The Leafs may not be in them, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs will most certainly be on the TVs of Leafs Nation as they bring with them the year's greatest hockey. To add a little extra fun into this year's playoffs, we here at PPP Amalgamated Heavy Industries Kitten Ranch and Pug Manufacturing Incorporated LLC have decided to hold a Playoff Prognostication Pool for our phaithphul patrons.

Here's how it all breaks down:

There will be four rounds to the PPPPPP: Conference Quarter-Finals, Conference Semi-Finals, Conference Finals, and Stanley Cup Final. Each round you will be presented with a form to fill out where you pick the winners of each series, the number of games in that series, the Stanley Cup winner, and the Conn Smythe winner. You need to have an SBNation account and be a member of Pension Plan Puppets to play, so quit your lurking and sign up already.

Click the link below for the Round #1 form after you've taken the jump and read the rules and scoring system.

Pension Plan Puppets Playoff Prognostication Pool - Round #1

Here's where our Noon Number comes into play. 57 is the highest score possible in the PPPPPP. The scoring breaks down as such:

  • 2 points for guessing the correct series winner
  • 1 point for guessing the correct number of games in a series
  • 6 points for guessing the correct Stanley Cup Winner in Round #1 and not changing your answer in subsequent rounds. (4 points in Round #2; 2 points in Round #3.)/

6 points for guessing the correct Conn Smythe Winner in Round #1 and not changing your answer in subsequent rounds. (4 points in Round #2; 2 points in Round #3; 1 point in Round #4.)
In the case of a tie, the tie-breaker will be guessing the jersey number of the player who scores the Cup winning goal. This will be a question on the Round #4 form. Price is Right rules are in effect.

For the winner awaits the Sports Chirps Pucking Hilarious t-shirt of their choosing and the title of PPP Playoff Prognostication Pool Paragon!

For the loser, a copy of Why The Leafs Suck by Al Strachan to proudly present as a testament to your lack of hockey knowledge.

For transparency's sake and to faciliate trash talking of those who pick Montreal to do anything other than get swept by Boston in the first round below is a link to the spreadsheet where all of the picks will be kept:

PPPPPP Round #1 Picks

Round #1 picks can be made up until 7pm on Wednesday. Any picks made after 7pm will be disregarded.

If you have any question, comments, or trash talk for the other competitors; post them in the comments.

Good luck and may the best person not named birky win!