Rite of Spring '14: Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?

[CS85]

Well Anaheim,

Farethee well. Good travels to Teemu for his storied career; at least he got one championship. Hope Zach and Co. aren't stuck in miserable traffic going home after this one.

[Morgan33]

Wow... Expected the Kings to win but not in a rout. On to the rematch I guess

[Sport]

LA-New York would be NBC's wet dream

LA-Montreal would a nice little rematch of 93

Chicago-Montreal/New York would be our second straight original 6 final after not having one for the previous 34 years.

[The_Admiral]

Second time the Hawks get a team coming off a Game 7, Kings have had two of them already. Let's see them make the most of it.

[Kramerica Industries]

I'm not sure there is a player more universally beloved, in hockey or in any sport, than Teemu Selanne. Is there any fan base or team that has a negative word to say about the guy? The Kings honored Teemu before their final regular season game at Staples. We're all going to miss that guy.

[dbadefense1990]

LA-New York would be NBC's wet dream

LA-Montreal would a nice little rematch of 93

Chicago-Montreal/New York would be our second straight original 6 final after not having one for the previous 34 years.

No matter the eventual Cup Final matchup, NBC struck a home run to end the 2014 postseason. Teams from the three largest TV markets in America and the historic Canadiens in the mix for the Cup. The lips from the mouths of NBC Sports executives must be salivating right now in joy.

[The_Admiral]

I don't think the Los Angeles television market is quite the prize pig some people make it out to be for hockey, but you could do worse as far as the Gimp Conference goes. You'd get more households in Detroit, but that's been seen to, now hasn't it.

[Lights Out]

Best team in California! I'm actually glad that the Kings are playing Chicago again. The Blackhawks have been the Kings' nemesis for a while now and it's only right that the path to another Cup goes through them, that way they'll have really earned it. I actually think the Kings have a far better chance this year with Gaborik on the team.

[ninersdd]

Schedule for Round 3! http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=719375&cmpid=nhl-twt

Apparently both series are at 8 Eastern on the 24th according to the link.

[cmm]

Depends on which part of NHL.com you believe...

EDIT: Never mind! They fixed the link ninersdd posted. No overlapping this round.

[dbadefense1990]

I don't think the Los Angeles television market is quite the prize pig some people make it out to be for hockey, but you could do worse as far as the Gimp Conference goes. You'd get more households in Detroit, but that's been seen to, now hasn't it.

Even if Chicago comes out on top against the Kings, the LA media market will still see a boost in local hockey ratings because of 'Hawks fans from SoCal tuning in. Same effect happens because of Habs and Rangers fans living in SoCal. It's not as prized as the other cities, but the media market can still serve well because of fans from the other teams remaining who live in LA.

[The_Admiral]

it's only right that the path to another Cup goes through them, that way they'll have really earned it.

Famous last words

To address everyone who's grouchy about a WCF rematch, I feel your pain, really, I do. It's tempered by the fact that it's my team, just like yours would be, but I understand why people would be frustrated that not only is it these teams again, but it's these teams, two clubs that basically slummed it for most of six months while the Avs/Blues/Ducks tore up the regular season. You want the regular season to mean something when you make following the league a part of your life, lest you be completely wasting your time instead of mostly wasting your time. That's not even getting into the people who pay out the ass to go to regular-season games that should have some meaning to them. "Ho-ho, you can throw out the regular season, none of that matters now" must sound so goddamn smarmy to the season ticket holders who make this enterprise possible in the first place.* So I totally understand how people feel resentful not just of a sequel, but a sequel born of coasting. No one liked Godfather Part III either.

*Apologia not valid in Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, Miami suburbs

[infrared41]

It's no surprise that Rick Nash would beg off playing under high expectations. If he were any more of a coaster, he'd have a beer can on his head. Great players should rise to the occasion, not mumble something about how so-and-so is a good place to raise a family.

I would have gone with "If he were any more of a coaster, people would be standing in line to ride him", but yours works too.

[Kramerica Industries]

I really, really cannot agree with that at all. This isn't the NBA where you already knew what the ECF and the most probable WCF were going to be before the season, with the same being at least 50% valid for every previous season in the past who-even-freaking-knows number of years. The Kings and 'Hawks were down 0-3 and 0-2 in their respective first round series' at one point, and I would actually be really very interested in finding out what the percentage odds of this series were of occurring with both those teams in those deficits at such an early juncture.

The last time a Conference Final rematch had occurred was in 1999 and 2000 with the Stars and Avalanche facing each other. Both teams had to earn their way to the Conference Final and each had to go through 100+ point teams (point inflation duly noted *ahem, Minny*) and only once in the combined four rounds did either team have the home ice advantage.

As someone who's steadfast belief all season long was that Chicago and LA were the two best teams in the West, I really couldn't be more thrilled about a rematch. I want the best teams playing each other*. All due respect to Anaheim and Colorado, but just because they had the most points does not mean they were the best teams. I think we all know this after having watched hockey for as long as we have.

*Boston Bruins being the exception to this rule; thanks for the help, Habs.

[Unocal]

Seriously, what a letdown in the NHL West.

Anybody but the Kings or Blackhawks going forward.

I am OFFICIALLY sick to death of the LA Kings, this era's Devils. The Rasputin of hockey led by the new Jacques Lemaire with a team that BARELY SCORED 200 FREAKING GOALS!

Seriously, this team had a minset that screams JUST WAKE US UP IN THE PLAYOFFS JUST GET US TO APRIL AND WE'LL GIVE A DAMN

I'm sick of Toews, I'm sick of Kane, I'm sick of Kopitar, I'm sick of Doughty, I'm sick of LA Kings fans who now apparently are the cockiest hockey fans on earth. I mean, they have a bulletproof mentality.

No fun stories- no Why Not us Colorado, no Teemu, no Blues/Sharks trying to get through.

Instead, we get two third-place teams.

What a waste of a regular season.

[Still MIGHTY]

Just so... empty...

Teemu...

man....

[The_Admiral]

All due respect to Anaheim and Colorado, but just because they had the most points does not mean they were the best teams.

I'll give you the Avs statistically overachieving and racking up points late while Chicago and St. Louis were playing out the string, but let's not pretend Anaheim didn't have a dominant season. Most goals scored in the league, terrific goaltending. They were for real.

[Unocal]

Well, the NHL Advanced stats got what they want. LA and Chicago are the teams they have been worshipping all year.

Enjoy your Fenwick wet dream matchups, geeks.

Pick time:

Habs and Hawks in 6

Montreal has Henrik's number, home ice, and more team balance.

I know LA is the hockey Rasputin, BUT Chicago is the only team that has sent the Sutter Kings to postseason defeat, plus teams going 7 games in the first 2 rounds always crash in the 3rd round. Plus, with 6 elimination games, LA has been playing with fire and is amazingly fortunate to not get burned.

Plus, if it goes to game 6, Chicago CANNOT let it go 7 because Justin Williams is practically unbeatable in that scenario.

[Kramerica Industries]

All due respect to Anaheim and Colorado, but just because they had the most points does not mean they were the best teams.

I'll give you the Avs statistically overachieving and racking up points late while Chicago and St. Louis were playing out the string, but let's not pretend Anaheim didn't have a dominant season. Most goals scored in the league, terrific goaltending. They were for real.

That wasn't meant to insinuate that Anaheim wasn't a "for real" team, necessarily. Very good young roster, anchored by two phenomenal forwards with Cup experience, that is going to continue to improve before they begin to decline. There are also a great number of teams that would kill to have Gibson and Andersen at the top level at their ages and it gives them some tremendous flexibility going forward.

Anaheim was a very good team this year. Personally? I would've ranked them anywhere between 3-5. I said on a few occasions late in the season that the West had five legit Cup contenders (exclude Minnesota, Colorado, and Dallas) and that there would be some unfortunate casualties that, if they were in the East, probably wouldn't have happened. For me, a belief that I have perpetuated for, basically, the entire season (and sorry if it's gotten to the point of badgering because I have a rotten tendency of doing this) is that Chicago and LA were above the other three, if for no other reason than for the fact that those teams have game plans that translate very well to this time of year, and they have championship pedigrees to prove this. Anaheim is one of those teams that is still working to add one (Getzlaf, Perry, Beauchemin, Selanne, and who else on that roster have won the Stanley Cup on that roster, exactly? Serious question, no snark). They will continue to improve and they will be very good once again next year. Right now, I would kill if the Lightning have a 2014-15 season that is something along the lines of the Ducks 2013-14 season with regard to a young team taking another step forward coming off a disappointing playoff campaign.

[masterchaoss]

Man I can't thank Teemu enough he was a legend too bad he had to have coach choke second home game 7 seven lost in two years hopefully the new uniforms what ever they are will bring some better luck butt he really needs to go. Right now all I can do is go back to dodgers and hope the kings lose.