By Mike Thompson (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: May 8, 2013
While providing a smorgasbord of entertainment, the NHL postseason has a lot to offer. Professional hockey players have trained their entire lives for this: an opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup.
In 1893, the Montréal Hockey Club won the first Stanley Cup in history. To put that in perspective, World War I was still 21 years away, and Zack Kassian still had all of his teeth. It is the most iconic prize in sports history. Those who have fought for it have made sacrifices.
To win this trophy, one must exhaust the maximum amount of mental and physical exertion that they can possibly muster. But that’s not enough. You always have to give 100 per cent when you play hockey, but you have to give 110 per cent to win the Stanley Cup.
Here is a breakdown of each series.
Eastern Conference
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) New York Islanders
Can somebody fix Sidney Crosby’s jaw already? Jeez. If he makes a return in this series, the Islanders are in trouble. I find it really difficult to see John Tavares overtaking Crosby in this series. Although, the Islanders have made for a fantastic story this season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2007, their honeymoon will come to an end. The goal-scoring prowess of Crosby, Malkin, Iginla, Neal and Kunitz (to name a few) is extremely hard to overlook.
Penguins in 6.
(2) Montréal Canadiens vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
Going from dead last in the conference, to making the playoffs is no easy feat, but the Montréal Canadiens have proved their doubters wrong. With the additions of Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, and the breakout season of P.K. Subban, they could make some noise this postseason. Unfortunately for them, the Senators just got Erik Karlsson back – the otherworldly, Norris trophy-winning defenceman. Keep a close watch on this series; it’s going to be a slugfest.
Canadiens in 7.
(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) New York Rangers
What the heck happened to Alex Ovechkin? How can you go from zero to hero in a matter of 48 games? Against all odds, he won his third Rocket Richard trophy (most goals in the season), and has propelled his Capitals into Stanley Cup contention. The New York Rangers have added Rick Nash, and subtracted Marian Gaborik this season. Despite their lacklustre year, they are still a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, the Capitals are on a better streak right now.
Capitals in 6.
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) Toronto Maple Leafs
Okay, okay, okay. We heard you, Toronto. The Maple Leafs are back in the postseason (that felt really weird to type). On a serious note, I really can’t see them beating the Bruins. With the postseason experience of the Bruins against the overachieving Maple Leafs, one can only hope that this ends quietly.
Bruins in 5.
Western Conference
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (8) Minnesota Wild
The almighty Blackhawks barely managed to lose a game this year. They were that good. The Minnesota Wild had an up-and-down year, with a lot of postseason uncertainty. They managed to pull through and take the eighth seed. Let’s see Zach Parise and Ryan Suter try to pull off an upset against Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Not going to happen.
Blackhawks in 6.
(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
Upset alert! The Red Wings are going to beat the Ducks. This is going to be the best series in the first round. Watch for Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg to pull off their magic against the veteran Ducks.
Wings in 7.
(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
Ah, the analysis that everyone was waiting for. Ryan Kesler needs to be healthy, and Cory Schneider has to stand on his head. Hopefully he can make a return from that “body” injury ASAP, and help the Canucks win. Joe Thornton and the Sharks still have a lot of life left in them. Watch for this to be hard-fought series. The winner of this will move on, while the loser will probably fire their coach.
Canucks in 7.
(4) St. Louis Blues vs. (5) L.A. Kings
St. Louis has a really, really balanced team. Their coach, Ken Hitchcock, has employed a style worthy of high praise. A defence-first mentality is required for the Blues to come on top, as the Kings are the reigning Stanley Cup champions. This will be a wild one.
Blues in 7.
