As the National Hockey League regular season winds to a close in the next week, 16 teams will look to extend their season into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For some squads, their playoff fate has already been sealed as seven teams have already made the playoffs. For the other nine teams, these final games will be very important for their playoff picture.
As of right now, the last five playoff spots in the Eastern Conference are still up for grabs, with two teams still in the hunt for the wild card spots, while the Western conference has four playoff spots remaining, also with two other teams in the wild card hunt. Most teams have about four or fewer games remaining in the season, which for some teams are vital to their chances, but for the purposes of predictions these would be the opening round playoff matchup if the season ended today or the standings do not change in the following week.
Eastern Conference
Montreal Canadiens v. Pittsburgh Penguins (Atlantic Division Winner v. 1st Wild Card Team)
The Canadiens have been on a roll for the entire season, and they took hold of their first place rank in conference and never let go. With a record of 47-21-8, this team does not lose often. They also have playoff experience in goal and on their ice, as Carey Price, PK Subban and Max Pacioretty continue to lead their team to victory. The Habs made it to the Eastern Conference Finals before being knocked off the by New York Rangers in six games.
The Penguins have struggled in the playoffs in the last few years and are currently sputtering to the finish line this season tied for the wild card spot with the Boston Bruins. Pittsburgh did not make it out of the quarterfinals last season, and that was when they were a division winner playing a wild card team. Not that the situation has reversed itself, the Pens will probably not make it out of the first round. There is only so much Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can do when goaltending has been what sinks them in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning v. Detroit Red Wings (2nd Division Seed v. 3rd Division Seed)
This series should prove to be one of the best in the east, both teams featuring University of Maine hockey alumni in net; Ben Bishop for the Lighting and Jimmy Howard for the Wings. The Bolts have found success this season, working to a 48-24-8 record. They are led in scoring by their captain Steven Stamkos, who will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. Tampa Bay has played well against top teams like the Habs, and are currently tied for the second place with Montreal. Look for that to be a second round matchup in a few weeks.
After an early exit in the first round last season, Howard, Gustav Nyquist and company will look to dominate the ice with their speed and overall talent. With both goalies posting similar stats, and each team hiding so many weapons, this series could need all seven games.
New York Rangers v. Boston Bruins (Conference Winner v. 2nd Wild Card)
This series could change a bit, seeing as both the Bruins and the Penguins are tied for this final spot. For now, the Bruins are in possession of the final playoff spot in the conference, holding off both the Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers. The Rangers have had a successful season, claiming the Eastern Conference crown and looking for revenge after taking a loss in the Stanley Cup finals last season. They are currently on a three-game winning streak and continue to dominate to the final horn.
As for the B’s, they have been less than stellar this season, but have pulled things together in the finals stretch. Tuukka Rask has been their rock between the pipes, but they need to find the back of the net if they want to be successful in the playoffs. Boston lost to their bitter rivals Montreal in game seven of the second round last year, and will look to put up a fight once again. The B’s have plenty of playoff experience and are deep in all four lines with stellar goaltending.
New York Islanders v. Washington Capitals (2nd Division Seed v. 3rd Division Seed)
The Islanders have had a very successful season, and they will meet a tough opponent in the first round in the Washington Capitals. The Caps have flown under the radar as one of the best teams in the East, and will look to put up a fight after missing the playoffs last season. NYI struggles to win just four games in the month of March, and look to finish strong on the shoulders of their top scorer and points leader, John Tavares.
The Capitals should always be in contention with a man like Alex Ovechkin on the squad. The Great Eight leads the team in goals with 52, he will be a tough man to stop. Braden Holtby has been pretty good for the Caps in net this season, and will be tested by a solid Islander offense in the first round. But Washington has proven they can beat up on good teams, recently taking down the conference leading Rangers 5-2.
Western Conference
Nashville Predators v. Minnesota Wild (Division Winner v. 1st Wild Card)
The Predators have held on to their top spot in their division for quite some time now, not letting an injury to their top goaltender keep them from slipping in the standings. With Pekka Rinne playing top notch hockey, the Predators can ride him into the later rounds. Their offense has also been productive, as points leader Mike Ribero keeps Nashville dangerous.
The Wild have been lagging behind the rest of the Western Conference but since Jan. 15 have been on a 26-6-2 run. That kind of momentum is hard to stop, especially when you have a goalie in Devan Dubnyk posting a 1.74 goals against average. The Wild also have the no. 1 penalty kill in the NHL, which will prove to be helpful in the playoffs when every chance could mean the difference in the game.
St. Louis Blues v. Chicago Blackhawks (2nd Division Seed v. 3rd Division Seed)
Fans of hockey will be salivating over this series. Only one point separates two of the best teams in the league that will go head to head in the first round in the top matchup of the Western Conference. The Blues have been a well put together team all year, led offensively by Vladimir Tarasenko and backed by a solid goaltender in Brian Elliott.
The Blackhawks can never be counted out in the playoffs, after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013, and were one game away from making another appearance last season. Jonathan Towes continues to impress and lead the Hawk’s potent offense, along with Patrick Kane and the many names of the other talented players on this team. In net, two time champion Corey Crawford has plenty of playoff experience and knows how to win.
Anaheim Ducks v. Los Angeles Kings (Conference Winner v. 2nd Wild Card)
This series features the Western Conference champs versus the defending Stanley Cup Champions. The Ducks put together another strong year, and will look to use their favorable seeding to advance further than the second round. The Ducks were defeated in the conference semifinals by the Kings last year, and this would be the perfect time to exact revenge. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry lead the offense that is close to clinching the President’s Trophy after entering the final week of play with a league leading 107 points.
The Kings’ return to the playoffs is not what they hoped it would be after a Stanley Cup win last year. Jonathan Quick has not been the lights-out goalie he has been in the last few seasons, but he is still capable in putting together a playoff run. The Kings are fourth in the league in goals against, so their defense will have to hold if they are looking to make another run at the cup.
Vancouver Canucks v. Calgary Flames (2nd Division Seed v. 3rd Division Seed)
The Canucks are clinging onto a playoff spot in the division while the tight race in the West continues. The Canucks have not made the playoffs since the 2012-13 season where they lost to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. The Sedin twins continue to impress and Daniel is the leader in points and assists for this Vancouver squad. Ryan Miller has been the man between the pipes for the Canucks, but judging by his experiences with Buffalo, he is far from perfect. With a solid defense and a top 10 scoring offense in front of him, the Canucks might make it out of the first few rounds.
The Flames have not been a relevant playoff team since the 2008-09 season where they were disposed of in the first round by Chicago. Calgary has gotten a breath of fresh air coming from young players like Johnny Gaudreau who has been lighting up the scoreboard. This team does not have that many big names, but they have notched a few big wins recently including a 5-2 win over Nashville in March.