There's a saying - which I think comes from the stock market - that, "Past performance is no guarantee of future results." This saying could always be applied to sports, but all the more so this year, imo.
There has never been a season before with a three-month break between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. Every individual player on each team is a separate variable in the whole equation of how the playoffs will play out (assuming they do, of course). Coaches have to devise/update systems in ways they've never done before. And so on.
Just as a sort-of wild guess, I'd say that in a typical year, regular-season performance probably gave a good idea for about 60%-70% of what would happen in the playoffs. But this year, that number isn't higher than 30%-40%. Especially in the early rounds.
Sorry for such a long discourse - but to sum up, as much as I'd love to see the Flyers go a long way in this year's playoffs... let's just say, they have to survive the first round, which is a crapshoot, pretty much for everybody. If they do, then my confidence level would go up.
- copelal
Agreed. Lots of variables. This is where the Buzztron can accurately account for those. It's been so accurate that some NHL teams have been following its projected standings. But after these playoffs...the whole NHL will take notice!
