Around these parts, we’ll do our best to give you everything you need to know about the Columbus Blue Jackets. We’ll also fill you in on the stories you may not have heard about (or those you didn’t think you need to know about), the social media buzz around the league, along with a few random nuggets for good measure.
Think of it as your morning coffee with a shot of hockey talk.
STEEL CITY SURPRISE: The Ottawa Senators were given next-to-no chance to challenge the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. Fair? Sure, when you take into account that no one gave them much of a chance to get this far in the playoffs and, at least on paper, they’re not anywhere near the talent level of the defending champions. But if this tournament has taught us one thing, it’s to expect the opposite of what we perceive to be likely.
For example: this was supposed to be Washington’s year. I know, I know…we say that every year. But seriously, there hasn’t been a better Capitals team in the Alex Ovechkin era than the 2016-17 edition. The Penguins took them down and now face the Senators, who knocked off Boston and then the Rangers en route to the conference final…and again, they defied expectations to win Game 1 at PPG Paints Arena.
Their 1-3-1 neutral zone structure has frustrated opponents all throughout the playoffs, and while it doesn’t produce the most exciting style of play, it gets the job done for the Senators and it fits their personnel. Guy Boucher is a smart guy and took some heat for using the 1-3-1 in Tampa, but he might be getting his way when more people are complaining about it than are trying to solve it.
For Ottawa, this may be the perfect storm. They use their suffocating neutral zone system to slow down the Penguins and force them to go around and not through them, chipping pucks in rather than carrying them, playing more on the perimeter than the interior, and making it a chore to get a high-danger scoring chance.
We’ll see how it unfolds, but if Game 1 is any indication, the Penguins will have their hands full with the Senators.
UNPREDICTABLE FINAL FOUR: Nashville, Anaheim, Ottawa, Pittsburgh. You figured the Penguins would still be here. Maybe the Predators. The Ducks? Toss-up, and like we just discussed, no one really thought Ottawa would be hanging around and driving teams crazy into mid-May. Yet here we are, faced with an unpredictable tandem of series with four markedly different teams, and it’s a little weird to know one of them will hoisting the Cup in a few weeks.
Can you see the Predators getting it done? At this point, they’re my odds-on favorite. They seem to embrace adversity and have the thickest skin of the four remaining teams, and their style of play is tailor-made to go head-to-head against any of the other three. The lights-out play of Pekka Rinne has made them a versatile threat, a team that can win a 6-5 game or be just as comfortable in a 2-1 battle.
Anaheim is hit-or-miss but has been a hit so far. They may have met their match with the Predators, but until they’re done, they obviously have a chance. John Gibson’s been pretty strong in goal and they’ve shown they have no trouble scoring goals. They can also execute a mean rally, as they proved in the conference semifinal against the Edmonton Oilers.
The East is just…weird.
You’d think the Penguins are a sure bet in this series, but we’ve spent so much time counting out Ottawa that they seem determined to remind us how stupid we are for doing so. Bobby Ryan has been incredible so far and supplied a ridiculously-deft game winner in Game 1, which adds another layer to Ottawa’s attack if they can get goals from both of their top lines.
Can Marc-Andre Fleury lead the Penguins to a second straight championship, what would be his third ring (second as the No. 1 guy)? It’s hard to bet against them at this point. It should be a wild ride to the final.
NEED A DOC, BOB? Yes, we know, Sergei Bobrovsky struggled big-time in the Stanley Cup playoffs. We didn't need confirmation that he knows he played poorly, but even his agent is now talking publicly about it. This is something.
Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch talked to Paul Theofanus, Bobrovsky's agent, who you'll recall became a central figure in the somewhat-contentious contract negotiations between the player and club a few summers ago. And as you'll see in the quote below, Theofanus doesn't directly say 'my client is going to seek external help to get to the bottom of this,' but read between the lines if you so choose.
“Every year he looks at himself after the season and says, ‘What can I do better? What can I do smarter? How do I make myself more effective?’ He’s an incredibly driven player and person. Incredibly devoted.”
Hmm. Interesting, right? Portzline reports in the story that Bobrovsky is open to the idea of using a sports psychologist, which isn't uncommon (especially for goaltenders). Goalie coaches have that role penciled into their contracts, so to speak, but going outside the comfort zone can sometimes produce better results.
MELT YOUR HEART: Start your week by watching this heartwarming video of patients and employees from Montreal Children's Hospital wishing PK Subban a happy birthday.
.@PKSubban1 , The Childrens has a special something to say to you! / @PKSubban1 le Children a un message spcial pour toi! @PKSF1 pic.twitter.com/LM51wvPG9s
— Montral Children's (@HopitalChildren) May 13, 2017
The back story here is that Subban developed an ultra-tight bond with several patients at the hospital while he played for the Canadiens, and he made a $10 million donation to the hospital in 2015. That relationship continued even after he was traded to Nashville last summer. Great stuff.
ICYMI: Our season wrap-up coverage continued on the site late last week, including a look at the Blue Jackets' strong home-ice play that resulted in a new club record for home wins ... Brandon Dubinsky didn't score at the same rate as last season, but he still plays a key role for the Blue Jackets ... We're getting close to the end of our 'top moments' countdown, and No. 2 is still fresh in our minds.
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