BURNING QUESTIONS
Michael Traikos has answers for every team competing for the Stanley Cup
Is the Vegas flu for real? Will the real Matt Murray show up? Are Toronto’s kids old enough to make an impact and do Anaheim’s veterans have enough in the tank? The playoffs are finally here and with it is a whole slew of question marks as to whether everyone’s favourite team will go all the way and win the Stanley Cup.
ANAHEIM Do the old guys have enough in the tank?
While Ryan Getzlaf (61 points) and Corey Perry (49 points) put up respectable numbers this season, Ryan Kesler (14 points in 44 games) had one of the worst years of his career. At 33, he could be running on empty.
BOSTON Will Rick Nash supplement the scoring?
The Bruins are a one-line team, with Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejci combining for nearly 50% of the team’s offence. The addition of Nash was supposed to help in that department, but after missing the past month with an upper-body injury, no one is sure what to expect.
COLORADO Can Jonathan Bernier hold the fort?
Losing No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov obviously wasn’t ideal, but it might not be the end of the world if Bernier can replicate his .939 save percentage from when Varlamov was injured in January. Since then, of course, it’s dipped below .900.
COLUMBUS Can Pierre-Luc Dubois defend against Crosby?
Not many teams have a rookie as their No. 1 centre. But Columbus doesn’t have many other options. Plus, with 20 goals and 48 points, Dubois hasn’t exactly looked out of place. Now comes the real challenge: Doing it in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES Will Jonathan Quick keep up his Vezina-worthy play?
There are few goalies other than Quick that I’d rather have in net for a seven-game series. His playoff numbers speak for themselves. This season, the two-time Cup winner has been among the best in the league with a .921 save percentage.
MINNESOTA Will the Wild survive the loss of Ryan Suter?
Without Suter, who led Minnesota defencemen in almost every category, the Wild will rely heavily on Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin. “That’s a one-two defenceman on almost any team in the league the way they’ve played this year,” goalie Devan Dubnyk told reporters recently.
NASHVILLE Can everyone find a role that works?
The Predators, who have added Eeli Tolvanen, Mike Fisher and Ryan Hartman in the past couple of months, are so deep with talent that their second-highest scorer (Viktor Arvidsson) was playing on the third line. That’s a blessing. But it could also be a curse if ice time becomes an issue.
NEW JERSEY Can Taylor Hall continue to carry the offence?
The MVP favourite had almost double the number of points as the Devils’ next-highest scorer. In other words, if Hall isn’t scoring then the team could be in serious trouble. That is, unless recently acquired Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner chip in more than they have.
PHILADELPHIA Which goalie will lead the Flyers?
It’s not exactly shocking that Philadelphia’s playoff success hinges on who’s in net. While Michal Neuvirth is back from injury, it’s trade-deadline acquisition Petr Mrazek that seems to have control of the net — for now, that is.
PITTSBURGH Will the real Matt Murray show up?
It’s been an up-and-down season for Murray, who has dealt with injuries and personal loss. But the playoffs are what have defined his career so far. If he can replicate what he’s done in each of the past two years, then the Penguins might just three-peat.
SAN JOSE Can Joe Thornton still make an impact?
The veteran centre, who hasn’t played since Jan. 23, still isn’t sure about his readiness for the playoffs. At his age, you never know what you’re going to get anymore. But even if it’s as a power-play specialist — where he has 18 of his 36 points — he’s a welcome addition.
TAMPA BAY Can the Lightning get on the same page?
The best team in the first half of the season hasn’t exactly been the same team in the second half. Maybe it’s boredom. After all, with Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller added at the deadline, the Lightning should have the pieces to win it all.
TORONTO Are the kids ready?
Though they had a taste of the playoffs last year, even more will be expected of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and the rest of Toronto’s youngsters. If they can play beyond their years, the Leafs have the talent to go all the way.
VEGAS Can the Vegas curse continue in the playoffs?
The Golden Knights owned one of the best home records during the regular season, which might have owed a little to the fact that opposing players got a little distracted while visiting Sin City. It will be interesting to see if that lack of discipline continues.
WASHINGTON Will Braden Holtby reclaim the net?
Alex Ovechkin takes a lot of the heat for not getting Washington over the hump, but if the team is going to go deep, it will be because of its goaltending. Holtby, who wasn’t good enough in last year’s second-round loss, heads into this year’s playoffs with question marks concerning whether he should even be the Game 1 starter.
WINNIPEG Will Mark Scheifele stay healthy?
When he’s been in the lineup, Scheifele has performed at an MVP level. The problem is he’s missed more than 20 games because of nagging injuries and heads into the playoffs with some obvious wear and tear on his body. Can he withstand the physical rigours of the postseason? We’ll see.