by John Barr | Jun 22, 2021 | NHL Expansion Draft
The NHL distributed the injured reserve exemption list for the NHL Expansion Draft yesterday. We took a peek to identify any surprises and impacts to the Kraken. This list identifies any players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury).
These players are deemed exempt from selection in the Expansion Draft.
The one notable callout on the list is Brent Seabrook. The Chicago Blackhawks dodged a bullet with Seabrook announcing his retirement earlier this season. Seabrook had a full no-movement clause (NMC) in his contract that would have required Chicago to protect him in the Expansion Draft. This would have exposed a quality defenseman to Seattle. Seabrook was a wonderful player in his prime, but his most recent quality of play – thanks largely to injuries – would not have warranted protection in the draft.
None of the other names on the list should come as surprises since most of them have either announced their retirement or have not played in the league in several years.
Who is not on the exemption list
Two names we were keeping an eye for the injury exemption list were Jonathan Toews and Oscar Klefbom. What should be considered good news for Seattle, neither of them were on the exemption list.
Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks
Toews missed the entire 2020-21 season for the Chicago Blackhawks after announcing that he has an undisclosed condition that leaves him “feeling drained and lethargic.” The fact that he is not on the long-term injured reserve list should be considered good news for his return. Toews also has a full NMC that requires Chicago to protect him in the Expansion Draft.
Here is a look at the Expansion Draft projections for the Chicago Blackhawks:
Chicago does not have many quality options for the Kraken to choose from, so the mandated protection of Jonathan Toews is low impact for the Blackhawks.
Oscar Klefbom and the Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers situation is very interesting. Oscar Klefbom missed the entire 2020-21 season recovering from shoulder surgery. As recent as April, Klefbom has cast a bit of doubt on his ability to recover and play in the NHL again. A healthy Klefbom would be protected, but the Oilers are now forced to decide between protecting a rehabbing Klefbom or a much younger Caleb Jones.
Here is a look at the Expansion Draft projections for the Edmonton Oilers:
I am still projecting Klefbom as protected and feel that the doubt cast by his long-term recovery is a bit of a ruse to get Seattle to steer clear of him, should he be available. If Klefbom is exposed, I believe the risk is well worth the potential reward. Outside of the Klefbom/Jones scenario, I do not feel the Oilers have much to offer the Kraken in the Expansion Draft.
Now that the injured reserve exemption list is published, we are one step closer to the final protection lists and are now less than 30 days away from the Expansion Draft. Buckle up!
by John Barr | Jun 14, 2021 | NHL Expansion, NHL Expansion Draft
Last week we played a game of “Would you rather?,” where we hid team and player names of a few squads participating in the NHL Expansion Draft and then asked the readers to submit their preferred selections based on the information provided. We had an overwhelming response to the post, so we figured we should do it again this week.
For those that missed last week, the game is simple. I am going to lay out three teams and a few of the players that are expected to be exposed in the NHL Expansion Draft from those teams. You will then select the players in a short survey at the bottom of the post. There is no right or wrong answer here; it is just a way to get your preference without the bias of seeing the player names.
Team D
Player 1
- Position: Right Wing
- Age on 10-1-2021: 29.8 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2M through the 2022-23 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Had six goals and 13 assists over 46 games during the 2020-21 season. Solid two-way winger with very good hockey sense. Will never put up big offensive numbers but is reliable defensively.
Player 2
- Position: Forward
- Age on 10-1-2021: 23.2 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $763K/year in 2020-21
- High-Level Scouting Report: Has played in just 38 NHL games; 36 came in 2020-21 season. Only had nine points in those 36 games this season. Had 22 goals and 20 assists in 55 games in the AHL during the 2019-20 season. Offensive-minded player that is likely a second-line forward in the NHL.
Player 3
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 27.5 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $5.3M through the 2023-24 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Fantastic skater. Can play the role of a shutdown defenseman that can log a ton of minutes. Has some offensive capabilities as well. Had 10 points over 52 games in the 2020-21 season.
Team E
Player 1
- Position: Forward
- Age on 10-1-2021: 29.3 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $1.7M through the 2021-22 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Heavy-hitting forward that can kill penalties. Not a lot of scoring touch and is likely a career bottom-six forward. Had four goals and seven assists in 41 games over the 2020-21 season.
Player 2
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 27.3 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2.7M through the 2021-22 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Puck moving defenseman with some offensive upside. Had 10 assists in 30 games played this season in the NHL.
Player 3
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 24.2 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $793K/year in 2020-21
- High-Level Scouting Report: Smart two-way player that is not afraid to jump into the play to join the rush. Spent this last season split between the NHL and AHL and has only 18 NHL games over the last two seasons. Long-term potential is a little bit unknown due to the small sample size of NHL games.
Team F
Player 1
- Position: Wing
- Age on 10-1-2021: 29.3 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $1.5M through the 2022-23 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Undersized depth scoring forward on a cheap contract over the next two seasons. Scored 14 goals in 53 games during the 2020-21 season. Reliable in defensive situations.
Player 2
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 30.9 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $3.9M through the 2023-24 season
- High-Level Scouting Report: Big, physical defenseman without a lot of scoring upside. Slots in well on the second defense pairing. Had two goals and 17 assists over 56 games during the 2020-21 season.
Player 3
- Position: Goalie
- Age on 10-1-2021: 25.7 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $717K/year in 2020-21
- High-Level Scouting Report: Great quickness and lateral movement. At 6-foot-2 he is a little small for the position but has shown promise to be a regular goalie in the NHL. During 2020-21 season, he played 37 games with a save percentage of .908 and a goals-against-average of 2.69.
Submit your NHL Expansion Draft selections
If you want to play GM, fill out the questions below and we will share the results in the Weekly One-Timers at the end of the week.
by John Barr | Jun 6, 2021 | NHL Expansion Draft, Uncategorized
If you were responsible for the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft selections, what would your strategy be for selecting the team? Would you draft young to build for the future or grab a bunch of veterans to compete in year one? Would you draft lower-paid players to use your cap space as a weapon or players on higher salaries to put the best team on the ice? Would you be able to do it all without a preexistent bias you have for some players?
To help answer those questions I thought we would play a simple game of “would you rather?”
The game is simple. I am going to lay out three teams and a few of the players that are expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft. You will select the players in a short survey at the bottom of the post. The catch here is that the teams and player names are hidden to erase any bias you might have of certain individuals.
Team A
Player 1
- Position: Right Wing/Center (can play either)
- Age on 10-1-2021: 27.8 years old
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2.8M through the 2025-26 season.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Solid two-way center that is projected as a third-liner. Can put the puck in the net but does not score often. He had eight goals and eight assists over 54 games this year. Averages ~.3 points per game over the last three seasons.
Player 2
- Position: Center
- Age on 10-1-2021: 30.6
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $8M/year through the 2025-26 season.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Big playmaking center that averages 12 to 15 goals a season. He is a first-line center but lacks consistency on a night in, night out basis. Productivity has declined over the last few seasons and still has five years remaining on his contract.
Player 3
- Position: Wing
- Age on 10-1-2021: 24.3
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after this season with a qualifying offer ~$700k.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Physical forward with some goal scoring capabilities. Started this season in the AHL where he had 21 points with 10 goals and three assists in 13 games. Made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season when he played 15 games and had five goals and two assists. NHL potential is still unknown but has shown promise in development.
Team B
Player 1
- Position: Wing
- Age on 10-1-2021: 26.2
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $2.8M/year on previous contract.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Good skater with good hands. Had seven goals and seven assists over 43 games during the 2020-21 season. Lack of scoring could be misleading since he played on one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL. Could be a 20+ goal scorer if given the opportunity.
Player 2
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 23.4
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $745K/year. Qualifying offer will be under $1M.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Offensive-minded defenseman that is not afraid to jump up in the play. Has played fewer than 20 games in the NHL in each of the last three seasons. Only played 13 games in 2020-21 and only had four points. He put up 20 points in the AHL over 28 games. Still young, turned 23 in May.
Player 3
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 32.7
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $3.9M through the 2022-23 season.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Excellent offensive capabilities with great transitional speed and patience with the puck. Had 15 points over 55 games on a low scoring team during the 2020-21 season. Had 34 points over 70 games during the 2019-20 season. Can be a significant power play contributor as well.
Team C
Player 1
- Position: Defense
- Age on 10-1-2021: 28.5
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $4.5M/year through 2022-23 season.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Excellent skating abilities with a strong offensive game. Can quarterback the power play and scores some clutch goals. Had nine goals and 11 assists in 41 games during the 2020-21 season. Lacks some consistency and can have defense lapses that costs the team some goals.
Player 2
- Position: Forward
- Age on 10-1-2021: 23.0
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $874K/year. Qualifying offer will be ~$1M but he might require close to $2M.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Projected as an excellent two-way center that has progressed slower than expected. Injuries have been a significant contributor to this player’s development and missed the entire 2019-20 season. Had nine points in 52 games in 2020-21. In his second year of pro hockey, he had 13 goals and 18 assists over 72 games during the 2018-19 NHL season.
Player 3
- Position: Wing
- Age on 10-1-2021: 32.41
- Annual Salary Cap Hit: $7M through the 2022-23 season.
- High-Level Scouting Report: Big forward that is not afraid to drive the net. Excellent goal scoring capabilities with great hockey sense. Had 17 goals and 26 assists in 56 games. Has been a goal scorer his entire career and at 32-years-old, does not appear to be slowing down.
Submit your Expansion Draft selections
If you want to play GM, fill out the questions below and we will share the results in the Weekly One-Timers at the end of the week.
by John Barr | Jun 5, 2021 | NHL Expansion Draft
Earlier this week I did a deep dive on the Expansion Draft protections for four of the remaining eight teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Today, I am going to look at how the other four teams might approach the NHL Expansion Draft next month. If you did not read the previous post, I recommend you look back and check out the projection framework.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal does not provide the Kraken with many options at the forward position. The three forwards available to the Seattle Kraken are all pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Joel Armia or Phillip Danault would be a great middle-six forward for the Kraken if they can draft and sign either to a contract extension, but the ‘draft and sign’ scenario will be rare in the Expansion Draft.
Shea Weber is still playing quality hockey at 35 and has at least a year or two more in the tank. With $8 million annual salary cap hit and five years left on his contract, I doubt the Kraken would consider selecting Weber in the Expansion Draft. On the other side of the age spectrum is Cale Fleury who will only be 22 when the Kraken take the ice in the fall. He had limited action and production this year, so it is hard to get a read on his long-term potential. At that salary and that age, there is little risk in selecting him.
Most people have been penciling in Jake Allen as the pick from Montreal, but goalie selections are a little more nuanced and require looking at the entire goalie landscape across the league and Expansion Draft. If the Kraken can ‘sign and draft’ the likes of a Linus Ullmark (BUF) or Chris Driedger (FLA), Allen would be unnecessary. I feel the Kraken will look elsewhere for their starting goalie.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg does not have a lot of household names available, but they provide some quality options at every position.
Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins are younger forwards with upside. Appleton has looked very good on the third line during the playoffs and could probably shine a bit brighter if given the opportunity to move up the lineup as his career evolves.
On defense, Logan Stanley is turning into a solid NHL player before our eyes. He just turned 23 and could be a stable second-pairing defenseman for the Kraken. Seattle could also select Sami Niku in the hopes that he finally develops into the puck-moving defenseman that the Jets have been anticipating for a while. With other options on the Jets roster for the Kraken, selecting Niku would be a risky proposition.
There is also pending UFA goalie, Laurent Brossoit, who has lived in the shadow of Connor Hellebuyck for the last three years. It is debatable if Brossoit can be a regular everyday starter, but if the Kraken are looking at a possible platooning goalie, Brossoit might be a good candidate. The 23-year-old Mikhail Berdin could possibly be selected and targeted as the Kraken’s minor league goalie for a year or two as he continues to develop.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado is another interesting team with some business to settle before we will have a confident read on who they will protect and expose in the Expansion Draft. For starters, Gabriel Landeskog and Philipp Grubauer are pending unrestricted free agents. Hard to think the current captain of the Colorado Avalanche will play somewhere else next year, which makes me feel that Landeskog will stay with Colorado who will sign him after the Expansion Draft. Colorado has the cap space and there seems to be a desire on both sides to work out a deal.
Grubauer is a bit of a wild card. Right now, he’s having the best season of his career. He turns 30 next season and his next contract is probably his last opportunity to really cash in. Colorado has the cap space, but I do not think they will pay what Grubauer can get on the free-agent market. Therefore, I expect him to be exposed in the Expansion Draft and feel there is an outside shot of Seattle making a run at him if Devon Toews is unavailable.
The last item of open business is what the Avs have planned for Erik Johnson. Johnson has a no-move clause (NMC) that requires the Avalanche to protect him unless he waives his NMC for the Expansion Draft. Johnson waiving his NMC for the Expansion Draft would be huge for the Avalanche. If Johnson does not waive, this opens the door for Toews to be exposed, and he would be a fairly obvious choice for the Kraken.
If Toews is not available in the Expansion Draft, Seattle will probably lean toward selecting Grubauer, Ryan Graves on defense or J.T. Compher at forward.
Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft impact
The Vegas Golden Knights are exempt from the NHL Expansion Draft, but they could still play a role in how it all shakes out. Vegas was up against the Salary Cap all season which led to some interesting roster maneuvers to be cap compliant.
Vegas has about $7 million in cap space rolling off their payroll at the end of the year due to expiring contracts. They will look to use this cap space during free agency, but they might want a little more flexibility and trade some players before the Expansion Draft to create even more cap space. Trading 36-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury and his $7 million salary cap hit before the Expansion Draft to a team that needs to get out of exposing and losing a quality player to Seattle is possible. An example would be the Golden Knights trading Fleury to Colorado for Toews. Colorado would have lost Toews anyway and now they have a goalie for next year. Vegas creates cap space and more importantly, Devon Toews replaces Alec Martinez who hits free agency.
There is also a scenario where Vegas identifies a player exposed in the Expansion Draft and negotiates a preemptive trade with the Kraken. An example would be where Vegas wants Allen and his ~$3 million cap hit as its back-up goalie. Vegas could then negotiate with Seattle to select and trade Allen to Vegas for Fleury and perhaps a second-round draft pick. Vegas would have created $4 million in cap space in that transaction.
So, there are a lot of different scenarios that could play out involving the Golden Knights, even though they aren’t involved in the Expansion Draft.
Expansion Draft Projections wrap-up
As close as we are to the Expansion Draft, there are a lot of open items that can still play out before July 17 when the 30 participating teams are required to submit their picks to the NHL. Buckle up.
by John Barr | Jun 1, 2021 | NHL Expansion Draft
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs field narrows down to eight, I thought it would be a good time to check in on our Seattle Expansion Draft projections for the teams that are still alive. Projecting who will be exposed and taken in the July draft can be a fool’s errand at times, but this should give Kraken fans another element of enjoyment for these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Expansion Draft projection framework
To help manage expectations and add context to the projections, I put together a framework to help guide the conversation.
Projection category:
- Protected: Players being projected as being protected by their current team.
- Watchlist: Players that are shortlisted for the Seattle Kraken, should they be made available.
- Unprotected: Players that are eligible for the Expansion Draft but are unlikely to be protected or picked by Seattle. I have filtered these players out of any projection tables.
Projection Confidence Level:
The Projection Confidence Level is subjective and is an illustration of how confident I am in the Projection Category. For example, Matt Barzal is a lock to be protected and has a projection category of “Protected” and a Projection Confidence Level of 100%. For another example, I am confident that Morgan Geekie will be high on the Seattle Kraken’s watchlist so I gave him a 75% confidence level as a “watchlist” player.
There is also a scenario where some very good players are pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA). The Kraken have an exclusive 48-hour window where they can negotiate with these pending UFAs to agree to terms on a possible contract extension. If they can agree to a deal, the Kraken will draft these players off their respective teams. This will be extremely rare in the Expansion Draft, and as such, I am only giving a 10% confidence level for any pending UFAs of note.
Side note: Data was compiled using CapFriendly.com, NHL.com, and theAHL.com.
Carolina Hurricanes Expansion Draft Projections
All year long it seemed as if Ron Francis and crew would have the pick of two former Tri-City Americans with Jake Bean and Morgan Geekie as likely exposure candidates. It recently became clear, though, that Dougie Hamilton is unlikely to sign an extension with the Hurricanes before the Expansion Draft. This will open a protection spot for Jake Bean. Geekie should still be exposed and looks like the target here.
There is also a chance the Kraken want a bit more experience with their roster and target Brady Skjei on defense or Jesper Fast as a wing. Geekie has yet to play in a playoff game this season but is a likely candidate to step in if there are any injuries to the forwards.
Tampa Bay Lightning Expansion Draft Projections
One way or another, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have plenty of options for the Kraken to choose from. The Lightning are also one of the more complex teams to project for the Expansion Draft. On Saturday, I was forecasting they would want to protect former first-round draft pick, Cal Foote, and go with the 4-4-1 format vs the 7-3-1 format. On Monday, I changed my mind and now feel they will put a higher value on Ondrej Palat, thus forcing them back to the 7-3-1 format. The final two forward slots are interchangeable with most of the forwards on the watchlist. Even Ross Colton seems to be having a breakout year and could end up protected.
To add to the complexity of predicting the Lightning’s approach to the Expansion Draft, Tampa needs to move money off its roster to be salary cap compliant for next season and is primed for a side deal. When the Expansion Draft is complete, I expect Seattle to grab at least three assets from Tampa. I predict at least one of Killorn, Gourde, or Palat to be part of the Expansion Draft. Additionally, the Bolts will want to move Tyler Johnson’s salary and what better place than Seattle to make that happen? They will need to move a prospect or some future draft picks for the Seattle Kraken to consider taking on Johnson’s $5 million salary.
Boston Bruins Expansion Draft Projections
The Bruins are another complex team to evaluate for the Expansion Draft. Of the forwards, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson has been playing in Sweden all season, and Ondrej Kase was forecasted as protected at the beginning of the season but has not played since January due to injury. Meanwhile, Trent Frederic and Zach Senyshyn are just breaking into the NHL which makes their evaluation challenging. On defense, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon do not have the offensive upside of a Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, but they could be stable defenders in the NHL for many years. These are good options from Boston, but they all have some level of risk.
It is worth calling out that Taylor Hall is a pending UFA and most people predict him to re-sign with the Bruins. If this happens, it will more than likely occur after the Expansion Draft and will not be a contributing factor in Boston’s protection list.
New York Islanders Expansion Draft Projections
The New York Islanders will probably approach the Expansion Draft as an opportunity to shed some salary by exposing and then encouraging Seattle to select a high salary player. On the surface, it looks like the last forward protected spot will come down to Kieffer Bellows or Josh Bailey. But would anyone be surprised if general manager Lou Lamoriello exposes Jordan Eberle or Brock Nelson to bait Seattle into taking one of those players and their cap hit? I do not expect it, but I also know that Lamoriello can be unpredictable.
Perhaps more likely, Lamoriello could expose Semyon Varlamov to move his $5 million cap hit since it appears that Ilya Sorokin is the goalie of the future for the Islanders. Sorokin is exempt from the Expansion Draft and does not require protection.
Tomorrow I will cover the other three teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that are participating in the Expansion Draft next month (remember, Vegas is exempt). I hope this gives you another reason to enjoy these games as we get closer and closer to the Expansion Draft.
by Andy Eide | May 14, 2021 | Kraken, NHL, NHL Expansion, NHL Expansion Draft, NHL Trade Deadline
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are back, and the MassMutual East Division opens this weekend with a couple of enticing matchups as the Boston Bruins face the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Islanders.
It starts Saturday with a fun matchup between two veteran teams with opposite strengths, and Sunday we get to see if the Penguins are truly back. This is just the beginning so prepare your couch for heavy use as we watch it all play out over the next month and a half.
Here’s a look at the first round matchups for the MassMutual East Division:
New York Islanders (4) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (1)
When: Game 1 Sunday, 9 a.m. Pacific, NBC
Key Players: New York Islanders – C-Mathew Barzal (17g-28a-45p), RW-Josh Bailey (8g-27a-35p),D-Nick Leddy (2g-29a-31p), G-Semyon Varlamov (2.04 GAA, .929 SV); Pittsburgh Penguins – C-Sidney Crosby (24g-38a-62p), C-Evgeni Malkin (8g-20a-28p), D-Kris Letang (7g-38a-45p), G-Tristan Jarry (2.75 GAA, .909 SV)
The Matchup – Two years ago these teams met in another first-round matchup that resulted in a sweep by the Islanders. The Penguins come into this series hot, winners of three in a row and eight of the past 10. It’s not the same for New York, which started the season strong but has trailed off down the stretch and limped into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh had a resurgent season of sorts and after two early postseason exits in a row will have some pressure to go further this time around. Offensively, Crosby has been what you’d expect him to be and will be the focus again. The Penguins overcame some injuries this season but got Malkin back in the fold near the end of the season and are firing on all cylinders while scoring the most goals in the division and second-most in the NHL.
New York held onto top spot in the division at one point, but it’s been a struggle for coach Barry Trotz and his troops. To try and add some offensive punch, the Islanders picked up Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri from New Jersey. The two longtime Devils have not provided said punch, however, and have combined for just three goals.
The Penguins have the league’s fourth-best power play, which sets up a strength-on-strength situation in this matchup as the Islanders are sixth on the kill. Conversely, the Islanders are near the bottom of the stack in power-play rankings while the Penguins have struggled to consistently kill off penalties.
Wild Cards
While the trade with the Devils didn’t pan out as the Islanders had hoped, they have been getting contributions from rookie Oliver Wahlstrom who potted 12 goals and 21 points in 44 games. He could end up being a factor providing some much-needed secondary scoring for the offensively challenged Islanders.
The Penguins added Jeff Carter at the deadline and the veteran has been hot, potting nine goals. He adds more options for the already stacked Penguins attack.
Kraken watch
Both clubs have some options for the Seattle Kraken to track in preparation of July’s Expansion Draft. Pittsburgh will have choices to make between protecting quality depth forwards Teddy Blueger, Jared McCann, or Brandon Tanev. The Islanders have some cap issues that could expose guys like Leddy, Bailey, Michael Dal Colle, or potentially rookie Keiffer Bellows.
Who’s going to win this?
In one corner the Penguins have one of the top offensive attacks in the NHL, and they’ll be facing one of the stingiest teams in the Islanders. This will come down to who can impose their will more. Trotz will try to slow things down for the Islanders to hinder Crosby and company. In the end, the Penguins have too much firepower resulting in a Pittsburgh win in six games.
Boston Bruins (3) vs. Washington Capitals (2)
When: Game 1 Saturday, 4:15 p.m. Pacific, NBC
Key Players: Boston Bruins – LW-Brad Marchand (29g-40a-69p), C-Patrice Bergeron (23g-25a-48p), RW-David Pastrnak (20g-28a-48p), G-Tuukka Rask (2.28 GAA, .913 SV); Washington Capitals – C-Nicklas Backstrom (15g-38a-53p), D-John Carlson (10g-34a-44p), LW-Alex Ovechkin (24g-18a-42p), G-Vitek Vanecek (2.69 GAA, .908 SV)
The Matchup
Washington ended the season tied with Pittsburgh but lost out on the division title because of a tiebreaker. Both are veteran-laden teams that still have pieces from their most recent Stanley Cup triumphs, so there won’t be an experience edge for anyone. Storylines abound in this series as Boston legend Zdeno Chara returns to face the Bruins as a Capital.
Boston’s top line of Pastrnak, Bergeron, and Marchand continue to be among the best in the league and the Capitals will need Chara and Brenden Dillon to stand tall on the back end. The Bruins rely on the big three for scoring – they scored 72 of Boston’s 168 goals this year – but that might not be enough. Players such as David Krejci and Craig Smith need to find a way to score. In goal, Rask is playing in what could be his last season in Boston and that will be motivation for one more kick at the can.
Washington has been consistent all season and appears to have overcome an injury scare to Ovechkin late in the season. The Russian star can still fire the puck, and while the Bruins have one of the best defenses in the NHL, nothing seems to stop Ovechkin. One of the top goal-scoring teams, the Capitals have depth scoring and outside of their top players, T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Tom Wilson can pick up the slack scoring wise.
Both teams are good on special teams, which should be a wash. But in any playoff matchup, discipline is key.
Wild Cards
Boston won the trade deadline’s biggest chip by landing Taylor Hall from Buffalo. Since joining the Bruins he’s been good with 14 points in 16 games. The Bruins struggled to score consistently prior to Hall arriving, and he could be the key to closing the gap with Washington. Vanecek has been a revelation for the Capitals this year, but he is unproven. The rookie has never played in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, and he’ll need to rise to the occasion to beat the Bruins in this matchup.
Kraken watch
Seattle could end up getting some key players at the Expansion Draft out of this playoff matchup. For Boston, they may end up exposing players such as Nick Ritchie up front or defenders Jeremy Lauzon or Connor Clifton. Washington is an interesting team to watch for the Kraken. Vanacek could be an option in goal but has played so well that Washington could end up protecting him and exposing Ilya Samsonov instead.
Who’s going to win this?
The Bruins are the defensively oriented team while the Capitals scored all the goals this season. It’s always a fun playoff matchup when strengths are at odds. Boston needs to find secondary scoring and could get it from Hall. Will he be enough to push the Bruins past the rookie Vanacek and into the second round? Yes, Boston in six.
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