With the playoffs in full swing, the guys are in a good mood this week, and they are willing to make completely speculative guesses at a few items. Will they be right? Tune in every week for the next few months to find out! Oh, and on this Sound Of Hockey Podcast the guys welcome an awesome guest this week in Ben Guerrero, Director, Media Relations for the Seattle Kraken!
Ben previously worked for the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals and has some great stories to share from those days. It’s a fun and informative chat with Ben that gives a peek behind the curtain for hockey fans.
This week, you’ll also get a fair amount of Kraken potential head coach discussion, as well as general NHL Playoff banter and – as always – plenty of chuckles along the way.
Segments include Bad Boys, Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week.
Are you starting an NHL franchise from scratch? If so, one of the top priorities you’ll need is a defenseman who can move the puck, man the power play, and create offense. The 2021 NHL Draft is littered with such defensemen which is good for the Seattle Kraken, who it turns out are starting an NHL team from scratch. Hailing from Sweden, Simon Edvinsson is such a defenseman who just may be on the Kraken radar during July’s draft.
Seattle will know exactly where it will be selecting in the draft after the lottery on June 2. No matter where their lotto balls fall, they do know that they’ll land somewhere between picks one and five.
There is no consensus top pick in this draft class, nor is there agreement on who the top five picks are going to be. The Kraken have some offensive options to choose from along with a strong class of defensemen.
Edvinsson may be the top blueliner available and is a player to watch.
Simon Edvinsson by the numbers
Edvinsson, 18, is listed at six-foot-five inches tall and 207 pounds which means he’s already NHL sized.
Last season he played for a number of teams, including a 10-game stint with Frolunda in the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. He also was the top defenseman for Sweden at the U18 World Championships in Texas where Sweden won a bronze medal. In seven games there, he scored a goal while adding four assists.
As is most of this draft class, Edvinsson is all over the map as far as where he’s ranked. Among the various online draft-heads, he shows up as low as ninth and as high as second in the various lists. That puts him in the crosshairs for the Kraken to select Edvinsson.
The pros at NHL Central Scouting have Edvinsson ranked as the second-best international player in their final rankings.
Simon Edvinsson the player
When you look at Edvinsson’s traditional numbers, they don’t jump off the page at you. At no point in any of the leagues he competed in was he a big scorer.
So, why is he considered a top-of-the-draft prospect and a guy who can fill that need for an offensive defenseman?
“The thing about Edvinsson is that whoever is drafting him is drafting the potential,” prospect guru Chris Peters says on his Hockey Sense site. “He’s still pretty raw, hasn’t really figured out how to use his size yet and certainly hasn’t learned how to take charge. I think he’s going to get there with time and development.”
Scouts love his size and the way he skates.
Watching his tape, the potential is there and like a lot of draft-eligible players, the development is still to come.
Simon Edvinsson, #3, LHD playing for Frölunda. 17 year old, a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/HxVnb1659z
He has good vision and ability to set up his teammates. The clip below is at even strength, but watching it you get a sense of what he would look like manning the power play for the Kraken.
While he shows the ability to work the point on the power play, Edvinsson is an excellent skater, especially for a guy his size. He has speed and can be dangerous on the rush, as seen in this clip where he moves the puck from deep in his own end all the way to the attacking zone where he finds an open teammate.
Simon Edvinsson (2021) played his first Allsvenskan game yesterday and picked up this beautiful assist after carrying the puck all the way up the ice #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/lDW6Tx2b8D
Finally, in this clip, he gets the puck, gets his head up, and makes a smart and accurate lob pass that sets up a dangerous scoring chance for a teammate.
#Allsvenskan: Pretty good start to Simon Edvinsson's (#9 Black) game today as Vasteras takes on Karlskoga. This is a gutsy lob but he times it perfectly. Wasn't used on either special teams and sat for a long stretch but he's been physical; passes have been crisp and on the tape pic.twitter.com/DKtxXiDwCY
— The Draft Analyst (@TheDraftAnalyst) March 5, 2021
Will the Kraken take Simon Edvinsson at the NHL Draft?
It’s impossible to say where Edvinsson sits on the Kraken internal draft board. They won’t be leaking that information, but it’s safe to say he’s on the radar for an early selection.
He is a player who will need more development, so don’t expect him to be a player that moves straight to the NHL in year one. More likely he’ll play back in Sweden this upcoming season to further work on his consistency and explosiveness.
There are other impressive defensive prospects in this draft, including Michigan’s Owen Power and Brandt Clarke from the OHL’s Barrie Colts. Edvinsson is in that grouping and it may come down to how Kraken head scout Robert Kron and general manager Ron Francis rate the potential to come.
The San Diego Gulls were eliminated by the Bakersfield Condors Monday night in the AHL’s Pacific Division playoffs thanks to a 2-1 overtime decision. Head coach Kevin Dineen’s club had a strong year, finishing first within the division in points but officially in third place due to points-earned percentage – a sign of this strange Covid hockey season. With Dineen’s season over, could he be a stealth candidate to become the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken?
Seattle general manager Ron Francis has remained tight-lipped on who he is considering, only to offer that the Kraken are in no hurry and would likely not hire anyone until they have a better understanding of how the field looks.
Most of the contenders being speculated about would have to get fired, or were just fired, or ‘agreed to part ways’ – which is the nice way of being fired. So, why not go with someone who is coming off successful seasons, like Dineen?
Francis has said over and over that he prefers a coach who has prior NHL experience to join the Kraken in year one. Dineen checks that box and many others, and he could end up in the mix to be the first head coach for the Kraken.
Kevin Dineen’s coaching path
Dineen, 57, is most known for his time as an NHL player, appearing in 1,188 games between the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, and Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored 355 goals over his career before retiring in 2003.
It didn’t take him long to get back into hockey, as he was hired as the head coach of the AHL’s Portland Pirates in 2005. Portland was the affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks and Dineen would spend six successful seasons guiding the future Ducks.
During his tenure, he never suffered a losing season and won 45-plus games in four of his six seasons. That got the NHL’s attention, and in 2011 the Florida Panthers brought him in as head coach. His first NHL season was a good one as the Panthers won 38 games and won a division title for the first time in a decade.
They lost in the first round, however, and would struggle the following season. Dineen would be let go 16 games into his third season, ending his NHL stint with a 53-62-28 record. After Florida, Dineen took a job leading Canada’s women’s national team and would lead them to a gold medal during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Kevin Dineen has been the head coach of the San Diego Gulls since 2019. Photo credit: San Diego Gulls
Later that season he found himself back behind an NHL bench, as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks. He would spend the next five seasons with the Blackhawks, picking up a Stanley Cup ring in 2015.
The Ducks would bring Dineen back in 2019 to head up their new AHL franchise in San Diego. With the Gulls the past two seasons, he’s done well with two winning campaigns and a 56-36-1-8 record.
Having local ties isn’t the top credential to becoming the first Kraken coach, but it doesn’t hurt. Dineen is very connected, not only to Ron Francis – the two played together in Hartford and Carolina – but to the city as well.
Dineen’s father, Bill Dineen, played for the Seattle Totems from 1964-1969 and Kevin spent his early years living in Queen Anne. Bill would later coach Kevin with the Flyers, but before that he was an amateur scout with the Hartford Whalers.
Francis has shown no hesitation in bringing in people he knows to the Kraken organization. He had worked previously with assistant general manager Ricky Olzyk and head of scouting Robert Kron. He played with Dineen and there is a familiarity with the family.
Could that be a deciding factor when considering coaches?
Dineen also had his games called by Kraken television play-by-play broadcaster John Forslund.
Why would Dineen make a good coach for the Kraken?
Dineen checks off a lot of the boxes that Francis and the Kraken are going to be looking for in a head coach.
First off, he has NHL experience. His two years in Florida were a mixed bag with his second season not as fruitful as the first. That second season the Panthers suffered a number of injuries and were not able to overcome that adversity in a season shortened by labor issues. After those lessons, he continued to learn on the bench in Chicago under Quenneville, one of the best coaches in the league.
Every other year he’s been a head coach was a success with zero losing records. Dineen has been able to coach competitive teams at every level.
His AHL record is impressive. And that bodes well for the coach of an expansion team that will rely on young players and a roaster pulled together in the mash-up that the Expansion Draft will produce. Dineen is known for his deft work with young players to help them develop into NHLers.
In the AHL, rosters are constantly revolving and despite that turnover, Dineen’s clubs win hockey games, which is the bottom line. This past season’s Gulls roster had 21 players who were new to San Diego and the Ducks franchise. That sounds a lot like how an expansion team will look.
Will Kevin Dineen be the guy the Kraken turn to? We will have to wait and see, but he has the credentials and track record that make him a true contender. He may not be the big name in the room right now but might end up being the best name and ultimately, the first head coach of the Kraken.
Hockey is made for rivalries. Nothing gets the blood boiling of players or fans more than a hated team skating into the arena. The Seattle Kraken don’t have any true rivals, yet. There is the close proximity to the Vancouver Canucks that opens up the possibility for a heated divisional opponent there, but the teams will have to play the games before we truly know if there’s bad blood.
Rivals are born in the playoffs as a hotly contested series breeds dislike.
When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the league, it was assumed there would be a natural rivalry with Los Angeles, or even Arizona. But after three years of playoff matchups, disdain quickly brewed for the San Jose Sharks, and boy do those teams hate each other now.
While it’s fun to poke Vancouver leading up to October, what about the rest of the Pacific Division? Which one of those teams will clash with the Kraken? What do we really know about these teams?
We are going to take a look at the Pacific Division team by team and get to know their history, their vibe, and where they’ve been to better get to know the Seattle Kraken rivals. First up, the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks have the potential to form a healthy, and tasty, rivalry with the Kraken. Seattle is no stranger to Bay Area hatred, just ask the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. You also have the Seattle Mariners and, well, nobody hates the Mariners so that’s not a good comparison.
Here is a first look at the San Jose Sharks, a potential Seattle Kraken rival
Established: 1991
Nickname history: A fan vote originally suggested the name ‘Blades’ but ownership preferred the runner up ‘Sharks’
Logo tidbit: The triangle on the Sharks logo is said to represent the ‘Red Triangle,’ an area in the Pacific Ocean known for its large shark population.
First season: 1991-1992 finished with a 17-58-5 record
AHL affiliation: San Jose Barracuda
ECHL affiliation: None
2020-2021 record: 21-28-7
Stanley Cup Final appearances: One, 2016, lost to Pittsburgh Penguins
Presidents’ Trophy: One (2008-2009)
Division titles: 6
All time leading scorer: Patrick Marleau – 1,102 points
In my world, nothing beats overtime hockey in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and without a rooting interest in this year’s Playoffs, I can enjoy it without having heart palpitations. This year’s Playoffs kicked off with three straight overtime games and last night the hockey gods treated us with two more overtime games. For this week’s Data Dump Saturday, I am going to look at how this Playoff season is tracking in various categories to previous years.
Overtime games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
As the chart shows, this year we have seen an above average number of overtime games through the first 22 games with eight. It is important to call out that the NHL categorizes last year’s play-in round as playoff games and for the purposes of this post, they are also categorized as playoff games.
Average goal differential
A playoff season with more overtime games is naturally going to have a lower goal differential compared a to playoff season with less overtime games so the lower goal differential this season should be expected.
Empty net goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Historical goal differential might be a bit misleading considering the trend of pulling the goalie earlier in the third period to get an extra attacker when a team is down. By the down team pulling their goalie earlier provides more opportunity, i.e. time, for the team that’s up to score and thereby increase the differential.
Here is a look at the empty net goals scored in the first 22 games.
This increase of empty net goals will contribute to a higher goal differential that might mislead to show that games are not as close as they really were. Game analytics support pulling goalies earlier leading to overtime games and thereby improving a team’s chances of winning. For more on this I would suggest you check out the great work by Meghan Hall on pulling goalies.
Summary
Between the quantity of overtime games and the smaller goal differential, it appears there is a parity across the teams. The divisional playoff format might explain some of this parity. Traditionally, the best regular season team in the conference plays the lowest qualifying team in the conference, a one seed vs eight seed. The 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff format has the one seed playing the four seed inside the division. Mathematically this will create match ups of teams of closer ability. However, with a regular season schedule that was made up of exclusively divisional opponents, it is difficult to draw any conclusions from this format, but it makes you wonder if we should see this division playoff structure in the future.
For now, let’s just root for more overtimes and hope for some game sevens.
Sometimes, hockey fans just need to express their feelings, especially during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. I am a hockey fan. I am a long-suffering Minnesota Wild fan. Currently, my feelings are injured. If you happened to watch Game 3 of the Minnesota/Vegas series on Thursday, you understand that being a Wild fan really is a miserable state of being. After Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead and dominated the first period, then appeared to take a three-goal lead, it felt like it was going to be smooth sailing. But wait! There’s an offside challenge! And it’s successful!
Boom. Back to 2-0.
Vegas predictably owned every inch of the ice the rest of the way, and Minnesota lost 5-2 while getting outshot 40-16 in total.
Sometimes I think I’m cursed as a sports fan. Sometimes I think I’m ready to throw 100 percent of my fandom behind the Seattle Kraken. Sometimes I think that me being a fan of the Kraken is actually the worst thing that could happen to that brand-new franchise that frankly does not deserve this brand of constant sports-induced agony.
Anyway, if you haven’t yet gathered, playoff hockey is here, and it’s been electric, with the highest of highs for some (Avalanche fans, Hurricanes fans, etc.) and the lowest of lows for others (Wild fans, Blues fans, et al).
Seattle Kraken news
After the big announcement last week that Seattle had signed its first ever player in Blainville-Boisbriand Armada center, Luke Henman, this was a much quieter week on the Kraken front.
Instead, we had just a couple of very small tidbits. The team unveiled some more details about its plans for youth programming at the new Kraken Training Center, and also announced a Covid vaccination pop-up at the Kraken Team Store at Chandler’s Cove on Tuesday, May 25. Get a shot and get 25% off on Kraken gear! How about that?
We are also happy to share that Seattle had a pretty good troll job on the Canucks this week, after that franchise continued its downward spiral into the abyss.
for everyone asking, yes, we are accepting applications for new fans. 😏
With the first round no deeper than Game 3 in any one individual series, it really does feel like we’ve already seen it all at this point. Goalie duels, back-and-forth affairs, overtime thrillers, you name it, we’ve already seen it. One can only hope that this riveting band of hockey continues as we move forward, and if history is any indicator… It will.
Imagine not being an NHL hockey fan during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Scary moment in Toronto
The hockey world held its collective breath on Thursday when Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares got hit in the neutral zone in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, then fell awkwardly into Corey Perry’s knee. The video was downright scary, as medical staff rushed onto the ice and supported Tavares’s head while he went in and out of consciousness.
Tavares was eventually carried off on a stretcher and gave a thumbs up.
Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe told media on Thursday night that Tavares was conscious and communicating and his test results were coming back “clear.”
The Canadiens came away with a surprising 2-1 victory to open the NHL Playoffs, thanks to a spectacular goal by Paul Byron.
With the NHL Playoffs in full swing, people tend to forget there’s another world-class tournament that happens around this time, in which the best of the rest all get together to try to prove that they are good at hockey, despite not being able to carry their respective NHL teams. Yes, the IIHF World Championship starts on Friday in Riga, Latvia.
What’s most interesting about this tournament, though, is that it often gives some top prospects an opportunity to compete against professional players on a big stage. This year is no different as draft-eligible forward Matty Beniers will suit up for Team USA, while his Michigan teammate Owen Power and Winnipeg Jets prospect Cole Perfetti will play for Canada.
Canucks prospect Michael DiPietro will also be there, sporting one hell of a look.
Canada gets underway Friday against Latvia at 10:15AM Pacific. Team USA will start against Finland on Saturday at 6:15AM Pacific. Most of the interesting matchups throughout the tournament will be on NHL Network.
Everett Silvertips part with GM
The Everett Silvertips announced on Thursday that they would not extend the contract of general manager Garry Davidson.
Here’s SOH’s resident Silvertips expert, Josh Horton, with his thoughts on the matter:
Also, Garry was such a pro. I don’t think I heard anyone say a bad word about him while I was on the Tips beat. Amazing person to work with from my perspective and it’s going to be weird thinking of him not at the helm in Everett.
The Silvertips and Davidson have been synonymous with one another, and Everett’s success as an organization is very much thanks to Davidson’s efforts over the years.
Around the boards
Speaking of hockey executives named Davidson (I just couldn’t resist that segue), the Blue Jackets hired John Davidson as president of hockey operations and alternate governor. Davidson was canned by the Rangers on May 5 in the midst of the Great Tom Wilson Fiasco of 2021. He had previously worked for the CBJ’s in the same role up until 2019, when he left to join the Rangers. Davidson re-kindles his connection with Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who also signed an extension with Columbus through the 2024-25 season.
Team USA legend Meghan Duggan was hired by the New Jersey Devils as a player development manager this week. Duggan, 33, has seven IIHF World Championship gold medals, two Olympic silvers, and one Olympic gold.
After a cross-up behind the net between Ilya Samsonov and Justin Schultz led the Capitals to a double-overtime loss to the Bruins in Game 3, Alex Ovechkin let (presumably) Samsonov have it. In times like these, it is important to remember that it is never the goalie’s fault.
Bad boys
Nazem Kadri has been offered an in-person hearing from the NHL after nearly taking Justin Faulk’s head off in Colorado’s Game 2 win over the Blues on Wednesday.
And speaking of the Great Tom Wilson Fiasco of 2021, I was texting with a Colorado fan about the Kadri hit on Thursday. He made a fair point that it’s hard to justify suspending for a split-second, blink-of-an-eye play like this when Wilson nearly smashing two players’ heads through the ice only earned him a $5,000 fine a couple weeks ago.
But the thing is, the NHL has absolutely set a precedent that it does not want this type of hit happening on its watch. Since the Department of Player Safety was established in 2011, it has been very consistent in always suspending for these Raffi-Torres-Matt-Cooke-lookin’-a$$ hits.
Kadri will absolutely miss a couple games for this one.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Every NHL Stanley Cup Playoff season I enjoy digging into rosters to see how teams compare across relatively basic demographic information such as nationality, age, and acquisition type. As they say, sharing is caring. (Note: data sources are a combination of capfriendly.com and various statistical reports out of NHL.com.)
Average age across Stanley Cup Playoff rosters
Stanley Cup rosters by nationality
The league is roughly 45% Canadian, but variance across certain teams can be profound. Here is the breakdown of nationality by team.
How the players were acquired
This is a fun view on how these teams were built.
An interesting callout for Vegas is that Nicolas Hague is the first draft pick to make an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Golden Knights. This is his fourth season since being drafted and should be a good example on setting expectations for Seattle Kraken NHL Entry Draft picks in July.
Salary cap by playoff team
Technically there is no such thing as a salary cap in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but this year playoff salaries are getting a bit more discussion. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning brought back Nikita Kucherov from long-term injured reserve just in time for the playoffs, pushing the team way over the limit of what would be the cap. But again, there is no salary cap for the playoffs.
I hope this gives you a little more insight into the teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. If you have questions about the data or some additional angles you would like me to consider, let me know in the comments section.
Folks, the time has come! The NHL Playoffs are here and so far they are spectacular.
John, Andy, and Darren intentionally keep this episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast a bit shorter than usual to try to keep things more current, but they hope you get some good chuckles out of it along the way.
The show is rounded out with Sound Of Hockey’s Three Stars, Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week, with additional chatter about the Lightning going way over what would be the NHL salary cap in the playoffs and some compliments for the good people of Sunrise, Florida.
If it’s true that the North remembers, then this season will be unforgettable for Canadians. A whole season with an all-Canadian division is a dream come true and it hits its crescendo this week as the playoffs begin. The Toronto Maple Leafs open with the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers take on the Winnipeg Jets.
The North divisional playoffs feature marquee players and historic franchises. What’s not to like? Unfortunately, there won’t be fans in any of the buildings to juice the intensity, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to be treated to good hockey.
Can Toronto get out of the first round? Can Connor McDavid and the Oilers break through? Is this the year the Jets put it all together?
We are about to find out.
Montreal Canadiens (4) versus Toronto Maple Leafs (1)
When: Game 1, Thursday, 4:30 Pacific, NHL Network
There are storylines abound in a matchup between two long-standing NHL traditional franchises that have not met in the playoffs since 1979 – two months before Toronto center Joe Thornton was born.
The pressure is on Toronto here. The Leafs are stacked, led by Auston Matthews (41 goals, 25 assists, 66 points), Mitch Marner (20g, 47a, 67pts), and John Tavares (19g, 31a, 50pts) Toronto can score with the best of them – the Leafs’ 187 goals led the North Division in scoring in the regular season.
"It's two organizations with a lot of rich history in this league over the last 100 plus years."
Montreal started the season on fire but faded as it went along and ended up as the No. 4 seed. The Canadiens struggled with Toronto during the regular season with a 3-6-1 record.
They don’t have the scoring that the Maple Leafs feature and allowed more goals despite having better goalies, at least in theory. Carey Price (2.64 GAA, .901 SV) has been great over his career but split time with Jake Allen (2.68 GAA, .907 SV) as the goaltending was inconsistent.
Offensively, the Canadiens are led by offseason free agent pick up Tyler Toffoli (28g, 16a, 44 pts) along with Jeff Petry (12g, 30a, 30pts), and Nick Suzuki (15g, 26a, 41 pts). They will need everyone to be on their game if they hope to keep up with the high-flying Maple Leafs.
Wild Card
The Canadiens will need to score with the Maple Leafs if they want any shot of pulling the upset. Rookie Cole Caufield could help. Since joining Montreal at the end of the season the diminutive speedster scored four goals, including a couple of game-winners. Toronto used a merry-go-round of goalies this year thanks to injury. Frederik Andersen missed the latter half of the season and the Leafs will turn to Jack Campbell in Game 1. The one thing that could sink Toronto is suspect goaltending.
Kraken Watch
One of the common assumptions in trying to predict the Seattle Kraken Expansion route in goal is that Jake Allen will be the guy Ron Francis nabs from Montreal. Price has a hefty contract and a no-move clause and unless he waives that clause, Allen will be available. How much will he play in this series? He’s performed a tick better than Price during the season so the chances of him getting ice time here is high.
Who’s winning this?
Toronto’s big three played well against Montreal in the regular season, combining for 35 points in the 10 head-to-head meetings. That’s deadly and if they average three points a game here it will lights out and the Leafs will win their first series in 17 years. Whether it’s Price or Allen, Montreal doesn’t have the firepower to score with the Leafs. This could be over quick: Toronto in five.
Winnipeg Jets (3) versus Edmonton Oilers (2)
When: Game 1, Wednesday, 6 pm Pacific, NBC
The temptation to refer to this series as the “Connor McDavid show” is strong because that’s pretty much what this season has been for the Oilers. We may have to invent new superlatives to describe what McDavid pulled off this year by piling up 105 points in just 56 games — 22 of those points came in nine games against the Jets. Obviously, he’ll be the key player in this series, but he’s not alone. On any other team, Leon Draisaitl (31g, 53a, 84pts) would be huge news but he’s been overshadowed. The Jets will be aware of him, however.
McDavid is the supernova in this series but it’s not like the Jets are devoid of offensive talent themselves. Mark Scheifele (21g, 42a, 63pts), Kyle Connor (26g, 24a, 50pts), and Nikolaj Ehlers (21g, 25a, 46 pts) are a formidable trio of scorers and will need to be on point against the Oilers.
On paper, the Jets have the edge in net with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyk (2.58 GAA, .916 SV) who will take on the challenge of slowing down the Oilers. Normally, that would inspire some confidence but in seven head-to-head games with the Oilers this season, Hellebyuk allowed 26 goals on a .877 save percentage. Yikes.
Wild Card
The Jets brought in Pierre-Luc Dubois this year and while he hasn’t been bad, he has not been the 2018-2019 version that scored 27 goals with Columbus. In 41 games with Winnipeg, he recorded 20 points and in a series where the Jets will need to get scoring from up and down the lineup, he needs to find his game if they want a shot.
Kraken Watch
The Oilers have interesting Expansion Draft options but a couple, Tyler Benson and Caleb Jones, may not see much playing time in this series, if any. Tyson Barrie had a good regular season for Edmonton and could be a free agent target for the Kraken.
Who’s winning this?
The Jets will need a full defensive effort to help Hellebyuk as well as all their players firing at a top level. They’re not going to be able to completely stop McDavid, but their best bet is to try and keep him from completely dominating and then holding on. Edmonton needs to ride McDavid and Draisaitl and not make too many mistakes. Look for the Oilers to move on to set up a big second-round tilt with the Maple Leafs. Oilers in five.
The playoffs kicked off over the weekend, so I threw together my annual Pacific Northwest Stanley Cup Playoff Guide. Each year, I like to run through all the rosters to identify the players and coaches that have ties to the Pacific Northwest. There should be some familiar names here, but there are a few newcomers as well.
Central Division
Carolina Hurricanes
Nino Niederreiter played two years with the Portland Winterhawks during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons where he averaged over a point per game. Niederreiter was second on the Hurricanes in goals scored this season.
Morgan Geekie played three seasons with the Tri-City Americans and could be a Seattle Kraken target from the Carolina Hurricanes.
Morgan Geekie played three full years with the Tri-City Americans. During the 2017-18 WHL playoffs he put up 17 goals over 14 games. Geekie put up nine points for the Hurricanes over 36 games this season, and he is also on the Kraken watchlist as a potential Expansion Draft candidate.
Jake Bean also played for the Tri-City Americans for a half of a season in 2017-18. Bean has started to establish himself in the NHL this year but will most likely be a bubble player for cracking the lineup during the playoffs.
Florida Panthers
Backup goalie Chris Driedger started his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans in 2010-11 before playing the next three years with the Calgary Hitmen. Driedger has had a breakout NHL season and could be considered as a future goalie for the Seattle Kraken. If Sergei Bobrovsky falters in a game or two, we should expect Driedger to be given a shot.
Radko Gudas played his one and only season in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips during the 2009-10 season. Gudas does not put up a lot of offensive numbers, but he should contribute quite a bit defensively and physically if Florida is able to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Noah Juulsen played four seasons with the Everett Silvertips from 2013-14 to 2016-17. Juulsen only got into four regular season games this season and is not expected to get much playing time during the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tyler Johnson was born and raised in Spokane. He played four years with the Spokane Chiefs and was part of the Memorial Cup-winning team back in 2008. Johnson is a middle-six forward that is known to score some big-time goals in the playoffs.
Let us not forget, friend of the Sound Of Hockey podcast and the assistant equipment manager of the Lightning, Jason Berger. Berger was the head equipment manager for the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2007 to 2011.
Nashville Predators
Ryan Johansen played two seasons with the Portland Winterhawks during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. Johansen centers the top line for the Predators and will be needed to perform if they expect to advance past the first round of the playoffs.
East Division
Pittsburgh Penguins
Colton Sceviour played two-plus seasons with the Portland Winterhawks from 2005-06 to 2006-07. He is not a regular in the Penguins starting lineup, but as injuries start to pile up, expect Sceviour to crack the lineup.
Maxime Lagace played 11 games for the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL in 2015-16. Lagace is the third goalie on the Penguins roster but backed up Tristan Jarry in Game 1 against the Islanders as usual backup goalie, Casey DeSmith, is currently injured.
Boston Bruins
Brandon Carlo has been a steady blueliner for the Boston Bruins over the last four seasons. He played three seasons for the Tri-City Americans from 2013-14 to 2015-16 and should get plenty of ice time during these playoffs.
Jeremy Swayman was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska and was one of four goalies used by the Bruins this season. He may not start any games, but he backed up Tuukka Rask in Game 1 against the Capitals on Saturday night.
Washington Capitals
Brenden Dillon played four years with the Seattle Thunderbirds including the last season in KeyArena and the first season at the ShoWare Center in Kent. He was also the captain in his final season with the Thunderbirds in 2010-11. Dillon had a goal in Game 1 against the Bruins.
TJ Oshie is the most local Seattle player in the playoffs this season. Oshie grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington and played for Seattle Junior until he moved away to Warroad, Minnesota for high school and for his hockey development. It’s impossible not to root for Oshie this playoff.
Nic Dowd was born in Huntsville, Alabama, but his hockey journey took him through Wenatchee, Washington. He played for the Wenatchee Wild which was then in the NAHL during the 2008-09 season. Dowd had 71 points over 56 playoff and regular season games with the Wild.
The Game 1 overtime winner had a very Pacific Northwest feel as Dillon blocked a shot in the defensive zone that triggered a rush the other way. Oshie floated a shot from the point where Dowd tipped it past Rask.
New York Islanders
Mathew Barzal played 3 years in the WHL
(Photo Credit Brian Leisse. Courtesy of the Seattle Thunderbirds)
By now you probably realize Mathew Barzal played four seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2013-14 to 2016-17 and was a huge part of the 2017 WHL Championship team. The Islanders do not play the most offensive style, but Barzal is still exciting to watch. He led the team in points this season with 45 over the 55 games he played.
Thomas Hickey also played with the Thunderbirds from 2005-06 to 2008-09. Hickey spent most of the season in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers but managed to get into five NHL games in the middle of the season. If the Islanders have some injuries to their blueline, expect Hickey to get the nod.
Braydon Coburn played four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks in the early 2000’s. Like Hickey, he is also a depth defenseman who is expected to be called upon in case of injuries.
Kieffer Bellows played one season with the Portland Winterhawks after spending a year at Boston University. Bellows got into just 14 games with the Islanders this year, so like Hickey and Coburn, he is only expected to get playing time if there are injuries to other forwards.
West Division
Colorado Avalanche
Jacob MacDonald was born in Portland, Oregon. Prior to this year, the 28-year-old defenseman had only played two games with the Florida Panthers in 2018-19. This year, he played 33 games with the Avs. He might not start the playoffs in the lineup but expect him to get some playing time as the playoffs continue.
Avs head coach, Jared Bednar, played for the Spokane Chiefs for two years from 1991 to 1993. In his only complete season with the Chiefs, he amassed 200 penalty minutes in 62 games played.
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights Defenceman Shea Theodore is off to a hot start in the playoffs. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)
Shea Theodore played with the Thunderbirds for four years from 2011-12 to 2014-15. Theodore is emerging as one of the elite defensemen in the league. Last year there was talk about Theodore as a Conn Smyth candidate. If Vegas makes a deep run in the playoffs, expect Theodore to be a big part of it.
Keegan Kolesar was also part of the Seattle Thunderbirds 2016-17 WHL Championship season. Prior to this year, “Keegs” only had one NHL regular-season game. This year he played 44 of the Golden Knights’ 56 regular-season games. Kolesar centered the fourth line in game one.
Dylan Coghlan played four years with the Tri-City Americans from 2014-15 to 2017-18. This undrafted defenseman played in half of the Golden Knights’ regular-season games. He did not start in Game 1, but I anticipate he cracks the lineup if Vegas makes a deep run.
Cody Glass was the first amateur draft pick in Golden Knights history. Glass played four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks from 2015-16 to 2018-19. He played just 27 games this season for Vegas and could crack the lineup in a limited role.
Minnesota Wild
Jared Spurgeon played five seasons with the Spokane Chiefs from 2005-06 to 2009-10. Along with Tyler Johnson, he was part of the Spokane team that won the Memorial Cup in 2008. Spurgeon was named the captain of the Wild over the offseason and logs over 22 minutes per game. He is a pillar of the Minnesota defensive corps and will be relied upon heavily if the Wild are to go on a run.
Defenseman Matt Dumba joined the Portland Winterhawks in 2013-14 for 26 regular-season games and 21 playoff games. He has been an excellent defenseman for the Minnesota Wild, and there is an outside chance he could be exposed in the Expansion Draft.
St. Louis Blues
Colton Parayko played three seasons for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks from 2012-13 to 2014-15. He has been a stable defenseman for the St. Louis Blues and was a big part of their Stanley Cup win in 2019.
North Division
Toronto Maple Leafs
Jack Campbell played 27 games for the Idaho Steelheads over two seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Campbell has been carrying the bulk of the goaltending load with Frederik Andersen battling injuries the second half of the season. Freddie is back, but we anticipate the Leafs starting the playoffs with Campbell between the pipes.
Nicolas Petan played four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks from 2011-12 to 2014-15 averaging 1.4 points per game over his WHL career. He only got into seven games for the Leafs this season and will only suit up in the playoffs if there are a few injuries.
Edmonton Oilers
Kailer Yamamoto was born in Spokane and played four seasons with the Spokane Chiefs. He was the first-round pick of the Oilers in 2017 and played his first full season in the NHL this season.
Ethan Bear was another big part of the Seattle Thunderbirds WHL championship in 2017 and played for the team for four seasons. Bear’s contributions may have dropped off this year but that can all be forgiven with a big Stanley Cup Playoff performance.
Jujhar Khaira has been a steady winger for the Oilers the last four seasons. He played one full season for the Everett Silvertips where he put up 43 points in 59 games.
Caleb Jones played two seasons with the Portland Winterhawks during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Jones is just starting to establish himself in the league. He played roughly two thirds of the Oilers’ games and should be getting on opportunity to contribute in the playoffs.
Oilers Head Coach, Dave Tippett, joined the organization formerly known as ‘NHL Seattle’ in the summer of 2018 to take care of a lot of the hockey operations items and strategy, including locker room designs and AHL affiliate, just to name a few. “Tip” made several public appearances on local TV shows, at WHL Games, and even on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast.
Winnipeg Jets
Nate Thompson (right) with Pearl Jam, lead guitarist Mike McCready (center) and former Seattle Thunderbird and current NHL linesman Ryan Gibbons. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Thunderbirds)
Nate Thompson played for the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2001-02 to 2004-05. Thompson centers the fourth line and is not expected to contribute much on the offensive side of the game. Thompson is a great person and an easy guy to root for in these playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens
Carey Price has established himself as one of the best goalies in the NHL over the last 10 years, but before that he played for the Tri-City Americans from 2003-04 to 2006-07. His regular-season numbers may have dropped off this year, but Price is known for saving his best performances for the playoffs.
