The ice has frozen, the skates have been sharpened, and the players are ready to take to the rink for the 2020 NHL playoffs. The first round schedule has been released, and it promises to be an exciting battle for the Stanley Cup! In this post, we’ll take a look at the matchups, make some predictions, and analyze each team’s chances of making it to the next round.
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Bruins are the clear favorites in this matchup, having finished in first place in the Eastern Conference during the regular season. They have a powerful offense led by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, and a solid defense anchored by veteran Zdeno Chara.
However, the Hurricanes should not be counted out. They surprised everyone last year by making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they have a talented team that includes sophomore phenom Andrei Svechnikov and goalie Petr Mrazek. If they can get hot at the right time, they could pull off an upset.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Lightning are another team that had a great regular season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference. They have an explosive offense led by Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, and a solid defense anchored by superstar Victor Hedman.
The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, barely made it into the playoffs by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in a qualifying round. However, they have a gritty team that plays a physical style of hockey, and they have a talented goalie in Joonas Korpisalo. If they can continue to play with the same intensity they showed in the qualifying round, they could make things difficult for the Lightning.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders
The Capitals have been one of the top teams in the NHL for several years now, and they finished third in the Eastern Conference this year. They have a talented team led by superstar Alex Ovechkin, and they have a solid defense that includes John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov.
The Islanders, on the other hand, have a more defensive-minded team that focuses on limiting their opponents’ chances. They have a talented goalie in Semyon Varlamov, and they have some offensive talent in Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson. However, they will need to find a way to generate more offense if they want to upset the Capitals.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Flyers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference this year, and they have a talented team that includes Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny. They also have a solid goalie in Carter Hart, who could be a difference-maker in the playoffs.
The Canadiens, on the other hand, barely made it into the playoffs as the last seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a scrappy team that plays with a lot of heart, but they lack the offensive firepower of some of the other teams in the playoffs. However, they do have a talented goalie in Carey Price, who could steal a game or two.
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Chicago Blackhawks
The Golden Knights finished first in the Western Conference this year, and they have a talented team that includes Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. They also have a solid defense that includes Shea Theodore and Nate Schmidt, and a talented goalie in Robin Lehner.
The Blackhawks, on the other hand, barely made it into the playoffs by upsetting the Edmonton Oilers in a qualifying round. They have a young and talented team led by Dominik Kubalik and Alex DeBrincat, but they lack the depth of some of the other teams in the playoffs. However, they do have a veteran goalie in Corey Crawford who has been known to get hot in the playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Arizona Coyotes
The Avalanche finished second in the Western Conference this year, and they have a talented team that includes Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. They also have a solid defense that includes Cale Makar and Erik Johnson, and a talented goalie in Philipp Grubauer.
The Coyotes, on the other hand, barely made it into the playoffs as the last seed in the Western Conference. They have a strong defensive team that focuses on limiting their opponents’ chances, and they have a talented young goalie in Darcy Kuemper. However, they lack the offensive firepower of some of the other teams in the playoffs.
Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames
The Stars finished third in the Western Conference this year, and they have a talented team that includes Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. They also have a strong defense led by Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg, and a solid goalie in Ben Bishop.
The Flames, on the other hand, have a talented offensive team led by Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. They also have a solid defense that includes Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie, and a talented young goalie in David Rittich. However, they will need to find a way to limit Dallas’ chances if they want to win this series.
St. Louis Blues vs. Vancouver Canucks
The Blues are the defending Stanley Cup champions, and they finished fourth in the Western Conference this year. They have a talented team that includes Ryan O’Reilly and Alex Pietrangelo, and a solid defense that includes Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk.
The Canucks, on the other hand, have a young and exciting team led by Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. They also have a talented goalie in Jacob Markstrom, who could be a difference-maker in this series. However, they will need to find a way to limit St. Louis’ chances if they want to upset the defending champions.
So there you have it - our predictions and analysis for the first round of the 2020 NHL playoffs. Who do you think will win each series? Who will make it to the Stanley Cup Finals? Let us know in the comments below!
