It is time for the hardest, most physically demanding, fastest, and my personal most fun playoffs of the year! It starts on Monday, so let’s find out who will be hoisting the Cup at the end! Please share your thoughts here with the group also – love some feedback and banter!
1st Round
· Boston vs Florida – The historic regular season that the Bruins put together can’t go unnoticed or taken lightly, even though a President’s Cup winner hasn’t won the Stanley Cup in 10 years. The NHL playoffs are unpredictable, and the Bruins can be had… just not by this Panthers outfit.
o Series Prediction – Bruins in 5
· Toronto vs Tampa Bay – The rematch of the same first round series that went 7 games last year. Toronto was built for this year to finally win a series! Heck they even remade 2 of their lines at the trade deadline. They have home ice, but goalkeeping is a question. They have the deeper, younger, hungrier roster, but also the immense pressure and weight of unrealistic expectations. Everything points to this being the year that they breakthrough, but the experience for the Lightning, not to mention the edge in goal and behind the bench, sees the Lightning squeak by again, and heads will roll immediately up north. No Mapes!
o Series Prediction – Lightning in 7 (in OT)
· Carolina vs New York Islanders – The Hurricanes won the Metropolitan Division, and their reward is playing the team every analyst said that a top team didn’t want to see in the playoffs. Carolina is without one of their most dangerous scorers in Svechnikov. Meanwhile, one of the Islanders’ most dangerous scores, Matt Barzal, is skating and expected to be back at some point during the series. Both teams play a disciplined style, so I expect every game to be close. With the edge in net with Sorokin and the acquisition of Horvat, the Isles will be a tough out.
o Series Prediction – Islanders in 6
· New Jersey vs New York Rangers – A true Metropolitan rivalry, in terms of viewing this might be the most intense and fun opening series to watch. The Rangers made the big splash movies at the deadline to bring in Tarasenko and Kane, while the Devils made more under the radar deals including Timmo Meier, who more specifically were exactly what the Devils needed as opposed to household names. The Devils have been under the radar all season, and their return to the playoffs this season will be their announcement that they are back.
o Series Prediction – Devils in 6
· Colorado vs Seattle – The reigning, defending Stanley Cup champs start their quest to repeat against the Kraken, who are in their 2nd season of existence. Colorado is without some key pieces from last year’s squad – their captain Landeskog essentially hasn’t played all season due to a knee injury, Kadri and Kuemper were cap casualties, but the good news is that they have played with who they have the whole season. Seattle is built differently than Vegas was when they went right to the Cup Finals, and even though they have a former Avs goalie who knows the opponent inside and out, this will be just the next step take for the Kraken.
o Series Prediction – Avs in 5
· Dallas vs Minnesota – This might be the most even matchup of the opening round, as both squads appear to be mirror images of one another, and actually the Dallas Stars used to be the Minnesota North Stars. If a hot goalie doesn’t emerge, then it could come down to which all-star has the better series, Robertson or Kaprizov.
o Series Prediction – Stars in 7
· Vegas vs Winnipeg – If I had to pick a sweep in the 1st round, this maybe it. The caution with Vegas is their captain Marc Stone has been out, and while skating, no timetable to return, and Vegas has used 5 goalies this season, and that doesn’t include their #1 Lehner who stepped away for the season. But this is Jack Eichel’s first time in the playoffs, and people seem to forget that if he wasn’t in the same draft as McDavid, he would have been the runaway #1 pick in any other draft. The Jets’ only shot is if former Vezina winner Hellebuyck stands on his head.
o Series Prediction – Golden Knights in 4
· Edmonton vs Los Angeles – This is the other 1st round rematch from last year, where the Oilers advanced. The Oilers have 3 100-point scores this season, finishing in the top 9, with McDavid and Draisaitl finishing in the top 2. The division foes split the regular season series 2-2 but haven’t played since November! Both teams finished in the Top 10 in goals scored, so which goalie can steal a game?
o Series Prediction – Oilers in 7
2nd Round
· Boston vs Tampa Bay – With the Bruins rested after a relatively easier 1st round matchup, and the Lightning coming off of another taxing battle with Toronto, it may take a record-setting team to slay the 3-time reigning Eastern Conference champs. It won’t be easy, and not necessarily the end of the Lightning’s current era, but the core has so many miles on them, a normal off-season to recoup might not be the worst thing for them.
o Series Prediction – Bruins in 6
· New Jersey vs New York Islanders – Would be the Devils 2nd true Metropolitan series in a row. If the Islanders make it this far, it’s because Horvat, Barzal, Lee, and Sorokin are all contributing. If that continues, along with their defensive structure, will shrink the open ice that the Devils crave.
o Series Prediction – Islanders in 6
· Colorado vs Dallas – It won’t be easy to knock out either team from last year’s Final, but Dallas might have the squad to do it. It took Colorado until the last day to get around Dallas in the standings, so while they have home ice in the series, Dallas has the better goaltender, and with the players that the Avs are missing, Dallas can match their firepower.
o Series Prediction – Stars in 7
· Vegas vs Edmonton – Possibly the most exciting 2nd round matchup we could get, and if we do, get your popcorn ready! McDavid vs Eichel will be the headliner, but this series will be nonstop action. Both teams have recently made deep runs and are looking to cap it off with a cup, but don’t you get a sense that McDavid is on a mission this year? I do.
o Series Prediction – Oilers in 7
Conference Finals
· Boston vs New York Islanders – A classic Boston vs New York in the playoffs! If the Bruins get this close, the pressure will ramp up for them to finish off their season by winning it all. The Islanders have made it to, and lost in, the Eastern Conference finals 2 out of the past 3 years. Unfortunately, make it 3 out 4.
o Series Prediction – Bruins in 7
· Dallas vs Edmonton – Ever watch a series and think that a team had a tougher matchup in their series before? That could be the case for the Oilers in this matchup, not saying that it will be easy by any means, but the Pacific division has more Cup contenders than the Central.
o Series Prediction – Oilers in 6
Stanley Cup Final
· Boston vs Edmonton – We get the Best Team vs Best Player for the Cup! The pressure of the best record ever and Boston vs the pressure of a nation. One fan base is going to celebrate more than normal cup winners due to these circumstances. This can be analyzed in so many ways, but at the end of the day, I think McDavid carries his team and Canada gets their first Cup in 30 years.
o Series Prediction – Oilers in 6
As this is the Stanley Cup playoffs, of course all my predictions can go up in flames during the first round. But that, in part, is what makes this the best playoffs every year, hands down. So I hope you sit back, appreciate and enjoy each and every game and round for the next 2 months!
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