LOS ANGELES – It’s what we have waited for these last eight months.
Eight months?
The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally here, and they begin tonight with the first four games.
EASTERN CONFERENCE-
Boston / Florida
The Boston Bruins didn’t have the greatest regular season in NHL history to lose to a team that only a week ago was not in the playoffs. Most President’s Trophy winners don’t win the Stanley Cup, but they do advance past the first round. Matthew Tkachuk dragged the Florida Panthers into the playoffs. Tkachuk always drags his team into the fight. Unfortunately for him he’s a guy in a moped club tangling with the Hell’s Angels. Patrice Bergeron is Boston’s club President. Pasta (David Pastrnak) and The Rat (Brad Marchand) are great gang nicknames and even better hockey players. BOSTON in 4.
Toronto / Tampa
Tampa has the Championship pedigree. Toronto has the choking pedigree. This is a different year. Tampa still has a Hall of Fame top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Toronto still has the Big Four forwards Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. Leafs GM Kyle Dubas finally added what the Leafs needed to make a deep run in the playoffs. Stanley Cup winner Ryan O’Reilly was brought in for leadership. Dubas acquired muscle for when Tampa wants to take it into the alley. Sam Lafferty and Noel Acciari will provide size and grit upfront. Luke Schenn and Bryan McCabe will on the blueline. The Lighting still have Victor Hedman on defense, but they sorely miss Ryan McDonagh. Lighting goaltending legend Andrei Vasilevskiy has shown cracks this season. Toronto better get to him in six games because the whole city of Toronto’s butts will be too clenched to win a Game 7 there. TORONTO in 6
New Jersey / Rangers
The New Jersey Devils are the team of the future. The Rangers are a team of right now. The Devils forwards led by Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier have skill, speed to burn and youthful exuberance. The Ranger forwards led by Mika Zbinajed, Kris Kreider and Artemi Panarin have the experience and could match New Jersey’s skill. The additions of Patrick Kane and Vlad Tarasenko give the Rangers an embarrassment of riches. The Devils’ defense is talented but the Rangers defense big, mean and talented. Lindy Ruff’s Devils are playing with house money Gerard Gallant’s Rangers are playing with Igor Shesterkin in net. RANGERS in 6.
Carolina / Islanders
The Carolina Hurricanes play a relentless, in your face style of hockey. They are a difficult team to play against because they playoff style hockey in the regular season. The New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello didn’t invent that style of hockey, but his teams have perfected it. The Hurricanes are missing game breakers Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty. The Islanders are getting their Mathew Barzal back. The Canes have three goaltenders. The Fishermen only need one, Ilya Sorokin. ISLANDERS in 6.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Colorado / Seattle
The Colorado Avalanche will be without the services of their captain Gabriel Landeskog this spring. They won’t need him to beat the Seattle Kraken. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar will carry the Avs right through the Kraken. Welcome to playoff hockey Seattle now go back to sipping your coffee. COLORADO in 5.
Vegas / Winnipeg
Many teams can spout that this is their last go around with this group of players. The Winnipeg Jets led by Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler mean it. The Jets core has one last chance to not have this era of Jets hockey labeled a failure. Jack Eichel is beginning his playoff era. How fast Eichel adapts to playoff hockey will determine if Vegas trading for him was a failure. Connor Hellebuyck had a Vezina season in net for the Winnipeg Jets. The Vegas Knights are hoping one of their several goalies gets hot. WINNIPEG in 7.
Dallas / Minnesota
The Stars have been my sleeper pick all season. They are loaded at every position with top end talent and depth. The Stars 1st line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski is the best in the NHL. Defensemen Miro Heiskanen and goalie Jake Oettinger are top five in their positions in the NHL. Minnesota is the fun team to watch Marc-Andre Fleury ,Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy are exciting. The rest of the team plays hard and nasty but doesn’t have scoring depth thru their lineup like Dallas does. DALLAS in 6
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Edmonton / Los Angeles
Styles make the match. The Edmonton Oilers high powered offense vs the Los Angeles Kings stingy defense. Can LA’s centers Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault slow down Edmonton’s Dynamic Duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Kings have decent offense but will be missing scoring wingers Kevin Fiala and Gabe Vilardi. These losses really hurt the Kings because no defense can completely shut down McDavid and Draisaitl. You need to be able to score because you know they will. Edmonton is bigger than you think and play a meaner game than you realize. Edmonton’s defense has been stout since acquiring Mattias Ekholm at the deadline. Samuel Skinner gives the Oilers just enough goaltending. When you play with McJesus and Leon you don’t have to stop all of the pucks you just have to stop most of them. OILERS in 7
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