The Only Canadian Team in the East
Ottawa is playing great and honestly now that that ginger straw-haired man is out of that town, I can handle them being successful. I'm sure the Ontario rivalry will pick-up though now that both teams are better. This is a great team, Boucher has delivered yet again. They could easily make it to the conference finals. I can't say much else because I haven't watched a single game.
The Bruins
Considering they fired Claude Julien and picked up some guy I had never heard of before, you have to give Bergy and the Bunch a tap of the stick for even making the playoffs.
The Habs
There is no other team I love to see lose. In retrospect, firing Claude Julien might have been the right call, but so was firing Michel Therrien. Montreal just seems like it's in this weird flux. They have a chance to win every game because of Carey Price, but no one else really rises to the occasion consistently except Radulov who, SURPRISE, is in a contract year.
The Rangers
This is a team that's three years off of going to the Stanley Cup finals and losing to LA. Apart from Martin St. Louis, the rest of the roster looks generally the same. Lots of depth and no rings (Clendening and Pirri were on cup-winning rosters but didn't play in the playoffs). King Henrik can still steal a game or two but it's on the offence to score if they want to compete in this round and the next two.
The Capitals
Washington's first round series was not exactly a lock but realistically, there was no way they were going to lose it. On skill and experience alone, they had to win. They still have to get to the Stanley Cup finals, something no one on the team has done except for Justin Williams. Trotz hasn't either but he never had a team like this in Nashville. The worry is whether Ovechkin, Backstrom and Oshie are considered over the hill. Right now, the young talent is present but can that committee replace those three all-stars?
The Leafs
What a great six-game show; I can't wait for Dart Guy to come back. It really just makes me more excited about next year. Kapanen was fantastic! On the other side of the coin, Martin Marincin won't be an everyday player next year until he can live with himself. Everything else looks damn sexy though.
The Defending Champs
Holy Toledo, these guys look like they haven't lost a step. Probably because Guentzel (3 GWG) never took any steps before this season. The Pens look amazing and even better, they're winning without Matt Murray and Kris Letang. Now that Crosby could be on the shelf things get a little dicier coming out of the East, but before they were head and shoulders above everyone else.
The Blue Jackets
This team got put in a rough spot, but they didn't dig in their heels very much either which doesn't bode well for Torterella keeping his job next year. Bobrovsky didn't have a good series (one game with a save percentage above .900) and Boone Jenner can't be your leading scorer either, Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson.
The Chicago Blackhawks
I didn't even have this team making the playoffs because of their roster. Then they win the West and people just expect Chicago to go deep in the playoffs because of Toews, Kane, and Keith and their pedigree. Simply put, that didn't happen. There's a big gap between the core that won 3 championships and the rest of the group.
Nashville
This is a blue collar team. Peter Laviolette is great at his job and Ryan Ellis is so scrappy he is built for the playoffs. This is a team to be reconned with there are so many great players. James Neal isn't even on their top line anymore! If Pekka and the team defence continue to just shut it down the music city will definitely have something to sing about.
The Blues
This team tuned the Wild like a banjo. I figure Mike Yeo really wanted to stick it to his old team. St.Louis does have a very good roster even after giving Shattenkirk to the Capitals. Jake Allen is playing well, and their offensive players is scoring. Tarasenko just picked one on Rinne a couple of days ago and doesn't seem like he'll stop doing that.
Minnesota
Nothing wild about this team. Barbeque Bruce let loose with another stinker of a playoff performance. He's now 42-43 in the playoffs... that's with Superman, Batman and the Great 8, (in his prime). When Yeo got fired, some people blamed Minnesota's management; hiring Barbeque could be another reason to point the finger up at that press box.
The Ducks
Anaheim was the team that won under pressure, just like the year before when they beat Winnipeg. Every game except for the last one was a one-goal game. Ryan Getzlaf is also shooting now so that's pretty exciting. Corey Perry is in the dog house after having a terrible season, but the Ducks haven't followed suit. Everything seems in balance. This is a team that could. go. all. the. way.
The Calgary Flames
Statistically, the Flames were not blown out of the water like some other team that wears red. They're so young, give them time, it'll keep getting better. Especially when they get a goalie.The San Jose Sharks
You can blame their losses on a lot of things. Injuries. Playing injured. Maybe last year they were just lucky. Brent Burns netting 0 goals on 28 shots. Getting shut out twice. Whatever it was they lost. The biggest thing is they won Game 4 7-0 and then lost the next two, that's a back-breaker.
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