LOS ANGELES – The Stanley Cup Playoffs are down to the Final Four. A case can be made that any of the four teams left can win the Cup. All the teams are in warm weather, non-conventional hockey markets. Old schoolers and Canadiens (the same thing) can complain about this but it’s called growing the game. Is it more exciting if huge traditional northern franchises are involved, sure but if the hockey is good and compelling, fans in those cities will watch anyway, like I am.
I still can’t wrap my head around two things that happened in the second round of playoffs. How dysfunctional the Toronto Maple Leafs are and how Alex Pietrangelo can intentionally try to injure Leon Draisaitl and only get suspended one game.
My thoughts on those two subjects.
The goodwill the City of Toronto had for the Leafs after beating a worn-out Tampa Bay Lightning squad evaporated after the Leafs were gentlemanly swept by the Florida Panthers.
The Big 4 is the Big 3. William Nylander is always thrown in with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares but his AAV is less than $10 million a year and more importantly he’s not a no show in the biggest games of the year.
The Big 3 need to be dismantled.
The Big 3 accept losing.
Compare Matthews and Marner’s end of series pressers to Connor McDavid’s and Leon Draisaitl’s. The Oilers looked devastated. The Leafs looked resigned.
Head Coach Sheldon Keefe needs to go. He had Justin Holl, Timothy Liljgren, and Calle Jarnkrok on the ice with the season on the line.
Toronto would have been better served to roll 4 lines.
Morgan Reilly and Luke Schenn were the only Toronto defensemen who didn’t stink versus Florida.
How could losing Matthew Knies ruin your chances in the series? He was just out of college. He didn’t even return his textbooks to the bookstore yet.
Radko Gudas has gone from being a Flyer goon to a very capable two- way defensemen. He would have been Toronto’s second best defensemen.
And speaking of goons.
Alex Pietrangelo’s end of game slash on Leon Draisaitl was absolute horse crap.
The fact he was suspended for only one game is even bigger horse crap.
Everything about it makes the NHL look ridiculous.
What other sports league lets any of their players, let alone arguably their second best, get attacked with intent to injure and then barely penalize the offending player.
Imagine if Draisaitl was injured?
It was half Adam Graves and half Dale Hunter.
Jacob Trouba at least tries to injure opponents during the game with body checks.
Pietrangelo should not be playing until at least next Thanksgiving.
Pietrangelo complaining he’d been targeted during the series was a pathetic excuse for his slash. You’re angry Alex? Fight someone, that’s legal in hockey.
Okay enough complaining. The fun stuff that happened in Round 2.
Leon Draisaitl’s Grand Salami (four goals) in Game 1.
Joe Pavelski’s Grand Salami in Game 1 after returning form injury.
Jonathan Marchessault’s Natural Hat Trick in the Game 6 clincher.
Connor McDavid’s one handed shorthanded goal.My wife said that’s unfair.
Roope Hintz breakaway goal in Game 7. Hintz reminds me of Evgeni Malkin.
Wyatt Johnston’s Series winning goal.
Jack Eichel living up to the number two overall pick.
Tye Kartye ‘s goals and body checks.
Jaccob Slavin / Brent Burns pairing.
Adin Hill’s blocker save on Mattias Eckholm.
Frederik Andersen’s save on Ondrej Palat down low, late.
Pete DeBoer 7-0 in Game 7s.
Conference Finals Predictions
The Carolina Hurricanes play Rod Brind Amour’s system to perfection. The Canes path to the Eastern Conference Final has been much easier than their opponent Florida Panthers path. Florida’s biggest cat Matthew Tkachuk’s scoring, was hibernating last series. He will awake this series. Carolina will not push Florida around like they pushed Jersey. Sergei Bobrovsky is rested and better than anyone Carolina has in net.
FLORIDA in 6
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The Dallas Stars are the best team remaining in the playoffs. The Stars have 4 lines that can score. Tyler Seguin’s rebirth and Wyatt Johnston’s emergence made Jason Robertson hitting pipes not and nets less worrisome. The Stars will need Robertson to start burying some pucks because the Vegas Golden Knights have a balanced attack. Franchise stalwarts William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault score clutch goals. Jack Eichel is playing inspired hockey. The Knights have a big, mobile defense but the Stars have the best defenseman Miro Heiskanen. The Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger is the best goaltender remaining in the playoffs,
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