The NHL Playoffs. Like most years it is intense but there have been more blowouts than expected this time around. Although it’s mostly due to matchups and the exposing of certain teams weaknesses. With the Finals on the horizon we need to look back on who was left behind.
Washington Capitals: I don’t know how to view this from the Capitals angle. Yes they could have won this series. Yes they had a chance to go up 3-1. But the issue wasn’t because of any weaknesses on the roster or coaching it was the fact that Florida could score at will. Game 5 was a prime example. Washington took a quick 3-0 lead in the 2nd Period. The Panthers came storming back and took the series lead for good. How about Game 6 where the Caps made a furious comeback to take it to OT. But then Carter Verhaeghe happened. It’s just rotten luck for a team that has known nothing but such luck excluding 2018. This was a series in which they could have used Tom Wilson’s physicality. It’s too bad that he was injured. Anyways how long can they go before they need to rebuild.
Pittsburgh Penguins: This was another instance of which the Penguins were deflated by injuries, inconsistency on defense, plus lacking the identity that made them great. Early in this series it was the complete opposite. Igor Shesterkin was getting absolutely mauled by Yinzers in Games 3 and 4. The Pens led this series 3-1 but then one play changed the entire series. No it wasn’t Tristian Jarry not being available. CRACK! It was Sidney Crosby getting injured on a controversial play. Once that happened, the Rangers took advantage of Pittsburgh being without their captain in convincing fashion. I will say for a team to blow 3 straight leads of over 2 goals to end the series is not a good look regardless if you are playing an AHL goalie. Ever since their loss against the Capitals in 2018 it’s been downhill ever since. I don’t know what they’ll do to keep their window alive.
Boston Bruins: It’s certainly a harsh ending for the Bruins. You have to admit that. This series was possibly the deathblow to their championship window but we said that when they lost to Ottawa in 2017. It’s too bad that they didn’t have home ice advantage because if they did they would be moving on. It’s a tale of 2 arenas. At TD Garden Boston was unstoppable, the Hurricanes had no answers for Brad Marchand, and Taylor Hall, and the goaltending wasn’t terrible. But here’s the reality. Carolina had home ice in Game 7. And their home crowd played a huge role in that game. Boston though is lucky that they didn’t have to play the Lightning or Panthers but their fate regardless would still be the same. However their Boys Club at the top wants to know who the real boss is. “Out you go Bruce Cassidy! You may have been the least of our issues but you’re the scapegoat for our lack of success!” That’s how the Boston Media treated him after their elimination. If you look at it closely I’d say goodbye to Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand. At least you guys have Celtics. (YoYo Sound) Well at least they made the NBA Finals.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Out of all of the Game 7 losses including Game 5 against Columbus in 2020 this was probably the least painful. Why? It’s mostly due to them playing against Tampa Bay. An evenly matched series on paper was as good as advertised. But even with a 3-2 series lead with home ice in Game 7 Toronto still couldn’t overcome the narratives. Look at Game 5. That should have been a deathblow to the Lightning’s run at a 3-peat. But then all of LeafsNet forgot to realize oh right this Andrei Vasilevskiy in elimination games. You’re not beating that brick wall. Yes there was REFPUCK in Game 7 but I don’t think it would have mattered. The Cleveland Browns of the NHL are back! It doesn’t matter how much talent is on that roster they will continue to underachieve in April. Kyle Dubas doesn’t deserve these mentally soft players who can’t handle adversity.
Dallas Stars: I know what the deep state conspiracies were about the Stars before the playoffs. “They only made the playoffs because the Golden Knights were injured!” THATS A LIE AND YOU KNOW IT! (The Bandwagon Nets fans of the NHL) Dallas made the playoffs because of excellent goaltending and a physical defense. Against an offense like Calgary they tried but their far superior opponents from Alberta were just 1 step ahead. How about Jake Oettinger? Even in defeat he had his coming out party. Like Ben Bishop against St Louis in 2019 he was the only reason why the series went to 7 games. You know what’s funny. Yes Jacob Markstrom played just as well but how does that take away the fact that the Stars had trouble getting a shot on him late in Game 7. That’s why they lost in OT. It’ll be interesting to see if they add veteran depth or just trust their youth movement. Knowing the Stars front office they will go for some good old physical defensemen. Because that worked for them in the past.
Minnesota Wild: This was a boom or bust team going into the playoffs. And they didn’t play like the contender they were hyped up to be. To be fair it was more to do with their inconsistency in the neutral zone and lack of talent in their Bottom 6. Against the Blues those weaknesses were exposed all series long. Not even Marc-Andrei Fleury could stop the wave of Tarasenko, Perron, and the St Louis front line. You know what’s funny, the Blues were missing 3 of their better defensemen including Torey Krug and they still won the series. That rarely happens in today’s NHL. The Wild are in the same situation as the Timberwolves. They’re a team on the rise but they need more experience to help get them over the top. They are still very young and need time to mature. Anyways they were close but never close enough. Right?
Nashville Predators: Times have changed since the last time these 2 teams played in the playoffs. In 2018 Nashville took out Colorado in 6 games with a combination of elite goaltending, and stacked forward core. Today it was the same, except the Avs were doing the butt kicking. Juuse Saros getting injured early in the series was when I knew they would get swept. If you have a backup goalie starting against this lineup, good luck with just trying to win a game. This series was bittersweet because this may be the end for both Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi. I think they’ll be back, but considering how much money they have paid to Saros and Matt Duchane I’m not so sure if they can keep both of them. John Hynes getting extended is a start. Even if he isn’t a likable coach, he at least is making them a respectable team. I don’t know how many more years of these types of results will Nashville deal with. They might be getting desperate one day very very soon.
Los Angeles Kings: Luckily for most of America we will not have another championship in the City of Angels. I will give the Kings credit for taking this to a full 7 games despite being massive underdogs. Even if they had a chance to clinch at home in Game 6, they lost mostly due to the Oilers playing up to their potential. Any team facing Connor McDavid and company while being short handed is a death sentence against humanity. Drew Doughty being injured was a major blow but even if he was healthy I think they would have lost anyways. That’s due to the High End Talent on the other side there’s no shame. Even if their long time captain Dustin Brown is retiring this offseason, LA is in a good position. They’re window is open again, their farm system is strong, and they are finally free of their bad contracts. They’ll be back, it’s just they need to get younger and add more scoring options.
Carolina Hurricanes: To be a champion in any sport you have to win on the road. That’s the one thing the Hurricanes couldn’t do in this series. Most of it was due to their penalty kill getting absolutely exposed. Plus in Games 6 and 7 they ran into a wall. His name was Igor. Even if Antti Raanta played lights out in this series, he ran out of gas and couldn’t match Shesterkin. Plus it’s also hard to contain Panarin, Zibanejad, and Kreider for long periods of time. Even if they’ve come close over the past few seasons, it’s hard to figure out why the Canes keep coming up short. It’s mostly due to the skill of their opponents but they’re missing something. And opinions on teams in this league can change on a dime. Hopefully their front office hears my request and they make a move to suit their chemistry. That’s all they can hope for.
Florida Panthers: I’m not going to go hard on the Panthers like most hockey nerds. Yes this was a dud. Yes they should have gone much farther than they did even after winning their 1st series since 1996. But the problem that Florida had in this series was the same issue that everyone in the Eastern Conference has. You don’t get a puck past Vasilevskiy. It’s been proven every year for the past 3 seasons. (Plus he takes up the entire net. YIKES!) Not only that but Tampa had excellent scheming. Even with all this talent, the Panthers still couldn’t win a game against the team of the 2020s. It’s the same issue Washington had during 2016 and 2017. When you’re in the same division as the juggernaut of hockey there’s a good chance that you are losing in the 2nd Round. It’s too bad that both Claude Giroux and Joe Thornton will likely finish their careers without a Cup. Giroux at least has a few years left in him. Just don’t let this become an annual habit. You hear me?
Calgary Flames: It’s interesting how a team that fancies themselves as being excellent at defense structure over the course of the season gets exposed by a team with inconsistent goaltending. Flames oh do I have bad news. No matter how good Johnny Hockey and Matt Tkachuk are, they are no match for McDavid and Draisaitl. Darryl Sutter’s excellent penalty kill was dominated thanks to the High End Talent of their opponents. Jacob Markstrom went from Vezina Candidate to giving up 3 goals in a minute during Game 3. And yes we have to deal with Calgarians complaining about REFPUCK when they lost 4 straight in convincing fashion. Yes there was that controversial call in Game 5 that gave Flames fans PTSD of 2004, but they would have lost this series even if that goal did count. Even if this was the furthest that Calgary has been with this core it doesn’t stop the fact that there will be questions about Tkachuk and Goodreau’s future. You should be able to resign them both. If you have enough Cap Space.
St Louis Blues: Nazem Kadry. Mention that name as well as Stan Kroenke to St Louis fans and they will personally hurt you. (Fun fact, the Kroenke Family owns the Avalanche) Yes he may be the whipping boy of LeafsNet as well but the way the Blues treated him was disgusting. Any time you put death threats on a player you deserve to lose. And guess what happened. Other than 2 fluke games in Denver, this was no series. The Avs were clearly the better team. It showed throughout the series. And even worse, St Louis gets one-upped by Kroenke YET AGAIN! That man and Kadry live rent free in their fans’ minds don’t they. They should just blame this on an inconsistent top line but they won’t. Old habits die hard!
New York Rangers: Thank god! I was not going to be able to see another rival in the championship round. Luckily someone listened to my request. This was a slap back to reality for Rangers fans. Heck their city learned nothing from the Nets and planned the championship parade after another 2-0 series lead. But do I have news? Tampa Bay was just the better team. It was on full display in the final 4 games. The fact that the Lightning committed only 5 penalties in the final 3 games of the series was incredible. Igor Shesterkin played out of his mind for much of the series, yet Vasilevskiy was just better. I will say the Rags definitely exceeded expectations. Even if this was a brutal ending this was their watershed moment. They are a legit contender. They’ll be back. They have a ton of cap space this offseason to get a marquee name to MSG. Knowing James Dolan he will not only do this for the Rangers but also for the Knicks. Let me guess he’s already on the phone with Portland for Damian Lillard. (If they get him, Stephen A will go bonkers)
Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers certainly went further than I expected. I saw them as a team that wouldn’t be able to make it far thanks to Mike Smith being a mystery box and not having much depth. The only reason why they made it this far was because of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nuggent-Hopkins. Those 3 played like Gretzky, Messier, and Ryan Graves yet still got swept. Here is why they lost. Colorado is the best team money can buy in all of hockey. (The Stan Kroenke Stereotype) They had no answers for Avs power play and speed. This may have been their best chance with this core. Why am I saying that? Guess who their GM is? Ken Holland. The guy that ran the Detroit Red Wings into the ground with mega contracts. I could see him do the same in Edmonton. And since they have a decent amount of cap space you know he’s going to overpay for Claude Giroux. That would be the most Holland move possible. Daryl Katz please don’t let him make the final decisions on contracts. PAUSE.
How much parity is in this league. I honestly don’t know anymore. Many hockey fans are saying that the postseason is scripted. You want to know why? Look who made it out of the West.
Colorado Avalanche: Good, it was about time they made it to the Finals. After losing in the 2nd Round for 3 straight years. Consistently coming up short against stronger teams. That talk is over. Now the Avs have broken through into the Finals. Their story is an inspiring one. In 2017, this franchise was near rock bottom. They had one of the worst seasons in NHL History and every single offseason addition blew up in their faces. It was mostly due to a power struggle between Patrick Roy and his former teammate and current GM Joe Sakic. One move would change the fortunes of the organization. Early in the 2017-18 they would trade an underachieving Matt Duchane to the Senators for a few Middle 6 players and a 1st Round pick. At that time Ottawa was gunning for a Cup Finals appearance. The result of that trade is the 2nd coming of the Eric Lindros Trade. The Senators would become the biggest joke in the NHL, and it sealed Eugene Melnyk’s reputation of being the Dan Snyder of the NHL before he passed away this year. (Sens fans version of the Stanley Cup) The Avalanche on the other hand would instantly improve. Over the next few seasons, Colorado would make positive strides as an organization and now it has paid off. Look at this postseason. They have dominated each of their foes right from the word GO! The Predators, Blues, and Oilers stood no chance against them. The talent on this squad is dangerous. Some of the biggest names in hockey reside on this squad. First off Nathan MacKinnon. Ever since the Duchane Trade he has become the undisputed face of the franchise. He is easily one of the top players in the league year in and year out. This year he moved from wing to center and hasn’t skipped a beat. Mikko Rantanen, just like MacKinnon, is also a deadly weapon. This postseason he has emerged as their Power Play QB and racking up assists at will. Gabriel Landeskog when healthy has been excellent especially in the neutral zone. The captain of this squad has overcome injuries this postseason to help get his team over the top. Their defense is anchored by 2 all around talents. Devon Toews and Cale Makar. Both of them are in the prime of their careers, and Makar in particular is enjoying one of the best seasons by a defensemen in team history. And there’s more weapons. Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichuskin, Bowen Byram, J.T Compher, and Artturi Lehkonen. Note that I’m not mentioning Nazem Kadry, and Sam Girard. Both guys are injured and who knows if they will be healthy come Finals time. In net they have been anchored by Darcy Kuemper but he also isn’t 100%. In his absence they have had to rely on Pavel Francouz who has been unbeaten so far this postseason. One of the weaknesses on this squad over the years was always backup goaltending. That has changed because of Francouz. I also have to give credit to Jared Bednar. Going into the playoffs, he was on the hotseat if they couldn’t get out of the 2nd Round. So far they have crushed everything in their path. The last time they made it to the Cup Finals they beat the New Jersey Devils in a Game 7 on home ice. The lasting image of this game and championship was Ray Bourque finally winning that elusive Cup. “And after 22 years RAYMOND BOURQUE!” That clip of Sakic handing Bourque the Stanley Cup is one of the great moments in NHL History. And Sakic is the architect of this squad. He went from worst GM in hockey in 2017 to one of the best. He is doing things that John Elway would dream to do. But there is one thing unlikable about this team in some cases. Stan Kroenke. His son Josh owns the team, but his fingerprints are all over this roster. Yes he is the most hated man in St Louis despite Nazem Kadry’s incidents in the 2nd Round but there is a reason why he is the new age George Steinbrenner. Its because the Avalanche have spent more money than any team not named the Golden Knights because of Kroenke. His moves with the Rams led to a title and it could be the same here. However the greatest dynasty the league has seen since the 80s will have something to say about it.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Everyone says that the main draw in Tampa is the Buccaneers and Tom Brady. From a national standpoint that is a fact. But locally the Lightning are easily their biggest draw. Their success has been massively slept on by most Americans because of TB12. Now they must understand the roots of this juggernaut. Although this team, unlike the past 2 years, has been slightly weaker. They lost their entire 2nd line in the offseason due to free agency and the Seattle Expansion Draft yet still found new ways to win. Here’s what I find impressive about their 3rd straight berth in the Final. This has probably the toughest gauntlet not that they’ve ever faced, but one of the most difficult paths to the Finals in NHL History. 1st Round, Toronto. A team with some of the finest North American Talents in the game, plus the insufferability of LeafsNet on their side and having the chance to win their 1st playoff series since 2004. Good story, but the better team won. 2nd Round, Florida. The Presidents Trophy, the Team of Destiny, 5+ Future Hall of Famers on that squad including Claude Giroux and Joe Thornton, plus an offense that can score at will. How about trying to score against a guy who takes up the entire net. And the Conference Finals, The Rangers. A team that has turned back the clock to their glory years, have the Vezina Trophy Winner, plus 4 solid lines, and all the pieces lining up for them to make it to the Cup. Cut down in 4 straight games by a lockdown defense. The cornerstones of the organization are still here. Stamkos, Kucherov, Hedman, Palat, Killhorn, Sergachev, Maroon, and Vasilevskiy. Vasy in particular one-upped his playoff run last year with an even better display of clutch saves. Other than Game 1 against the Rangers, he has been amazing as advertised. But their Trade Deadline is what allowed the Bolts to overcome the losses of Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodreau. Nick Paul and Brandon Hagel have both played as advertised. Paul in particular got them past Toronto in Game 7. Hagel has been a demigod as a defense first winger. There’s also Corey Perry, who was beaten by Tampa the past 2 years in the Cup Finals, and is now a key contributor to their Bottom 6. You know if you can’t beat em join em. The Lightning year in and year have been worth the ticket price of every hockey nerd. It’s because they find new ways to win. And this year they won’t have people complaining about them playing the postseason with 17 million dollars over the cap. There is one name I forgot to mention. Brayden Point. The MVP of the playoffs last year has been injured for much of the playoffs. With him coming back in the Finals, this lineup could get even deadlier. Jon Cooper in a span of 3 years went from the coach that choked a 62 win season, to one of the best coaches of the last 30 years. If he wins a 3rd straight title he will be on the same level as Scottie Bowman, and Al Arbour. Just think about this. Tampa Bay has a chance to do what no team has done in the Salary Cap era which happens to be a feat that hasn’t been seen since the 80s. A 3-peat. This won’t be easy because the Avalanche are clearly the best team that they have faced in any of their trips to the Finals. Tampa Bay vs Stan Kroenke II. Whoever wins will be blessed with yet another championship. WHAT WILL THE PREDICTION BE?
Prediction: This matchup in many people’s eyes proves that the Hockey Gods are mercilus. The 2 biggest spenders and probably most successful figure and city in all of sports since the turn of the decade head to head in a 7 game duel. This is truly “YOU DOOMED!” The Stanley Cup Finals. The New York Government should be quiet on a discussion on this. (NYC Mayor Adams: “The NHL will do everything they can for the Lightning to beat the Rangers.”) Anyways this is an even match on paper. But health could play a major factor in this series. That’s why I’m picking Tampa Bay to win in 7. Even if Kadry and Girard eventually return it’ll be tough to overcome the power of the Lightning. Either way the rest of the league will be jealous. Just saying.
Bragging Rights Sports 