God I love playoff hockey. There is nothing like it at all. Several overtimes and emotional moments have taken its toll. Before we reveal the final matchup lets see how the rest of the teams fared throughout the postseason.
Washington Capitals: I think I might have seen the beginning of the end. It’s not because of the talent they have but it’s because of their age and the contracts they’re locked into. Despite an epic overtime win in Game 1 Washington just didn’t have it. Losing in OT in Games 2 and 3 hurt them and they didn’t recover. Once the Bruins went up for good in Game 4 reality had slammed right on the Caps face. And the worst part for DC fans is that this might have been Alex Ovechkin’s last game in a Capitals uniform. Not because of his age but because he is a free agent. People are going to say that they are going to resign him but have you seen their salary cap situation. They most likely won’t be able to sign him because of Cap Hell. Just don’t let Ovi sign with a division rival. Anyways prepare those “Steamed Caps” for the Golf Course Bettman!
Pittsburgh Penguins: Ah! A physically intense series featuring 2 teams that love to hate each other. Now this is what the NHL is all about. However despite a 2-1 series lead the Pens lost their steam and couldn’t respond. Losing Game 4 wasn’t a big deal since the Isles were looking for a statement. What really killed them was losing in overtime in Game 5 at home thanks to a soft goal. Game 6 was the demolition of YinzerLand’s hopes and dreams thanks to Barry Trotz and his 1-1-3 formation. Penguins fans are obviously calling for Mike Sullivan’s heads but in my opinion the mistakes that Jim Rutherford has made have held this team back since their Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. Anyways a majority of your Bottom 6 is gone after this year so have fun dealing with Cap Hell! Poor Tristan Jarry he shouldn’t be treated this badly since the rest of the team went flat.
Florida Panthers: Well there goes my predictions for the Stanley Cup Finals. Even if this were a rough ending for the Panthers at least they tried to keep up with a now healthy Lightning team. Yes Tampa Bay had the better team overall but the real reason why Florida lost this series was because they lost the 1st 2 games at home and Sergei Bobrovsky couldn’t stop the wave of Tampa Bay skaters coming towards him. This was going to be an uphill climb from the start but at least the Panthers tried making this a series. Despite a couple epic wins to get back in the series, they couldn’t overcome the brick wall of Andrei Vasilevskiy. I think they will be back if they know what they are doing in terms of free agency. I don’t know who to trust in the front office.
Nashville Predators: I will give these guys credit for overcoming their brutal start plus the NHL World mocking them about their current situation. Going against a contender like the Hurricanes was going to be a tall task but I will at least praise their efforts. Going down 2-0 in the series most likely would have resulted in getting swept. Pekka Rinne was beat up in the 1st 2 games and was benched yet the team rallied in his absence. Winning back to back overtime games at home to even the series going back to Carolina was the spark the fans needed. However the Brass Bonanza played a reverse card and beat them in heartbreaking fashion in Games 5 and 6 to lose the series. Despite their cap situation this isn’t a rough ending, I wonder what they will do to keep up with the big boys next year.
St Louis Blues: This series was a dud. I expected you guys to give the Avs a scare with Jordan Binnington plus the high end talent on offense of years past. However, Colorado matched them in every game. In what should have been a heavyweight match the Blues got beat at their own game. Having to deal with perhaps the Best Top 6 in the NHL was an absolute nightmare and they couldn’t avoid it. I’d say you’ll be back but knowing their Cap situation plus the inconsistency of the defensemen excluding Torey Krug I’m not so sure. Just ace free agency and you’ll be fine.
Minnesota Wild: I’m not gonna rip you guys. Honestly, the fact that they even made the playoffs despite the turmoil that was in the organization following the firing of Bruce Boudreau is a feat that should be recognized by the rest of the NHL. The problem with Minnesota wasn’t them but who they faced. Trying to take down a juggernaut like the Golden Knights was going to be a challenge but at least they tried to make it a series. In fact they erased a 3-1 deficit in the series by winning Game 5 in Vegas plus a raucous Game 6 in Minneapolis. But then the Minnesota Sports Stereotype happened in Game 7 and Marc Andre Fleury unleashed his brick wall form. Despite outstanding performances by Karil Kaprizov and Zach Parise they just didn’t have enough to compete with the class of the West. I know the future looks bright but there is another expansion draft coming. Just don’t get burned by Seattle like you did by Vegas. (Close, BUT NEVER CLOSE ENOUGH!)
Edmonton Oilers: Did anyone besides the hockey analysts see this beatdown coming? NO! The only reasons the Oilers are even in the hunt for the playoffs are Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent Hopkins. If you shut down those 3 you shut down that team as a whole. It didn’t help since they had to face a Vezina Caliber Goalie but another huge reason why the Jets won this series was Edmonton’s inability to close out a game. Blowing late game leads in 3 of the 4 games including losing Games 3 and 4 in overtime. Not only that this was to a Winnipeg team that basically limped into the playoffs. Now the Oilers again get the wonders of Cap Hell on their doorsteps as the questions surrounding the structure of the organization grow large. All I can say is at least you aren’t the Flames or a certain team from Toronto.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Only in Toronto where a team with some of the finest North American Talents in the land always come up short. This year was a deathblow to their championship window since they had a series all but won yet let it slip away. Losing John Tavares was brutal but how did the Leafs lose 3 games at home in the series? Up 3-1 with a chance to close it out in Game 5 you think this team would finally win a playoff series. BOOM! Then the Balard Narratives returned. Montreal storms back for 2 straight OT wins in Games 5 and 6. Then Le Canadiens broke the hearts of LeafsNation in a Game 7 AGAIN! How can a team boast Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and several household names and still fall short of expectations. ( If I’m the Leafs I don’t know what to do? I’m guessing both Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan are likely getting the axe. All I can say is at least you didn’t lose a Game 7 at TD Garden. SHOVE THE CUP HOPES INTO THE INCINERATOR! (It’s as if Harold Balard is not dead)
Boston Bruins: Well I didn’t expect them to go as far as they did especially since they had to play Washington in the 1st Round. This time they were defeated by Barry Trotz and his team’s speed and 1-1-3 defensive strategy. Despite taking a 2-1 series lead with home ice in their favor they couldn’t get past Semyon Varlamov as he unleashed his inner King Henrik and stopped 900 shots. Them like the Penguins were victimized in 3 straight games to lose the series via bad goaltending and losing in OT at home in Game 5. The bad news for Beantown is that they have Cap Hell coming their way and they still have yet to win their first title in 10 years. I wonder how they will manage the situation that they are currently in?
Carolina Hurricanes: I won’t rip you guys for losing in the 2nd Round with the 2nd best record in hockey. The problem for the Canes was who they faced. Facing a Lightning team with a now healthy Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov was going to be an uphill climb. I will at least give them credit for trying to make this a close affair. Not to mention Carolina’s youth and speed were no match for the wonders of Andrei Vasilevskiy. He was unstoppable and the Brass Bonanza had no one to match him. The good news for Hurricanes fans is that they are making positive strides into becoming a Cup contender for years to come. But the question for them is that now that they will be returning to the Metro Division next year do they have the pieces to get past Pittsburgh, the Islanders, and Washington? Just ace free agency and you’ll be fine.
Winnipeg Jets: It’s interesting to see a team play well against a better opponent and then play a softer team on paper and then get crushed by them. Playing against the speed and skill of Le Canadiens was going to be a challenge especially after what Montreal did to Toronto in the 1st Round. The common denominator for why the Jets lost this series was that Connor Hellebuyck was outplayed by Carey Price. Price was back in 2014 form and there was nothing the True North could do against him. The real question I have with Winnipeg is will they ever play up to their potential like they did in 2018. With what has happened in the playoffs the past few years I’m not so sure.
Colorado Avalanche: For the 6th year in a row the Presidents Trophy Winner has been eliminated prior to the Conference Finals! Honestly I’m not shocked that the Avs lost this series. Even if they took a 2-0 series lead it was going to be very tough to knock off the Golden Knights. Despite the high-end talent in their Top-6 Colorado couldn’t solve the rubik’s cube of Marc Andre Fleury. But what really cost them was Nazem Kadry getting suspended, (AGAIN!) and Philip Grubauer having no answers for Vegas’ speed and power play. I know the Avs have a bright future ahead of them because of the talents of MacKinnon plus their farm system, but I think we need to start seeing results in the playoffs. Just wash this defeat off and gear up for next year. I expect big things from you, DON’T LET ME DOWN!
New York Islanders: Just like last year the Isles had next to no expectations going into the playoffs, and once again they proved why they belonged here. All of it leads to the same result, losing in the Conference Finals to a Tampa Bay team that was one step ahead of them. I will give these guys props for taking the defending Cup champions to the limit in this series but in the end they just ran out of gas. The only issue in this series for New York was that Andrei Vasilevskiy was an unstoppable force especially in Game 7. (Panthers and Hurricanes fans can tell you how well it went for them) I will say this, you did give your fans a memory they will never forget by winning the final game at Nassau in overtime of Game 6. The future’s looking bright and they have enough cap space to get a big fish to come to Long Island. This may have been a rough ending like last year for the Islanders but their window has only just begun. (As a fan of a rival its hard to admit but their front office knows what they are doing)
Vegas Golden Knights: I never thought anything would one up last year’s loss to Dallas, that’s why you never say never. This time this flashy squad was executed in 6 games by the Cinderella team of the playoffs in the Canadiens. Marc Andre Fleury went from Vezina Caliber Goalie to getting benched after a scene in Game 3 which shall not be mentioned. Peter DeBoer once again proved how stubborn he was and was out coached yet again. Remember how Knights fans were already preparing Finals tickets after they beat Colorado? This is why you don’t count your chickens before they hatch! Honestly even if George McFee has done everything he could to bring the Cup to Vegas they still come up short and now the wonders of Cap Hell are coming their way. It would have been much easier had they made it to the Finals, JUST SAYING! (I don’t think the Golden Knights are ever getting over this)
Well the playoffs like most years were unpredictable, we had upsets, shockers, goalies having all sorts of fun, and full capacity crowds again. Now that the Cup Finals are here let’s meet the contestants! Who’s coming out of the West?
Montreal Canadiens: LE CANADIENS! A team that has overcome every single stereotype that has been thrown in their direction this year. This is a team that fired their coach during the season, got beat in the season series by a COVID wrecked Canucks team and were expected to fold in the 1st Round like last year, and everyone was questioning Marc Bergevin’s offseason decisions. However the tides changed dramatically! In the 1st Round many people had them getting crushed by a Maple Leafs team that was heavily favored to win the Cup by several Canadian sports analysts. Montreal overcame a 3-1 series deficit led by overtime wins in Games 5 and 6, followed by crushing the hopes and dreams of LeafsNet YET AGAIN! The 2nd Round was no contest because the Jets had no answers for the Habs speed and skill despite Winnipeg having a Vezina Caliber Goaltender. Now the Golden Knights, they are a team of destiny they just took out the Avs and have the most complete team in hockey. I think everyone messed up on the Finals representative in the West didn’t they. You think the Atlanta Hawks playoff run in the NBA playoffs this year is insane, the Canadiens have just made them look silly! (In this case, they have one upped the ATL for the most shocking playoff run this year) The talent on the roster is very underrated when it comes to being on the National Spotlight. Leading the Habs is Tyler Toffoli who has transcended into a top flight winger this postseason, despite facing the likes of Auston Matthews, Paul Stastny, and William Karllson in the playoffs he has outplayed every one of them. The catalyst of this squad is Eric Staal who has been everything Bergevin has wanted and more with his puck skills and physicality. Nick Suzuki has produced premium Vegas salt by roasting old team in the Conference Finals and is still a potent weapon on offense. Besides those 3 they have plenty of depth that has produced this postseason. They just happen to be Cole Caufield, Corey Perry, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Paul Byron, etc. The real star of the show this postseason for Le Canadiens has been the longtime face of the franchise in Carey Price. It was a gigantic risk signing him to an 8 year contract in 2017 and even though he hasn’t been the same goalie he was in 2014 the Price has been Right all postseason. (Get it!) He has made mincemeat of 2 of the most dominating offenses in the Leafs, and Golden Knights. He has played with a fire that the city of Montreal hasn’t seen since Patrick Roy. I will say one thing about Bergevin that I never would say, Most of the moves he has made in the last few years have worked in his favor. The Toffoli signing was a great deal, Brendan Gallagher despite his struggles in the playoffs has played up to his expectations, and they got a physical defensemen in Josh Anderson despite giving up Max Domi. (He has been a mystery box on offense but on defense outstanding!) The best part of all of this, Montreal has just triggered the rest of their native land because they have a chance to do what a Canadian team hasn’t done since 1993. Win the Stanley Cup! (The Habs won the Cup that year as well) I wonder what is the only thing that can stop this team? A team that is trying to become the next great dynasty in the NHL!
Tampa Bay Lightning: The new age Center of the Sports World! A city that has been blessed with the riches of their teams making it to the Finals or winning the championship as a whole. Tampa Bay is back in the national spotlight just like they were in February when Tom Brady won Lombardi #7. In this case the Lightning are 4 wins away from becoming the next great dynasty in hockey. Unlike last year’s Cup team they have been playing the role of underdogs all postseason. (It’s like the 2020 Buccaneers all over again) In the 1st Round they were going against the head coach that beat them in the Cup Finals in 2015 in Joel Quenville, they smacked the Panthers in 6 games. Next up was the Brass Bonanza known as the Hurricanes, a team that had all the pieces lining up for their first Cup in 15 years, the outcome was the same result as the series against Florida. Then came the rematch with the Islanders and Barry Trotz, a team that was looking to bring Long Island its first title since the 1980s. Not even Seimon Varlomov could save them in Game 7. The Lightning unlike last year are healthy and they have played loose plus they have shot down the expectations that they were benefitting from the bubble. Most of the gang from last year is back and they are better than ever. Steven Stamkos has overcome the injury he suffered last year in the playoffs to realize his potential again. Nikita Kucherov has also dealt with the injury bug but once again he has led the charge on offense and in the Penalty Kill department. Then there are the main 2 studs not named Kucherov and Stamkos in Brayden Point as well as Victor Hedman and like last year they have had the highest stat totals of any of their top players. The depth on this team that features Yanni Gourde, Barclay Goodreau, Patrick Maroon, Alex Killorn, Onderj Palat, as well as several others has once again been the bread and butter of their success. However the star of the show like last year just happens to be their demigod of goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy. Once again he has perfected his craft and shut down any offense in his path! This year he has been just as good as last year because they had to face 3 of the Top offenses in the playoffs and stood up to the challenge each time. If you look at the reputation Jon Cooper has developed since last year in the bubble, it has been outstanding. He went from one of the biggest chokers in the NHL to the gold standard of coaching in the league. I feel like he has allowed his squad to play the way they want to play instead of forcing things like he did in years past. And it has worked out in their favor. This is a very interesting Finals matchup if you look at it closely. Both teams would be in the same division on a regular basis, they both contain outstanding goaltenders, they have the speed and skill to challenge any lineup that comes their way, and finally they each had to overcome adversity. The funny thing about Montreal and Tampa Bay was that I picked both teams to lose in Round 1, and was proven wrong both times. Both teams were the underdogs in every single playoff series that they were in leading up to this point yet still made the ESPN and SPORTSNET beat writers eat massive amounts of crow. (It’s a good thing to see) The Finals will either feature the greatest hockey moment in Canada’s recent memory or Tampa Bay extending its mighty empire! Tom Brady would be impressed! I wonder what will happen in the next week and a half?
Prediction: I know the obvious choice would be that Tampa Bay has been unstoppable and Montreal doesn’t have the talent to keep up. And you would be correct! Even though I’m picking the Lightning to win in 5 I wouldn’t be shocked if the Canadiens made this a series. With a white hot Carey Price anything truly can happen! But who am I kidding #TompaBay will most likely win its 3rd championship in 9 months! The Hockey Gods will make sure of it!
Bragging Rights Sports 