Bartnick picks the NHL Return to Play Stanley Cup Qualifying Round

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LOS ANGELES – The NHL is back!

The teams are in the bubble. The Stanley Cup will be awarded.  Here’s 10 thoughts on the Qualifying Round and quick but fearless predictions.

  1. A tap of the stick to Commissioner Gary Bettman and his staff. We have hockey! Bettman has many detractors but he has done a great job. The salary cap saved the league, and the NHL has labor peace for 6 more years.
  2. The players need to be applauded as well.
  3. This year’s playoff may actually end with the best team in the NHL winning the Cup.
  4. Every team is rested and healthy. No team has a major injury. This Cup will be more hockey and less war of attrition.
  5. Skill and speed will be at a premium in the bubble. Goalies will not be in mid-season form and defensive schemes will not crisp. Ice conditions will be hard to maintain. Teams with the most individual skill will benefit when passing is difficult.
  6. No fans mean teams will need to be self-motivated. Crowds usually help ratchet up the hitting and nastiness. Teams who rely on such things won’t have as big an advantage.
  7. There will be less penalties called because of less physicality and aggression. Referees too are human. They often get pulled into the game by fans.
  8. Less penalties means special teams will not be a major factor. Teams will need to roll fours lines and six defensemen. The deeper the team the better the chance of advancing.
  9. The bubble effect takes away the underdog’s path to winning a series. Stealing a game on the road and going home with momentum. An underdog winning Game 1 will not be as it would be under normal circumstances.
  10. Teams with a true number 1 goalie are at an advantage in a five-game series. By the time a goalie change is made in a short series, the series is probably already lost.

PREDICTIONS

EAST-

5 Pittsburgh vs 12 Montreal

Sidney Crosby is Sid. Geno Malkin is in Machino mode. Jake Guentzal is healthy. Bryan Rust isn’t Mr. Elimination for nothing. Shea Weber isn’t quite the player he was five years ago. Carey Price was never as good as everyone thought he was five years ago. PENGUINS in 3

6 Carolina vs 11 NY Rangers

Sebastian Aho and Tuevo Teravainen are stars. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad are superstars. Any of the Rangers three goaltenders are better than any of the Hurricanes two. RANGERS in 5

7 NY Islanders vs 10 Florida

Florida has the better top line (Sasha Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau). New York is better in lines 2 thru 4. Adam Pelech’s return gives the Isles a huge edge on defense. Sergei Bobrovsky not will steal the series.  ISLANDERS in 4

8 Toronto vs 9 Columbus

Toronto’s Million Dollar Forward Quartet (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander) will be dismantled if they lose this series. Seth Jones and Zach Werenski will be auditioning in Toronto for next year’s Norris Trophy. John Tortorella’s 60 minutes of hell philosophy will scare the Maple Leafs and put them Maple on the brink. Frederik Anderson only has to win 3 games. MAPLE LEAFS in 5

WEST

5 Edmonton vs 12 Chicago

All of the pressure is on Edmonton. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl out of this world. Edmonton finally has a supporting cast that can contribute. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith each have 3 Stanley Cup rings. Dominik Kubalik has youth and a 30-goal season. Chicago will scare Edmonton, but a less than 100 % Corey Crawford will doom the Hawks. OILERS in 5

6 Nashville vs 11 Arizona

The Predators are becoming classic underachievers. Taylor Hall is playing for a contract. Phil Kessel is a money player. Arizona’s goaltending hasn’t proven it can’t win the big game. Nashville’s has. Who better to motivate a team under unique circumstances than Rick Tocchet? Coyotes in 4

7 Vancouver vs 10 Minnesota

Vancouver is the trendy sleeper pick to win the West. Minnesota should have been in the lottery. Wild will win one to almost make the whole coming back thing worth it.  CANUCKS in 4

 

8 Calgary vs Winnipeg

Winnipeg has the best collection of top forwards (Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Patrick Laine, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers) in the Western Qualifying Round. The Jets have the NHL’s leading Vezina candidate, Connor Hellebuyck, in goal. Calgary has only 1 Matthew Tkachuk. JETS in 4.