The National Hockey League (NHL) is about to enter a most
interesting time. Eastern and Western Conference teams have played 82 games for
the chance to enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The season saw teams make
miraculous turnarounds in the second half of the season when most wrote them
off based on their early win-loss record. Call-ups from the American Hockey League
(AHL) to replace injured players made the difference in achieving this positive
result. Another impetus for the reversal of fortunes could be that
organizations made coaching changes.
There was a sense of suspense as two games that were
postponed due to the January snowstorm were played on April 10th,
2016-the day after the season officially ended. In the first game, the Anaheim Ducks defeated
the Washington Capitals to win the Pacific Division by one point. Through this
victory, the Ducks pushed the Los Angeles Kings out of the top spot. The second match-up that day featured the New
York Islanders, whose loss to the Philadelphia Flyers decided the playoff
destiny of not one, but two teams(The
Islanders fly to Florida to begin Round 1 while their rival-the New York
Rangers- are set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins).
The alignment from the 2015 bracketing system remains the
same as last years’ playoffs. Round 1 is a field of 16 total teams. In each
conference, there are two brackets per division as the top three teams earn
their way in and wild card entrants are selected based on their record and
other factors to face the two division champions. The chance to get into the
playoffs pushes the non-guaranteed playoff teams to make every point count.
Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will not have any of the
7 Canadian teams in the National Hockey League. Just as the Canadian teams
failed to qualify for the playoffs, the Boston Bruins are also missing from the
brackets for the second consecutive year. Here is an overview of the match-ups:
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
|
#1 and Atlantic Division
Champions-Florida Panthers
|
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#4 and Metropolitan Division Wild Card 1 of 2- New York Islanders
|
-In a peculiar case, there are two wild card entrants from
the Metropolitan Division. Inserted to this bracket through their loss to the
Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Islanders have a young team that is made up
of strong players and AHL call-ups…The Florida Panthers have leadership in
veteran presence Jaromir Jagr and a youthful squad of its own.
|
#2-Tampa Bay Lightning*
|
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#3-Detroit Redwings*
|
-The Tampa Bay
Lightning hold steady in their division slot from the 2014-2015 season and are
hoping to capture the Stanley Cup that escaped their grasp last year… Detroit also maintains their playoff
ranking from the 2014-2015 season, and are going to be strive to get Pavel
Datsyuk one last championship before he retires.
Metropolitan
Division
|
#1, President’s Trophy winners, and Eastern Conference Champions-
Washington Capitals
|
|
#4 and Metropolitan Division Wild Card 2 of 2-Philadelphia Flyers
|
-As the second of
the Metropolitan Division Wild Card entrants, The Philadelphia Flyers re-enter the playoff picture and have a
tall order ahead of them. They have to overcome the offensive power of a
Washington Capitals team led by Alex Ovechkin...Washington has to face a Flyers
squad that turned its season around to become a contender.
|
#2- Pittsburgh Penguins
|
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#3-New York Rangers
|
-Though their playoff rankings shifted from the 2014-2015
season, these two rivals find themselves matched up in the Round 1 brackets once again…Pittsburgh
Penguins are out for revenge as the New York Rangers bested them in the
playoffs last year… New York needs to win to maintain their post-season mastery
of the hockey team from “the Steel City”.
The Western Conference set-up is primed for a possible
repeat as the 2015 champion Chicago Blackhawks are in the playoff picture. There
are no Canadian teams in this conference to battle for the richest prize in the
NHL, but the state of California is well represented.
Central Division
|
#1 and Western Conference
Champions-Dallas Stars
|
|
#4 and Central Division Wild Card 1 of 2 Minnesota Wild*
|
-The Dallas Stars are now in the post-season conversation
with the help of Stanley Cup champion-and former Chicago Blackhawk- Patrick
Sharp and the emerging talent Jamie Benn… Minnesota Wild have retained their
2014-2015 ranking and are the first of two wild card teams from the Central
Division.
|
#2-St Louis Blues
|
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#3-Chicago Blackhawks*
|
-Chicago’s dynasty was cemented last year when they won the 2015
Stanley Cup Championship. The Blackhawks
do not have Patrick Sharp, but have other key players like Patrick Kane…The St.
Louis Blues are missing T.J Oshie, and will have to find others to rely on for
offense against the strong Chicago Blackhawks.
Pacific Division
|
#1 and Pacific Division Champions-Anaheim Ducks*
|
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# 4 and Central Division Wild Card 2 of 2-Nashville Predators
|
- The Anaheim Ducks maintain their 2014-2015 division
standing, defeating the League-Leading Washington Capitals to attain this spot…Nashville
challenges Anaheim’s hopes of a championship and could bust brackets with a
series win.
|
#2-Los Angeles Kings
|
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#3-San Jose Sharks
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-It is a battle for California as two teams vie for a chance
to advance. The Los Angeles Kings come back to the post-season after not
qualifying in 2015…For San Jose, the drive to reach the finals has always been
there. This team aims high only to fall short in the Western Conference Finals
or earlier. 2016 could be their year if they have their offense, defense and
goaltending clicking.
Final Thoughts:
1- New York Rangers will be focused on the Stanley Cup after coming so close last year;
2-New York Islanders youth will have to contend with the seemingly ageless
hockey skill of Jaromir Jagr if they are to succeed; 3- Tampa Bay Lightning
players are out to finish what they started last year.; 4. The denizens of
California will have three teams to cheer for this post-season.; 5. The Central
Division and Metropolitan Division are going to make an impact in Round 1.
Round 1 commences Wednesday April 13th, 2016.
*Notates any team whose 2015-2016 standing did not differ
from their 2014-2015 ranking.
