After an unusual playoff format last year, we get a sense of normalcy with the playoffs going back to 16 teams instead of 24 in the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles. Now with most of the arenas at close to 50% capacity the atmosphere of Playoff Hockey has returned for the better. Let’s meet the contestants fighting for Lord Stanley!
Pittsburgh Penguins: Just when you think this team is done (Like the last 2 years) they will somehow turn back the clock to 2016 and crush everyone in sight. Considering that Mike Sullivan was on the hot seat for the Pens recent lack of playoff success, they have turned it around and produced in bunches. The good news for YinzerLand is that Jim Rutherford is no longer making bad moves in the executive office since he retired and Brian Burke hasn’t done anything stupid. On the ice, Sidney Crosby is back in his prime and despite the slight decline of Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh boasts the most talent since their most recent Cup win. Tristan Jarry is going to have to carry this team as well as the defense if they want any chance of surviving the rest of their division in the 1st 2 Rounds. Even as a fan of a rival I hope they go far with what they have dealt with in the playoffs the last 2 years.
Washington Capitals: The Caps once again have massive expectations to begin what could be the next great dynasty in the NHL. A team that has overcome one of the hardest schedules in all of hockey to not only survive but thrive is impressive. Alex Ovechkin is still producing in bunches and the rest of their deadly Top 6 has also produced career years. Despite sending a king’s ransom for Anthony Mantha at the trade deadline, it hasn’t hurt them at all. The only problem the Capitals could face is behind the bench. Peter Laviolette has struggled in the playoffs with Nashville in previous years but perhaps a change of scenery will help him push towards that elusive Cup. Tom Wilson needs to get out of penalty trouble if they have any chance of surviving the big boys of their division in the playoffs. And might have to face the Penguins in the 2nd Round that too.
Boston Bruins: Ever since I saw these guys in person back in April when they were in Philadelphia the Bruins went from nearly letting the Flyers and Rangers sneak into the playoffs to flashing their talent level like they did in the 1st month of the season. The Taylor Hall trade has produced high quality with the pressure of winning right away being answered quickly. Brad Marchand is back in old form leading the charge despite injuries hitting Bergeron and Pastrnak early in the season. Tuukka Rask now has a chance to overcome his rough summer of being heckled by the Boston Media for opting out last season. The only way he can overcome this narrative is the Stanley Cup. To me they are either getting blown out early like last year or going very far. Whichever one they choose.
New York Islanders: The Islanders once again have expectations of a deep playoff run despite being the worst team out of their division in the playoffs. In a year where there were several questions surrounding the starting lines they have answered them because of solid coaching and the ability to play up to challenges against teams well above their talent level. The thing I find fascinating about the Isles success is that they are doing this without Andres Lee. Mat Barzal and Brock Nelson have produced in bunches when they have needed to and Varlamov even at age 33 hasn’t slowed down. Despite being heavy underdogs like last year, Long Island has expectations for a deep playoff run. I know they have to face the Penguins in Round 1 but as they say anything can happen.
Carolina Hurricanes: The narrative surrounding the Hurricanes has changed immensely. For years they were a struggling franchise that went on unexpected deep playoff runs whenever they made it this far. Today they have become a legit Cup Contender like they were in 2006. Just like what Joe Sakic has done with the Avalanche as a player and executive, Rod Brind’Amour has turned around the franchise that made him great completely. Sebastian Aho and Dougie Hamilton are obviously the main cogs in this machine but there are other key players stepping up as well. Jaccob Salvin and Jordan Staal are the 2 that come to mind. Not to mention they can trot out whatever goaltender they want since they have 3 starting caliber goalies on the roster. Considering how well the Hurricanes have played in the playoffs in recent years they should at least win 1 playoff series. The real question is who in their division is going to stop them?
Florida Panthers: That answer might be these guys. A team that has gotten its popularity to new heights that hasn’t seen since the mid 1990s. Whenever I see this squad play I get flashbacks to the 2013 Blackhawks. The high end talent on all 4 lines, the goaltender being rock solid, and most of their star players being in the prime of their careers. This is a solid comparison because the coach of both that team and this year’s Panthers is Joel Quenneville. What he has done with this franchise in terms of changing the culture is insane. Huberdeau and Barkov have dominated in almost every game this season and they have taken advantage of their opportunities. If there is one thing that has been said about Coach Q is that he knows how to coach in the playoffs. Here is my only concern…
Tampa Bay Lightning: That would be the defending Stanley Cup Champions. This year the Lightning can be as loose as ever. Even if Kucherov and Stamkos have been out for a majority of the season they are still a wrecking machine because of Vasilevskiy plus their potent power play. The main reasons for their success has been Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and Ryan McDonagh. If there is anything about Jon Cooper compared to the last few years is that he isn’t afraid of the big moment. Last year he overcame the loss against Columbus to win the Cup. Now the pressure is on to get back there. Good luck!
Nashville Predators: A tale of 2 teams. The 1st one nearly blew their championship window and season thanks to underachieving. The next team played up to their potential and had one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Preds have been a solid team since the beginning of the 2nd Half thanks to Filip Forsburg, Matt Duchane, and Ryan Johanson. They still have Pekka Rinne who is in the last year of his contract and desperate for a Cup. If there is anything that has been said about Smashville this year is that they have overcome every obstacle in their path to remain in the hunt for Lord Stanley. Too bad they have to face the Brass Bonanza of Carolina in the 1st Round.
Colorado Avalanche: SURVEY SAYS the Avs have major ambitions of the Stanley Cup and have the title of the Presidents Trophy. If there is one thing that I have to say this is one of my favorite teams to watch. They have the speed and skill to hang with the best of them. Nathan MacKinnon is only getting better by the year, and Philip Grubauer is a Vezina Caliber goalie like he was in Washington. This team reminds me a lot of those Avalanche teams from the late 90s and early 2000s. Similar playstyle, and brick wall in net. It would be straight karma however if the Hockey Gods troll the Kroenke’s and Joe Sakic for all of the media darlings from the NBC Networks that they have.
Vegas Golden Knights: They are the heavy Cup favorites with all of the High-End Talent in the world. Yes they have insane speed and physical defense, the 2 headed monster in net of Lehner and Fleury, plus Stone, Pietrangelo, and Karllson in their primes. I wouldn’t consider them locks for the Cup because they have a playoff underachiever in Peter DeBoer as their head coach. Honestly please don’t talk smack like you did last year. It would be nice for the rest of the team to overcome their massive defeat from last year against Dallas. As long as Robin Lehner doesn’t get tired from the attackers charging the net they have a chance.
Minnesota Wild: Am I hearing this right? The Minnesota Wild have Stanley Cup ambitions, well it appears that they are in the same position that they were in a few years ago. At least they don’t have Bruce Boudreau holding them back in the playoffs. (I’m hungry for some BBQ!) In this case the Wild have a bunch of young and exciting players on their roster. Even if Zach Parise and Ryan Suter aren’t in 2017 form they still are key pieces of their machine. The real stud is Kirill Kaprisov who has been the missing piece that has dominated in almost every game he has played. The major concern for the Wild is not their opponents but the future of the team. They need to make a deep run before they get burned by an Expansion Draft YET AGAIN! (They got a huge talent crunch by Vegas and Seattle could take even more of their good players) At least they don’t have any clowns at the top any more.
St Louis Blues: There is no way that the Blues despite the talent on display should be anywhere near a playoff spot. I know they have Schwartz, Binnington, Tarasenko, and Torey Krug but there have been soft spots this season. This is a team that lost their season series to the SHARKS AND COYOTES! But they did make up for that narrative by playing up to their potential against the teams that they need to beat. If St Louis is going to shock the NHL again they are going to need everything and thensome to beat their old Captain in the 1st Round. Knowing the luck of St Louis teams they are probably going to bring out the pixie dust and pull a 2011 Cardinals!
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs remind me of the Cleveland Browns. A team that had been bad for so long, drafted the face of the franchise a few years earlier, got a superstar from New York in a blockbuster move, having a 50+ year title drought, the insufferable fanbase and media, and being unable to beat a certain team for years. (Bruins=Ravens) The good news for Leafs fans is that they won’t have to go through Boston unless both of them play in Cup Finals for this year only. Many are saying that Toronto is a legit Cup contender but from what I’m seeing they are taking advantage of quite possibly the easiest schedule in the NHL. If there is any chance that the Maple Leafs are going far this year they need the goaltender to step up with a certain Freddie Andersen out due to injury. I know they have Tavares, Matthews, Marner, and Reilly but they are going to need the Bottom6 guys to step up unlike in years past. I know they are gloating about how they are going to win the Cup but they at least need to take baby steps first. (Which means they need to win their 1st Series since 2004 before they can think bigger)
Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers confuse me, what I see is very high potential. Look at all the talent they have on their front line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. I get it those 2 are putting in the 2 best seasons since Gretzky and Messier. But the concern with Edmonton is the depth and coaching. Plus they lack playoff experience and it showed last year. At least their defense has promise but I honestly don’t know how far this team can go. The only time they have won a playoff series in the McDavid Era was against a Sharks team that self-destructed. Remember what I said last year about Tampa Bay, I might have to eat my words again on the Oilers.
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are a team that looks really good one game yet can struggle the next. One moment Blake Wheeler is carrying the team on his back the next they struggle to beat teams like the Canucks and Senators. I know Carter Hellebuyck is back to his old self but to me they need Paul Stastny and Pierre Luc Dobois to overcome the recent slump they are in if they want to go far. The good news for the True North is that they are facing a team in the 1st Round that has very little playoff experience compared to what they have. I know they have limped into the playoffs but it’s always good to have momentum in the playoffs instead of not having it at all.
Montreal Canadiens: Well I didn’t think the Canadiens would be one of the bottom seeds in the tournament. Considering what I saw last year against the Penguins and Flyers I thought this team would take the next step. However Montreal struggled in their soft division all year and only made it to the postseason due to the Flames self-destructing. Unlike last year Carey Price won’t have to be the starting goalie on nearly every occasion thanks to the move they made for Jake Allen. Not only that they set for Cap Hell this summer thanks to Kotkaniemi, Eric Staal, and Philip Danault due for huge pay raises. Knowing how they did last year they probably will do the same… AGAINST THE MAPLE LEAFS! Well it’s been nice knowing ya!
Predictions: This is a playoff bracket in which almost any team has a legit chance at the Stanley Cup because of the amount of talent, solid coaches, narratives, and momentum that there is this year. Knowing the luck of my recent predictions I think I’m going to go with a rematch of the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche against the Panthers, as well as Coach Q vs Joe Sakic. This is a good choice thanks to the likeability of players on both sides plus their talent levels. Hockey Gods please don’t let the Maple Leafs or Golden Knights make the finals! OK!
Bragging Rights Sports 