The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are scheduled to start in 10 days. Multiple teams fighting for the last few playoff spots were not seen as contenders at the start of the season, but don’t be surprised if one of them puts on a show come the postseason.
With a limited amount of time left, only seven teams have clinched a playoff berth so far, and almost every game that is played over the next few days has playoff implications.
Only two divisions have their top three clinched: the Atlantic Division and the Central Division. The Metropolitan and Pacific divisions are in a dog fight for positions. It’s normal to have wildcard teams still fighting it out this close to the end of the season, but there have only been five teams mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
Two shocking eliminations consist of reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, who have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs had their ten-year playoff streak ended after a loss to the San Jose Sharks.
The Edmonton Oilers, who have been to the cup final the past two years, haven’t even reached 100 points yet. The Oilers are currently first in the Pacific Division, and have a 97% chance of making the playoffs.
While it is almost promised they will make the postseason, there is still the slim chance they miss it. In the high chance they make the postseason, they would not be an easy opponent.
Oilers Captain Connor McDavid is one of the best players in the league, but not even he could pull the team through Oilers Goaltender Tristan Jarry's atrocious goaltending down the stretch.
A lot of the teams in the Western Conference are favored to win compared to those in the East. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have the best odds to win the cup, while the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes continue to try to state their case for the cup. Although there is a dark horse in the east that nobody will want to see come around one. That is the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Maybe I am biased because I love the Penguins, but it’s impossible to deny that this team could be scary come the postseason. Most of the time, when people talk about dark horses in the playoffs, it’s because the teams are young. The Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks could be scary, but they lack playoff experience, are young and don’t get consistent offense from everyone on the team.
Compared to the other teams, the Penguins have multiple future Hockey Hall of Famers and the most playoff experience. This team is old and experienced.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have played 20 seasons in the league together, have 16 years of playoff experience and three Stanley Cups. Right-wing Bryan Rust has been with the Pens for 12 years and has two cups. Defenseman Erik Karlsson, although still somewhat new to the team, has played 67 playoff games.
Not only do they have experience, but they also have depth, and younger players making an impact. Rookie Ben Kindel has played 75 games this season, has 34 points and is matching the numbers Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon did when they were rookies. The team as a whole also ranks second in goals in the NHL. As it stands right now, the Pens would play the Philadelphia Flyers in round one.
While there are powerhouses in the conferences that are going to provide great matchups, there are a lot of teams that were not expecting to make the playoffs at the start of the season, who can make a deep run in the playoffs as underdogs.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu
