As the NHL Season winds down to a close the race for the playoffs comes to full force as all the teams at the top work to secure home ice advantage, get a higher seeding, or just secure a playoff spot at all. For every playoff and potential playoff team as of right now (2/29/20) I will be describing what I think each teams highest and lowest potentials could be. Starting with the Eastern Conference and going from the top down to the wild/bubble teams which will include the three teams after the last wild card spot simply because as points go now in each conference those teams have a realistic chance to make a late push for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. The reason behind each will be based on numbers but also storyline, feeling, and momentum teams can have going into the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
The Eastern conference is a very top heavy conference this year with the most teams I believe will actually end up being Stanley Cup Champions and have the most teams that have the potential to make a surprise run.
Boston Bruins:
Highest: Stanley Cup Champions; Plain and simple this team is an absolute WAGON! Pasta has been a goal scoring machine this season having scored 47 goals already with 17 games left to play. The way he has been scoring I won’t put 60 Goals completely out of reach for him before the season ends. The B’s are also #2 in powerplay percentage, #3 in penalty kill percentage, #6 in goals for, have let in the least amount of goals in the league and Tuuka is top 10 in all goalie statistics and #3 in GAA. This team has all the tools it takes to be champions.
Lowest: Swept in Eastern Conference Finals; the trend recently with President’s trophy winners seems to be some kind of heart breaking exit from the playoff and after making it to the finals last season this seems to be right on point for the potential winners of the President’s Trophy this season.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Highest: Stanley Cup Champions; this has nothing to do with stats or how good this team has been all season because this is the same song and dance we have done with the Lightning where they doominate all regular season and fall SO FLAT in the playoffs. This comes only from revisionist history. For the longest time this was the Washington Capitols and Alexander Ovechkin until they finally reached the pinnacle two years ago. It just feels like it finally needs to be their time and Stamkos has to get himself a cup. It will be a blend of two scripts that come together as one with the years of regular season dominence and never winning a cup like the Caps had previously experienced, combined with the first round sweep last season after winning the presidents trophy similar to #1 Virginia losing to #16 UMBC in March madness then coming back the next year to win it all.
Lowest: Another early exit in the first round; I do not think this is as likely to happen but every year the Tampa Bay Lightning seem to find some way to dissapoint. It is as if every year they cruise to another playoff birth and were not challenged at all and when it comes to crunch time they cannot get up and have the intensity that is needed to make it to the top. Stamkos is also once again out for an extended period of time right before the playoffs (6-8 weeks) so the future isn’t looking all too bright. Until they prove everyone wrong that is what I will expect out of this team when it comes to playoff time.
Washington Capitols:
Highest: Stanley Cup Champions; Ovi hit 700 goals and may be on his way to being not only the greatest goal scorer of this genertion but of all time, even The Great One said he believed he would pass him. The Caps have finally reached the pinnacle two years ago so they know what its like to be there. they have one of the best penalty kills in the league and Ovechkin is still is #3 in goals scored this year. The addition of Ilya Kovalchuk at the deadline adds some more firepower to the team that is already top 4 in goals scored. On the back end John Carlson has had the best season of his carrer and is running away with the Norris Trophy. In net Holtby hasn’t been as productive as normal but with the upcoming of Ilya Samsonov stepping up I see a possible Matt Murray/Marc Andre-Fluery situation but even still Holtby has always been reliable for the Caps.
Lowest: Second round exit at the hands of the Pens; Simply put the demons of old return and this becomes not only the lowest potential but also a worst nightmare scenario for the Caps
Philadelphia Flyers:
Highest: Stanley Cup Finals; This is another team, being my team I grew up loving you could consider my thoughts biased, I blogged about their ability to make a deep run through the playoffs already but basically they are just a real gritty team that will not just lay down and will fight until the last second making themselves a tough out and after moving up to 2nd in the Metro last night with a win and a Pens loss getting the home ice is reason for even more confidence in this team. also they have the top two centers in faceoff win percentage and are number one as a team in that category as well.
https://leopardsports.game.blog/2020/02/26/the-flyers-and-their-push-for-the-ploffs/
Lowest: First round exit in a game 7; as much faith as I have in this team I still think this team is not ready to make that deep run just yet and the next 5 years is where the future is brightest and they are still one of the worst teams on the road and it is key to be able to “steal one on the road” in a series.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Highest: Stanley Cup Champions; I pretty much already wrote a whole blog about this already but to shorten it up the whole storyline is written in the stars and they just seem like they are destined to win. If you want to read the whole story here is the whole blog.
https://leopardsports.game.blog/2020/02/25/pens-put-their-sack-on-the-table-at-deadline/
Lowest: First round exit in a game 7 at home; I can only hope as a Fylers fan that the Pens truly are on the down hill again. They have been on a 5 game losing streak and not even to all top tier teams as well. I still think they will be ready for playoffs but as of now the Flyers and the Pens would face off in the first round and that is why I think that they would go to a game 7.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Highest: Eastern Conference Finals; The Maple Leafs have had two disapointing exits from the playoffs. with the talent this team has they should at the least making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Austin Matthews is second in goals scored this year and the entire team has the most goals for out of any team this season. The only issue is as much as they have scored a lot they are also getting scored on a lot and other then Frederik Anderson they have had the most trouble with back up goal tending. I still think the Leafs need more experience or more pieces to get to the finals.
Lowest: Another Exit at the hands of the Boston Bruins; similar to the Caps they have had some demons in the playoffs but in their case it has come at the hands of the Bruins. At the moment they aren’t matched up in the first round but if they meet up again in the playoffs history only says they will fall at the hands of the B’s again.
New York Islanders:
Highest: Stanley Cup Finals; Hatred, that is what I feel fuels this team, Tavares left for the Leafs, they have been underrated for years in recent history and the fans thrive on it. The key to their success is playing at Nassau Coliseum, the Barlays Center sucks for hockey. Similar to the Philadelphi Eagles the year they won the Super Bowl they will thrive on everyone doubting them and surprise everyone as they power through each round.
Lowest: First Round Exit, On the otherside of the arguement that I stated for them making it to The Finals they are highly underrated and have the possibility of losing in the first round just because they are a team that is not ready to make that deep playoff push.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Highest: Eastern Conference Finals; This is another team that has thrived on being the underdog. They have been plagued with injuries but seem to find a way to keep winning against all odds. After losing Sergei Bobrozsky to free agency they struck gold with Elvis Merzlikins in net. The adversity is what a John Tortorella team thrives on and he is a true motivator who can get any team up and play their hearts out for.
Lowest: Missing playoffs all together; being a team who has struggled with injuries, as much as they have played through them and still been a good team, injuries will kill a team in the playoffs. They have yet to prove they can get it done in the playoffs and I still don’t thiink they have what it takes.
Carolina Hurricanes:
Highest: Make it to the second round; One of two teams who go through their 5 year spans of making the playoffs and being a competitive team to everyone questioning if they will be sold or move to a more marketable city. They have reached the top and have proven to be a competent organization in the past winning the Stanley Cup. They had have spunk, they do the storm surge after every home win and even brought back Justin Williams for some playoff magic. To me the who team is just one big gimmick, with the storm surge, Justin Williams, the lacrosse goals, it’s fun to watch but it won’t take them far in the playoffs.
Lowest: Miss playoffs entirely; They sit on the outside looking in and there isn’t much confidence as of late watching this team play that makes me think they will make it to the playoffs.
NY Rangers/Florida Panther
Highest: Making the Playoffs at all; I combined these two teams because they feel like the same team in every way. They have practically the exact same record on the road and at home, they win games they shouldn’t, lose games they shouldn’t, and have formerly elite goalies who are shells of what they used to be. making the playoffs for these teams would be best they could do.
Lowest: Missing playoffs; Neither of these tems are ready for the playoffs and neither of them are even going to make them, they are not good enough and are betting off trying to get a better lottery pick for the future.
Western Conference
The Western Conferene is just not as good this season, only one team feels like they have what it takes to win it all. I don’t have as much to say about each of these teams either so their reasoning will be much shorter.
St. Louis Blue:
Highest: Repeat Champs; The Blues have got it all, they win at home, they win on the road, they are top 10 in goals for, goals against, powerplay, and face off win percentage. This is one of the most complete teams in the league all around having top tier talent in all posistions. Similar to the Lebron Cavs every year they have the easiest path to the finals with a weaker conference to play through.
Lowest: Second round exit; Jordan Binnington hasn’t been a top ten goalie this year and repeating as champions is one of the hardest things to today in today’s NHL, the offseason is much shorter making it the whole way to the finals and anything can happen in a 7 game series. They won’t be an early exit but it is possible the short offseason and celebrating will catch up to them.
Colorado Avalanche:
Highest: Stanley Cup Finals; Firepower and Pavel Francouz are what will take this team to the top. Goaltending has been stellar they are top 5 in goals scored, Nathan Mackinnon is a STUD and they are fast! They have the ability to ware teams down because they will outskate and outscore them.
Lowest: First round exit; The team is very top heavy and have all the talent a team could ask for upfront but the defense lacks starpower beyond rising star Cale Makar. The Avs seem to be a team who should have a better record then they do this year and is the reason I think they could get bounced early.
Dallas Stars:
Highest: Western Conference finals; If im being completely honest I am clueless when it comes to the Stars, I haven’t watched them much but they almost seem opposite of the Dallas Stars of the past couple years, they finally have the goaltending they have been looking for and don’t score as much. My thinking here is a hot goalie will carry them to the finals behind 2-1 1-0 wins.
Lowest: Swept in first round; Like I said I do not know much about the Stars and have no idea what to expect from them but getting swept in the first round seems about fitting for them
Vegas Golden Knights:
Highest: Stanley Cup Finals; Vegas has proven everyone wrong since the moment they played their first game. Everyone thought they would be terrible for years to start and build from there but in their two years of existence they have been competitive in the playoffs making it to the finals in their first season and there is nothing about them this year that makes me think they can’t do so again.
Lowest: Western Conference Finals; running into the Blues in the finals is the only thing I think would stop this team from making it to the finals otherwise The Knights have all the tools they need to make it to the finals.
Vancouver Canucks:
Highest: Western Conference Finals; Vancouver is a bit of a surprise being in the bottom of the league last season to one of the top now. They are young and spunky, they are fun to talk about as well and can make their way through the playoffs to the conference finals and surprise everyone even more. Jacob Markstrom has also been a key piece to their success as well. The late addition of Tyler Toffoli is a sign the organization is all in this year.
Lowest: First round exit; The team is too young and not experienced in the playoffs, They are lined up right now to play the Oilers who have had a couple disapointing seasons and playoff runs and are primed to make a run this year.
Edmonton:
Highest: Staney Cup Finals; Top team in powerplay #2 in penalty kill, Leon Draisaitl and Conor McDavid are point scoring machines that can help lead this team to the cup finals. Other then that they just feel like they are ready to make that jump and start really dominating the Western Conference.
Lowest: Eliminated in second round; The Oilers should make it through the first round but I’m not sure how much farther they can make it. I am not confident in their goaltending and are another team who has yet to prove themselves in the playoffs and cannot be trusted in the playoffs until they prove otherwise.
Calgary Flames:
Highest: Eliminated in second round; Calgary has all the talent in the world and should be better then what they are this year and getting eliminated in the second round is about the best they can do in my opinion. Behind the fire of Matthew Tkachuk is where this team could thrive and go on a run but they just haven’t been good enough to expect anything more.
Lowest: Swept in first round; The Flames are THE worst home team out of any of the possible playoff teams this year and in the playoffs that is where you need to be at your best. They have lost many games they shouldn’t have all year and as it stands now playing Vegas in the first round that is back with a vengance has all the signs of a sweep.
Nashville:
Highest: Western Conference Finals; Nashville is playoff proven, they know how to win in the playoffs and after the dissapointing loss three years ago in the finals to the Penguins they have the hunger to get back to the finals once again. There are no stats that would back uo the thought of making a deep run but they also have the advantage of how great an atmosphere Bridgestone Arena can be in the playoffs
Lowest: Not making playoffs; The Preds have struggled all year and fired their head coach midway through the season, Pekka Rinne is not nearly as good as he was in the past
Winnipeg Jets:
Highest: Western Conference Finals; Another one of these teams that I really don’t know much about but feel like they should be better then they are and they have made deep runs in the past almost making the finals.
Lowest: Not making playoffs; Being on the bubble now they also don’t have stats to be confident in and they are a perfectly average team that will just miss the playoffs not fullfilling their full potential.
Minnesota Wild/Arizona Coyotes:
Highest: Just missing the playoffs; Both of these teams are the definition of average and even with the addition of Taylor Hall the Yotes still struggle to make it back to the playoffs and the Wild have consistently made the playoffs and been bounced out early and their stars are getting old.
Lowest: Dropping even further in the standings; I label this as their lowest potential but in reality this is probably what can be best for both teams, one on the upswing who could get a better pick to better their roster and the other a team who had been a good for years but is on their to the bottom of the league again.
The Hamm Report 