Right around the time the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin, the experts weigh in with their opinions on who will win the Stanley Cup. Typically the pundits go chalk, selecting the team with the best record in each conference before coin-flipping a winner.
It’s low-hanging fruit and I can understand the rationale behind the decision making process. If a team has played well all year and is loaded with talent, why shouldn’t they be considered favorites?
Last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins were considered to be the team of destiny. A series of trade deadline transactions that brought Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow had GM Ray Shero tagged as the “smartest man in the NHL” with the Pens tagged by everyone as the chosen ones.
Obviously it didn’t work out that way for Shero and his Pens, then again it rarely does. Since the inception of the President’s Trophy in the 1985-86 season only eight regular season champions went on to lift Lord Stanley. In fact, of the 27 awards handed out there were six teams that decided they wanted to go home after the first round.
The Chicago Blackhawks pulled the rare double last year after their record-setting start to the season. Though it wasn’t a “full” season because of the NHL lockout, it’s pretty fair to say that they were the best team in the regular season and the postseason. Unless you live in Boston.
With the playoffs a few weeks away, there are plenty of teams that could play themselves in to contention. It seems that just as much importance goes in to building a team for the grind of the playoffs. Here are five teams that could do some real damage if they reach the playoffs.
Detroit Red Wings
It’s a long shot that the Red Wings can even qualify for the postseason at this point, but look out if they do. Their top players have been on ice for most of the season, but the next generation of star talent in Detroit has been allowed to blossom in their absence. With Henrik Zetterberg a possibility in late April and Pavel Datsyuk returning in a couple weeks, the Wings still have a prayer.
New York Rangers
It’s hard to even concede that the huge-market glory boys from Broadway are “laying low” but they have underwhelmed all season despite their collection of talent. The Martin St. Louis trade was expected to provide immediate dividends but hasn’t just yet. One word: chemistry. By the time the playoff crunch gets underway, St. Louis will have a month with his new mates. Defense and goaltending are already in place, so if New York can score more than two goals a game, they could be a Stanley Cup dark horse.
Phoenix Coyotes
Dave Tippett’s team has done itself no favors, essentially playing themselves onto the back porch of the playoff party. The Coyotes are still hanging around and actually have a team that is good enough to jump over any slips from Dallas and Minnesota. If they get in to the playoffs they can be a nightmare matchup for anyone. Tippett is one of the best coaches in the game and has assembled the prototypical roster of players that is “built” to grind.
Washington Capitals
The Alexander Ovechkin train through the nation’s capital has picked up a high profile passenger in Evgeny Kuznetsov. The 2010 draft pick finally came over to play for the Capitals after toiling in Russia’s KHL for the past four years. The Capitals finally have a competent goalie between the pipes with Jaroslav Halak, but now must make up some ground to unseat at least one of the two current wild card teams, or one of the three teams above them in the division.
Los Angeles Kings
As weird as it was to include New York (Rangers) on the list, it is just as strange to throw the Kings in as an afterthought. The fact is that there are five teams in the Western Conference with over 90 points. Teams like St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Colorado and San Jose will get all the love as the “big” story in the west, but the Kings are only a year removed from a Stanley Cup in 2012 and actually have a better roster now than they did when they went on their magical run two seasons ago.