WHO’S IN POSITION TO WIN?
The Capitals have the edge in first-round series, though the battles might be tighter than you think The Toronto Maple Leafs will be massive underdogs when their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Washington Capitals begins Thursday night. And James van Riemsdyk is OK with that. After all, the Capitals are the ones who took home the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in the regular season, putting the pressure squarely on Alex Ovechkin and Co. “When you finish in the top spot, the expectations are a little bit different,” van Riemsdyk said. “For us, we’ve surpassed outside expectations, so it’s a different dynamic for every team.” Van Riemsdyk says the Leafs can surprise a lot of people. “When you come this far, you’re not going to be satisfied with anything other than moving on and trying to win games,” he said. “We’re not just happy to be here. We want to try to make our mark.” The Capitals took of two of three games from the Leafs in the regular season.
GOALTENDING
Capitals: The tandem of Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer won the Jennings Trophy for the best goalsagainst average in the league. Holtby’s numbers are impressive enough: 42-13-6, 2.07 GAA, .925 save percentage, but Grubauer was good, too (13-6-2, 2.04, .926) . . . The Leafs managed to score on Holtby seven times over two games this season.
Maple Leafs: Frederik Andersen was just about as good as promised (3316-14, 2.67, .918) but there are issues surrounding his health, and if he can’t play, then Curtis McElhinney (6-7-0, 2.87, .914) will have to play well above expectations for the Leafs to have a chance.
Edge: Capitals.
DEFENCE
Capitals: They added the dangerous Kevin Shattenkirk at the trade deadline to an already potent blue line that includes Matt Niskanen, John Carlson and Karl Alzner. They are deep with playoff experience. Carlson is nursing a lower-body injury, but should be ready to play.
Maple Leafs: The blue line can score but is not nearly as deep and remains untested in the playoffs. This will be the first taste of the post-season for Morgan Rielly, Nikita Zaitsev (when healthy) and Connor Carrick. As solid a season as Roman Polak had, he seemed out of place in San Jose’s run to the Stanley Cup final last year. There is little by way of trustworthy depth if Zaitsev is out long-term.
Edge: Capitals.
FORWARDS
Capitals: Nicklas Backstrom is worthy of some Hart consideration, and Ovechkin is always dangerous. The Caps have a veteran presence up front, and play a hard-hitting game with the likes of former Leaf Daniel Winnik. Marcus Johansson is a nifty playmaker and former Conn Smythe winner Justin Williams rises to the occasion in the playoffs.
Maple Leafs: Nazem Kadri will have his hands full with Washington’s top line, but the Leafs have three lines that can score. Auston Matthews seems to be born for the big stage and van Riemsdyk is a proven playoff performer (with 13 goals in 46 postseason games, including seven in 11 games in 2011). If the Leafs’ rookies get over playoff nerves and play their tenacious game, they can keep pace.
Edge: Tie.
COACHING
Capitals: Barry Trotz is probably as good a coach as there is in the NHL, both tactically and motivationally. The 54-year-old from Dauphin, Man., has coached 17 years in the league, starting with the expansion Nashville Predators. His teams have been in the playoffs in nine of the past 12 seasons, but have yet to make it past the second round. His biggest win: a 2003 world championship gold medal with Canada.
Maple Leafs: Mike Babcock is the highest-paid coach for a reason, and the likely winner of his first Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year for bringing his team from dead last to the playoffs. His list of accomplishments is impressive: One Stanley Cup, two Olympics golds, world championship gold, World Cup of Hockey gold and world junior gold.
Edge: Maple Leafs
SPECIAL TEAMS
Capitals: Ranked fourth-best in power play (23.1 per cent); seventh in penalty kill (83.8 per cent); 15th in faceoffs (49.8 per cent); fourth in possession (51.81 per cent).
Maple Leafs: Ranked second-best in power play (23.8 per cent); 10th in penalty kill (82.5 per cent); 14th in faceoffs (49.9 per cent); 12th in possession (50.43 per cent).
Edge: Tie PREDICTION Capitals in six.