QOTD: Who would you least like to meet in the first round?

[Calgary4LIfe]

There are only two teams that the Flames seem to have trouble against - Anaheim and St. Louis.

Flames have beaten every other team, and I think they match up well against every other team. Anaheim has that Honda Center curse over them. Flames always seem to find a way to lose against Anaheim in that building - even the odd time that Calgary seems to be outplaying Anaheim, and a win looked probable. Some unlucky bounce ends up in the back of the net, and the game lost.

St. Louis is a big, fast team with loads of depth who seem to have the Flames' number lately, and whom I think the Flames match up poorly against. They skate as well as the Flames, and have that similar work ethic. They are just bigger and a much deeper team than the Flames.

Chicago - I would say the Flames are in their heads. Definitely a top team, but one that the Flames have done very well against for the last couple of seasons. Nashville is a top team (which is very surprising) but the Flames beat them this season already. Vancouver is a team that has continually beat the Flames (and sometimes badly), and they would have been on the list of teams that I hope the Flames don't play against, but that last win in their own rink has perhaps created a bit of confidence there.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by _Q_

I think this team can take on anyone in the West, but I think Anaheim would be the most difficult. So I went with them.

I think you're wrong when it comes to the Blues. Their ability to shut opponents down is just unparalleled. The playoff LA kings have been the only thing to get in their way in the past.

But otherwise I think the team would lay it all on the line, being so amped at just being there with a nothing to lose against say a Chicago and play with so much jump that they might actually find a way in a long series. Anaheim would be the next most difficult though.

[killer_carlson]

Was going to go with Anaheim but I've felt that we're closer to solving the Anaheim problem than in the past. I think that once we start winning there it will go well for us. Plus I think we can get to see a motivated goalie wanting to show up the former organization.

St. Louis though ... even if we beat them, we'll be broken and not win the next series. I voted St. Louis.

[Coach]

Whoops. Read it as which one I WOULD like to see. I was shocked to see so many people wanting to face Anaheim.

I voted SJ by accident, but would definitely change to Anaheim.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I would love to have a Vancouver-Calgary 1st round. I think that would be a game 7er.

[Regular_John]

Freaking Anaheim. Assuming the Flames make the dance I don't want to see them get swept.

I'd honestly love to see a Vancouver series, we might not win, but it likely be a good scrappy series.

[Resolute 14]

Vancouver. Making the playoffs this year would be found money. If we get there, I just want to enjoy the ride. Whether it lasts 4 games or 28. But dealing with that team and its fans would be like finding money covered in dirty blood.

From an on-ice perspective only, Chicago and Anaheim are the only two teams where I feel we would have very little chance of winning.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Bingo

The odds of each opponent?
Chicago 24.8%
St. Louis 22.2%
Nashville 16.2%
Anaheim 8.4%
Vancouver 5.3%
San Jose 2.9%
Winnipeg 2.9%
Minnesota 0.8%
Los Angeles 0.7%
Dallas 0.6%
Colorado 0.5%

Old playoff format odds?

There's almost 0 chance of playing Chicago in the first round. They would need to climb up and beat Nashville and St. Louis for first in their division and the Flames would need to fall to the wildcard spot that goes against the Central division champs. Alternatively the Flames would need to pass Anaheim and earn the Pacific division and Chicago fall to the wildcard spot that goes up against the Pacific division champ. Neither are at all likely.

[Bingo]

not sure this has been posted or not, but Lambert adds his take to the chances of falling out on Feb 1

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...145418060.html

[Bourque's Twin]

I read the title too quickly and thought it said "who would you like to see the Flames play?"

I chose Van, because I think they would be the most fun to watch.

But, to answer the poll correctly, I certainly choose Anaheim.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bingo

not sure this has been posted or not, but Lambert adds his take to the chances of falling out on Feb 1

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...145418060.html

Every GM in the west right now:

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Whoops. Read it as which one I WOULD like to see. I was shocked to see so many people wanting to face Anaheim.

I voted SJ by accident, but would definitely change to Anaheim.

I did the same, but voted Vancouver. Really I'd rather they finish 9th and don't make the playoffs. But it would be nice destroying them again and a rival like Vancouver will get the city going.

[zukes]

Anaheim for me, same reasons as everyone.

I also think your playoffs odds are wonky. They are currently in 2nd, meaning they'd play 3rd place in the Pacific. If they drop to 3rd, they play the 2nd place. If they drop to 4th they are a wild card, but as of right now they would be the 7th place wild card. I forget how the cross over works, but I thought if the wild cards came from different divisions it's a straight divisional playoff?

[DJones]

Haha didn't read the question. Went with Vancouver

[Oling_Roachinen]

Assuming that the central division finishes as:

Nashville
St. Louis
Chicago
Wildcard Spot

For that wildcard spot, somehow managing to get past Nashville in the first round would mean a second round of Chicago or St. Louis and then probably a conference final against Anaheim. I think that Wildcard spot would have the toughest road to the Stanley Cup.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Assuming that the central division finishes as:

Nashville
St. Louis
Chicago
Wildcard Spot

For that wildcard spot, somehow managing to get past Nashville in the first round would mean a second round of Chicago or St. Louis and then probably a conference final against Anaheim. I think that Wildcard spot would have the toughest road to the Stanley Cup.

Have no fear, Devin Dubnyk is here

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Bingo

not sure this has been posted or not, but Lambert adds his take to the chances of falling out on Feb 1

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...145418060.html

Love this.

So LA, Colorado, Minnesota and Dallas basically have a 4% chance of clawing their way in, being that they're all 5> points back, and the final team (Vancouver) has a game in hand on all of them.

[zukes]

Okay so a little research shows that 2 & 3's play each other in their own division. The top point #1 team plays the lowest point wild card, with the other #1 getting the other wild card.

As it stands today that means:

Vancouver @ Nashville
Winnipeg @ Anaheim
Chicago @ St. Louis
San Jose @ Calgary

I do not see a realistic scenario where we play Chicago, they'd have to gain 9 point sin all likelihood on Nashville due to ROW (very unlikely) and the Flames would have to fall below San Jose, Vancouver and Winnipeg and stay ahead of the rest (very possible, but also not statistically likely).

I think Bingo may have been using the old 1 - 8 seedings.

[Magnum PEI]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Old playoff format odds?

There's almost 0 chance of playing Chicago in the first round. They would need to climb up and beat Nashville and St. Louis for first in their division and the Flames would need to fall to the wildcard spot that goes against the Central division champs. Alternatively the Flames would need to pass Anaheim and earn the Pacific division and Chicago fall to the wildcard spot that goes up against the Pacific division champ. Neither are at all likely.

Yeah, those odds almost certainly have to be for the old format. There's still 30 games left so a lot can happen, but right now the most likely teams we would play are VAN, SJ, ANA, NASH, and STL.

[Gary83]

Edmonton.