I’m excited to do this doc. I haven’t done a hockey document since last year’s Cup Finals. I’ve been dying for that kind of content. This year’s postseason is very interesting with some new faces and familiar ones. Anyways, who’s competing for Lord Stanley?
Colorado Avalanche: Just like the past 2 seasons the Avs are looking to take that next step in terms of making a run to the Conference Finals. The success they’ve had in the regular season is nice but this time they need more results when it truly matters. I get the talent they have on display with MacKinnon, Makar, Kadry, and Rantanen. That’s never been the question. The question is can they stay healthy. Even with boatloads of injuries, Colorado has survived for the moment thanks to their Top 6. Even if Gabriel Landeskog isn’t 100% they have a chance to make it all the way. The West isn’t as stacked as the East so there is a shot. Please don’t tell me that they are getting eliminated in Round 1 or 2.
Minnesota Wild: This is a hard team to figure out. One day the Wild look like a sure fire Cup Contender, the next they are stuck in mediocrity. When you have 3 studs in Matt Boldy, Kevin Fiala, and a generational talent in Kirill Kaprizov there is a good chance you can make noise. That’s not the problem. Minnesota is very close to being back in Cap Hell thanks to the Parise, and Suter contracts they signed 10 years ago. (I still have no idea as to why those 2 deals were signed anyways?) Even with the addition of Marc-Andrei Fleury the Wild are going to need every single thing to go in their favor if they want to make it to the Cup Finals. This is a team from Minnesota, and you know they never make it easy on their fans. Even if it’s the main sports attraction in the city. (There’s a good there will be a “Close, but NEVER CLOSE ENOUGH” moment)
St Louis Blues: After 2 off years of trying to regain the old glory, the Blues are once again on a hot streak going into the playoffs. With Tarasenko back to doing his old tricks, St Louis has expectations of a deep run. Their power play has been one of the best in hockey over the last 2 months, and if they are to succeed like years prior it’s up to that and Jordan Binnington. Yes he has returned to form but they have a young stud in Ville Husso who is just as good. The fact that this squad has not 1 but 2 excellent goaltenders make them a team to fear. This is even with many of their heroes from 2019 taking a minor step back. If the Blues are going to prove that 3 years ago wasn’t a fluke this is it. Against a team like Minnesota they have a shot especially if Binnington or Husso outplay the flower. But will they go further?
Nashville Predators: Even in the first year of Post-Rinne the Predators can still find ways to make the playoffs. This year’s case like most years is their depth at Center. When you look at Roman Josi, Matt Duchane, and others you have the sense that they can not only distribute the puck but can also score too. Even Filip Forsberg in the final year of his contract is still producing at an elite level. Even with those 2 elements most of their success like St Louis will be on the shoulders of goaltending. Juuse Saros may not be Pekka yet but this could be his chance to prove that he is indeed “Too Good Right Now.” Just like last year, Nashville really has no expectations from outsiders so they’ll be loose against a team like the Avs. If they somehow shock the world, the Blues or Wild await. I wonder what management will do if they come up short?
Calgary Flames: Do you understand why I call them the Boston Celtics of the NHL. Whenever they choose to play up to their potential the Flames are a fun team to watch, if not it’s very frustrating. This year’s rendition is not the underachieving teams from the last few seasons or so we think. Let’s be real this is a team that has been carried by High End Talent all season and for good reasons. Johnny Hockey and Matt Tkachuk once again lead the charge, but thanks to the help of Elias Lindholm, and Rasmus Andersson their depth is slightly better. Just like 2019 there is one question that I have for Calgary. How much of their lack of playoff success will come into play? At least this time Jacob Markstrom is not going to pull a Mike Smith against Nathan MacKinnon. If they somehow lose to Dallas I don’t know what the front office will do?
Edmonton Oilers: Will this team ever become a fleshed out unit instead of a 2 man team. Yes you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl the most vaunted duo this franchise has had since Gretzky and Messier. But like most years their depth is nonexistent. I don’t know how Ryan Nuggent-Hopkins can be considered an All Star yet look so invisible. I don’t understand why Zach Hyman scored 37 goals this year yet had a plus/minus of -9. Plus like most years besides weak depth they have sketchy goaltending. The question is do you start the inconsistent Mike Smith or the improving Mikko Koskinen. I’d say Koskinen, but yet again will he be left out to dry behind the guys not named McDavid and Draisaitl. If they lose in the 1st Round again, we all know the narratives that will come out. Their 2 stars are the Trout/Ohtani of the NHL. That’s a tough narrative to crack. (Or KD/Kyrie considering that the Nets only won 1 playoff series against an injured Celtics team last year)
Los Angeles Kings: Is it me or does anytime an LA team winning a title over the last couple of years sparked another to go for the same thing. We saw it with the Lakers and Dodgers in 2020. The Rams won the Super Bowl so why not the Kings to win the Cup. Here is the thing. It would be fools gold to think this young squad can go all the way. But this is the Pacific Division so anything can happen. Other than Anze Kopitar, the Kings don’t really have anyone else that’s just as skilled. I would include Drew Doughty but (CRACK) he’s going to be out for some time this postseason due to injury. Dustin Brown on the other hand is set to retire after this year, the long time face of the franchise needs one more moment in the sun. They still have Jonathan Quick who is still an excellent goaltender especially in the playoffs even if age is starting to get them. Unlike previous years, LA is playing with house money, and they could pull off another deep playoff run. If they somehow make the Finals, the sports world is RIGGED! (We don’t need another LA team with title ambitions, it can be said about Wisconsin, Boston, and Tampa too)
Dallas Stars: In some cases the Stars shouldn’t be anywhere near the playoffs. According to bandwagon hockey fans they only made the playoffs because Vegas collapsed due to injury. I don’t want to hear that excuse! (I bet bandwagon Golden Knights fans are bandwagon Nets fans too) The Stars earned the right to be here even if they can be considered as easy pickings. Joe Pavelski, despite age getting to him, is still his old self. This is even with Jamie Benn, and Tyler Seguin in the beginning of a hard decline. Anyways, how is Ben Bishop doing? (CRACK) Oh god his career is basically dead meat. Even if they somehow acquired Braden Holtby, its going to take a miracle in order for Dallas to make it out of Round 1. Unlike 2020 they don’t have any momentum going into the playoffs. It looks like they are going to have an early exit. We’ve said this about other teams and they’ve proved us wrong over the years. Will this be another one who knows.
Florida Panthers: Last year was the learning experience year for the Panthers. Getting their butts kicked by Tampa proved to be the spark they need for this season. Oh that spark was in full effect am I right. This unit may have the most prolific scoring offense of the modern era. Huberdeau, Barkov, Reinhart, yeah those are 3 studs in their primes. They even got a massive boost by getting another elite talent in Claude Giroux. I loved what he did as a Flyer, and now Florida you are seeing why. (He’s even with Radko Gudas again, THE LUMBERJACK!) Plus their depth is outstanding. Any team that has 4 solid lines in this NHL should be a tough out. Here is the concern. Now it’s not that they’re the Presidents Trophy Winner, or that they haven’t won a playoff series since 1996. Its the goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky needs to show why the Panthers paid him 10 million a year for 7 years. If there is ever a chance to make it to the 2nd or 3rd Round this is it. Even in a stacked Atlantic this should be a manageable task. Good luck!
Toronto Maple Leafs: HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY! That phrase symbolizes the Maple Leafs season in a nutshell. Look at all of the talent in their system. It’s been saving them despite major flaws in goaltending and special teams. We all know how good Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Nylander, and Reilly are, we’ve seen it on a year to year basis. But look at how good Michael Bunting and Alex Kerfoot have become this season. But how could a team with this many good players with that much talent be considered unlikable. That answer is simple, its not because of them its because of LeafsNet. Just like the past few seasons many of their pundits have Toronto as massive favorites to make it to the Cup Finals. Even in the Atlantic Division where the teams are so good this is a bold take. I know this may be their best shot at winning a playoff series since 2004, but there is one thing that could stop them. That just happens to be…
Tampa Bay Lightning: The quest for a 3-Peat which the NHL hasn’t seen since the early 1980s has upped the difficulty to extra hard. The 1st year was a breeze, even if Stamkos was injured for much of the playoffs, last year same thing despite getting pushed to 7 by the Islanders in the ECF. This year the Lightning don’t have the depth like in 2020-21 but they still have big names. Stamkos, Kucherov, Point, Hedman, plus Vasilevskiy in net. They know how to win in the playoffs, and the last few years have proved it. But if they are going to overcome Toronto in Round 1, they will need the big guns on offense to outduel the media darlings of Canada. If the offense struggles there likely will be a new champion this year. For the sake of NHL narratives we cannot have the Bolts winning the Cup AGAIN!
Washington Capitals: The Caps are a confusing team. With that potent power play featuring Ovechkin and Kuznetsov they should have a chance to make it out of the 1st Round despite getting a juggernaut in the Panthers as their opponent. That’s a positive sign for Washington. The issue for them is the backend of their defense plus inconsistent goaltending. We know that the Capitals have plenty of talent on offense, that’s never been the question. Can they survive Samsonov being a total mystery in net almost every game. Considering that they haven’t made it out of the 1st Round since their Cup win in 2018, the Caps are going to need everything to go their way just to get past the speed based system in Sunrise. If they come up short again, I don’t know if the reality of dismantling the core will hit them.
Carolina Hurricanes: The Brass Bonanza is back in session despite a shuffling of moves over the past offseason with a combination of elite wingers and defensemen. Even if Dougie Hamilton is gone, the Hurricanes still boast Sebastian Aho putting up his typical numbers with the help of Svechnikov, and DeAngelo on the front line. Besides 4 solid lines and excellent coaching the main issue for Carolina is what they do at goalie? Frederik Andersen has been injured for much of the year and so has Antti Raanta. Luckily for the Canes, Pyotr Kochetkov is ready to extend his excellent play in the minors this season, into the pros. We said the same thing about Cam Talbot during their Cup win in 2006. The Metro may still be stacked like in years prior but they have the most upside. Or do they?
New York Rangers: Nothing screams back to normal in hockey terms than the Madison Square Garden hosting playoff games. It may have taken a few years to retool the roster, but the Rangers are back to being a dark horse Cup Contender like they were for many years in the previous regime. The trio of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider are each in the prime of their careers, Barclay Goodrow has continued his strong play from Tampa last year, and they also found their next King Henrik. Igor Shesterkin, what a year he has had. This man went from living in Lundqvist’s to top candidate for the Vezina Trophy. This is the learning experience year for the Rags, and I’m interested to see how they do this postseason. Although they get to face a familiar foe right off the bat.
Pittsburgh Penguins: I don’t know how many years of consistent success that the Pens have left in them. This year they definitely overcame the expectations of being considered a team on the outside looking in. Any team with Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin should make the playoffs with ease. That’s the case as well Jake Guentzel producing in bunches like he’s done this year. (Solid replacement for Brandan Tanev) Even if Bryan Rust and Kris Letang are beginning to decline their front lines are still very good even if their penalty kill isn’t as good as projected. But to be honest if Pittsburgh is going to get out of the 1st Round, Tristan Jarry is going to have to overcome being the whipping boy of YinzerLand based on his performance against the Islanders last year. This may be their last chance at a Cup with this core, and I hope they enjoy the ride while it lasts.
Boston Bruins: The Bruins remind me a lot of the Ravens in some ways. Whenever the media is waiting for them to suck and be a bad team, they play with fire, and prove their doubters wrong. Boston this year was picked by most pundits to miss the playoffs after how many penalties they took in the 2nd Round last year at Nassau. Even if Bergeron is in the final year of his contract, they aren’t going to want him or Tuuka Rask to go out quietly. (This is despite Rask being on Kyrie levels of hate by their local media) This team is literally Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak continuing to dominate opponents left and right, and in their minds if they knock off the Canes it wouldn’t be an upset. Its because they are battle tested and know how to win when it matters. I’ll check back in with them as the playoffs go on. PAUSE.
Prediction This postseason a lot will be up in the air. There isn’t a sure fire finals prediction since every team has an equal shot. I know everyone wants a Colorado vs Florida final, I understand that. Although I won’t fall into those bear traps like I did last year. This time I’m picking the 2 recent champions in the Finals. St Louis and Tampa Bay. Both have elite goaltending, and deep playoff experience to help them out, plus are both starting to get hot at the right time. Hockey Gods please don’t let the Leafs or the Oilers win the Cup, for all our sakes!
Bragging Rights Sports 