What we’ve all been waiting for is just a day or so away.
The interminable regular season is done and the slog through the much and grime of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is upon us.
We thought it was time for a quick look at the series and suggest potential outcomes for each.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Nashville vs. Dallas: The Nashville Predators regained some form while their 
competition sputtered or came up just short in the race for the Central Division’s title. The Preds grabbed the top spot as the Winnipeg Jets found water in the tanks and the St Louis Blues came up one point short of tying for the spot.
The Dallas Stars are an enigma. They were thrashed in the press by their owner during the season with little effect on the bench or on ice. But somehow made the playoffs in the wild card race. Ben Bishop has playoff history but is also prone to nagging injuries. Tyler Seguin needs to show up in this series beyond just the occasional goal in a blowout.
The suggestion here is the Preds’ goalie talent in Pekka Rinne will carry the day. The Predators’ last 10 days of the season also gave them a push for the playoff intensity they need. The Stars have the horses on the fist line but then go thin thereafter and the netminding is suspect if anyone is injured, even for a single match. Preds in 6
Winnipeg vs St Louis: The Winnipeg Jets were the toast of the Central Division for much of the season and them sputtered late to fall to third place in the division. They are still a dangerous team with a solid four-line roster and Connor Hellebuyck has 
playoff experience. The Jets were knocked out last season by the Vegas Golden Knights in the conference finals and want to get to the promised land.
The St Louis Blues were at or near the bottom of the conference much of the early season, and the club was mired in a losing streak in early January. Vilified locally and on these pages, the Blues responded with Jordan Binnington in goal and inexorably climbed the ladder to the near pinnacle of the Central Division. Everyone is on the fun in St Louis and the Jets will rue the day they lost the divisional lead.
The suggestion here is the Jets will be packing bags earlier this season. The Blues have their run going still and they treated the final weeks like a playoff run. St Louis 6
Calgary vs Colorado: Here’s a mystery of a series. The Calgary Flames were something of a surprise to most. They didn’t do much at the trade deadline and held their hand. Mike Smith and David Rittich are a good enough tandem of goalies. The Flames’ offense is broad and deep across the roster and supported by blue collar defense. If they can avoid a first round collapse………
The Colorado Avalanche, at one point this season, could not buy a goal, a save or a win as they frittered away a huge record advantage. They were hobbled with injuries and got healthy enough at the end to make a strong push and claim a wild card spot in the conference.
The suggestion here is the Avs have an emotional lift on making the playoffs in the wild card after fending off challengers until the final few days. The Flames are energized but there will always be a question until they get past the first round. This year they do. Flames in 6
San Jose vs Vegas: Ugh. If there is a series that will break many brackets, it’s this one. The Sharks had a difficult time finding a win down the stretch just to clinch a playoff spot. All that after challenging the Flames for the Pacific title. They seemingly
went 0-for-forever. They did not back in, and secured second place in the division with a late season victory. Martin Jones is as good a goalie as you will find and the window remains open for the roster to make a deep run. A healthy Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns on the back line will help.
The Vegas Golden Knights. This season was simply ordinary, especially when held in contract to last season when the Knights made it through the Final. For all the hoopla about signing Mark Stone at the trade deadline, it is Marc-Andre Fleury who will or will not carry the Knights in the post season. Fleury was sidelined late in the season, ostensibly for an injury but some reports suggest it was a rest.
The suggestion on this series, as with most, comes with questions and hesitations and second thoughts. The Sharks took a couple of weeks off as the season closed. Their position was secured and unlikely to change, but can they turn the emotion back on? The answer is a definite maybe, sure, possibly, we think so. Sharks in 6.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Tampa Bay vs Columbus: This series could be Tampa Bay vs ANYONE and ANYONE would be chosen as the loser. Team ANYONE could be the gods coming down from Mount Olympus and the Lightning would be favored. The Bolts tied the NHL record for wins with 62 this season. That’s probably enough to set the stage for this series. The Lightning are loaded from the goalmouth out and very few teams can 
compete with roster for roster match ups. It is a tall order for any team to conceivably defeat the Bolts in the first round when everyone is fresh.
The Columbus Blue Blue Jackets are coached by John Tortorella, the last head coach to guide the Lighting to a Stanley Cup. Seems fitting, doesn’t it? The Blue Jackets are lunch bucket a team as there is in the playoffs. Tortorella is also a nasty individual as there is coaching. No disrespect intended to Torts, but his reputation precedes him by weeks. One suspects several players for the Jackets will be auditioning for 1 July. Is that enough to get them over the Mount?
The suggestion here is the Bolts in a laugher. Tortorella is the mystery ingredient in the sauce. We are finding hard to pick against the Bolts, BUT, we have them a winning in 6 with the caveat that we struggled to find the intestinal fortitude and courage of conviction to say they would lose in the opening round.
Boston vs Toronto: Seems like a rite of spring. The Bruins and Maple Leafs are set for round one of the post season. The Bruins had a gaudy home record this season and Tuukka Rask has been a rejuvenated goalie for the Bs. What was once thought, on
these pages, as a geriatric roster on walkers and oxygen generators, is a solid lineup with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. No one was going to catch the Tampa Bay Lighting in the Atlantic Division, and placing second is no small feat.
The Maple Leafs have John Tavares and Auston Matthews. That’s almost enough said. Frederik Andersen in net is a plus under most seasons. But the Leafs limped down the stretch and seemed poised to fall into a wild card spot. Someone beyond those three needs to show up on the blue line and up front.
The suggestion on this series is another toss up. The preponderance of selections on NHL.com point to the Bruins. We are looking for at least one surprise in the fist round and this is it. The Leafs will rediscover their game, enough for one series, and up end the Bruins in 7.
Washington vs Carolina: The Capitals have a chip on their shoulders, still. Alex Ovechkin wants a second Cup to validate the first one from last season. The Caps
were in a dogfight of sorts with the New York Islanders for the Metro Division title for a good part of the season. Over the final few weeks, the Caps pushed the accelerator and snapped up the division lead over the last few days as the Isles slipped on a western swing.
The Hurricanes are in the post season for the first time in 10 years. They may be back after this season, but they are not ready for prime time, yet.
The suggestion on this series is Caps in 5.
Islanders vs Pittsburgh: Another series harder than to resolve that scrambled egg whites. Mike Sullivan has a roster of aging, though not Boston old, experienced 
players. Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, Matt Murray are the center pieces in Pittsburgh with a chorus full of bit players an second liners. They also playoff and Cup Final experience.
The Islanders have head coach Barry Trotz, who has a point to prove, that he can win without Alex Ovechkin. Robin Lehner was the most important pickup for the Isles in the off season. Lehner, who was wasted in Buffalo, as are most skaters, has been a solid addition to the goaltending. With offensive support, he can carry a club.
But the suggestion here is overall experience handling the pressure on the ice, not just the bench. Sullivan has Crosby and Malkin. This one goes the distance with Pens in 7
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