NHL Playoff Pool
 

So here's the deal.

The playoffs start tomorrow, so I definitely won't accept any player lists after Friday at the latest.


This is not a draft-style pool, so you are allowed to have the same players as other people.
All points a player has counts as 1 point to your score.
All goalie wins count as 2 points to your score.
Shutouts count as 5 points to your score.
This is all I will be counting, as I'm doing it manually, and don't want to make this one complicated on myself.

You pick one list of players. If a player's team gets knocked out, he ceases to earn you points. Pick wisely.

Each person will be required to pick the following:

3 goalies
4 defencemen
8 forwards
They can be from any team you wish.
Please PM lists, as not to influence others' picks.
I'll post who-picked-who on/after Friday.

These are direct links to the season stats of each team in the playoffs, and the players on each team.

Washington Capitals:
http://capitals.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Montreal Canadians:
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/stats....eason=20092010

New Jersey Devils:
http://devils.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Philadelphia Flyers:
http://flyers.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Buffalo Sabers:
http://sabres.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Boston Bruins:
http://bruins.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Pittsburgh Penguins:
http://penguins.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Ottawa Senators:
http://senators.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

San Jose Sharks:
http://sharks.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Colorado Avalanche:
http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Chicago Blackhawks:
http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Nashville Predators:
http://predators.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Vancouver Canucks:
http://canucks.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Los Angeles Kings:
http://kings.nhl.com/club/teamstatsl...rsSingleSeason

Phoenix Coyotes:
http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Detroit Red Wings:
http://redwings.nhl.com/club/stats.htm

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Sweet, the Flyers won game 1 vs. the Devils. Also, the Penguins lost to Ottawa. Life is pretty awesome today.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Dear Members: I would quite enjoy it if you could find a few minutes of your day to pick a handful of players for this. You don't have to like or follow hockey to play, much like the NFL pool - but it just adds friendly competition.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Even though don't like the sport, I got to make up ground after losing the NCAA brackets!

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I hope more of you join, especially you Canucks fans. All you have to do is pick 15 players, and not do anymore work, and then we can have more competition. I know there are more hockey fans here.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Doing this just so I can beat Earl

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Will have my picks in ASAP!!!

(I promise to base my decisions solely from season stats)

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Results thus far?

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

You're such a primadonna.
I force you to pick a team and now you're asking for stats!

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I'm interested in how everyone else is doing!

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Dylflon:
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 4
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 5
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 2
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 2
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 7
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 4
F- Patrick Kane (CHI) - 3
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 1
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 0
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
D- Sergei Gonchar (PIT) - 3
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 3
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Antti Niemi (CHI) - 1 win/ 2 points shutout/ 5
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 1 wins/ 2 points
Total Points: 45

Typhoid:
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 4
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 5
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 7
F- Jason Spezza (OTT) - 3
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 5
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 4
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 2
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 2
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 0
D- Drew Doughty (LA) - 1
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 1
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 1 win/ 2 points
Total Points: 43

ZebraRampage:
F- Mike Richards (PHI) - 6
F- Joe Thornton (SJ) - 2
F- Dany Heatley (SJ) - 1
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 4
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 5
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 1
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 2
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 2
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 3
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
D- Dan Boyle (SJ) - 2
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 1 win/ 2 points
Total Points: 37

BAB
F- Tomas Vanek (BUF) - 2
F- Derek Roy (BUF) - 1
F- Claude Giroux (PHI) - 3
F- Scott Gomez (MTL) - 2
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 2
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 5
F- Ryan Kesler (VAN) - 2
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 7
D- Alex Goligoski (PIT) - 1
D- Christian Ehrhoff (VAN) - 1
D- Mike Mottau (NJ) - 1
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 1
G- Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) - 2 wins/ 4 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win/ 2 points
Total Points: 36

Swan
F- Tomas Holmstrom (DET) - 2
F- Alexandre Burrows (VAN) - 0
F- Jonathan Toews (CHI) - 1
F- Patrick Marleau (SJ) - 1
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 2
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 5
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 5
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 7
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 1
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 0
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 3
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 1 win/ 2 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 1 win/ 2 points
Total Points: 33

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Do shutouts still count for extra points? If so, sexy Niemi puts me ahead of you.



Edit: Anderson too!

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Actually, Anderson is the one player I used knowledge of the playoffs about to pick (seeing that Colorado was actually standing a chance against San Jose)

I'll take Luongo instead.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I probably should have put Zetterberg and Crosby, but I'm biased toward Crosby haha, and I thought Datsyuk would do better.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

What are the point total at now?

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I hate you.
Hold on.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Dylflon:
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 9
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 7
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 7
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 7
F- Patrick Kane (CHI) - 4
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 3
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 2
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
D- Sergei Gonchar (PIT) - 6
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
G- Antti Niemi (CHI) - 2 wins/ 4 points 2 SO/ 10 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 3 wins/ 6 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (out)
Total Points: 95

Typhoid:
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 9
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Jason Spezza (OTT) - 7
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 8
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 7
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 7
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 5
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 2
D- Drew Doughty (LA) - 6
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 3
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (out)
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 3 wins/ 6 points
Total Points: 89

ZebraRampage:
F- Mike Richards (PHI) - 8
F- Joe Thornton (SJ) - 2
F- Dany Heatley (SJ) - 3
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 9
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 3
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 5
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 7
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
D- Dan Boyle (SJ) - 4
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 3 wins/ 6 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 3 wins/ 6 points 1 SO/ 5 points
Total Points: 79

Swan
F- Tomas Holmstrom (DET) - 4
F- Alexandre Burrows (VAN) - 0
F- Jonathan Toews (CHI) - 3
F- Patrick Marleau (SJ) - 3
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 7
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 8
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 3
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 0
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 2
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 3 wins/ 6 points 1SO/ 5 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 3 wins/ 6 points
Total Points: 76

BAB
F- Tomas Vanek (BUF) - 2
F- Derek Roy (BUF) - 2
F- Claude Giroux (PHI) - 6
F- Scott Gomez (MTL) - 3
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 5
F- Ryan Kesler (VAN) - 6
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Alex Goligoski (PIT) - 2
D- Christian Ehrhoff (VAN) - 3
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 3
D- Mike Mottau (NJ) - 1 (Out)
G- Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) - 3 wins/ 6 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 3 wins/ 6 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (out)
Total Points: 67

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

A guy I used to be friends with was at the Canucks game last night and brought 2 signs. This was one of them. I got a good lol out of it.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

As long all of the teams win that are winning right now and Detroit also wins game 7, then I'll keep all but one player for the second round. I see now that I should have picked Crosby, but I still don't like him haha.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

My list is pretty much decimated. Oh well. The Canucks are playing the Hawks, and that is all I care about.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Wow, the Caps go down. Only Pittsburgh prevented every single lower seed winning in the East. It means the Flyers get to play a seed in the second round that was 4 below their first round team. Pretty wild.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Man, that was a good game.
It was statistically (apparently) the 5th biggest upset in NHL history (based on points), and the first time an 8th seed has come back from being down 3-1 in the series to win it.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Well that was unexpected. There goes three of my mans.

Who of us won the first round?

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Probably you - but it's not round by round, so it doesn't matter too much. :p

I'll do it tomorrow before the first game starts.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

After Round 1:


Dylflon:
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 8
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 10
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 8
F- Patrick Kane (CHI) - 7
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 8
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9 (Out)
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 2
D- Sergei Gonchar (PIT) - 6
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
G- Antti Niemi (CHI) - 4 wins/ 2 SO / 18 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (Out)
Total Points: 118

Typhoid:
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 11
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 8
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 8
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 8
F- Jason Spezza (OTT) - 7 (Out)
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 6
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
D- Drew Doughty (LA) - 7 (Out)
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (Out)
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 105

ZebraRampage:
F- Mike Richards (PHI) - 8
F- Joe Thornton (SJ) - 3
F- Dany Heatley (SJ) - 4
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 8
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 8
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 8
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9 (Out)
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 3
D- Dan Boyle (SJ) - 6
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 2
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 4 wins/ 1 SO / 13 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 99

Swan
F- Tomas Holmstrom (DET) - 4
F- Alexandre Burrows (VAN) - 1
F- Jonathan Toews (CHI) - 8
F- Patrick Marleau (SJ) - 3
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 10
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 11
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 6
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 2
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 5
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 4 wins/ 1 SO / 13 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 98

BAB
F- Claude Giroux (PHI) - 6
F- Scott Gomez (MTL) - 4
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 8
F- Ryan Kesler (VAN) - 6
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 14
F- Tomas Vanek (BUF) - 3 (Out)
F- Derek Roy (BUF) - 2 (Out)
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Alex Goligoski (PIT) - 3
D- Christian Ehrhoff (VAN) - 3
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 6
D- Mike Mottau (NJ) - 1 (Out)
G- Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 4 wins/ 8 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (Out)
Total Points: 80

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Update?

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Dylflon:
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 10
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 11
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 16
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 10
F- Patrick Kane (CHI) - 11
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 13
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9 (Out)
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 4
D- Sergei Gonchar (PIT) - 8
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 8
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
G- Antti Niemi (CHI) - 6 wins 2 SO / 22 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 5 wins/ 10 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (out)
Total Points: 147

ZebraRampage:
F- Mike Richards (PHI) - 12
F- Joe Thornton (SJ) - 8
F- Dany Heatley (SJ) - 9
F- Jonathon Toews (CHI) - 13
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 12
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 10
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Niklas Backstrom (WSH) - 9 (Out)
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 8
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 5
D- Dan Boyle (SJ) - 9
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 4
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 5 wins/ 10 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 4 wins/ 1 SO / 13 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 136

Typhoid:

F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 16
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 13
F- Evgeny Malkin (PIT) - 10
F- Henrik Sedin (VAN) - 10
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 12
F- Jason Spezza (OTT) - 7 (Out)
F- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH) - 10 (Out)
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 8
D- Zdeno Chara (BOS) - 5
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
D- Drew Doughty (LA) - 7 (Out)
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 5 wins/ 10 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (Out)
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 123

Swan
F- Tomas Holmstrom (DET) - 6
F- Alexandre Burrows (VAN) - 2
F- Jonathan Toews (CHI) - 13
F- Patrick Marleau (SJ) - 5
F- Daniel Sedin (VAN) - 11
F- Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 13
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 16
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 8
D- Duncan Keith (CHI) - 4
D- Chris Pronger (PHI) - 8
D- Mike Green (WSH) - 3 (Out)
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 5 wins/ 10 points
G- Jimmy Howard (DET) - 4 wins 1 SO / 13 points
G- Ryan Miller (BUF) - 2 wins/ 4 points (Out)
Total Points: 122


BAB
F- Claude Giroux (PHI) - 7
F- Scott Gomez (MTL) - 8
F- Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 12
F- Ryan Kesler (VAN) - 9
F- Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 16
F- Tomas Vanek (BUF) - 3 (Out)
F- Derek Roy (BUF) - 2 (Out)
F- Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ) - 6 (Out)
D- Alex Goligoski (PIT) - 6
D- Christian Ehrhoff (VAN) - 5
D- Niklas Lidstrom (DET) - 8
D- Mike Mottau (NJ) - 1 (Out)
G- Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) - 6 wins 1 SO / 17 points
G- Roberto Luongo (VAN) - 5 wins/ 10 points
G- Martin Brodeur (NJ) - 1 win / 2 points (Out)
Total Points: 112

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

That was a tough game to watch...

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

yes, yes it was.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Well, San Jose won last night, so it looks like it'll be San Jose and Chicago from the west, and it'll probably be Boston and Pittsburgh from the East. I don't know if the Flyers and Canucks can really come back from a 3-1 deficit, but who knows. The Canadiens still have a shot at beating Pittsburgh, which I hope they do.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I'm willing to take the miracle work of any God here.
Allah, Buddha - it's your time to shine now.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I just got two Hartford Whalers shirts today that I ordered online! I wish that they weren't in Raleigh. I think that Raleigh, Tampa, Nashville, Miami, Atlanta, and Phoenix shouldn't have teams, but I guess they're bigger markets than some of the old cities that lost their teams. I guess Quebec lost their team to Denver who has the Avalanche, Winnipeg lost their team to Phoenix, Hartford lost their team to Raleigh, and Minnesota lost their team to Dallas, but got one back. Plus, I know there have been many other changes in the past. I just forgot that Columbus recently got a new team too.

http://www.stadiumstyle.com/cat/317-NHL-Teams.html

This site has apparel for all of the current teams, plus four teams who moved in more recent years.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I don't mind what cities have teams now. I mean, sure - with the revenue-sharing that goes on now Quebec and Winnipeg could hold an NHL team, so that sucks - but to take away teams from the US that do have fan bases would be wrong. In the Southern US it's more of a family-oriented thing, something to take your kids to. And if it even makes little American kids like Hockey, I'm all for it.

I also really want some Whalers or North Stars stuff.

I'm glad it doesn't have some of the lesser-known past NHL teams on there.

Such as:

California Golden Seals: 1967-76



Colorado Rockies: 1976-82

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

That's a good point about it introducing hockey to kids in those regions of the US. I got Whalers stuff because I'm from Hartford, CT, so they're pretty much my team, even though I didn't really know much about them since I moved away when I was 7 years old. Still, it's cool that Hartford had a professional team. I love the logo too. It's cool how they fit the H between the W and the Whale Fluke.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Those Golden Seals uniforms are incredible. Bring 'em back!

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

Caught the last 10 minutes of the Montreal-Pittsburgh game today.


It was very exciting, game 7 shall be intense

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

The Flyers goal tending situation has been absolutely ridiculous. All year Boucher is 3rd in line until the very end of the season where he becomes the starter right before the playoffs. He plays extremely well in the playoffs. The first night Leighton is available to come back after an ankle injury, Boucher gets injured and Leighton comes in to pull off the first combined shutout in NHL playoff history in 55 years. Pretty crazy stuff.

On to game 6.

Re: NHL Playoff Pool
 

I was at work, but I heard it on the radio. I think that the Flyers are doing extremely well considering they were down 3-0. Leighton is a great goalie, so I hope he can continue to shut down the Bruins. As for Montreal, that's just great. I hope they beat Pittsburgh. Wouldn't it be neat to have a 7 and 8 seed in the Eastern Conference Finals?