A Preview of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Having your annual March Madness hangover? No worries, we’ve got sports, sports and more sports for you! On deck: a complete preview of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the world of postseason NHL, eight teams in the Western Conference have already clinched their playoff berths — yet none have clinched seeding — leaving us perched for a wild final two games of the season.
The Eastern Conference is a different story with six teams having already secured playoff spots and three teams fighting for the last two spots.
Western Conference Favorites
Dallas Stars: It’s a no brainer that the Western Conference leader in points scored would be your favorite to win the Cup. But even with all their success, the Stars are a young team that hasn’t quite reached their potential and that should terrify the rest of the National Hockey League. Jamie Benn is one of the favorites to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, Tyler Segiun is a top 5 center, and Patrick Sharp rounds out the front line for the Stars, giving them arguably the most potent offensive attack in the playoffs.
Chicago Blackhawks: After a turbulent offseason, the Blackhawks are back playing some of the best hockey in the league. After acquiring Andrew Ladd at the trade deadline from the Jets, the Blackhawks’ offense has been on an absolute tear. In just 17 games with the Blackhawks, Ladd has accumulated 12 points. Combining that with Patrick Kane’s 102 points and Artemi Panarin’s 75 points, the Blackhawks have an offensive unit that is not even firing on all cylinders yet still putting up some of the best numbers in the league.
Eastern Conference Favorites
Washington Capitals: Could this be the year Alexander Ovechkin finally makes some noise and gets deep into the playoffs? We’re thinking yes. This is by far the most talented Capitals team of which he has ever been a part. The offseason addition of American hero T.J. Oshie vaulted the Capitals from a good to a great hockey team. With 5 players over 50 points on the season, be prepared for the Capitals to steamroll through the Eastern Conference.
New York Islanders: If one team can knock off the Capitals, it might just be John Tavares and the New York Islanders. The 2015 Hart Trophy nominee has had another fantastic year, recording 67 points in just 76 games. Tavares finally has a strong wing man with Kyle Okposo, dropping 62 points and relatively strong goalie play from both Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak saving .924 and .919 respectively.
Stay tuned to HungryFan.com for more Stanley Cup insight and great game night recipes for hosting watch parties for your friends and family!
