Primal Optimist Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 With a dirty dozen games to go, the West is shaping up for the most part, even with a matchup all but set in stone folks. There is more settled than unsettled, it seems, in the western playoff picture, and I am starting to realize why the Canucks are having a hard time getting out of bed this month. Take a look at what we know: 1st : St Louis Blues from the Central Division 98 points 2nd: Vancouver Canucks from the North-West Division 92 points 3rd: Pacific Divisiion 4th/5th Detroit will play Nashville 91/90 points central Division what we don't know is who has home ice 6th, odds are very good that Chicago is here in sixth place with 84 points and will play against a Pacific Div team in 3rd 7th 8th 9th and 10th: Here is the only real mystery, along with who will eek out 3rd place in from the Pacific Division. Currently: 3; Dallas Pac Div.......71 games played and 83 points with 22 points available (96) 7;Phoenix, Pac Div.....72 games played and 81 points with 20 points available (92) 8;Colorado, NW Div...73 games played and 81 points with 18 points available (91) 9;San Jose, Pac Div...70 games played and 80 points with 24 points left available (94) 10;Calgary, NW Div...71 games played and 80 points with 22 points left available (93) So we can safely say ST Louis is 1st, Van is second and Detroit will play Nashville in 4th/5th. The odds are also more with Chicago holding 6th than they are Dallas to hold 3rd. Just interesting stuff, but the reason this is Canucks Talk is that right now, we know that Vancouver will face one of five teams in round one. If these teams carry their % of points captured for their final games they will finish 3)Dallas 96 points 7)San Jose 94 points 8)Calgary 93 points ----- 9)Phoenix 92 points 10)Colorado 91 points Anything can happen of course, but it looks like the odds are with the following: St Louis Vs Calgary Vancouver Vs San Jose Dallas Vs Chicago Detroit Vs Nashville Your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baercheese Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Would very much like a Vancouver-Calgary 1st round matchup Both city would go nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberries Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I would love to see the canucks sweep the lames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Optimist Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Would very much like a Vancouver-Calgary 1st round matchup Both city would go nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AriGold Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 SJ has a game in hand and is only 3 points back of the division lead over Dallas. I think SJ will do well down the stretch and take 3rd. I see it breaking down like this. STL vs PHO/CAL/COL/DAL VAN vs PHO/CAL/COL/DAL SJ vs CHI DET vs NSH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sting Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Good breakdown. I wouldn't overlook LA just yet though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spliced Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Dallas has been hot for awhile and could be due for some losses and SJ has been cold for awhile and could be due for some wins(they also have some guys back from injury the last few games). Plus I think SJ play Dallas 2 more times so SJ still have a very realistic shot at 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgillnuck Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Det-Nsh would be great. They're the 2 scariest teams in the west right now IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I like the San Jose match-up. The Sharks don't have an elite goaltender and are in the same time zone. Also, the Canucks have recent playoff success againt them, so should have a lot of confidence going in. I also really like the fact that either Nashville or Detroit will be gone after the first round. Other thoughts: I think the Flames, if they get in could give the Blues a run for their money. The only downer at this point, IMO, is that the 'Hawks get a relatively easy first-round match-up. I'm hoping for the 'Yotes, as I think this makes Chicago a clear second best in the goaltender comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menace Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Good post OP, this is a great topic!. Fans need to focus on the race that is brewing and forget about the crap that has gone on to this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiun Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I actually hope we end up with a really tough opponent in the first round. Chicago would be a good matchup again, or San Jose would be good too. Main thing is that we can't afford to just sleep through the first round. Last year Chicago gave the Canucks a real kick in the ass and they really pulled together down the stretch. We're a lot healthier going into the playoffs (knock on wood) than last year as well, so hopefully we won't end up as beaten up down the road. We'll see. I think a tough contender will wake us up in the first round and we'll go into the rest of the playoffs fighting hard. I think an easier team might make us too complacent. Look at what happened to Canada's world juniors this year, easy teams, easy wins, then got spanked against their first real challenge because they couldn't get up to play after having it so easy. Let's not forget that there isn't a single team in the league that the Canucks can't beat if they are playing hard. Shouldn't matter who we get matched up with, we should be able to progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahf149 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Well a lot can happen in 11 games, but I wouldnt mind seeing Phoenix or Calgary in the first round. Vancouver still has a chance to take first overall in the west...they are only really 2 points back of St.Louis if we win the two games we have on them in hand. Calgary would be lots of fun. Its too bad but I would love to see them make it the second round. I really want Winnipeg to make the playoffs, they have two games vs Washington theyd have to win both of them to have a chance!! Now with Ovie out with an injury...maybe...there is a slight chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Optimist Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I am kind of writing off LA now as they would need to win 62.5% of available points against teams like Detroit, Nashville, Boston, Vancouver and St Louis once each and that is 10 of their remaining 24 points right there...not to mention fighting against other teams trying to make it like the Flames once, San Jose 3 times and that is another 8 points which makes the 6 points they could scoop easily from facing the Oilers twice and Minnesota once kind of a joke. So I am writing off the Kings. Slightly too much to overcome against slightly harder opponents in slightly too short a timeline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vancanfan Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Would love to see Detroit - Nashville series with the Preds bouncing the Wings then get bounced themselves in the 2nd rd. I think Nashville is finally ready to deal with the likes of San Jose, who always has their number in the playoffs, so they could be a scary 2nd rd team. Boring team though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanKeslord17 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Don't think anything is set, except DET and NSH first round. We can still catch first place, were only 6pts back with 2 games in hand, we win those two, were just two points back. I think SJ will definetely make it, along with Dallas. The last spot is up for PHX or CGY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJokinen! Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I had a dream last night that the Canucks lost in the second round to Nashville in 7. I was super choked when I woke up until I realized I was dreaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo1970 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I still feel it s too soon to predict match ups. Vancouver still has 12 games left and 2 games at hand on St. Louis. Add to it that Vancity could come out and start another win streak at any time tells me that the race for first is far from over. But if I had to choose an apponent in the first round, it would be Calgary, Canadian hockey fans would be treated to an intense, fearce rivalry and thats always a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis15 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 As far as the wildcards still not set, I think Dallas holds on to the Pacific, and Phoenix still gets in as well. I think 8th will be between Calgary and San Jose, but I wouldn't be upset to play any of those 4, or even Colorado if they made it in. It'll be interesting to see how St Louis fares if San Jose gets that 8th spot though. San Jose has a lot of playoff experience across the board while St Louis doesn't have that apart from a few guys on their roster, so it could be an upset in the making. Not that San Jose would get much further if they did win, as they'd be a good 2nd round matchup for us, but that 1st round matchup has an interesting dynamic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giroux28 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 In an ideal situation, I would hope it breaks down like this: STL vs. COL VAN vs. CGY SJ vs. CHI DET vs. NSH If San Jose matches up again Chicago and Detriot with Nashville, I would be quite excited because that is a lot of stiff competition right there, and if two of those teams are eliminated before the 2nd round, the road back to the cup final would be far easier and probably more injury-free than last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Money Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Los Angeles is still in the mix. Of the remaining 12 games San Jose plays, 8 of them are against LA, Dallas, Colorado, and Phoenix. Who they lose to and who they beat will make a huge difference. We play Calgary, Colorado, and Dallas twice each down the stretch. Whenever the boys decide to start showing up could decide a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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