Before the first round of the 2011 playoffs, we polled readers for their Stanley Cup champion choices. You can check out the results for all 16 first round teams here, but here’s how the top five choices ended up looking.
1. Detroit Red Wings: 1,818 votes
2. Vancouver Canucks: 1,560 votes
3. Philadelphia Flyers: 1,423 votes
4. Washington Capitals: 1,197 votes
5. Pittsburgh Penguins: 1,169 votes
And just for fun:
16. Los Angeles Kings: 74 votes
Total reader votes: 11,304
(Sorry Kings fans.)
Four of the five teams who received the most votes remain, but with another round in the books, we couldn’t help but wonder how your opinions have changed.
Did the Red Wings’ sweep make you even more confident about their Cup chances? Are you on board after the Capitals showed they could actually play defense? Will the Canucks and Flyers’ reputations sag a bit after they needed seven games to advance? Do you feel differently about the Sharks, Bruins, Predators or Lightning?
Feel free to peruse the 2011 semifinals matchups if you must and then let us know who you think will win it all after gathering one extra round of evidence. We won’t judge you if you change your vote, either.
[polldaddy poll=4983022]