With the new season quickly approaching (just two more days!!!!!); here are my thoughts on the three teams most likely to reach the Cup Finals from each conference.
Western Conference:
Chicago Blackhawks:
Honestly, it’s difficult to count out the defending champions. They still have Toews, Kane, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, Crawford, etc. and therefore are still a cup contender! They will miss guys like Bolland and Frolik but they have enough depth to overcome the losses. There was much less turnover this time around as opposed to their 2010 championship team; that should keep them among the league’s elite.
Los Angeles Kings:
Much like the Blackhawks; the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions are a strong threat in the Western Conference. They are a team built with strong goaltending, great team defense and forwards that know what it takes to win in the playoffs. Not a great deal of change in La La land and for that reason they will be playing late in the spring! Their regular season may not be extraordinary, but Sutter and company save their best for the playoffs.
St.Louis Blues:
Perhaps a surprise choice but I believe the St.Louis Blues are also a team likely to contend for the cup this season! Another team that is built for the post season, they have one of the best blueliners in the league and a strong goaltending duo (or even trio). Last year they gave the Kings all they could handle in the first round and a more fortuitous matchup could have resulted in a longer playoff run for the Blues. They’ll be a tough team to play in the spring of 2014.
Eastern Conference:
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Despite a couple of concerns, the Penguins still have to be considered a top contender. Obviously, goaltending is a question mark but last season it was a question mark and they were still top 2 in the east. It’s too hard to go against Crosby, Malkin, Letang and a strong list of support characters. Even if Fleury is unable to find his game, Vokoun should be able to give strong enough goaltending to make them a contender.
Detroit Red Wings:
New to the east but not new to being a cup contender, the Detroit Red Wings will be tough to take down this year. A team that was one shot away from taking down the eventual cup champions in 2013, add a Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss to the fold. The Wings window of opportunity may slowly be closing as Datsyuk and Zetterberg get older but they have gone all in this year. With a great combination of talented and role playing forwards, solid team defense, reliable goaltending and a coaching genius, the wings will be a force to be reckoned with.
New York Rangers:
Just like the Pens and Wings; the New York Rangers have a good chance at taking a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2014. In my opinion, the Rangers have the best goaltender in the league, which is a large reason why they make the list. They also have a well rounded group of forwards and a new coach whose style may suit the players a little better (especially offensively). Vigneault may show a more balanced approach than Torts; giving players more of a chance to be creative and thus increase scoring which was a bit of an issue last year. That combined with a strong, healthy blueline should fold well for New York.
If I had to choose today who would play for the Stanley cup, my choices would be Los Angeles and Detroit. The Kings are a team built for the postseason; proven by 6 series wins over the past 2 playoffs. Over a seven game series they have the ability to wear you down and have a goaltender who can make all the big saves. I choose Detroit because a) they have made two big additions to an already solid team and b) I honestly think the red wings style of play will be difficult for the eastern conference teams to adjust to. The wings come from a western conference where things were more of a grind and battle as opposed to the north-south eastern conference style. Mike Babcock will take advantage of this and with solid goaltending from Howard, the Wings will be very tough over the course of 7 games. I do believe it will be the Kings taking the Cup however, in 6 games!
O'Leary's Outlook 