Well ladies and gents, we’ve almost hit that time of the year. The NHL postseason is nearly upon us!
On April 6th, the season will come to an end and the new (and far more exciting) one will kick off. We’ve still got a bit of a ways to go, but hey, it’s not too early to start brainstorming some potential playoff matchups (and realistic ones at that!). With that in mind, here are a few that all hockey fans can probably agree would make for some great hockey this spring.
TORONTO VS. BOSTON
It’s going down people. Barring an epic collapse from either team over the next couple of weeks, Boston and Toronto will once again be going toe-to-toe to move onto round two. Sure, it’s not fair that both squads are in the top 7 in the league and have to play each other in their first series, but that doesn’t mean it won’t make for arguably the most entertaining one to kick things off. The B’s have gotten the best of the Buds throughout the years, but can Mike Babcock & co. finally figure it out?
WINNIPEG VS. NASHVILLE
While Boston and Toronto will likely be meeting in the first round, most hockey fans are banking on these two clubs meeting in the second. Winnipeg narrowly squeaked by Nashville with a Game 7 victory last spring and are coming off of a dominant 5-0 win over the Preds on Saturday night. The two clubs have been neck-and-neck in the standings, though, and just four points currently separate them in the standings. A second round meeting between these franchises almost seems inevitable at this point and boy, would it ever make for a wild series.
Who would you be taking?
WASHINGTON VS. PITTSBURGH
It’s almost unthinkable to think these powerhouses could meet in the first round but as the days wind down until the sixth, it’s looking like that might be the case. IF the New York Islanders can win the Metropolitan Division, the past two Stanley Champs will likely have a first round date. Pittsburgh’s finally seemed to get into a groove, going 6-2-2 over their last 10 while the Caps have stayed just as hot with a 6-3-1 record over that stretch. Sid vs. Ovi, Malkin vs. Backstrom, this could be a first round meeting for the ages.
VEGAS VS. SAN JOSE
Not necessarily as big market teams, but there’s a lot to keep in mind with this potential matchup. Let’s remember for a second that defenceman Erik Karlsson nearly became a Golden Knight last summer before eventually getting traded to the Sharks. Both have stolen a win in their two game series so far, so a tight first round series is likely in the cards after the Knights swept SJ last spring. They’re more than likely to meet with Calgary on top of the Pacific Division with 101 points and only seven games remaining on the schedule.
TAMPA BAY VS. BOSTON
Last but not least, a battle between the NHL’s top teams in the Eastern Conference. Tampa’s cruised to a historic season, somehow managing to reach 120 points before any other managed to even hit the century mark. However, Boston has managed to play T-Bay tight this season and has given fans every reason to think they could put up a good fight if the two were to meet over the next couple of months. Each team has taken a game so far through their two matchups and are scheduled to faceoff on Monday night and April 6 ahead of the playoffs. With loads of postseason veterans on their roster, could the Bruins pull off an upset in a potential second round showdown?
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: MONTREAL VS. TORONTO, TORONTO VS. WINNIPEG
This would take a lot, but the intensity would be through the roof. Keep dreaming though, hockey fans. As for the second series? Let's just hold our horses and not get ahead of ourselves.
