USA TODAY International Edition
Who is the favorite to win Stanley Cup?
Now that the NHL trade deadline has passed, it’s time to take a look at some pressing questions for the rest of the season. USA TODAY NHL columnist Kevin Allen and NHL editor Jimmy Hascup provide some answers. (Note: Statistics entering Saturday’s games.) Are the Lightning the team to beat for the Stanley Cup?
Kevin Allen: Yes. With the addition of Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller, the Lightning have no glaring weakness. Andrei Vasilevskiy should win the Vezina as the NHL’s top goalie. The Lightning’s 3.52 goals-per-game scoring average leads the NHL. Now they’ve added a shutdown defenseman with shot-blocking ability, plus a 218-pound forward. There are no guarantees they will have playoff success, but they now have the necessary personnel to make it happen.
Jimmy Hascup: No. Give me the Nashville Predators, a team that was two wins away from the Stanley Cup last season and has improved. General manager David Poile didn’t sit idle even though his team is tied for the best record in the Western Conference. Ryan Hartman won’t be a difference-maker, but he deepens the roster in a way that allows them to roll four effective lines. Add in depth at center and a stout defense, and the Predators will be a Cup favorite.
❚ Who is the most important trade deadline addition?
Allen: Center Paul Stastny, Winnipeg Jets. The deal sends a clear message to the team and fans that the Jets are all in on their efforts to win the Stanley Cup. Stastny is a multifaceted player who can win a big faceoff, kill penalties and be a setup artist on the power play. He could be a perfect center for Patrik Laine. Winnipeg fans have been waiting for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to make a deal of this magnitude.
Hascup: Winger Evander Kane, San Jose Sharks. San Jose needed a jolt of offense, as it ranks 12th in goals. Kane (20 goals, 43 points) has no playoff experience, but his attributes — he plays with an edge, has size and attacks the net — should make him an impact player when games get tighter in the playoffs. The Sharks are a sleeper in the West.
❚ Which team will suffer because it didn’t do enough at the deadline?
Allen: New York Islanders. They are four points out of a playoff spot. The Islanders rank eighth in goals per game and last in goals against. Considering captain John Tavares is still unsigned, why wouldn’t the Islanders make a bold move to show Tavares they are committed to winning? A new goalie? A veteran defenseman? This team needed a spark. The fans would have certainly appreciated something more than Jason Chimera for Chris Wagner. Sometimes appearances matter.
Hascup: Toronto Maple Leafs. Tomas Plekanec was a nice addition, but he’s going to be a fourth-line center. The Maple Leafs really needed a top-four defenseman. The defense is only marginally better than the one they used in last season’s playoffs, when they got ousted in the first round by the Washington Capitals. It’s not like they didn’t have the assets — notably several young forwards — to move to acquire a blueliner.