Sunday Thoughts: A chalky year in the NHL
It’s been an unusually great time for top seeds in the NHL playoffs this season
The Rangers, Stars and Panthers have all clinched their respective tickets to appear in the conference finals of the NHL playoffs. What do these three teams have in common besides winning eight playoff games this spring?
All three teams won their division in the regular season.
The NHL playoffs typically has upsets and unpredictability as a calling card, but so far it’s been the year of chalk. To a potentially historic level.
Fun tidbit via NHL Stats: If Vancouver eliminates Edmonton tonight or Monday, it would mark the 1st time in NHL history that the conference finals featured 4 division winners.
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) May 18, 2024
In 2018, there were 3 (Tampa, Washington, Vegas).
The NHL has featured at least 4 divisions since 1974.
If first-place Vancouver isn’t the Pacific Division’s representative in the Western Conference Final, it wouldn’t exactly be a Cinderella in second-place Edmonton that takes them out.
The most emphatic win and captivating story so far might be down in Dallas. The Stars advanced on a double overtime Game 6 goal to propel them past the always dangerous Colorado Avalanche. The vibes are always supreme in the afterglow of such a moment, but this Dallas team seems to have that special coalesce of skill, unity and drive forming magic right before our eyes.
Without a doubt the best interview we’ve had so far. Matt Duchene is an early Mr. TNT candidate for next season. pic.twitter.com/Qof9yXEnI1
— Chris Jastrzembski (@Chris_Jast) May 18, 2024
Could this be the year for Dallas? They’ve got all the pieces in place and clicking like a well-oiled machine — from veteran leadership to emerging young stars (no pun intended) and tremendous goaltending, the Stars have it all. Dallas can also boast a very impressive path to get to this point by defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in the first round, followed up by getting through the previous 2022 champs of Colorado in the second round.
Though we’re all loathe to admit it, a similar story to Dallas has been unwinding for the New York Rangers this spring as well. The Rangers overcame their first real brush with adversity in losing two straight games against Carolina by battling back and erasing a 3-1 deficit in the third period of their Game 6. NYR would go onto win in regulation and advance past the Hurricanes.
Their next challenge will be the Florida Panthers, who have suddenly become a post-season force with their second straight entry to the Eastern Conference Final. That statement would be wild to consider as recently as 13 months ago when the Panthers were clawing (pun intended this time) simply to make the 2023 playoffs. They were able to and since then Florida has rattled off a 5-1 record in playoff series while developing into a legitimate power within the NHL.
It isn’t often that the best teams in the regular season parlay their success into the playoffs. So far in 2024 that has been the case for the top seeded teams to go deep this year in the playoffs.