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).

NHL Playoffs: Western Conference Profile

Two Canadian teams in the pairings – will they get through to Round 2?

By WAYNE REDSHAW

   Can the Colorado Avalanche make it two Cup conquests in a row? Will they at least make it the finals to defend the title they won last year? Can they win their opening series?

   There’s a boatload of questions out there about the defending Stanley Cup Champions so let’s deal with their opening series in Part Two of my Stanley Cup predictions, the Western Conference.

Kraken vs Avalanche

    For the first half of the regular NHL season the Avalanche were not even contenders for a playoff berth. The reason was quite simple — a ton of injuries. In all, Colorado lost 483 man-games this season due to injuries. Captain Gabriel Landeskog missed the entire 82-game schedule and won’t suit up for the playoffs. Last year’s MVP of the playoffs — defenceman Cale Makar missed 22 games which included the final seven of the season. But he is expected to go in the playoffs.

  Nevertheless, despite all the injury woes the Avalanche somehow made it. From mid-January the Avs went 31-8-4 including 7-0-1 down the stretch to nail top spot in their division.

   No question they have good depth and that was a key. They have premier players with Mikko Rantanen the top sniper with 55 goals and Nathen MacKinnon a solid two-way performer.

    They lost goaltender Darcy Kuemper to free agency last summer but picking up Alexander Georgiev filled the void.

    The Seattle Kraken in only their second year in the NHL are making their playoff debut. I think it will be short-lived as they are up against a very talented team. Jared McCann led the Kraken in scoring with 40 goals and 70 points. I can’t see them advancing past Colorado. They lack that experience factor.

  Prediction: Colorado in five games and possibly a sweep.

Jets vs Golden Knights    

The big key in this matchup is the Winnipeg Jets goaltending. In other words, if the Jets are to advance to the next round, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has got to perform big. After all, Hellebuyck is one of the biggest reasons Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs in the first place. He has to deliver again for the Jets to reach round two.

      Other members of the Jets who must deliver include Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele.

   The Golden Knights goaltending is a question mark which it has been all season with injuries, etc. Jonathan Quick, who was obtained in March via the trade route might be their answer in the playoffs, especially with his playoff experience.

   One thing the Knights do well is block shots and they led the league in that department with 1,494 this season.

   Mark Stone is expected back in the Knights’ lineup following a back injury but how healthy is he? Also, is injury-prone Jack Eichel at 100 per cent?

  Prediction: If Hellebuyck delivers, Jets in six games.

Kings vs Oilers

   The Edmonton Oilers are a well-oiled machine with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl providing the one-two scoring punch. And the Oilers in general have excellent speed and good size both on defence and up front. They also like to hit with their size which is an important factor in the playoffs.

   Goaltender Stuart Skinner has been a pleasant surprise and should get the starting nod for most games.

    But that does not mean this series is going to be a cake-walk for the Oilers. The Los Angeles Kings will have a say. Captain Anze Kopitar is their leader. That’s why he has “C” on his jersey. He led the Kings in points with 74 while Adrian Kempe was LA’s top sniper with 41. But will that be enough to lead the way to get the job done?

  Prediction: This series is going to be a long affair but home ice advantage will be a big factor. In the end, the Oilers will prevail in seven.

Wild vs Stars

   This series between the Minnesota Wild and the Dallas Stars should be another entertaining series and one that could go the distance.

    And it should feature red-hot goaltending at both ends of the rink. Jake Oettinger should carry the entire burden for the Stars while Marc-Andre Fleury and  Filip Gustafson give the Wild a solid one-two punch.

    Jason Robertson was a complete surprise package for Dallas  during the regular season with 46 goals and 63 assists for 109 points.  He has a great supporting cast with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz.

   Kirill Kaprizov led the Wild offence with 40 goals and 35 assists for 75 points. Matts Zuccarello followed with 22 and 45 respectively.

   Prediction: In the end goaltending will be a determining factor. This series should go seven games with Dallas advancing.

(Wayne Redshaw has covered both amateur and professional sports locally and nationally spanning six decades. He was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in 1987).