After posting a National Hockey League record 65 wins and dominating their rivals since October, the Boston Bruins appear to be the clear favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Grand Finals and win the cup. Stanley.
Reality ? “Everybody’s 0-0,” Bruins veteran forward Charlie Coyle said.
For the Bruins, the climb to try to win a first Stanley Cup in over 10 years will begin against the Florida Panthers.
Injuries could leave the Bruins vulnerable in the second round against the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning, then in the conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers or to the New York Islanders.
But the talent in place at the Bruins, their consistency and their depth give the impression that they can overcome all the pitfalls.
“The confidence level is high,” said head coach Jim Montgomery. We believe it will be difficult, and we’re not talking about winning the Stanley Cup right now. We’re talking about game number 1; that is where our focus will be. »
They’ve suffered just 12 season losses — just one in their last 11 outings — and their 135 points in the standings allowed them to erase the Montreal Canadiens’ record from 1976-77, although the rules at that time prevented the Montreal team from collecting more.
Regardless, the Bruins’ supremacy allowed them to win the Presidents’ Trophy and earn home-ice advantage for the duration of the playoffs — the time of year when hockey really matters — starting with Game 1. against the Panthers on Monday night.
The first to show up are the Panthers, one of two teams to have defeated the Bruins twice during the season.
The Panthers, who finished atop the league standings last year before suffering Round 2 elimination, bounced back from a slow start and earned their place in the playoffs in the final week of the calendar.
Head coach Paul Maurice — in his first season with the Panthers — will make the playoffs for the 10th time in a nearly three-decade career in the NHL.
For Maurice, facing the Bruins is a “monumental challenge,” but that’s exactly what he and his team want.
“We have an opportunity to do something very, very special. But it will take a lot of preparation, a lot of execution. »
The Lightning and the Maple Leafs will meet in the first round for the second year in a row. Last year, the Lightning came from behind to win the series in seven games en route to a third consecutive Finals appearance, which they lost to the Colorado Avalanche.
However, this could be the year the Maple Leafs reach the first round for the first time since 2004.
“I like how they’ve made adjustments to get a little tougher,” noted Paul Bissonnette, a former striker now an analyst at US network TNT.
“I think they’re going to win this first round, and it’s just going to boost their confidence for the rest of the playoffs. »
If the Bruins dominated the Atlantic section, the fight was much tighter in the Metropolitan section. The Hurricanes emerged as champions for a third straight year and will open the playoffs against the Islanders.
“We are fully aware that our best players have to be the best,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said.
“If we are destined to be successful, our best players must be good. But we will also need goals from our four lines. »
The Rangers can get that production, and they’ll need it in the first round against the Devils.
“Each line is an important part of our team, and so are they,” said Mika Zibanejad, who pivots the Rangers first line.
“It’s fun to watch them play and, of course, that’s very important. »
So does the experience, which Rangers got with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. That’s not the case with the Devils.
However, the Devils, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, are possibly the fastest team in the NHL.
Hockey as it’s played in the playoffs could serve as a test, but rival players can’t hit what they can’t reach.
“Players who normally don’t give bodychecks are starting to hit,” Devils head coach Lindy Ruff remarked.
“You start talking about tough play and puck battles that you have to win. We had a lot of challenges throughout the year and we answered the question with a yes. Our next question is to prove that we can make it to the playoffs and be a successful team. »
