It’s been just 13 days since the Pittsburgh Penguins captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup, but it already feels like months ago due to the chaos that has recently ensued in the hockey world. Players have been plucked to form the league’s newest team, blockbuster trades have been struck, and a Swiss player was selected first-overall in the NHL entry draft for the first time in league history.
All in less than two short weeks.
There is a whole lot of action that is still set to take place. The league’s free agency period is just around the corner and it’s sure to be a dandy one considering Las Vegas is now in the mix. With all of this said, it’s never too early to start looking forward to the next Stanley Cup Final.
Here are five dream matchups that hockey fans would gush over if they came to be.
1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Edmonton Oilers
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Imagine it: the two most coveted first-overall draft picks in the last ten years battle it out in an all-Canadian NHL Final. There are really no words to properly describe what the series would mean to the country’s hockey fans.
Both players are the unquestionable savior of their respective franchise. Matthews, 19, led the Leafs to their first postseason appearance since 2013 while McDavid, 20, led the Oilers to their first since 2006.
The two phonemes could very well be one-two in scoring next year, and a date in the Final isn’t out of the question when you take into account how much each team improved last season.
For now, all one can do is dream.
2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Winnipeg Jets
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Okay, so the Leafs make an appearance in each of the top two spots (big surprise!). But hear this out.
The rookie race between Matthews and Jets sensation Patrik Laine was the most competitive the league has seen since Crosby and Ovechkin’s following the NHL lockout. The main difference between the two sets of rivals? Barring an unlikely Ovechkin trade to the Western conference, he and Crosby can never compete against one another in a Stanley Cup Final.
Matthews and Laine can.
They may be young, but watching the two players battle throughout the regular season was a treat.
Besides, it’s not like each team doesn’t have other elite players. Matthews’ fellow rookie teammates Mitch Marner and William Nylander each would have made a case for the Calder trophy in any other season, and Jets forward Mark Scheifele emerged into a feared top-five center.
Despite playing in opposing conferences, the two teams developed a rivalry last season. This series is less likely to happen than the first on the list, but you never know.
3) Montreal Canadiens vs. Nashville Predators
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The Nashville Predators find themselves licking their chops one season after the infamous Shea Weber for P.K. Subban trade.
Weber performed admirably in his first campaign with the Montreal Canadiens, but P.K. ultimately outplayed him. The Toronto native added speed to the Predators’ backend and led the team to the Stanley Cup Final; something Weber was unable to do under his tenure as Nashville’s captain. A chance for each player to defeat their former team would be the ultimate opportunity, as Weber could put an end to the transaction’s critics and Subban could make his former general manager Marc Bergevin one unhappy camper.
The Predators finally established themselves as a force in the West and a strong offseason thus far has made the Canadiens a contender in the East, so this matchup really isn’t all that farfetched.
4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks
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Since 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks have both won three Stanley Cups. But oddly enough, they have yet to square off against one another in the Final.
A series between the salary cap era’s two most dominant teams would boast an overload of talent. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jonthan Toews, Patrick Kane. Must we go on?
If you insist.
Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Brandon Saad, Corey Crawford Kris Letang, Justin Schultz, Jake Guentzel, Matt Murray. the list seems endless. An opportunity to witness the two franchises battle for glory would be nothing short of a privilege.
5) New York Islanders vs. Edmonton Oilers
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The Isles and Oilers gave the hockey world a shake when general manager Garth Snow sent 2011 fifth overall pick Ryan Strome to Peter Chiarelli in exchange for five-time 20-goalscorer Jordan Eberle. Strome, who struggled with the Islanders since entering the league, will be granted a fresh start while Eberle will have the opportunity to reunite with his former World Juniors teammate, John Tavares.
The trade itself merits the series being on the list, but the two team’s illustrious history with each other makes the potential for a reunion even more enticing.
Both franchises dominated in the 1980s, with the Isles winning four Stanley Cups in a row from 1980-83 and the Oil capturing their first four in 84’, 85’, 87’, 88’. New York defeated Edmonton in the 83’ Final, but the teams switched fates the following season. A rematch would rekindle a historic rivalry. Additionally, Islanders head coach Doug Weight spent the majority of his career with the Oilers between the 1992-93 to 2000-2001 seasons. Watching him coach against his old team would also be a treat.
Let us know what your dream 2018 Stanley Cup Final matchup is @BarDown!
