Playoff Pool Box Selections --> input <--

[DaLeafers]

So, have to have my picks in before 7pm Wed (puck drop for playoffs).
I'm not asking you to PICK my team ... I'm wondering who you would pick for the boxes and if there are any boxes you think have only 1 or 2 LEGITIMATE options vs. boxes that you have no option, you MUST pick player __________ or any boxes that have players that would be 'under the radar'

Like Joel Ward last year was a MONSTER and won some people money simply based on the fact they picked him over the guy who got just 2 points.

Scoring:
Players - g=1pt, a=1pt, gwg=1pt
Goalies - win = 2 points, shutout = 2 points
Teams - Rd 1-3 win = 5 pts, Stanley Cup win = 10 pts

Coloured my picks (multiple coloured = who I'm choosing between)
For the few that have nothing coloured, those are the boxes I'm the most ??? about.

I'm assuming the playoffs go as follows:
East:
(1) NYR > (8) Ott
(2) Bos > (7) Wsh-----------(1) NYR > (6) NJD---------\
(6) NJD > (3) Fla------------(4) Pitts > (2) Bos---------/ (4) Pitts > (1) NYR
(4) Pits > (5) Phi

West:
(1) Van > (8) LAK
? (2) StL >(7) SJS--------- (1) Van > (6) Chi---------\
? (6) Chi > (3) Phx---------(5) Det > (2) Stl----------/ (5) Det > (1) Van
? (5) Det > (4) NSh

SC Final:
(5) Det > (4) Pitts

I really have 0 idea what to think of the West...


Box #1
Crosby---Malkin

Box #2
B Richards---Giroux---H Sedin---Neal---Datsyuk

Box #3
Ovechkin---D Sedin---Toews---Gaborik---Seguin
************Daniel Sedin still out w/ concussion? Should he even be considered?

Box #4
Radulov---Zetterberg---Kovalchuk---Hossa---Backstrom

Box #5
Thornton---Kane---Kesler---Hartnell---Parise

Box #6
Kopitar---Briere---Krejci---Perron---Spezza

Box #7
Semin---Franzen---Couture---Erat---Callahan

Box #8
Marchand---Bakces---Staal---Sharp---Elias

Box #9
Burrows---Kunitz---Pavelski---Lucic---Filppula

Box #10
Jagr---Michalek---Bergeron---Whitney---Fleischmann

Box #11
Fisher---M Richards---Marleau---Doan---Oshie

Box #12
Alfredsson---Stepan---Voracek---Carter---Kostitsyn

Box #13
Laich---Havlat---Berglund---Sullivan---Stalberg

Box #14
McDonald---Clarkson---Vrbata---Weiss---Simmonds

Box #15
Higgins---Hudler---Williams---Johansson---Clowe

Box #16
Steen---Turris---Hanzal---Raymond---Dupuis
************STEEN played since his concussion?

Box #17
Stewart---Bolland---Hornqvist---Peverley---Zajac
************PEVERLEY + ZAJAC -- injured???

Box #18
Anisimov---Versteeg---Handzus---Bertuzzi---Brouwer

Box #19
Vermette---Legwand---Van Riemsdyk---Chimera---Kennedy

Box #20
Dubinsky---Cleary---Arnott---Foligno---Galiardi

Box #21
Brunette---Wilson---Zubrus---Brown---Talbot

Box #22
Kelly---Booth---Korpikoski---Malhotra---Lapierre

Box #23
Pouliot---Stoll---Cooke---Samuelsson---Sobotka

Box #24
Ponikarovsky---Boyle---Helm---Langenbrunner---Perreault

Box #25
Prust---Torres---Pahlsson---Bergenheim---Wolski

Box #26
Henrique---Schenn---Hagelin---Greening---Read

Box #27
Andrew Shaw (CHI)---Ben Smith (CHI)---Dwight King (LA)---Gustav Nyquist (DET)---Zach Kassian (VAN)
************Nyquist only going to see time b/c of injury - i.e - call-up???

Box #29
Pietrangelo---Edler---Letang---Weber---Chara

Box #30
Doughty---Keith---Karlsson---Del Zotto---Lidstrom

Box #31
Boyle---Yandle---Shattenkirk---Green---Suter

Box #32
Campbell---Wideman---Bieksa---Timonen---Kronwall

Box #33
Burns---Seabrook---Carle---McDonagh---Gonchar

Box #34
White---Corvo---Carlson---Ekman-Larsson---Martin

Box #35
Hamhuis---Seidenberg---Garrison---Zidlicky---Voynov

Box #36
Meszaros---Colaiacovo---Kuba---Niskanen---Leddy

Box #37
Lundqvist---Halak---Fleury---Luongo---Thomas

Box #38
Bryzgalov---Howard---Quick---Brodeur---Rinne

Box #39
Niemi---Elliot---Crawford---Neuvirth---Smith
************NEUVIRTH injured? Not picking WSH anyways

Box #40
Holtby---Schneider---Anderson---Theodore---Emery
************Wsh + Ott I'm assuming are going to be eliminated. Schneider may play some games but hopefully Lou holds the fort this year. Theodore, if FLA wins, has the best odds of getting the most games played.

[72 B's]

I like boxes 4, 29, + 38. (Assuming you need to pick a box for the forwards, D-men, and goalies). Good luck !

[NightParade]

Nah, you need to pick one player from each box.

1. Crosby
2. Sedin
3. Sedin
4. Very tough, Radulov
5. Kesler
6. Krejci
7. Callahan
8. Stall
9. Kunitz
10. Bergeron
11. Oshie
12-13 ???
14. McDonald
15. Higgins
16. ???
17. Stewart
18. ???
19. Legwand
20. Dubinsky
21. Talbot
22. Lapierre
23. Samuelson
24. ???
25. ???
26. Schenn
27. Kassian
28. Where is 28?
29. Letang
30. Del Zotto
31. Shattenkirk
32. Bieksa
33. Carle
34. ???
35. Hamhuis
36. ???
37. Fleury or Lou
38. Rinne
39. Crawford
40. Anderson or Theodore

Our main point of contention is how well you think Detroit is going to do and how eliminated in the first round I think they are going to be.

The best way to win these things is to put most of your eggs in the proper basket. My baskets would be Vancouver, Pittsburgh, St. Lous, and NYR.

My main problem is I think the east could very well be decided in the first round with the Pitts vs Philly series. I'd be pretty surprised if the nucks didn't go fairly deep in the west.

[Rocketman9]

I completely agree with your east predictions, but as far as the west, see my playoff predictions thread for what I think. That being said, there are multiple scenarios that could occur in the West. It is too tough to call.

[DaLeafers]

I completely agree with your east predictions, but as far as the west, see my playoff predictions thread for what I think. That being said, there are multiple scenarios that could occur in the West. It is too tough to call.

Ya, just saw your thread. LAK > Van is interesting ... I think Van has the bigger edge b/c they've know what it takes to win playoff hockey.
If Richards or Carter go down, bye bye LAK.
Being in the East, I haven't heard much coverage of the West teams this season and really, I've barely watched many of the games involving the West's playoff teams :/

Nah, you need to pick one player from each box.

28. Where is 28?

Our main point of contention is how well you think Detroit is going to do and how eliminated in the first round I think they are going to be.

The best way to win these things is to put most of your eggs in the proper basket. My baskets would be Vancouver, Pittsburgh, St. Lous, and NYR.

My main problem is I think the east could very well be decided in the first round with the Pitts vs Philly series. I'd be pretty surprised if the nucks didn't go fairly deep in the west.

No #28 as of now b/c guy either missed it, or forgot, to remove the 5 TML players who were in that box.

I'm a Detroit fan so mildly bias but I think they can take on any team in the west -- or the league.
They have VERY experienced vets.
Their team style hasn't changed in years and is ingrained in the players' minds up-and-down the roster.
Their 3rd + 4th lines can actually score.

But ... Nashville has had Detroit's # in the passed ... and I think Gaustad addition is gonna play a noticeable role in Nashville's run

Been doing this pool for the last 5ish years and ya, picking the final 4 is the way to win. But more importantly, picking the right teams (I neglected to put those boxes up) to get you the extra Series Win points (5x3 + 10 for SC)
SJS has the potential to advance but they've had a rough last 2 months and Niemi hasn't had the best games. They have the playoff experience vs. the inexperienced Blues
Chi I think will and should beat PHX but w/ Toews 'out' and I think Bolland is a ??, Phx very well could upset. Whitney + Vrbata had awesome years, Smith has been stellar the last month and some.



What tears me up the most and makes me second, triple, quadruple guess myself is the West ...



EDIT: Boxex #20 + #24 - Dan Cleary, + Darren Helm -- according to Detroit Red Wings facebook page:

Dan Cleary (lower body) is expected to play in Wednesday's Game 1. Darren Helm said he felt 'great' skating today and is targeting Game 2 at the very latest."

Any more light to shed on this would be appreciated.

Tim? Mike? =D