2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

And the fact that Blackhawks are running very heavily on their top 4 D-men

Although ... calling Ducks a brute force team is oversimplifying them. They're good at brute force, but its hardly their only weapon of choice, being quite skillful as well, even if they would never be called a speed team.

 

Don't get me wrong...I do consider brute force a skill. There is a lot more to playing a brute force game successfully than just putting together the biggest possible team.

 

Hawks are in tough, despite the win. They have the experience and iron will of Keith, Toews and co.
Keith is an ironman, extremely tough, although not the biggest, look at the minutes he is logging.

 

Babwatch's over. Mike Babcock has joined the Leafs, luckily no Salary Cap for coaches. What can he accomplish with this lineup? He's in tough.

 

Blackhawks win, again in multiple overtimes. I gotta think that eventually too many overtimes and not enough d-men is gonna catch up to them. Especially with the Ducks just methodically pounding the snot out of them.

 

Totally agree, that was their last win in these playoffs I believe.

 

Toews ... dang.

 

No doubt. The captain may go down with the ship, but in this case the ship will be squarely on his shoulders.

 

Don't count out Toews and his 'Hawks. They still have the will and grit of the champions, they never quit.

 

It isn't "quit" when you just get legitimately pounded to mush...and the D has been pounded to mush. No fault of Toews and the players, but the GM needs to get them another D pair that they can at least put some minutes on.

 

Rangers vs Blackhawks or Lightning vs Ducks, or some other combo I fail to foresee, two game sevens, no other league plays as many playoff game 7's with regularity as the NHL does, too bad many nations just don't get "IT".

 

Pretty dead here,
well,
I predict the Blackhawks will lift the Cup,
Chicago in 6.

 

Agreed. Blackhawks in six.

 

Leafs in 4.

 

Toronto to win in 2019...got it.

I won't hold my breath.

 

With the new coach and Shanahan behind the scene?
I've got a feeling the Leaf misery jokes will end in a few months.

 

I'm not saying the Leafs aren't going to rise dramatically...but holding my breath until 2019 is not happening anyway.

Do you see Shanahan as a sure thing? I have great respect for the guy's career as a player, but as an executive I think he is pretty much a question mark.

 

Think they're going to improve right away, possibly challenge for a playoff spot. It's not what they need (rebuild) but Babcock is too good a coach to let them fight for the number one pick in next year's draft instead.

Oilers will improve next season as well.

 

Did Big Ben B just have to poop... twice?

 

I can honestly say I've never seen that before, much less in a cup final.