Seven Musings: NHL playoff predictions
Mon., April 17, 20232 min. read
Article was updated 10 hrs ago
The Stanley Cup playoffs are here. Are you ready, fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Are you prepared for success and what a first-round win might mean? Definitely a parade of honking cars down Yonge Street.
Are you prepared for failure and a post-apocalyptic universe in which the current management, and perhaps the coaching staff, are turfed and the very future of the core of the team is in question?
We’ll have our answers over the next two weeks, perhaps the most pivotal stretch in the recent history of the franchise.
The city deserves a winning hockey team. Long-suffering fans deserve one. I’m not talking about a first-round win. Talking all the way. No excuses.
I have my doubts.
Over the weekend, I posted my Leafs-Lightning prediction and took the Lightning in seven. I’ve discovered through the years that picking the Leafs hurts my winning percentage. So, yeah, they’ve got to prove it. Nothing is given. Everything is earned.
It’s the playoffs, so the 13 Musings of the regular season morph into the Seven Musings for the playoffs. You know, in honour of the seven-game series.
Last year, I went 10-5 through 15 series, though I did wrongly predict a three-peat for Tampa Bay.
As always, if you have a question, email me at [email protected] and I’ll answer it in the next Mailbag.
1.Florida-Boston
Bruins in five
2.Carolina-New York Islanders
The Hurricanes have everything, but the Islanders gum everything up. Go for the upset based on goaltending. And we’re talking Ilya Sorokin.
Islanders in seven
3.New York Rangers-New Jersey
The Devils are a bit like the Leafs in 2016: happy to be there. Take the goalie again — Igor Shesterkin.
Rangers in six
4.Los Angeles-Edmonton
The Oilers’ offence is simply overwhelming, and the Kings’ goaltending is underwhelming. Connor McDavid looks like a man on a mission.
Oilers in six
5. Minnesota-Dallas
The Stars are quietly the best team no one talks about.
Stars in six
6. Winnipeg-Vegas
Do I ever want to see what Jack Eichel can do in the playoffs, but Winnipeg has this weird, last-hurrah vibe. Plus, they have Connor Hellebuyck.
Jets in seven
7. Seattle-Colorado
The new guys vs. the champs. There are some chinks in the Avalanche armour, but not enough.
Avalanche in six
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