Boston opened -355 for the series, I believe, but you’re right, due to the parity in the league there were much bigger underdogs to win in years past.
Detroit was a monster favorite a few times in the 90’s and early 2000’s and lost. The Sharks shocked them in 94 or 95, pretty sure the Wings were much bigger favs than -355.
Don’t know where you got this article from but this guy was spot on….what a prediction!
Florida Panthers
Record: 42-32-8, 92 points
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Florida could be this season's playoff Cinderella story. For months, the Panthers looked ineffective racking up loss after loss, but GM Bill Zito didn't add at the trade deadline. Zito said he believed in the team as it was. Florida responded in kind with a 12-4-2 record from March 3 until its penultimate regular-season game -- and fourth consecutive playoff berth.
The Panthers have momentum. They have swagger and confidence that comes from having played with postseason-level urgency for weeks. Matthew Tkachuk has been MVP-worthy up front. Brandon Montour isn't earning enough attention for the fabulous season he's put together. Alex Lyon has been dominating in net since taking over from Sergei Bobrovsky. Florida fought its way back from the brink, and that's what will make the Panthers dangerous in the playoffs.
Biggest flaws: The Panthers' penalty kill has been a problem. They have the second worst PK (75.9%) in the playoff field, and that's notable given how vital special teams opportunities -- for and against -- can be.
Florida was also one of the worst regular-season teams playing from behind, with only four wins to its credit when trailing after the first period. The Panthers will require more resiliency than that to go on a long run.
Player to watch: Alex Lyon. He has been Florida's savior between the pipes. But will the 30-year-old be able to perform the same way come playoff time? Lyon had appeared in just 24 NHL games prior to replacing Bobrovsky as the Panthers' No. 1 in late March. Florida can't expect to outscore defensive or goaltending issues -- the Panthers tried it last year as the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners; it didn't go well -- so Lyon being on point is a critical factor in their potential success.
Bold prediction: Florida bottles up Boston in the first round and sends the Bruins packing with a thrilling overtime victory to end the series.
Bold prediction: Florida bottles up Boston in the first round and sends the Bruins packing with a thrilling overtime victory to end the series.
LMAO
Saw this earlier, not sure of the accuracy of this, but it certainly sounds about right….
As good as Boston has been on paper and in the regular season in the 15 years of the Bergeron/Marchand era they:
Were eliminated 9 of 15 years earlier than expected
Were favored to win the Cup 4 times at the start of the playoffs and never made it out of the 2nd Rd in those years
Exceeded expectations just three times (the three years they went to the Cup), went 1-2 and were favored twice.
As good as Boston has been on paper and in the regular season in the 15 years of the Bergeron/Marchand era they:
Were eliminated 9 of 15 years earlier than expected
Were favored to win the Cup 4 times at the start of the playoffs and never made it out of the 2nd Rd in those years
Exceeded expectations just three times (the three years they went to the Cup), went 1-2 and were favored twice.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney did precisely what winners do: go all-in
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney bolstered his league-leading roster ahead of this season's NHL trade deadline, going all in for the Cup.
www.boston.com
'Bruins GM Don Sweeney did precisely what winners do: go all-in'
1st rounder for Orlov/Hathaway
1st rounder for Bertuzzi
no cap space too
seriously, who plays center on their top 2 lines going forward? Coyle? ...lol
