NHL Season Preview
Hockey returns tonight!
Turns the ESPN NHL theme song on repeat for 10 hours
Because the NHL returns tonight, I figured it’d be only fitting to pick the playoff teams and my eventual Stanley Cup Champion.
If you don’t know how the NHL playoffs work, that’s ok because they’re stupid. But I’ll explain it here.
There are four divisions. The top 3 teams in each division get playoff spots, and there are two wild card spots available after that in each conference.
Let’s start with the best division in hockey.
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche
The Avs lost Philipp Grubauer, their Vezina finalst goaltender, in free agency but that was it.
This is still the same stacked team with a superstar playing on a contract worth half of what he deserves.
That Cup window is very much so wide open.
2. Dallas Stars
I feel that many people are down on the Stars this year because they missed the playoffs last year, but they were in the Stanley Cup Finals just two years ago, and those pieces are still there.
The Stars are sneaky. Watch out for them.
3. Winnipeg Jets
Much like the Stars, this is a team that struggled a bit before the postseason last year, but still has lots of talent and one of, if not the league’s best goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck.
Watch out…
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights
In the other division’s, the gap between the top team and the second best team are debatable.
This one isn’t Vegas are head and shoulders better than anyone else in the Pacific.
2. Edmonton Oilers
I don’t love their goaltending. I don’t love their decision to keep paying Duncan Keith lots of money.
But they have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
I’m not going against those two in a bad division.
3. Seattle Kraken
Remember earlier this year when I wrote that the Kraken will likely be bad?
I meant that.
But then free agency happened.
The Kraken picked up Philipp Grubauer and made their goalie tandem with Chris Dreidger very good, as well as having a very deep blue line.
Will they be Cup contenders? I would be amazed if they were.
But as I said above, the Pacific Division is not good, and that back end is good enough to sneak into the postseason.
Western Conference Wild Cards
1. Chicago Blackhawks
Seth Jones may be overpaid, but he’s still talented.
So is Jonathan Toews, who returns from missing last year due to health problems.
Not to mention getting Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury from Vegas for literally nothing.
The Blackhawks should be much improved.
2. Minnesota Wild
Honestly, there were lots of teams who could have fit here.
The Blues had a chance. The Predators could be good if Saros continues to play great in net. The Flames have an interesting group of players.
But I think the Wild are going to get Jack Eichel. And that tips the scales for me.
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lighting
The two time defending Cup Champion Lightning get to actually use Nikita Kucherov, their best forward, during the regular season this year.
They might be pretty good.
2. Florida Panthers
The Panthers had a better record than the future Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning last year despite HORRIFIC goaltending.
If Bobrovsky is just a tiny bit better this year, the Panthers will be great.
But because Tampa gets Kucherov back, it’s hard to see them as anything but the best.
3. Boston Bruins
The Bruins goaltending is a question mark with usual starting goalie Tuukka Rask still a free agent as he works towards getting healthy, but the team in front of the goalie is still really damn good.
Unfortunately, that question mark has to put them behind the two Florida teams in the standings.
Metropolitan Division
1. New York Islanders
Good roster, great coaching and a brand new building.
The Islanders should be very optimistic going into this season.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The Canes getting rid of both of their goaltenders after a good year was a strange move, but much like the Bruins mentioned above, the team in front of the goaltender is still great.
As long as Frederik Anderson and Antti Raanta aren’t horrific, the Canes will be ok.
3. Washington Capitals
The Caps are getting older, and their goaltending is a question mark.
But I’m not foolish. This team is still very talented and likely to be a playoff team.
Eastern Conference Wild Cards
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs might be in for a rude awakening realizing once they realize how good the Panthers are after avoiding them all last season due to the one season divisions put in place for COVID protocols.
But the Leafs offense has so much fire power and while there are question marks defensively, they’ll outscore their opponents on their way into the playoffs.
The question is, who joins them?
I like the Rangers and Devils a lot, but I still haven’t seen the additions in action to say one is a playoff team.
So who will it be?
2. Philadelphia Flyers
Then I remembered that the Flyers have made and then missed the playoffs on alternate years for the last 10 years.
Last year, they missed the playoffs.
So the last spot, by rule, must go to them.
Stanley Cup Prediction
For the past, let’s say 7 years or so, I have been continuously saying the Lightning would win the Stanley Cup.
They made me right twice. But now I feel it’s time for a change.
That is why, your 2021-2022 Stanley Cup Champions will be the New York Islanders.
Why?
Because the Islanders winning the Cup after losing John Tavares and gaining Barry Trotz due to the Capitals not paying him fairly would annoy both Caps AND Leafs fans.
And the most fun thing in sports are fans of teams that are not my favorite teams being annoyed.
