Well, it’s that time of year again: the NHL playoffs are here! After a long, grueling regular season, the best NHL teams have secured playoff spots and now the real games begin. In 2019, sixteen teams are competing for the championship.
The Eastern Conference playoffs are split into two divisions. The Atlantic Division consists of the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. The Metropolitan Division includes Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
In the Western Conference, the Central Division’s teams are the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. The Pacific Division consists of the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.
To me, the playoffs are the most exciting time of year. Even more so when you consider the particular teams that made it in this year. It’s going to be a showdown between some of the cheap nhl jerseys’s best and most talented squads.
Take the Boston Bruins, for example. They had a stellar regular season and were the top team in the Atlantic Division. Led by star center Patrice Bergeron and notorious goaltender Tuukka Rask they have a very real chance of winning the cup this year.
On the other hand, the Winnipeg Jets are no joke either. With a formidable squad packed with experienced veterans such as Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, they’ve been known to surprise pundits from time to time.
The Vegas Golden Knights are also a force to be reckoned with, and it’s been exciting to see how they’ve become a power in the Western Conference in such a short period of time. Thanks to their formidable offensive lines led by center William Karlsson and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, they’re sure to be a top contender for the championship.
Other teams such as the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders have where the underdogs and made the playoffs for the first time in years. It’s always fun to see surprising performances from unexpected teams and it’ll be interesting to see how far they can go.
To me, the season can only get more exciting from here. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the best players in the world go head-to-head as they battle for the coveted Stanley Cup. It’s going to be a showdown that makes for some fantastic and unforgettable hockey!
Of course, there are some teams that haven’t had as much success in the playoffs as others. Take the Montreal Canadiens, for instance. This storied franchise has made the playoffs every season since 1956, but they haven’t won the cup since 1993. Despite putting together a solid team this year with the likes of Shea Weber and Carey Price, they have a ways to go before they can realistically challenge for a championship.
There’s also the Carolina Hurricanes. This team was respectable last season, but struggled in the playoffs. With a young and talented team, I’m eager to see if they’ll be able to make a deep run this year.
The same goes for the Edmonton Oilers. Led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers had a pretty strong performance in the regular season. I’m really curious to see how they’ll fare in the playoffs this year.
So, all in all, the NHL playoffs are sure to be a spectacle to behold. It’s going to be a battle between some of the best teams in the league and we’ll get to see which teams can truly rise to the occasion. Here’s to an exciting and amazing post-season!
It’s no secret that the postseason decides the legacy of an cheap nhl jerseys team. Every game, every series, every period could potentially make or break a Stanley Cup hopes. A lot of teams prepare for the playoffs for months, if not years, in the hopes of putting together a championship-winning team.
For instance, the Nashville Predators have done a great job in building a balanced team that was able to make a run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017 and they enter the playoffs this year looking stronger than ever. The team just signed Matt Duchene to their squad, a move that will surely strengthen their chances of going further this year.
On the other hand, the Dallas Stars have also been making moves in hopes of going far in the playoffs. The team was able to acquire two-time Stanley Cup winner Corey Perry in February, who has made a huge impact on the team since his arrival. With a combination of experience and skilled youth, the Stars are certainly going to be a force to be reckoned with in the post-season.
The same goes for the San Jose Sharks, a sleeping giant of the Western Conference. The team just acquired Gustav Nyquist from the Detroit Red Wings in February, and despite having experienced some down moments in the regular season, Sharks are a team that could easily ascend to the playoffs at the right time.
At the same time, some teams just need that one extra, magical ingredient to make a deep playoff run. A prime example is the Winnipeg Jets. Despite having multiple talented players at their disposal, including superstars Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien, they haven’t made it to the Stanley Cup Finals since the franchise’s relocation from Atlanta in 2011. This year could very well be the year they finally make a breakthrough.
The Tampa Bay Lightning had a remarkable regular season and emerged as the top teams in the Atlantic Division. Despite some injury concerns surrounding star player Steven Stamkos, they’re still one of the favorites to make a deep run in the postseason. With superstars Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevski racing towards the point lead and a deep roster of reliable veterans, the Lightning could easily find themselves in the finals later this summer.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have also gone through a few changes this season, with the likes of Phil Kessel, Matt Cullen and Chris Kunitz making way for new players. But despite not leading the Eastern Conference standings for the first time in four years, the Penguins are still a team that can make a deep run in the playoffs, led by superstars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
Finally, no one ever forgets about the St Louis Blues. This team had a surprising season, finishing second in the Central Division despite not starting the regular season as one of the favorites. With plenty of veteran talent in Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Steen and Ryan O’Reilly leading the way, the Blues are certainly a team with championship potential.
From legendary teams such as the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs to up-and-comers like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL playoffs this year will certainly be an exciting and breathtaking experience. All we can do now is sit back, relax and wait for the show to begin!