven Stamkos was creating, and has lit the league up as of late. It certainly helps matters that Marc-Andre Fleury’s game has rounded into form after a rough start to the season. The Pens’ tender is 4-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .967 save percentage in his last four starts. Good enough for me.

Prediction: 5-2 Penguins

Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday, 7:00)

The Bruins are still among my favourites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. Their current ranking of seventh in the East standings is also a little misleading, since they’ve played at least two fewer games than all the other teams currently holding playoff positions.

After seeing the shellacking the Edmonton Oilers laid on the Leafs, and the way the Leafs blew a third period lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night, it still feels like a safe bet to pick anyone over the Leafs at this point. It’s also worth mentioning that the Bruins just tagged those aforementioned Bolts for eight goals, inspired by the long-waited return of Marc Savard. Savard didn’t have a point in the game, but once he starts contributing on the score sheet, watch out.

Prediction: 4-1 Bruins

Washington Capitals vs. Atlanta Thrashers (Saturday, 7:00)

Semyon Varlamov must have started to worry about his job security while he recovered from yet another groin injury. Michal Neuvirth certainly gave the Caps a chance to win every night, but Varlamov has been simply lights-out since he’s been healthy. The Caps’ franchise goaltender has a 4-1-0 record with a 1.72 GAA and a .939 save percentage in his last five games.

Be wary though, because Thrashers’ goalie Ondrej Pavelec has been as good if not better than Varlamov since returning from injury. Pavelec needs to be perfect for the Thrashers to have a chance, because his squad doesn’t boast the kind of offensive arsenal the Caps have.

Though Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Alex Ovechkin’s point totals may seem pedestrian compared to their career totals, the Caps are the only team in the NHL with three players with at least 30 points so far this year. In fact, the Capitals currently boast three of the league’s top six scorers.

Prediction: 4-1 Capitals

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Nov. 20-21: Canadiens, Ducks, Red Wings

Posted on November 18, 2010 by arseneau

The Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers seem to have been everyone’s favourite go-to pick through the first two weeks of our Hockey Survivor Pool.

After a somewhat lacklustre start, the Flyers have not lost in regulation in their last ten, thanks largely to rookie sensation Sergei Bobrovsky, who has gone from free-agent pickup to the star of my fantasy hockey team.

Meanwhile, on the west coast, the Kings sit nicely perched atop the Western Conference despite recently having a six game winning streak snapped by the San Jose Sharks.

Three quarters of our entries have used up at least one of these teams, and a full third of our entries have actually used both! Not to worry though, this week’s games feature enough solid matchups that finding a new pony shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

At this point, it seems a safe bet to choose almost anyone to beat the Maple Leafs. The offense has completely dried up. Jean-Sebastien Giguere is letting in soft goals at key moments, and it was just announced he’ll miss one to two weeks with a groin strain, prompting the Leafs to recall James Reimer from the AHL. Captain Dion Phaneuf continues to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

In Montreal, meanwhile, the Habs are doing their best to prove that last season’s postseason run wasn’t a fluke, and that there is life after Jaroslav Halak. Carey Price, fresh off being named the NHL’s first star for last week, is on a tear, blanking the Flyers in his last outing despite facing 41 shots.

Some of you may be wondering how the Habs will fare without star defenseman Andrei Markov. Well, here’s some food for thought: the Habs started this season 7-2-1 without him, and were 4-3 after his return. Just sayin’…

Prediction: 4-2 Canadiens

Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers (Sunday, 8:00 Eastern)

The Edmonton Oilers have lost their last four games by a combined total of 25-8. The Ducks, meanwhile, boat an impressive 7-1-1 record at home, and are 7-2-1 in their last ten.

Even if the Ducks decide that this is a prime opportunity to rest Jonas Hiller, backup Curtis McElhinney has been no slouch so far. He’s 2-2, with a shutout and a sparkling .924 save percentage.

As an aside, Ducks defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky has posted some gaudy numbers to this point: 16 points and a plus five rating through 21 games.

Prediction: 5-3 Ducks

Detroit Red Wings vs. Calgary Flames (Sunday, 5:00 Eastern)

As a huge Jarome Iginla fan, it has pained me to watch him play like he has this season. Iginla used to play with a bull in a china shop mentality, charging the net with authority and using his speed and strength to create opportunities to unleash his wicked shot. Without Iggy scoring, the Flames’ already thin offense has struggled mightily.

I firmly believe Iginla still has the ability to be a 35+ goal scorer, but a change of scenery might be necessary to make that happen.

Meanwhile, it’s business as usual in Detroit. The Wings are jockeying for position atop the Western Conference, and are 7-1-1 at home. Nicklas Lidstrom is off to his best start in years, Jimmy Howard is proving last year’s regular season was no fluke, and Todd Bertuzzi is producing at a pace we haven’t seen from him since he left Vancouver.

Prediction: 3-1 Red Wings

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Nov. 6: Kings, Habs, Flyers

Posted on November 3, 2010 by arseneau

We’re finally ready to get underway with this year’s edition of the Hockey Survivor Pool.

There have been lots of early season surprises in the NHL, such as the Devils’ implosion, the Leafs’ hot start, and Steven Stamkos’ otherworldly scoring pace, although maybe the latter shouldn’t be too, too surprising.

With all the unpredictably that goes with these hot and cold starts, it’s a good thing we’ve now included a double elimination rule for the survivor pool! Let’s take a look at this weekend’s top three available picks.

Los Angeles Kings vs. Nashville Predators (Saturday, 10:00 Eastern)

The Predators have faded somewhat since their hot start, but boy does Barry Trotz deserve some recognition as one of the league’s best coaches. Year in and year out, his ragtag teams are always there come playoff time. They’re slumping now though, and the Kings are rounding into form as one of the league’s most exciting young teams. Couple this with the fact that Drew Doughty is expected back in time for this game, and the Kings should be padding their lead atop the Western Conference come Saturday.

Prediction: 3-1 Kings

Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Montreal’s hopes for this season rested entirely on the shoulders of Carey Price. Price has been good, sometimes great, so far this season, and that has propelled the Habs to a fantastic start. The Senators, on the other hand, have yet to find any sort of consistency between the pipes, with Pascal Leclaire again spending extended time on the shelf. Those joining Leclaire in the sick bay have included Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, and Filip Kuba. Oh, and has anyone seen Alex Kovalev?

Prediction: 4-3 Canadiens

Philadelphia Flyers at New York Islanders (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Philly fans are already letting themselves dream that Sergei Brobovsky might actually be the number one goalie they’ve been yearning for since the Ron Hextall era. It’s a bit early and the jury is definitely still out on Brobovsky, but he’s looked good and is stealing more and more starts from incumbent Brian Boucher.

On the flip side, the Islanders are still trying to get Rick DiPietro’s game up to par, but he hasn’t looked sharp. He certainly isn’t to be blamed with a total of just 13 games played in the previous two seasons.

The Flyers are as deep as any team in the league up front, and also boast remarkable depth on the blueline. Expect the Flyers’ veteran depth to teach the young Islanders what it takes to be the class of the East when the two teams meet this weekend.

Prediction: 5-2 Flyers

NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series Predictions

Posted on April 12, 2010 by arseneau

Stanley Cup Playoffs
Hockey Pool

~ Pick the team to win each series
~ Pick the games for each series
~ Pick 5 players to score points
~ $20 to enter ~ 1st, 2nd, 3rd place
~ Now open at our sister website
MyOfficePool.ca

Your DraftBuddy.com username works at MyOfficePool.ca

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

The Habs fan in me is hopeful that the Canadiens 2-1-1 record against Washington this year is a sign that an upset could be in the cards for this season’s President’s Trophy winners. The realist in me doesn’t see any way the Habs can make this a real series unless Jaroslav Halak puts up a brick wall and the Caps’ goaltending falters.

While there is a slight chance of that happening, it’s worth nothing that not only has Halak not looked particularly strong of late, but he has not faced the Caps at all this season! Carey Price was in net for all four contests between the two teams, so Halak might be in for a rude awakening.

Prediction: Caps in 5

Players to Watch:

Scott Gomez, C, MTL—Gomez is a veteran of three trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, and has two rings to show for it. He has 30 points and a +7 rating through his last 28 playoff games. Plekanec’s line will draw a significant amount of the Caps’ attention, and Gomez is going to need to take some of the pressure off him if the Habs are going to go anywhere.

Mike Green, D, WAS—Green was abysmal in the playoffs last year, but he posted seven points during the Caps first round exit the year before. It will be interesting to see which Green we get to watch this year.

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers

Most pundits have written off the Flyers, but I don’t expect them to go quietly. The Flyers actually took 5 of 6 meetings from the Devils this year. Most recently, Brian Boucher was in net for a 5-1 win on March 28th. Chris Pronger has led an 8th seeded team on a deep playoff run before, and even Brian Boucher has been to an Eastern Conference Final.

The Devils’ roster boasts an impressive 14 cup rings though, compared to just one for the Flyers. Special teams also tend to play a key role in the post-season, and while the Devils are the third-most disciplined team in the league, the Flyers are the second-most penalized. The Devils defense, discipline, and experience should get them past the Flyers in what promises to be a hard-fought series.

Prediction: Devils in 6

Players to Watch:

Claude Giroux, RW, PHI—Pronger, Richards, Gagne and Carter will all need to produce for the Flyers to have success, but Giroux may very well be the X-factor. He was arguably the Flyers’ best forward during last year’s playoffs, but he had underwhelmed most of this year.

Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, NJ—Kovalchuk’s goal-scoring has slowed since he joined the Devils, and he has disappointed in his brief playoff career so far. That being said, he should see plenty of power play ice time and as a result could post some big numbers in the first round.

(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins

To me, this is a pretty simple one: the league’s second-worst offense (Boston) heads to the playoffs without their best offensive player (Marc Savard), and is forced to face the league’s best goalie (Ryan Miller) in the first round. I simply don’t think the Bruins have enough firepower to get by the Sabres.

That being said, the Sabres don’t exactly boast a high-powered offense, and Tuukka Rask has been pretty spectacular so far this season. Rask is an unproven commodity come playoff time, but he certainly has the potential to make things interesting.

Prediction: Sabres in 5

Players to Watch:

Tomas Vanek, LW, BUF—Vanek has been a huge disappointment this year, scoring just 27 goals. The uber-talented Austrian has five in his last two games though, so he could be poised to explode in the playoffs.

Tuuka Rask, G, BOS—Any hope Boston has rests squarely on the shoulders of Rask. The Finn has never played in an NHL playoff game though, so it will be interesting to see how he responds.

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators

This strikes me as the most interesting of the first round matchups in the East. The two teams split the season series with two wins apiece. Ottawa heads into the playoffs playing inspired hockey, going 7-2-1 in their last ten.

The Pens, on the other hand, have gone 5-4-1 in their last ten, and it’s worth pointing out that they needed a five point night from Sidney Crosby just to beat the Islanders 6-5 in a shootout for that last win.

Pittsburgh still has that same young core that has been to two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, so it’s tough not to like them to get by the Senators. The Pens get my vote, but this series also gets my vote for “most likely to end with an upset”.

Prediction: Penguins in 6

Players to Watch:

Alex Goligoski, D, PIT—Goligoski’s ice time has almost matched that of Sergei Gonchar’s of late, and he has 34 points in 32 career AHL playoff games. He could really make a name for himself this spring.

Brian Elliott, G, OTT—This is a bit of an obvious one. Elliott has provided the stability that many hoped Pascal Leclaire would provide between the pipes, but he still remains untested in the playoffs. J.S. Giguere made himself a household name during the Ducks’ 2003 playoff run, and who knows, Brian Elliott may just do the same.

Fantasy Hockey Stanley Cup Playoff Pool Performers

Posted on April 6, 2010 by arseneau

Stanley Cup Playoffs
Hockey Pool

~ Pick the team to win each series
~ Pick the games for each series
~ Pick 5 players to score points
~ $20 to enter ~ 1st, 2nd, 3rd place
~ Now open at our sister website
MyOfficePool.ca

Your DraftBuddy.com username works at MyOfficePool.ca

The regular season is winding down, and a good number of fantasy junkies are gearing up for playoff pools. These pools offer a shot at redemption for those of us who have been out of contention in our pools for awhile now, and a chance to hold ultimate bragging rights for regular season victors.

With this in mind, let’s have a look at a few of this season’s stars, and how they tend to perform in the postseason.

Captain Clutch

These guys have produced when it matters in the past, and there’s no reason to think it won’t happen again.

Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT—Last year’s Conn Smythe trophy winner has a total of 62 points in 49 playoff games. It’s been a tough year for Gino, but don’t let that make you pass him up for the playoffs. Sidney Crosby also gets an honourable mention here, since his re-invention from playmaker to sniper really began during last year’s playoff run.

Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH—Same old Ovie come playoff time…

Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH—Backstrom’s playoff performance last year closely mirrored his regular season production. He’s been even better this year, and become a pretty responsible defensive player too. I expect him to turn a lot of heads this postseason. That is, of course, if the Caps make it anywhere in the post-season, and that’s all up to Jose Theodore and Semyon Varlamov.

Patrik Elias, C/LW, NJ—Elias falls into the sleeper category for this year’s playoffs, as he’s had a pretty unremarkable season. His playoff resume is impressive though. He currently sits 5th among all active players in playoff points with 113. The Devils look poised to make a decent run come playoff time, and I would expect Elias to be a big reason why.

Playoff Busts

The following gents have a reputation of underperforming come playoff time. They may still give you some production, but don’t expect the same player you saw in the regular season.

Joe Thornton, C, SJ—Jumbo Joe’s playoff struggles are well-documented. For his career, the perennial regular season assist-king has just 53 points in 76 games, with a -12 rating. The Sharks are pegged as contenders year after year, and Thornton’s annual disappearing act is a major reason why they’ve never made good on their contender status. Dany Heatley’s arrival in town should change all that, right?

Dany Heatley, W, SJ—Heatley has 10 goals in 34 playoff games. Extrapolate that over a full 82 game season and you get 24 goals. When was the last time you remember Heatley scoring 24 goals in a regular season? Heatley also seems to disappear when the going gets tough. Shark fans had better hope that Heatley and Thornton can cure each other’s playoff woes, or it will be another disappointing season in San Jose.

Jeff Carter, C, PHI—Carter has 12 points in 29 career playoff games. The Flyers’ goaltending situation is a mess, and if the team has any aspirations of contending, they’ll need better from Carter.

Wildcards

These guys have had somewhat checkered playoff pasts, but that may change this year.

Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, NJ— Kovalchuk has only been to the playoffs once before, and his performance in the Thrashers’ four game exit was forgettable. He’s starting to hit his stride with the Devils though, and he’s surrounded by guys who know how to get it done in the playoffs. It’s tough to bet against him putting up big numbers now that he has an actual supporting cast.

The Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik—Yes, we’ll examine them as one player; they wouldn’t have it any other way. Henrik has received a ton of fanfare this season, and it’s very much deserved. Quietly though, Daniel has actually scored at an almost identical pace to brother Henrik! Over a full season, Daniel’s current pace would get him 107 points.

Last season, the Sedins had their best playoff showing yet, each posting 10 points in 10 games, with identical +4 ratings. Seriously, do these guys do anything differently?
That playoff showing was right on par with their regular season performances last year, and both brothers seem to have added a bit of sandpaper to their game this year.

I like the Canucks for a long playoff run if Roberto Luongo can find his game, and I like the Sedins to keep up their pace through the playoffs.

Mike Green, D, WSH—Mike Green’s first trip to the postseason was actually reasonably productive, and he scored at a point a game pace. Last year though, Green looked completely out of place. Green didn’t seem to want the puck on his stick at all, and I suspected he was hiding an injury throughout the Caps’ playoff run. He has yet again been the most productive NHL defenseman during the regular season though, so it will be interesting to see how he performs come crunch time.

Paul Stastny, C, COL—Stastny only has 9 games of playoff experience, and while he was completely underwhelming, his role on the team then wasn’t as prominent as it is now. I can’t say I expect the Avs to make a deep run, and Stastny isn’t the grittiest of players, but it’s not fair at this point to put him in the playoff bust category.

New to the Dance

Gut check time. The following regular season standouts have never played in the NHL playoffs:

Anze Kopitar (LA)
Chris Stewart (COL)
Craig Anderson (COL)
Drew Doughty (LA)
Jonathan Quick (LA)
Patric Hornqvist (NAS)