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NHL Playoffs: Back To The Crystal Ball For Western Conference Picks
By WAYNE REDSHAW
It’s been a longtime since a Canadian-based team won the Stanley Cup. In fact, the last time a Canadian squad drank bubbly from the Cup was 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Coincidently, that was the same year that Gary Bettman became the Commissioner of the National Hockey League.
Since then the Cup has been owned by American-based teams. Five times, a Canadian team qualified for the finals but finished on the losing side of the ledger. Twice, the Vancouver Canucks made it to the finals losing in seven games both times, first to the New York Rangers in 1994 and then to the Boston Bruins in 2011.
Calgary Flames made it to the finals in 2004 only to lose to Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. The others were the Ottawa Senators, who lost in five games in 2007 to the Anaheim Ducks and the Montreal Canadiens who bowed out to Tampa Bay in five games in 2021.
With the playoffs just underway hockey buffs are wondering can a Canadian team finally end the lengthy Cup drought? There are four Canadian teams who qualified for playoffs — the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference and the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference.
Of course, before the finals there are three rounds to be played. Here in Part Two are my fearless predictions on the four opening rounds of Western Conference playoffs.
Golden Knights vs Stars.
The defending Cup champs the Vegas Golden Knights finished in the second wild card spot in the West so they they have drawn the top seed in the Dallas Stars. Last year Vegas advanced to the finals by disposing of the Stars in six games in the Conference final.
I feel the Stars are vastly improved over last year so they should dethrone the champions. They have great depth and quality goaltending, especially with Jake Oettinger. Offensively, the Stars are loaded with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski who can deliver.
The Golden Knights were hard hit with injuries this season and it showed on the ice. Captain Mark Stone missed the final 26 games because of a lacerated spleen. He’s skating but whether he’s 100% for this series is questionable. And the Knights encountered other injury woes with Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo all missing from the lineup during the season.
Besides the injuries, I am not impressed with the Vegas goaltending duo Logan Thompson and Adin Hill.
Prediction: Stars in five games
Avalanche vs Jets
The Colorado Avalanche slumped down the homestretch while the Winnipeg Jets finished the regular season in style winning eight in a row. The Jets also won all three games over the Avs and outscored them 17-4.
For that reason, I am picking the Jets. However, it won’t be easy. The playoffs are different from the regular season so I won’t be surprised if this series goes the limit.
The difference maker in the series will be between the pipes and I like the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck. I am simply not sold on the Colorado goaltending. The Avs are fortunate to have Cale Makar, one of the best all-round blue liners in the league.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen should make it an interesting series. However, the Jets have Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Tyler Toffoli and Josh Morrissey to answer the bell for them.
This should be an exciting series from start to finish and don’t be surprised if overtime is necessary for a few games.
Prediction: Jets in seven games.
Kings vs Oilers.
The first couple months into the regular schedule the Edmonton Oilers were a joke despite having a talented lineup. Fortunately, management stepped in, saw the problem and made a coaching change.
The Oilers were a completely different team after the change. They started scoring and winning and there’s no reason it can’t continue into the playoffs against the Los Angels Kings. It is the third showdown between the two clubs in the playoffs with the Oilers winning the first two.
Former Leaf Zach Hyman had a banner year for the the Oilers potting 54 goals. And with Connor McDavid at the controls the Oilers should have no problems putting away the Kings. McDavid also has an excellent supporting cast with the likes of Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse on the bluline.
The Kings have some scorers with Trevor Moore (31), Kevin Fiala (29), Adrian Kempe (28) and Ange Kopitar (26). They just don’t have enough depth to match the Oilers.
Prediction: Oilers in five games.
Predators vs Canucks
Vancouver Canucks won the Pacific Division for the first time since 2013 and hosted a playoff game Sunday for the first time in nine years. They qualified for the playoffs in 2020 but due to Covid all Western Conference games were played in Edmonton with no fans in attendance.
This series will feature two quality defencemen with the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes and the Predators’ Roman Josi. Quinn led all defencemen in the NHL with 92 points on 17 goals and 75 assists. Josi ranked third with 85 points which included a league leading 23 goals.
J.T. miller led the Canucks scoring compiling 103 points on 37 goals and 66 assists. Brock Boeser was the Canucks’ top sniper with 40.
The Predators earned the first wild card in the west thanks to a 18-game point streak from February 16 to March 28. In that streak they went 16-0-2.
Filip Forsberg led the Preds offensively with 48 goals and 46 assists for 94 points followed by Josi with 85.
Goaltending appears to be pretty even with Thatcher Demko likely to go the distance for the Canucks and Juuse Saros for Nashville.
Prediction: Canucks in seven games.
(Wayne Redshaw covered the NHL and was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association in 1987).
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Note To Readers
Wayne Redshaw’s Stanley Cup playoff predictions, Western Conference, scheduled for publication today, is delayed until Monday. You can read the Eastern Conference predictions here on the blog.
Hockey Scribe Unpacks Crystal Ball For Playoff Picks
By WAYNE REDSHAW
The hunt for the Stanley Cup begins today and, some two and a half months later, in other words late June, we should have a winner. But until then we have a lot of hockey ahead of us, hopefully playoff hockey at its best as we have witnessed in the past.
Once upon a time the Stanley Cup playoffs used to be over by mid- April. Of course in those days the NHL had only six clubs with four making the playoffs. Then came expansion as the league doubled in size to 12 teams. That meant more playoff contenders and more games.
By the early 1970s there was more expansion and the playoffs went on even longer. I recall covering the 1975 final between the Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers. That series went six games, to May 27th. Now the finals run into mid or late June because of additional expansion and hence, more playoff games
Part One today is my fearless forecast of who should win the first- round series in the Eastern Conference. Part Two, the Western Conference, follows tomorrow.
Maple Leafs vs Bruins
The Niagara area will no doubt be focused on the Toronto Maple Leafs as they have high hopes of ending the Stanley Cup drought dating back to 1967, the last time a Leaf squad drank bubbly from Lord Stanley’s spittoon.
Could this finally be their year? The Maple Leafs faithful have their fingers crossed and are hoping. Fans have been hoping for decades and in the end encountered total disappointment every year.
Last year Toronto got through one hurdle, they won the first round over Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. So is this the year the Leafs are about to turn things around and go deeper into the playoffs? Despite the fact that Boston won all four meetings, two that required extra time during the regular season, I think the Leafs finally have the firepower to overtake Boston with Auston Matthews (69 goals) leading the way. And Matthews has a strong supporting cast with the likes of William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares. Then Toronto has players such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Mathew Knies and Nick Robertson who are capable to break any game wide open.
Boston does have the edge over the Leafs in goal with the tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Leafs’ Ilya Samsonov in my opinion has been hot and cold for most of the season. They need him to make those big saves instead of yielding some softies.
The Bruins are led by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak up front while Charlie McAvoy anchors the defence. Man for man, I like the Leafs.
Prediction: Toronto in six games
Lightning vs Panthers
This series features two Florida-based teams with the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on Florida Panthers. In the past four seasons the Lightning have qualified for three straight Cup finals winning all the marbles in 2000 and repeating in 2001. They made it to the finals again in 2002 but lost out to the Colorado Avalanche.
Then last year the Panthers, a wild card, were the surprise package of the playoffs making it to the finals before bowing to the Vegas Golden Knights.
This year marks the third time that these two teams have squared off in an all-Florida showdown. So far the Lightning hold a 2-0 lead. That should change this year.
The Lightning can score goals with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos. The problem is defence. Yes, Tampa has Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes but a weak defence could lead to their downfall.
Florida Panthers simply have too much with the likes 57 goal scorer Sam Reinhardt, Matthew Takachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. If the Lightning are to prevail they not only require production from their big guns but the likes of Anthony Corelli, Nick Paul and Brandon Hagel have to bring their A game to make it a series.
Prediction: Panthers in six games
Capitals vs Rangers
The New York Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top performer in the NHL during the regular season and should have no problem of advancing to the second round.
They say there’s a curse that goes with winning the Presidents’ Trophy as three of the past four winners were knocked out in the first round. I can’t see that happening this time around.
Alex Ovechkin and company — the Washington Capitals—were lucky indeed to sneak into these playoffs. This series should be brief, a four-game sweep for the Rangers over the Capitals.
Just too much talent with the Broadway Blueshirts starting with the likes of Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider. And a solid defence under the leadership of Adam Fox.
Prediction: Rangers in four
Islanders vs Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are early line favourites to go all the way in the playoffs as they are well-balanced both offensively and defensively. However, I can’t see the New York Islanders just rolling over.
The Islanders are a different team since Patrick Roy took over the bench boss chores. I think this is going to be a very interesting and entertaining series.
But in the end, Carolina’s overall balance will prevail. I think obtaining Jake Guentzel from Pittsburgh before the trade deadline made the Canes a complete package. He blends in perfectly with the team.
The Islanders by no means will just roll over. They will make this an interesting series. However, I can’t see the Islanders winning.
Prediction: ‘Canes in six games
(Wayne Redshaw covered the NHL for 40 seasons and was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association in 1987).
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CEMETERY BRIEF: Spring Clean Up
Holy Cross Cemetery’s annual Spring Clean Up begins today, Monday, April 15th. All wreaths, tin cans, glass jars, flower pots, and similar articles are asked to be removed. If they are not removed, they will be disposed of on April 22nd.
Holy Cross Cemetery thanks you for your help.
(Attribution: Church bulletin announcement)
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