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Stanley Cup playoffs roundtable: our writers forecast the postseason

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Stanley Cup playoffs roundtable: our writers forecast the postseason

The puck drops Wednesday as 16 teams kick off their quest for the Cup. Our writers predicts the winner, key players and dark horses

Most entertaining team that didnt make it

From 3 November to 27 December, the Buffalo Sabres lost only one game. But after that, they dropped off horribly. Through their final 19 games of the year, the Sabres won only four, and on Sunday, the team fired head coach Phil Housley. It was fun while it lasted, and its a shame it didnt last longer. CH

Most entertaining team that didnt make it: Entertainment can come in sardonic forms, and in that respect Ive been constantly entertained by the many missteps the Ottawa Senators have made as an organization this year. From embarrassingly humorous Uber videos, to an owner that went after well-respected local media, to trading away the teams best players and then finishing dead last, the Senators are in the pole position to win the NHL draft lottery. And that would probably be the sign of a team turning the corner … until you remember theyd already traded away the pick. JK

Its Montreal, who thrilled hockey fans by going 7-2-1 in their final 10 games in a last-ditch attempt to qualify for the postseason. The Habs 96 points tied an NHL record for the most points by a team that didnt quality for the postseason and they improved 25 points over last year. CR

High-seed most at risk of going out early

Calgary had a terrific season, and have been one of the most interesting (and often entertaining) teams to watch. They Flames score a lot (288 total goals this year) and frequently when short-handed but they also concede a ton (220 this year), and though goaltenders Mike Smith and David Rittich have each, at times, been solid, there is still a question of whether either can be clutch in the playoffs. CH

The Jets feel like the obvious choice here. Theyve gone 3-5-1 in their last nine and havent really looked dominant for two months now. Still, as many points as the Calgary Flames accumulated this season in topping the Western Conference, theyve been past the first round just once in the last 13 seasons. Im not bullish on their chances. JK

Tampa Bay are the second round against the Boston Bruins. Although the Lightning tied the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings with a record 62-win season, the Atlantic Division is the strongest in the NHL. Tampa and Boston finished Nos 1 and 2 (tied with Calgary) in the entire league for points. The Bolts are the strong Stanley Cup favorite, but Boston should not be counted out. CR

Dark horse to win

The Boston Bruins. They finished the season strong, grabbing 13 wins in their last 20 games, peaking at the right time of the year. The Bruins lost two of their three games against Tampa Bay this year (including their last game of the season), but if they somehow manage to topple them in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Bruins could emerge well positioned to take the whole thing. CH

The St Louis Blues. The excellent Justin Bourne laid out his bargument on why it will be a weird-ass team that wins the Stanley Cup this season, and if theres any team outside of Tampa Bay, Boston or Washington that qualifies, its the Blues. On 2 January, the Blues were dead last in the NHL. Since then, theyve put together a crazy good run, going 30-10-0, good for first in the league in points during that span. Twenty-five-year old rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington has been a ton of fun to watch with his .930 save percentage over that stretch. JK

The St Louis Blues were 15-18-14 at the end of the calendar year in last place in the entire NHL. Nobody gave them a chance to make the postseason then, and few believe they can knock off the Winnipeg Jets now. But after 1 January, the Blues went 30-10-5 to post the best record of any team and the Blues may surprise some people. Although the Jets were dominant in the season series (3-1-1), the teams havent played each other since December, so throw that record out the window. CR

Most important player in the postseason

Nikita Kucherov. Every other team in the East and whichever emerges victorious in the West had better hope Kucherov comes down with a bad case of Rick Nash syndrome and completely ghosts in the playoffs to hold out any hope of finding a way to beat the high-flying Tampa Bay Lightning. CH

Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning forwards 128 points were the most in the regular season since 1995-96. All eyes will be on the 25-year old, as he seeks to continue the artistry hes portrayed night in and night out in the playoffs, when things generally tighten up on the ice. JK

Boston center Brad Marchand, a 5ft 9in agitator who can beat you with both defense and offense. Marchand has won the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward four times in seven years, and this year he finished in the top five in scoring, accumulating 100 points for the first time in his career. Marchand centers Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, considered the best line in hockey. CR

The Boston trio including Brad Marchand (63), Patrice Bergeron (37) and David Pastrnak (88) is considered the best line in hockey. Photograph: Winslow Townson/USA Today Sports

Can anything top the Knights story last season?

What if Barry Trotz, the man who coached the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup victory last year, does the same this year with the homeless New York Islanders? CH

Like, probably not, right? I mean, maybe if the Carolina Hurricanes bright back the Storm Surge that they officially put to bed towards the end of the regular season, win the Stanley Cup and then NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presents the Stanley Cup to a Bunch of Jerks, then we might be onto something. JK

Maybe this years Golden Knights. Like last year, there are doubters. But theres still an aura about them and the players seem to respond to coach Gerard Gallant because he creates a positive atmosphere within the team. They also still have Marc-Andre Fleury in goal, and leading scorers like William Karlsson and Jonathon Marchessault are having great years again. The Knights sputtered going down the stretch, going 3-5-2 in their last 10. But is a team that, when it catches fire: watch out. CR

One bold prediction

The Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup and Gary Bettman is forced to present the Cup by playing a game of duck-duck-goose with the entire team, and then doing a running jump off a trampoline and slam-dunking a basketball into it. Bettman still gets mercilessly booed. Somewhere, Don Cherrys head explodes. CH

For just the third time in Stanley Cup playoffs history, well see a goaltender score. Theres data to suggest that teams facing a deficit should be pulling their goalie far earlier, and were starting to see that happen more and more. Goalies are better all-around players than they ever have been, so I wouldnt be surprised to see a goalie look to ice a game late with something that looks like a breakout pass but actually finds its way into the back of the net. Ron Hextall style. JK

The Colorado Avalanche, the lowest-seeded playoff team with 90 points, will knock off the 107-point Calgary Flames in the first round and get all the way to the Western Conference finals. Its kind of crazy to think they could even get past Calgary, who are the only NHL team to have five players with 70 points or more. And Colorado missed one of their scoring stars down the stretch as Mikko Rantanen missed the last eight games with an injury. CR

Eastern Conference final

Washington Capitals over Tampa Bay Lightning, four games to three. CH

Tampa Bay Lightning over Washington Capitals, four games to two. JK

Boston Bruins over Washington Capitals, four games to one. CR

Western Conference final

Calgary Flames over St Louis Blues, four games to two. CH

St Louis Blues over San Jose Sharks, four games to three. JK

Vegas Golden Knights over Winnipeg Jets, four games to two. CR

Stanley Cup final

Washington Capitals over Calgary Flames, four games to two. Only one other team has managed 62 wins in a single season, as the Tampa Bay Lightning did this year: the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings, who, as it happens, also featured a high-powered Russian scorer atop the teams point-getters, followed by a Canadian guy named Steve. But despite their regular season success, the Wings failed to win the Cup in the spring of 96, falling in seven games in the Western Conference finals to the Quebec Nordi er, Colorado Avalanche (who went on to sweep the Florida Panthers to take the Cup). Call me crazy, but history is in danger of repeating itself. Tampa Bay played Washington three times in March. Tampa Bay took the first game, 6-3. They won the second by a 5-4 score, but needed overtime. The third time, on 30 March, they lost 6-3. Three games dont make a trend, but if the East comes down to a contest between the Caps and Lightning, as it did last year, my money is still on Washington. CH

Tampa Bay Lightning over St Louis Blues, four games to two. I predicted the Lightning would win it all before the season began and I see no reason to stray from that prediction now. This juggernaut of a team had the fourth-most points in NHL single season history (128) and their incredible regular-season success feels like its sustainable over the next few months. Whoever they draw in the second round will likely be a bit beaten down after a hard-fought opening series and I dont believe any team in the Western Conference can measure up, talent-wise. Itll be the Eastern Conference finals, likely against hardened and tested sides like Washington or Pittsburgh, that present the sternest challenge, but that should be the teams only real threat. This is a historically good group that is playing a different brand of hockey than the rest of the league right now. JK

Boston Bruins over Vegas Golden Knights, four games to two. Even with Marc-Andre Fleury doing his magic act in goal for Vegas, the Bruins are just too strong offensively, led by their top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. Both scrappy and skilled, Marchand hit 100 points for the first time in his career. But the Bruins have depth beyond the one big line. They had five 20-goalscorers and eight Bruins matched or passed career highs. Once this team gets on a roll, its hard to stop them. After the All-Star break, Boston strung together a 19-game point streak. CR

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

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