In ‘04, by the way, we were Calgary’s bitch in the RS (I think we were .500 against NW teams not from Calgary). At least this year, we improved to something like 3-5.

Your statement directly implied that Tampa was first in the East because they were in the Southeast, even though their record shows that such was not the case. I was taking issue with and refuting that, just as I’ve done many times since June of 2004.

Thanks for backing me up on calling the Atlantic the weakest Division, by the way. Clearly, since Tampa got the bulk of their points from the Atlantic rather than the Southeast, the Atlantic was really the “easiest division” in 03-04.

I am pretty sure they would have lost to Buffalo had the Buffalo defense been healthy.

And I am pretty sure that were ifs and buts candies and nuts, we’d all have a happy Yule. What’s your point?

How can you be “pretty sure”? We can all bring up mitigating factors. ” If this, then that” can go on ad infinitum. Everyone can make whatever excuses and theories they want, but the best team won.

It’s not like the Buffalo players were taken outside and shot before the game. They broke down throughout the course of the playoffs, something that could have happened to any team.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Ummm, no, not in 2003-04. Three teams made the playoffs from the central division in 2003-04. Three teams from the central division had 90+ points in 2003-04. Only one team (Tampa) from the Atlantic division had more than 78 points in 2003-04. The Atlantic was by far the worst division in 2003-04 and Tampa had a very easy route to the Stanley Cup in 2003-04.

As for Carolina, they had a tougher route but still relatively easy. I am pretty sure they would have lost to Buffalo had the Buffalo defense been healthy. And they were pretty lucky to have Cam Ward get crazy hot in goal considering Ward had the second worst regular season goals against average and 4th worst regular season save %. Both Carolina and Tampa rode hot goalies to the Stanley Cup but honestly having the hot goalie has always mattered most and will matter even more in the salary cap era where no team can stock up with star players to overcome an average goalie.

Really, the “easy Division” excuse is stupid overall, even if it is too easy to point out like it was with the Central last season. Though, the Red Wings shot that “excuse/theory” down with their going down in the First Round to a “mere” number eight. Anyway, the Blackhawks and Blue Jacks were their usual selves…but who knew the Blues would suck as horribly as they did? I mean, I knew Pronger meant a bit to their corps, but damn…