What's Happening: Round 1 of the playoffs start this Sunday, Also, had to change up the format a little because it's too hard to pick a "game of the night" when the lineups are largely unknown and really just about every game could be the game of the night. (Impact players are simply players who I think will have a big impact on the series, not necessarily a team's best players.) If you're looking for some playoff predictions, @Jer Dubz and @APsychicTaco wrote some good articles about who they think will win (linked at the end of the article). Toronto Maple Leafs (43-34-5) vs Ottawa Senators (56-19-7) Impact Player: @lebren Lebren had a pretty good season getting 19 wins and 3rd on the team in scoring. Commonly flanked by @Girgss and @BLicK12 , the Sens 2nd line could be dangerous in that these players seem to complement eachother well. Though, most agree that center is the most important position, so lebren may be the most impactful player in this lineup. If he can win two games, the Senators will likely move on. Florida Panthers (51-25-6) vs Boston Bruins (53-21-8) Impact Player: @VapeLordFish 6th in points and 3rd in goals for defenseman this season, Fish has seemingly been an impact player much of the year. Most likely among the members Boston would consider for their game 7 lineup, is Fish an obvious choice for an impact player? Boston has some great depth, but it's easy to say that if their top players, such as Fisher, perform in this series Boston can avoid any potential trouble. Detroit Red Wings (49-26-7) vs New York Rangers (47-29-6) Impact Player: @Tom 0 The Red Wings were just shy of finishing 3rd in the Atlantic, and a big part of that was the play of several key members including @Tom 0 . The Rangers will have the ability to match lines. The Wings' all star defenseman last season had a similarly high level of play throughout this season as well as being added to Turning Point's ESHL roster during this season. The Red Wings will likely rely on Tom's defensive play to avoid falling victim of any tough matchups. Pittsburgh Penguins (43-34-5) vs Philadelphia Flyers (46-32-4) Impact Player: @TheAngryNachos The owner of the Penguins acquired this @TheAngryNachos @xxIArmy0f0neIxx @stev line at the beginning of the season and hasn't looked back. The line has been one of Pittsburgh's most consistent through the course of the season. Nachos has led the team with a career high in both points, goals, and assists with 70, 31, and 39 respectively. The series' outcome could very well side with the record of this line, and so could depend on the level of play Nachos brings with him and if it is consistent with his play this season. Arizona Coyotes (41-28-13) vs Chicago Blackhawks (62-13-7) Impact Player: @Pabst 19 The Blackhawks boast arguably the greatest depth in the league. The Hawks have home-ice advantage and the Coyotes have had some availability issues this season, so it's tough to say what the match ups will be like. The series will certainly see at least one game played by the McFleury line, and the outcome of this game is dependent if their center can play as well as he has the past few weeks in Chicago. Colorado Avalanche (50-21-11) vs Winnipeg Jets (57-19-6) Impact Player: @x Braydenn There are a ton of good defenseman in this series. Brayden seems to have been a bit more versatile as the season has gone on. He has played with several d-partners over the last few weeks, and he may do so over this playoff series. One thing is certain, Brayden has the ability to take over a game regardless of who he plays with. If he is able to dictate a game with an even matchup on paper in this series, the outcome for this series could swing in Colorado's favor. Anaheim Ducks (47-28-7) vs San Jose Sharks (55-25-2) Impact Player: @Martin ScoresEZ After an all star worthy season last season, Anaheim's left winger has had a down season. Sporting the highest scoring factor on the team, it's fair to say he is a big contributor on whatever line he plays on. The Ducks need their top line to perform, but if they want to advance to the next round they need their bottom two lines to win a game or two. If Martin's line is going to win, he's going to have to elevate his play, and consequently, his line's play. Calgary Flames (51-28-3) vs Vancouver Canucks (50-25-7) Impact Player: @lx JoneZ xl The protector of the crease himself has had quite a season. Vancouver has a good group of defenseman and some solid forwards and finishing 2nd in the Pacific is some evidence of that. However, Calgary isn't a team to be taken likely, and they are one of the hotter teams through the last few weeks of the season and sport some good depth in their roster. With Jonez being one of the handful of goaltenders able to steal a game, he could definitely make a big impact in this series. Look for my next media post "S29 Draft Recap" out tomorrow. Prediction Threads: https://www.leaguegaming.com/forums...stern-conference-playoffs-predictions.272735/ https://www.leaguegaming.com/forums...stern-conference-playoffs-predictions.272776/ https://www.leaguegaming.com/forums...hl-s29-playoffs-round-one-predictions.272765/
