TEN BURNING QUESTIONS

Which Canadian team will make it farthest? What team will hoist the Cup? Who has the most to lose? Postmedia hockey writers from across the country tackle the big questions as the playoffs loom.

1 Not a single Canadian team qualified for the playoffs last season. This year, five teams made it. Aside from a healthy Carey Price, what was the big difference?

MT: Goaltending. Craig Anderson (Ottawa), Carey Price (Montreal), Cam Talbot (Edmonton) and Frederik Andersen (Toronto) all ranked in the top-13 in save percentage. That’s a big improvement from a year ago, when five Canadian teams ranked in the bottom nine.

SC: In a salary-capped world injuries play a key role in who makes the playoffs and who doesn’t. Just ask Tampa Bay this season (Steven Stamkos) and Montreal last year (Carey Price). Canadian teams — and their key players — stayed relatively healthy.

BG: Coach Guy Boucher and captain Erik Karlsson (pictured). New GM Pierre Dorion brought in Boucher to right the ship and Karlsson bought into the program. The Senators couldn’t play in their own end last year and Karlsson has led the charge with his shotblocking. Boucher has them playing the right way.

KO: For the Flames, it was a combination of good goaltending, contributions from their top stars after a struggle to start the year, and getting hot at the right time. Their 10-game win streak helped, too.

JM: In Edmonton, their top-six forwards haven’t missed a game, Cam Talbot has been durable (73 games) and good in net and Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have provided the best tag-team punch in the NHL.

2 Which Canadian team should advance the farthest? And will we see one of them deliver the first Stanley Cup to this country since Montreal in 1993?

MT: I would never bet against Carey Price (pictured). That doesn’t mean I’m necessarily picking Montreal to win the Cup, but if there’s a team that can go the distance it’s going to be the Habs, who enter the postseason having won 15 of their final 21 games.

SC: I’d be surprised to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup, but goaltending is always the key in the playoffs and the Canadiens have Carey Price. Having said that, Price can’t score and Montreal’s lack of offensive depth will likely be their downfall.

BG: The Habs, given all the moves they’ve made, should go the farthest. Montreal isn’t good enough to win the Cup, but they’ve got a strong chance to get to the East Final.

KO: Edmonton has all the right elements to go deep. Maybe that’s a dark-horse prediction, but they’ve been impressive all year. Connor McDavid, of course, but Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon, Leon Draisaitl … they’re solid in net and finally have some depth. But I don’t think the Oilers, or any Canadian team, will hoist the Stanley Cup.

JM: I’m going to put on my homer’s hat and say the Oilers. Montreal has the best team of the bunch, but they’ve drawn a tough opponent in the Rangers. It’s wide-open in the Pacific for the Oilers, but we will not see a Canadian team win the Cup.

3 Can the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions?

MT: Despite losing more than 270 games to injury, Pittsburgh still finished with the second-best record in the NHL. But without defenceman Kris Letang (pictured), who averages nearly 26 minutes per game and is done for the year, I don’t see the Penguins going far.

SC: A well-respected NHL scout once told me the difference between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin is that Crosby wins championships and Ovechkin wins individual awards. That remains true and I would never bet against Crosby. So yes, the Penguins can definitely repeat, but it will be tougher without injured defenceman Kris Letang.

BG: Not this time. They won’t come out of nowhere like they did last year. Not having Kris Letang is a huge hit and I can’t see another miracle run for Matt Murray. Everything just went right last spring.

KO: The Penguins have kept rolling despite being decimated by injuries all year. But in the past few weeks, they’ve looked mortal. Then again, they have the best player on the planet who could very well will this team to another Stanley Cup.

JM: No, because almost nobody wins back-to-back anymore and I truly believe this is the Washington Capitals’ year.

4 Which first-round series should be the most entertaining and why?

MT: Edmonton vs. San Jose. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing against, I’m just curious to see what Connor McDavid will do in his first post-season. My prediction is we won’t be disappointed.

SC: Washington vs. Toronto. The Maple Leafs probably don’t have the defence to hold off the Capitals, but Toronto’s young guns can score and are always entertaining to watch. The young Leafs have absolutely no pressure since their season is already a success just by making the playoffs. That could be scary for a Washington team that already knows how to lose in the playoffs.

BG: The Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers have a long playoff history, with a strong goaltending matchup to boot. Carey Price vs. Henrik Lundqvist (pictured) is going to be terrific to watch.

KO: Penguins and Blue Jackets. There’s no shortage of bad blood and I’m interested to see how good the Blue Jackets really are. They lost in six games back in 2013-14 to the Penguins, which seems like ages ago.

JM: Penguins vs. Columbus. There’s a ton of dislike in those two teams and it’s always fun to watch Brandon Dubinsky and Sidney Crosby going at it.

5 Leicester wins the Premier League title. The Cubs win the World Series. The Cavaliers finally give Cleveland a title. If you were going to put money on an unlikely Cup winner, who would it be?

MT: Not many expected the Leafs to get to the playoffs this early in their rebuild. Fewer probably expect them to win the Cup — much less get past the first round. Still, if it were to happen, schools would close for the parade.

SC: There is something very strange going on in the world these days. The Cubs win the World Series, Donald Trump wins the U.S. election, so if there was ever a year to put a couple of bucks on the Leafs this would be it. Imagine Toronto with colour photos of a Stanley Cup victory instead of the black-and-white ones from 1967. Only put a couple of bucks on it, though.

BG: The Columbus Blue Jackets and I only say that because, really, who would pick these guys? Come on, it’s Columbus.

KO: Edmonton Oilers. No, seriously. Connor McDavid’s (pictured) first NHL playoffs is one thing, but dominating when it matters the most is another. The team hasn’t been in the post-season in more than a decade and could go on a run like they did in 2006.

JM: The Oilers, of course. They’re going in with nothing to lose and they’ve got McDavid, the Art Ross champ, the possible Hart trophy winner, and a very good goalie in Talbot.

6 Which team is ripe to be upset in the first round? Why?

MT: Washington. Because … it’s Washington.

SC: Chicago. The Predators have had an upand-down season and will be fired up to face the Blackhawks. P.K. Subban (pictured) still has something to prove after being traded by the Canadiens last summer and will be the most fired-up player on the ice. I don’t think it will happen, but if I have to pick a major first-round upset this would be it.

BG: The Capitals, of course. Look at the history they carry on their shoulders; they’ve folded their tent more often than the San Jose Sharks.

KO: Montreal, because Carey Price can’t do it all.

JM: Minnesota Wild. I haven’t liked their last month or so. Maybe they were locked into a playoff spot for so long they lost their mojo, but you never want to be ordinary going into the post-season

7 Which trade deadline acquisition will have the biggest impact on the post-season?

MT: Brian Boyle (pictured) didn’t score a single goal in 20 regular-season games for the Leafs, but it could be that he’s saving his best for the spring.

SC: Alex Burrows has six goals and 11 points in 20 games with Ottawa after being acquired from Vancouver. He’s playing close to his home in Quebec, in front of family and friends. His style of game is suited for the playoffs.

BG: If Kevin Shattenkirk doesn’t have the impact with the Capitals that he’s supposed to have in the playoffs then it’ll be all over. Shattenkirk has to be a differencemaker. No choice.

KO: Shattenkirk’s arrival in Washington made one of the deepest blue-lines in the NHL even deeper.

JM: Patrick Eaves in Anaheim. He slid onto the top line with Ryan Getzlaf seamlessly. No drop-off at all after his great year with Dallas before the trade.

8 Which coach is under the most pressure to get his team through the first round?

MT: Barry Trotz (pictured) in Washington. I don’t necessarily think his job depends on a long playoff run, but if the Capitals can’t figure it out this year something is going to have to change.

SC: A lack of post-season success cost Bruce Boudreau his job in Anaheim. He needs a first-round victory (at the very least) in Minnesota.

BG: I have to stick with my theme so it’s Trotz. I don’t think he’ll be fired if they lose, but enough is enough with these guys. If this doesn’t work then it’s time to change the players in the dressing room.

KO: Trotz has two second-round losses under his belt since he’s been with the Capitals. Anything less than a Conference final will be a disappointment.

JM: Bruce Boudreau. He’s a great regular season coach, but he’s had far too many disappointments in Washington and Anaheim.

9 Do you like the current playoff format, which emphasizes divisional rivalries?

MT: Nope. While I like playoff rivalries, I don’t want them to be manufactured. Having the second- and third-best teams in the conference (Pittsburgh and Columbus) play each other in the first round makes no sense.

SC: I hate it. Have two conferences and the top eight teams from each conference make the playoffs regardless of what division they play in.

BG: Sure, why not? It’s time to stop complaining about everything and just enjoy the playoffs. It’s ridiculous all the whining that has gone on about it. This has made the divisions meaningful.

KO: Honestly, I do. I know there has been some criticism over the format lately, particularly from a few players and GMs. But it allows for more upsets, surprises, and heated battles.

JM: Not one bit. Pittsburgh playing Columbus, two teams with way more than 100 points in Round 1, is a joke. The Rangers finished fourth in the Metro and they’re drawing an easier first-round opponent in the Habs, who won the Adams.

10 And finally, which team will win the Stanley Cup and why? Who will they beat to do it?

MT: I believe I picked Chicago versus Tampa Bay before the season started. I’m still picking the Blackhawks, but I now think they will beat the Canadiens.

SC: Injuries always play a key role in the playoffs, but the Penguins go into them already knowing they won’t have Letang and have had time to adjust. I’m picking the Penguins to beat the Blackhawks in the final.

BG: Chicago has had a great year and it doesn’t seem like the Hawks have got a whole lot of notice even though they’re ranked No. 1 in the West. I’ll begrudgingly say they’ll beat the Blue Jackets.

KO: Washington over Chicago … I know, I know. The Capitals are the league’s best choke-artists. But this is their year.

JM: Washington is the deepest team in the league with a heck of a goalie in Braden Holtby (pictured) and they’ll beat the Blackhawks in an entertaining final.