With the 99th National Hockey League playoffs underway, it is safe to say 2016 will not be Canada’s year.
For the first time since 1970, no team from Canada will be participating in the playoffs, despite the notorious reputation of Canadian superiority in the sport. Also of note, Canadian born players no longer make up the majority of players in the league, comprising only 49.7% of the athletes.
Instead, the Washington Capitals are leading the NHL coming out of the regular season. With 56 wins, 18 losses and 8 overtime defeats, the Capitals have secured the President’s Trophy for a second time, the first being in the 2009-2010 season.
The Capitals possess an incredible amount of depth this year. Center Evgeny Kuznetsov is currently tied for ninth in the league in scoring, and legendary left wing Alex Ovechkin again scored 50 goals as of April 9, becoming the third player in NHL history to score 50 or more goals in seven or more seasons. Supporting Ovechkin, All-Star center Nicklas Backstrom averages at least one point per game.
With an impenetrable defense led by John Carlson and Matt Niskanen, and with Braden Holtby currently ranked as the fifth best goalie in the league, the Capitals have more than a chance of winning the Stanley Cup, especially after beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in the Conference Quarterfinals.
But it will be no easy path. Behind the Capitals are the Dallas Stars (50239), who did not even make the playoffs last year. A combination of skill from left wing Jamie Benn, who won the Art Ross trophy last year for most inseason goals, Jason Spezza and former Bruin Tyler Seguin, each of whom have scored 30 or more goals this season, have led the Stars to a playoff birth. Seguin is currently suffering a slice to his Achilles that has prevented him from playing in three consecutive games against the Minnesota Wild, who the Stars defeated in the conference quarterfinals.
Second to the Stars are the St. Louis Blues (49-24-9). After having a season wracked with injuries – the Blues have lost 236 man games this season alone – St. Louis has thus far been unable to fulfill its true potential. But even great players such as right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, who has scored 40 goals this season, and Brian Elliot, the second best goaltender in the league, the Blues are vulnerable to the wrath of defending Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of playoffs.
While the Hawks are currently fifth in the league (47-26-9), their record and lineup should more than indicate that they remain a credible threat. Though Chicago lost three top six forwards and a top four defenseman, among other players, the Blackhawks lineup still includes legendary players like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith.
Kane led the league in scoring this season with 46 goals, earning him the Art Ross trophy. Rookie teammate Artemi Panarin tied with Kuznetsov for the ninth most goals in the league. But a lineup of a few star players may not be enough to stop other teams such as the Stars and the Capitals.
Another consistently strong team returning to the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin continue to provide success for the Black and Yellow, putting the team second in the Metropolitan division and fourth in the league (48-26-8). The Penguins are currently 3-1 against the New York Rangers in the conference quarterfinals, and the two teams are facing off in playoffs for the third straight year.
Tampa Bay has already advanced past the conference quarterfinals, crushing the Red Wings 4-1. This is the second year in a row that the Lightning have beaten the Red Wings in the first round, thanks to the excellence of goaltender Ben Bishop and center Alex Killorn.
An unexpected and excellent season came from the Florida Panthers this year. Franchise underdogs that ranked 29th out of 30 teams two seasons ago, the Panthers finished the regular season as leaders of the Atlantic Division, winning a franchise record 47 games, including 12 in a row.
The lineup of veterans including 44 year-old right wing Jaromir Jagr, Willie Mitchell, and Roberto Luongo seems to be contributing to the success of the Panthers. They are mentors to a cast of younger star players including Logan Shaw, Corban Knight, and Steven Kampfer. Despite their great regular season, the Panthers lost to the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. •
