What would tou pick as a darkhorse team from both the east and the west in the nhl?

Answer 1

Islanders...Sharks

Answer 2

That's a tough question in the east. It's a tight race, with most of the teams vying for position playing each other in the next three weeks. During the final week of the regular season Montreal plays the Rangers and Leafs (final night!!! - anyone want to sell a ticket??), Toronto play the Rangers, Isles and Habs, while Carolina plays Tampa, New Jersey and Florida a couple of times!! In terms of which team will go the furthest in the playoffs if they actually get in, I'd say the Islanders. They made the best deal to get Smyth and Bergeron, which should help them along the way. The idea of Pittsburgh being a darkhorse is laughable. They currently sit 4th with the third highest point total, a mere two games out of second place!!

In the West, things are a bit more straight forward. Calgary is an obvious answer, but the wrong one. I'd say Minnesota or Colarado , with an edge going to Minnesota provided they make the playoffs. Minnesota currently sit in 7th, but are a mere one point out of third!! (that's a tight race). Rolston, their points leader has 57??!! Add in the likes of Demitra and Gaborik and anything is possible. The shared netminding position is again a strong one in Minnesota, with Backstrom and Fernandez each having a better than average save % and GAA. This is a team that nobody is talking about.

Minnesota would be playing Anaheim if we went into the playoffs tomorrow, a daunting task, but the season series is at 2-2, and all four games were decided by one goal!

So, in the east, the Isles, the west the Wild, and my overall darkhorse pick has got to be Minnesota.

Answer 3

east- 4th place Pittsburgh Penguins not to many people think they can go deep in the playoffs. but i think there are a top contender do to the pick ups of Roberts and Laraque.


west- 4th place Vancouver Canucks i think if Luongo gets in that game he will be great and can be the best team in the west.

yes you can look at the 5 teams fighting for the 7th and 8th playoff spot in the east but to tell you the truth the Rangers, Islanders, Hurricanes, Canadiens and the Leafs have been all playing poorly and they can't get on a streak, so any of these teams will be easily knocked out in the first round as there not built for a long playoff run.

in the West yes you can say Calgary as the dark horse simply because there in 8th spot but there not the Oilers of last year there much much better team and if Kipper gets in the zone anything can happen. in the West you cant really pick a big winner as all 8 teams will be even come playoffs. i don't mean by points i mean the Flames can beat any of the top 4 teams anytime.


and the reason a picked the Pens is cause most people count them out as not enough experience and the goalie is not good enough, well this is the time of year that we see things happened. and for the Canucks well they didnt make the playoff last year and allot of people are couting them out to but any real hockey fan will tell you Roberto Luongo is arguably the 2nd best goalie in the world and hes finaly getting his chance in the playoffs and he has something to prove. and like i said the 5 teams in the East that are fighting for that 7th and 8th spot will not be any match for the top 4 teams cause they all have been playing poor hockey. and in the West well i believe there all equal come playoff time all great goalie exept for the Wild in Fernendez i don't think he can carry a team deep in the playoffs, and the Stars will have a really hard time do to Turco always fails in the playoffs and the Stars have been having a hard time scoring all season.



GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 4

Does Pittsburgh REALLY count? Isn't a darkhorse more a team that isn't expected to get in let alone win the first round? The Pens are in 4th and challenging for the Division.
For the East I say the Rangers, assuming they sneak in the playoffs. No one will be expecting much of them anymore IF they get in. Perfect example of a darkhorse.
Don't know the West well but I'd say the Wild or Calgary clearly qualify.

Answer 5

Depends on how you define "dark horse." I am going to define it as a team that is 5th seed or less.

In the east: I actually do NOT like Pittsburgh's chances like a lot of people do. Mediocre defense and goaltending does not win championships very often, nor does inexperience very often. Give them a couple of years. In any case, currently by my definition of dark horse they don't count.

I'm going to pick Carolina. They have the experience, obviously. They are counted out, but a lot of their problems this year were injury-related. They are pretty healthy now. They have scoring depth. They have a goaltender who has been there before. They may surprise a lot of people.

That said, I don't think a "dark horse" team is going through in the East. It'll be Buffalo or New Jersey.

In the west: San Jose, by my definition, is a dark horse team. I really like their odds, though they are in a really tough conference this year. The west is the best. The Sharks have scoring depth, experience, decent defense, and a really hot goaltender. That sounds like a Stanley Cup team to me.

I would not count out Calgary, either.

All that said, the west is really up for grabs. Almost all the teams in the West have a shot, except for Dallas and Minnesota. I'm counting them out. I don't trust Dallas' goaltending or scoring ability. I don't trust Minnesota's anything, except for their heart. It won't be enough.

Answer 6

I don't think Pittsburgh is a darkhorse anymore. If anything, I think the Rangers are dangerous if they get in, I know I don't want the Devils playing the Rangers again in the playoffs! In the west, let's go with the Flames just because they have one of the best goalies in all of the NHL...

Answer 7

The east I would defenitely go with Pittsburgh. That city is lucky the team isnt moving, because they're going to be really really good.

As for the west, I think you have to watch out for Vancouver. When a goaltender gets hot in the playoffs, a team can ride him all the way, and the Canucks have that ability with Roberto Luongo.

Answer 8

In the West, you really have to watch out for everybody in the bottom half because what happened last year, with teams 5 through 8 making the second round, could very well happen again this year. However, if I were to pick one team, I would say watch out for the Calgary Flames. These guys could pull off an Edmonton Oilers upset run all the way to the Final yet again. In the East, the team to watch out for would have to be the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is a young team that is playing as if they have nothing to lose this year. Sidney Crosby is leading the league in scoring, Mark Recchi is playing like he's a new man with all the kids around, Jordan Staal is leading the league in shooting percentage and shorthanded goals, and Evgeni Malkin is definitely playing like he might win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year, with Staal giving him a run for his money, as well as Paul Stastny in Colorado with his recent record-setting points streak. So, I would watch out for Pittsburgh in the East and Calgary out West. These two teams could really break their Conferences wide open in the race for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Answer 9

Pittsburgh out East, Dallas Out west,

Answer 10

East - NYI
West - Calgary or Dallas

I keep seeing that everyone counts Dallas out because of their shotty playoff goaltending, and that is fine, but to try to point out that they won't make it because they haven't scored very much this season is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Last time I checked when a team has the lowest GA in the league, has nearly a dozen of their best players out a point in the season, and still manages to retain good standing in the toughest division in the league, they can afford to have a few less goals for.

Although I am not disagreeing that Turco needs to get crackin in the playoffs...at least we have Smith....maybe he can pull a Cam Ward.

Answer 11

In the east I am going to say Carolina. They are the defending champs, and most of the time it is tough to eliminate the champs. Ofcourse they could miss the playoffs all together.

In the West I'll say Calgary. They are pretty solid and if the "Kipper" gets hot like he did back in 04, then watch out.