We here at Hockey World Blog, with the support of Dekree and Blue Ice Hockey, have put together a NHL Playoff Bracket Challenge. The challenge, predict the outcome of the NHL playoffs, round by round. With 58 participants, including HWB writers’, here are a few highlights:
The participants’ picks and statistics can be found here.
Western Conference
- 93% predict the Vancouver Canucks to beat the Los Angeles Kings
- Inversely, only 4 participants have predicted the Los Angeles Kings to win (EB one of them)
- Furthermore, only 1 predicts the Los Angeles Kings to advance past the second round. That prediction has them losing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- 81% believe the Chicago Blackhawks and 77% believe the St. Louis Blues will win their first round matchups
- The St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings are favored to make the Western Conference Championship (42% and 40% respectively)
- Continuing, each team has an equal chance of making it to the Stanley Cup Finals (23%)
- Besides the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings (7%), a Western Conference team has only 30% prediction of winning the Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference
- 67% predict the Pittsburgh Penguins to beat the Philadelphia Flyers
- 33%, the most favorable pick of participants, believe the Pittsburgh Penguins will win the Stanley Cup
- 82% believe the Boston Bruins will advance past the Washington Capitals
- 79% believe the New Jersey Devils will upset the Florida Panthers in the first round
- Of the 19 predicting the Philadelphia Flyers to upset the Pittsburgh Penguins, 11 of them think they will advance to the Eastern Conference Championship
- The New York Rangers are heavily favored (63%) to make it into the Eastern Conference Championship
- Removing the Pittsburgh Penguins form the mix, 39% believe the New York Rangers will advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
- Eastern Conference teams were predicted to win the Stanley Cup over the Western Conference (63%)
There are some of the statistics from HWB’s Playoff Bracket Challenge. Definitely interesting, considering how some of the matchups have gone to date. It seems many Pittsburgh Penguins’ fans are going to be a little unhappy if the Philadelphia Flyers seal the deal and upset the heavy favorite. The same goes for Vancouver Canucks fans if the Los Angeles Kings rain on their parade. Riots? Roberto Luongo trade? In looking at the statistics, what pops out to you?
Have a question or comment, email at EB@hockeyworldblog.com or contact on Twitter @HWBEB.
I would have never thought to pick the Kings over Vancouver. Hopefully the rest of my picks will come through.
Part of the LA pick was I am not a fan of Vancouver. Still, I did think the underdog could win. Vancouver, I felt that if you can get under their skin, their antics will eventually catch up to them and they will fall apart. I don’t see them banding together in the face of adversity, instead turning into individuals that cannot win a hockey game. Losing the first 3 however, that is just crazy.
I’m one of the dummies that picked Vancouver and Pitt to progress beyond the 1st round. Picking Pitt over Philly was a lot harder of a decision than Vancouver over LA. Regardless, it appears both decisions will come back to bite me. Never would I ever have expected to see both teams down 3-0.