Each year my family holds an NHL playoff pool to see who’s sports savvy bests the others. Okay, there are really only two maaaaybe three people in my family who legitimately know what’s going on in the sports world, but we still hold the pool anyway. It’s been a bit of a family tradition for a long time but, since I’ve been travelling, I haven’t been able to keep up with it very well over the last few years. Since I’m still in Canada, I thought I’d join this year’s competition and share it with you. Below you’ll find my picks (bolded) for the 2014 playoff series followed by my analysis that led to my choices.
Colorado (1) vs Minnesota (4)
This probably won’t even be a contest. Although I’d REALLY love to see a Minnesota/Dallas matchup (Dallas’ team originated in Minnesota before they re-located to the desert), Colorado was one of the best teams of the season. Finishing with 112 points and third in the league (behind Boston and Anaheim). Colorado trounced Minnesota during the regular season and have a history of playoff greatness. Minnesota, on the other hand, just don’t have the goal scorers and, even worse, have had an unfortunate goaltending season.
St Louis (2) vs Chicago (3)
Why Chicago? Cause I like the city even though I’ve been there twice, both for brief periods of time.
Anaheim (1) vs Dallas (4)
Anaheim. Teemu Selanne’s last year as a Mighty Duck (he got his start with the Winnipeg Jets). Looking at the stats, Anaheim has won more games than Dallas as Dallas sits in last place in the playoffs and only made it because Phoenix and Vancouver couldn’t muster the endurance to surpass them in the standings. Anaheim, meanwhile, racked up a league-high of 54 wins for the season, an impressive feat and one that gives them an added mental edge which is required in the playoff race.
San Jose (2) vs Los Angeles (3)
This matchup required a little more than just research on my part. Using a highly sophisticated trading algorithm San Jose has come out triumphant. After running the algo a few times, San Jose won three times out of five. How many games will it take? These two teams will battle it out to the bitter end and the one left standing will ultimately be the one who played the hardest throughout the whole series.
New York Rangers vs Philadelphia
This is a long-standing rivalry between these two teams. I did some research on this one and Philadelphia has historically triumphed in the post-season despite dismal regular season play. Folks, this is a match up to watch as the Phillies are a tough team leading the league with the most penalty minutes. In other words, they’re fucking thugs, and that just might save the NYRs as they have one of the best special teams in the league. If the Phillies can keep their tempers down and out of the penalty box, or at least inflect staggering damage to the NYRs, then they will have a shot at winning this match up.
Tampa Bay vs Montreal
I’m going with Montreal on this one because, well, they’re the only Canadian team. As much as I’d like them to go all the way, reality is probably a little less stellar. Given that we’re one game into this matchup already we’ve seen how both teams are reacting to the playoff pressure. It was a high scoring game with the Canadians winning in the first overtime 5-4 on a great shot from one of the players that went into the net behind the Tampa Bay goaltender (I think his last name was Price). Vive la Montreal!
Boston vs Detroit
Detroit for the win. Detroit narrowly made it into the playoffs and have the same amount of points as the Columbus Blue Jackets and just two more than the Dallas Stars. In other words, Detroit is a shadow of their glorious past. But, let’s focus on the present. But, as one commentator put it, “The Bruins are going to get their scoring chances, and they are going to get their goals. That much is for sure.” All kidding aside, the fact is that hockey is a game that comes down to scoring goals by putting the puck in the net behind the opposition’s goaltender more times than it goes behind your own goaltender. Yes, the Boston Bruins are the defending Stanley Cup Champions and have the support of Don Cherry, Hockey Night in Canada’s esteemed hockey analyst, but they lost all of the regular season matchups to Detroit. Detroit, meanwhile, cranked up their war machine in the closing games of the regular season and, more importantly, are the only team that have been able to shut down Boston’s goal-scoring mechanism. This one will be an upset folks, either for the teams, or for me because I could be wrong.
And who will be the Stanley Cup Champion?
But we have one last decision to make, who could ultimately win the whole thing? Whoever picks this team could, effectively, win the whole tournament. Why? The Stanley Cup champion garners the most points in the scoring table which means even if your picks have done abysmally throughout the tournament, if your ONE TEAM wins the Stanley Cup, then you could catapult forward in the standings thus securing you the ultimate prize… bragging rights.
So, who do I think could go all the way?
Although I’d love Montreal to win it all, the fact of the matter is that there are teams playing better and putting the puck in the net more times than the opposition. Pressed for a choice, I’ll refer again to my ago… Philadelphia.
