Crosby, McDavid, Matthews players to watch in NHL playoffs

The National Hockey League finished up its season on Sunday. Impressive and unbelievable, yes.

I’m feeling two upsets coming from the Blue Jackets and the Maple Leafs, who will then face off for the right to play the Bruins to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. FILE – In this February 18, 2017 file photo Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau watches his NHL hockey team play against the Nashville Predators in St. Paul, Minn.

– When the Blackhawks are leading, they rank No. 17 in the league with a 44.7 Corsi For percentage. Holtby will snag the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP), becoming the first netminder to win the award since the Kings’ Johnathan Quick did so in 2012. The Anaheim Ducks don’t scare people the way they used to.

Overall, the fact that five of these teams are in the playoffs, and several have a better than decent chance to at least advance to the second round, is evidence enough to restore some of that shine lost in recent years from Canadian NHL teams. All I have to say is that I think the victor of the Montreal/New York series is the one that goes forward to the conference finals.

Mar 7, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; St Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) makes a save in the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. And really, can anyone see Nashville or Calgary beating the Hawks? “Skilled offensive players are going to want to play offence and be on the attack, so if we can keep them in their own end, force them to play defence, it’s better off for us”. On a local level, a playoff game represents around $3 million in economic activity.

Many people in Regina are planning on tuning in to the games.

And that’s just the start of the Hawks roster. Backup Scott Darling had better numbers (18-5-5, 2.38 GAA, .924), and in playoffs past Coach Joel Quenneville has proven he’s not afraid to go to Darling if Crawford struggles.

The Montreal Canadiens may be the Atlantic Division champions, but they’re in for the fight of their lives as they enter as a slim -125 favorite in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with the New York Rangers.

The Blackhawks have known for a week they would be the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. In contrast, their first-round opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs, will have nine players making their National Hockey League playoff debuts in Game 1 Thursday night. McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, McLellan, and Chiarelli are a good mix of talent for Edmonton.

But the Capitals have skill from Alex Ovechkin on down and speed throughout the lineup to play just about every kind of game out there. It’s why we work all year to get to this point, and as we have said in the past, the real season begins. Terrific leadership from Toews and Seabrook. Look for Kane and co., AKA Artemi Panarin, to light the lamp a lot this postseason, especially in the first round. The great minutes muncher, Keith, on defence. The Canadiens look like they can finally bring the Cup back to Canada.

Murray says he’s learned a lot from his first full season in the National Hockey League. But DO NOT PICK PLAYERS WHO WILL NOT PLAY.

The Sharks are starting to show wear and tear stemmed from their playoff run previous year.

There are also Canadian teams that hope they’ve retained the right combination of assets to be legitimate playoff contenders. “So you have to try to make the most of it – enjoy the process of the playoffs and being able to do this”. However, it’s unlikely they still deserve to be listed at +300 to win the West. This is 2017: Can anybody in the West knock them out? The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, with injuries to too many people, are playing on fumes.

Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins: Bruins held it together down the stretch and goalie Tuukka Rask has more experience than Ottawa’s Craig Anderson.

Could the Capitals beat the Blackhawks?