NHL Playoff Preview

The air is getting warmer. The days are getting longer. Spring is here. That also means the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are here. If you like hockey, you'll love playoff hockey. The NHL provides one on the most exciting postseasons of any sport. I'm not as much of an expert on the NHL as I am other sport leagues, but I will try to do my best to preview which teams are most likely to win it, and which teams will need a miracle on ice. I'll also try my best to predict who comes out with Lord Stanley's Cup. In the famous words of a rapper named Chance, "Let's do that hockey!"

Playoff Team Tiers

Favorites

Tampa Bay Lightning - The Bolts tied an NHL-record for wins in the season, emerging victorious 62 times on their way to a 128-point season. Tampa was far-and-away the best team during the regular season, and the Lightning enter the postseason as the favorites to win it all. It'll be hard to win four games out of seven against a team that only lost 20 times in 82 games.

Calgary Flames - Looking strictly at goal differential, there was a wide gap between the number one team during the regular season (Tampa Bay, at +103) and number two (Calgary, at +62). There was also a wide gap between number two and the rest of the NHL, led by Boston (at +44). The Flames, anchored by one of the best defense units in the NHL, will be a tough out.

Nashville Predators - The Preds came close to the Stanley Cup Final last year, and they're posed to get there this season. They have talent all-around, including in net, where elite veteran Pekka Rinne resides. I picked this team to go all the way last season, and I'm picking them again this year.

Boston Bruins - The Bruins, led by antagonizing winger Brad Marchand, big-bodied veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara and talented goaltender Jaroslav Halak, are always a threat to win the Cup. Boston finished tied for the second-most points in the NHL during the regular season (107), but unfortunately, the Bruins are in the same division as the Lightning.

Washington Capitals - The defending Stanley Cup champs are back in the playoffs, but this time, they are far from the favorites. Even though this team hasn't performed as well as last year's team, they still have stars like Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Braden Holtby, and they have done it before (just last year).


Dark Horses

San Jose Sharks - Joe Thornton and company are still searching for that elusive Stanley Cup, and they get another crack at it this year. The Sharks finished with the fourth-most points in the regular season (101), and they have a meeting with the defending runner-up Golden Knights in the first round. The Sharks will be driven to finally snatch the Cup.

Winnipeg Jets - The high-flying Jets will be looking to get to the Cup Final after falling to the expansion Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final last season. This is a talented and experienced team, and they could get back to the Conference Final (or further) this year.

Toronto Maple Leafs - The Leafs are looking to advance past the first round for the first time since 2004, and they'll have to do it against the Bruins, whom they lost to in seven games in the first round last year. Free agent signee John Tavares and company want a different result in 2019.

Pittsburgh Penguins - The Pens can never be counted out when it comes to the Stanley Cup, especially with experienced stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. Pittsburgh has had to overcome injuries this season, but now that they're in, they are a dangerous team.

St. Louis Blues - The Blues were the worst team (record-wise) in the NHL on January 2, but they blazed through the last three months of the season, ending up in third place in the Central Division. The key will be how well young goaltender Jordan Binnington, who was stellar during the regular season, performs.

Vegas Golden Knights - After a dream first season that saw the Golden Knights break expansion records, Vegas is back in the playoffs for a second season. The Knights haven't looked quite as good as they did in that shocking first season, but they still have looked good. They also match up well for a playoff run. However, I think it's unlikely that they will repeat that dream run to the Final.


Long Shots

Dallas Stars - I remember the days when the Stars were among the premier teams in the NHL. They are hoping to be crowned the most premier team in the league this year, and they have the goaltending to do it (Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have been outstanding this season). The question will be whether their offense can do enough to beat the top teams in the league.

New York Islanders - I don't remember the days when the Islanders were among the premier teams in the NHL. That's because the Isles have been largely irrelevant for a long time. After losing star John Tavares in free agency, New York shocked everyone by making the playoffs this season. It will be even more shocking if the Islanders find a way to win their first Stanley Cup since 1983.

Colorado Avalanche - The Avalanche, led by young star forward Nathan MacKinnon, snatched the last playoff spot in the Western Conference thanks to a hot finish to the season. Colorado doesn't usually get off to very fast starts, but the Avalanche will need to if they want to upset Calgary.

Columbus Blue Jackets - The Jackets, still searching for their first-ever playoff series win, went all-in this season by keeping Russian stars Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, who will both likely leave in free agency, and trading for other to-be free agents, including Ryan Dzingel and Matt Duchene. The last team to lock up a playoff spot will have a hard time advancing in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, as they have to play the heavily favored Lightning.

Carolina Hurricanes - The Canes exceeded expectations this season, making the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Everything beyond that is gravy. And there probably won't be much beyond that, as Carolina matches up with the defending Stanley Cup champions in the first round.


Playoff Picks

First Round
Flames over Avalanche
Sharks over Golden Knights
Predators over Stars
Blues over Jets

Lightning over Blue Jackets
Bruins over Maple Leafs
Capitals over Hurricanes
Penguins over Islanders

Second Round
Sharks over Flames
Predators over Blues

Lightning over Maple Leafs
Penguins over Capitals

Conference Finals
Predators over Sharks

Lightning over Penguins

Stanley Cup Final
Predators over Lightning

Stats and info via NHL.com