Hockey season has started. And there are so many questions surrounding it. Can the Penguins, after becoming the first team in 20 years to repeat, win a third straight Cup? Can the Capitals actually get over the hump? Will a Canadian team hoist the Cup, ending that 24-year drought? How good will the expansion Golden Knights be? And that idiotic decision by the owners not to go to the Olympics, even though that's what all the players wanted, will loom over the entire season, especially as the PyeongChang Games get closer.
In regards to the Golden Knights, they absolutely have a chance to be good. The NHL wants that team to be good. They know how important it is. Are they a playoff team? Probably not. But they aren't your typical expansion team, either. They've got a franchise goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury and they loaded up with quality talent in the expansion draft. They're probably better than both Arizona and Vancouver. Give it two years, maybe even next season, and the Golden Knights will be a playoff team.
As for the Penguins, they'll be the hunted even more this season than they were last year. They had a terrible start last season before catching fire over the final couple months, and they were at their best in the playoffs. They're like the Blackhawks when they were winning the Cup every other year. It doesn't matter what their seed is. Once they get to the playoffs, they're very tough to beat. But I don't see a three-peat. For everything to go right in the postseason three years in a row is a lot to ask. Even of Pittsburgh.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was once the next big thing in the NHL. And he's lived up to the hype, leading Pittsburgh to three Cups and another Final appearance. But that torch has been passed to Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. Which is why there's plenty of reason to hope North of the Border. It would be a stretch to say that either the Oilers or Leafs will be Stanley Cup favorites. But it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility.
And, as much as the NHL wants Vegas to be good, they need Toronto and Montreal to be good. They're two of the marquee franchises in the league, and they play in the two most important markets in Canada...in the only league where that matters. Toronto's not going anywhere. They're only gonna get better with Matthews. And the Canadiens should be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, too.
Atlantic Division: Toronto and Montreal should take two of the playoff berths out of the Atlantic Division. And, let's not forget, Ottawa took Pittsburgh to double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final last season. It's not a stretch at all to think all three Canadian teams could go 1-2-3 in the division. Which leaves one potential playoff spot for either Tampa Bay or Boston to claim. The Lightning are slightly better than the Bruins, so I give them the slight edge. But don't count out the Sabres. They've been rebuilding for so long that it's easy to overlook them, but this might be the year that all their rebuilding comes to fruition with a playoff berth. I wish I could say the same about Florida and Detroit. They're going to struggle.
Metropolitan Division: The Metropolitan Division is the toughest division in hockey. I don't think many people would dispute that. We saw the Met's strength last year when Washington, Pittsburgh and Columbus had the three highest point totals in the East. And let's not forget the Rangers and Flyers were both playoff teams last year, too. There's no reason to think those five won't be atop the division again this season. If I have to pick one to draw the short straw, I think it'll be the Blue Jackets. And the Islanders could sneak into the playoffs, too, which would probably bump the Flyers back. In any other division, the Devils and Hurricanes would have a chance.
Central Division: Nashville was a popular preseason Stanley Cup pick last year, then went on to have a so-so regular season before proving everyone right in the playoffs. This year, that chic pick is Minnesota. Sports Illustrated has even tabbed the Wild as their preseason choice to win the Western Conference. I'm not gonna go that far. The Wild are good, but I think the Predators are still the top team in this division. And let's not forget about the Blackhawks and Blues, either. Then you throw in Dallas and there could easily be five playoff teams out of the Central. Colorado and Winnipeg will likely not be among them.
Pacific Division: Here's where things get interesting. For a few years, the Pacific Division meant "California." But the Sharks and Kings are down and the two teams in Alberta are up. I can easily see it being the Oilers and Flames that join the Ducks in the playoffs this season (which would make five Canadian playoff teams). As for Anaheim, this might finally be the year they don't lose in the Conference Final. They're like Washington. We're waiting for them to get over the hump. It's eventually got to happen. Right? They're too good. Anyway, I think Vegas fits somewhere in fifth or sixth place in this division. I definitely see them finishing ahead of Vancouver and Arizona.
For my playoff teams in the East, I'm going with Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Tampa Bay out of the Atlantic, Washington, Pittsburgh, the Rangers and Philadelphia out of the Met. And in the West, Nashville, Minnesota, Chicago and St. Louis from the Central, Anaheim, Edmonton, San Jose and Calgary out of the Pacific. I'll take Capitals over Leafs in the Eastern Conference Final and Ducks over Predators in the Western Conference Final, with Anaheim over Washington for the Cup.
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