2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: 5 First-Spherical Matchups We Prefer to Question

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Photograph by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

With the 2020-21 NHL original-season agenda slated to full on Might perchance well likely just 19, the principle spherical of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs will rapidly launch.

The brief divisional realignments for this season imply the layout can be varied in comparison with outdated years. The first two rounds can be intradivisional. Within the outlet spherical, the principle-put of dwelling groups will face off in opposition to the fourth-put of dwelling club, while the second-put of dwelling club takes on the third-put of dwelling crew. Each and every sequence can be handiest-of-seven.

That layout must composed generate a lot of inspiring hockey for NHL followers. Looking on how the standings shake out, there is additionally the functionality for some uncommon matchups that can be price observing.

One can also detect two longstanding Canadian opponents cease a 42-year wait to sq. off in a playoff spherical. One other can also involve the league’s two Florida-based franchises facing off for the principle time.

Right here’s a search for at five sequence we would steal to survey in the outlet spherical of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.

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A year previously, the Colorado Avalanche were a crew on the upward push in the Western Conference. The Minnesota Wild, meanwhile, bought a helping hand into the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs as a end result of the snappily expanded layout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Avs fell in the second spherical in a laborious-fought seven-sport sequence in opposition to the Dallas Stars, while the Wild were eliminated from the qualifying spherical by the Vancouver Canucks.

This season, the Avalanche are regarded as a Stanley Cup contender. They assemble bought judicious among the NHL’s high traces in Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, a deep blue line led by Cale Makar and a imaginable Vezina Trophy candidate in goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

The Wild, nonetheless, stunned many observers with their enchancment this season, powerful the Avalanche for second in the Honda West Division. They possess a real goalie tandem in Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen, a real defense corps and rising younger forwards love Kevin Fiala, Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and skill Calder Memorial Trophy candidate Kirill Kaprizov.

These two golf equipment assemble a minute little bit of playoff history between them. The Wild’s first playoff sequence take used to be in opposition to the Avalanche in 2003, and they defeated them yet again in an exciting first-spherical sequence in 2014. The Avs defeated them of their 2008 conference quarterfinal sequence.

It would be the clash of the Cup contender and a hungry underdog taking a search for to invent a title for itself. The Avalanche took five wins of their eight-sport original-season sequence. They would enter this sequence because the favourite however can also assemble an upset in the occasion that they defend the Wild lightly.

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This sequence aspects two groups which assemble by no system faced every other in postseason play. It would be a matchup between a Stanley Cup contender in the Vegas Golden Knights and a aged champion making an are trying to win its aged glory in the St. Louis Blues.

The Golden Knights assemble an outstanding resume of their short history. Their inaugural season used to be capped by reaching the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. Two years later, they evolved to the Western Conference Final sooner than falling to the Dallas Stars.

A 1967 expansion club, the Blues finally won their first Stanley Cup in 2019. They performed the 2019-20 season atop the Western Conference however were upset in the outlet spherical of final year’s playoffs by the Vancouver Canucks.

As this original season attracts to a shut, the Golden Knights sit down atop the Honda West Division and the NHL’s general standings. The Blues, meanwhile, struggled through an injury-ravaged campaign that sees them making an are trying to fend off the Arizona Coyotes for the division’s final playoff berth. The Knights assemble additionally won four of their six video games this season, with two video games final between them.

The Golden Knights would enter this sequence because the favourite. They assemble bought depth in aim with Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner and a potent offense led by wingers Max Pacioretty and Rate Stone. Adding spice to this matchup is defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. He captained the Blues to the Cup however now patrols the Golden Knights blue line.

Despite their struggles this season, the Blues composed assemble the center of a champion in captain and 2019 playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly. Despite Pietrangelo’s departure, most of their championship roster remains intact. They know what it takes as a crew to take the Cup. That abilities, and the chance to defeat their aged captain, would invent this a must-glimpse sequence.

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The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning joined the NHL in the early-1990s, however they’ve by no system faced every other in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This year, nonetheless, the order opponents can also sq. off in the outlet spherical in the occasion that they proceed to be of their fresh positions. The Lightning and Panthers respectively sit down in second and third put of dwelling in the Search for Central Division.

All the arrangement through the early years of their competition, it used to be the Panthers with the early success. Joining the NHL in 1993-94, they reached the 1996 Stanley Cup Final and qualified for the postseason in 1997 and 2000. The Lightning, who entered the league in 1992-93, were a laughingstock throughout the ’90s. They qualified for the playoffs handiest as soon as, in 1995-96.

Since the turn of the century, nonetheless, the Lightning assemble enjoyed increased success. They assemble won two Stanley Cups and been a dominant NHL franchise since 2014-15. The Panthers, meanwhile, assemble reached the playoffs staunch twice and were eliminated for the length of final year’s qualifying spherical.

This season, each golf equipment are among the league’s handiest, jockeying with the Carolina Hurricanes for first put of dwelling in the division. They assemble split their season sequence at three video games apiece, with the final two video games slated for Might perchance well likely just 8 and 10. These contests can also provide a tasty appetizer for an exciting first-spherical sequence.

The Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champions. They are led by properly-known stars a lot like forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, defenseman Victor Hedman and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Panthers, nonetheless, assemble a core of abilities love Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau who are hungry for playoff success.

It would pride the Lightning to launch the defense of the Stanley Cup by inserting off their closest rival. For the Panthers, bouncing the Bolts from the principle spherical would signal their arrival as a contender.

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Photograph by Francois Lacasse/NHLI by skill of Getty Images

Or now now not it’s laborious to mediate that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens final faced every other in the Stanley Cup playoffs 42 years previously. It took the formation of an all-Canadian division for this season to potentially command about this prolonged-leisurely postseason clash between these longstanding NHL opponents.

When these two golf equipment final met in the playoffs, the Canadiens were a dynasty en path to profitable their fourth straight Stanley Cup while the Leafs were a center-of-the-pack club in the Prince of Wales Conference. Led by Corridor of Famers Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson and Ken Dryden, the Habs swept the Leafs out of the quarterfinals.

This time, it’s Toronto that is the powerhouse and Montreal the marginal playoff contender. Consequently of of a potent scoring punch led by younger superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Leafs lead the Scotia North Division with 71 components. The Canadiens, meanwhile, defend the fourth and final playoff berth with 55 components.

At first search for, this must composed seem love an straight forward sequence for the Leafs. They are the higher crew, having defeated the Canadiens in five of their seven meetings this season. Alongside with their younger scorers, they’ve skilled worn leaders a lot like Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza. They don’t assemble grand danger getting motivated for this sequence in opposition to a hated rival.

Despite their original-season success in fresh years, nonetheless, the Leafs have not won a playoff spherical since 2004. If sidelined Canadiens stars a lot like goaltender Carey Impress, Shea Weber and Brendan Gallagher return in staunch health for this sequence, the Habs assemble a shot at an upset.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals assemble a longstanding playoff competition stretching abet to their first sequence 30 years previously. It grew intensive throughout the final 15 years after Sidney Crosby joined the Penguins and Alex Ovechkin debuted with the Capitals in 2005-06.

All the arrangement through the Crosby-Ovechkin period, the two golf equipment assemble clashed four times in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins won three of these sequence, while the Capitals were the winners in 2018 en path to their first Stanley Cup championship.

Crosby and Ovechkin remain among the NHL’s elite stars however are drawing near near the tail ends of their respective careers. We can also now now not acquire many extra opportunities to glimpse these two opponents face off in the heat of playoff battle.

Each and every golf equipment are jostling for first put of dwelling in the MassMutual East Division. The Penguins took six out of eight video games for the length of their season sequence despite a rash of injuries decimating their blue line throughout the agenda, now to now not level out heart Evgeni Malkin’s sidelining. The Capitals overcame the lack of Ovechkin, heart Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Ilya Samsonov to COVID-19 protocols earlier in the season.

For the Penguins and Capitals to meet in the outlet spherical, nonetheless, the Unique York Islanders must overtake them in the standings over the subsequent two weeks. If that does now now not happen, likely we’ll acquire to survey these monumental opponents tangle in the second spherical.

Standings and original-season sequence data (as of Might perchance well likely just 3, 2021) by skill of NHL.com and Hockey Reference.