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Alex
PickupHockey All-Star
Canada
2816 Posts |
 Posted - 04/06/2008 : 07:16:14
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Poll Question:
Because of these high profile injuries, which team will suffer most in the 2008 NHL Playoffs?
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Axey
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
877 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 07:22:47
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| the habs injuries are expected to be ready for the playoffs .. so id have to go with fisher and alfie ... huge assets to their playoff run last year |
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admin
Forum Admin
Canada
2338 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 11:17:16
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| Good poll Alex. Moved it to the feature poll. Slight modification to the wording and a few name spelling corrections is all. Thanks bud! |
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Alex
PickupHockey All-Star
Canada
2816 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 11:47:12
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I think you really have to look at the timing of these injuries.
Boston is the most injury-plagued of them all. Will it play a part in them advancing or not? Likely. Will it cost them a cup? Doubtful. Boston is not a contender even with all those injured guys back, in my opinion.
Look at a team like Montreal. They just got Streit back, but Komisarek and Boullion are still out. Listen, this team has been riding on the overachievers, and you need to wonder when that will run out. Teams will be pounding them all series long. Without their key guys, they are in trouble.
Ottawa lost its offence. So what? They didn't have much of a team to begin with. Ottawa is just not consistent enough to play championship-calibre hockey for a month. Alfredsson is their best player, true. It is the biggest single-player blow, even truer. But with him or without him, they do not have a cup.
Colorado is the big mystery team. I think that they have not been able to get everyone on the same page the whole season, and as a result, no one really knows what to expect from them. Do not kid yourself, on paper they have a great team. But how much pounding can guys like Foote, Foppa and Burnaby Joe take? They could be on that injured list any minute. With Svatos out, that is a big blow. Smyth, who manages to get the garbage, clutch goals, is also a huge loss. I think these guys would be one of the teams to beat, if ever they could actually get their whole team together at once!
Detroit is so talented that it will come down to the question it comes down to every year: can key guys perform or will they choke? Luckily, Rafalski and Lidstrom are back, and Zetterberg is well rested and not feeling any back pains. The Dominator is also a big question. I think that these guys don't have it as bad as it seems in terms of injuries. It comes down to keeping the healthy guys who traditionally get injured healthy, and performing up to standards.
Anaheim has lost a lot in Perry, and thus, in Getzlaf. However, they will bounce back. I think that Perry will be back soon enough, and until then, the defensive-minded, bone crunching Ducks can handle the load.
And Dallas, like Detroit, has bigger problems than injuries. Mind you, arguably their two best players are sidelined, but Zubov will be back and I do not expect Ribeiro to sit out for long. If they can perform and stay focused is the question.
Who did my vote go to, in the end? It is four-fold really. All in all, Montreal lost the most. Ottawa however, has the biggest one-player blow in losing Alfie. Colorado is the darkhorse, and could be the best team, or a flop. Until everyone is healthy, we can't tell. And Detroit is not bitten by the injury bug so badly -- yet. We will see how they manage keeping Lidstrom, Zetterberg and Hasek healthy, and with them, their cup aspirations too.
My vote went to Montreal in the end, just because of my bias. 
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leigh
Moderator
Canada
1755 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 12:01:18
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| Holmstrom played for Detroit today (13:54 minutes). So their chances have just improved. |
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pensfan17
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
330 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 12:15:33
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Though Detroit didn't lose any superstars, they did lose a lot of toughness which will maybe hurt them in the playoffs. Maltby, Draper, and Holmstrom are three of their grittiest players.
Boston has lost their two best offensive players in Savard and Bergeron. I would not count them out though because they have a very good system and if Thomas does good they could do alright in the playoffs.
I agree with Alex on Ottawa not doing good anyway. Gerber is not a good enough goalie to lead a run, they have one line of offence and an okay defence core.
Montreal is missing a lot in their captain and their best defensive defenceman. That will hurt them this year.
Ryan Smyth is the key loss to Colorado, but he has been injured most of the year, I don't think his injury will change the Avs outcome. They just need one of their goalies to step up in the post-season.
Anaheim should be fine without Perry an Dallas should have Ribero back soon, and just like Colorado they have been missing Zubov for a while now.
My vote goes to Montreal, with Detroit coming second. |
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Patchy
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
529 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 13:57:05
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I think it's the Habs. They have plenty of talent even with their injuries, but it's guys like their captain Saku Koivu, and Micheal Komisarek who leads the NHL in blocked shots that have the ability to gel the team together. Without their key guys, they do not have much of a chance. Then one thing they have to look forward to though, is playing Boston in the first round...whom they beat 8 out of 8 times in regular season, by then their injury problems may be over. (?)
~~Go Leafs Go~~ |
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shinnyafterschool
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
375 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2008 : 10:03:45
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Smyth isn't hurt, he's back. So based on that I went with the Ottawa pair.
"Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete. " |
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2008 Playoff injuries 
