After 47 years, the NHL finally got what it envisioned when expansion happened, a New York / Los Angeles Stanley Cup Final, and what a final this has the potential of being!
The New York Rangers are looking to win their first cup in 20 years and only their second one in 74 years. The Los Angeles Kings are looking to become only the second team to win two cups in the post-salary cap era. The Original Six vs. The Second Six… NYC vs. La-La Land… You have to wonder who made the deal with the devil with this one as the NHL’s string of compelling finals continues. Give the commissioner credit… he continues to have the Midas touch with the decisions being made to market the league and has the increasing ratings to prove it.
Picking a winner in this one is difficult. Each team could be looked as a prohibitive favorite. You could pick the Kings for a suddenly productive and lethal offense firing off of an excellent power play, combined with a serviceable defense and a goaltender that has the capability to steal a series. You could pick the Rangers for an incredibly solid blueline that fronts a goaltender that has had a stellar playoffs combined with an offense that scores just enough to win.
Will Alain Vigneault get his revenge over the Kings? Will the Kings continue their playoff success of the past three seasons? I’m not going to jinx either team with a pick… although, if I was I would probably pick the Rangers in six. That’s a tough one to type out for a guy who grew up a Flyer’s fan… :-) My real reason… three extra days of rest… it has a real possibility of being te difference maker.
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Tuesday Random Playoff Notes
- The Predators announced two signings yesterday, including the re-signing of Carter Hutton for two seasons.
- Big crowd showed up at the Music City Center for the introduction of Peter Laviolette. Very boisterous bunch who cheered at every word that began with O. :-)
- The Kings are now the only team to get to the Stanley Cup Final after going the distance in all three of their series.
- If the final goes seven games, it will be the first time in league history that eight game 7’s would be played in a single playoff season.
- “Doc… Emrick will not be on the mic for Game One of the finals… Kenny Albert will fill in.
- San Jose is expected to be announced as a site for an outdoor game in 2015.
- The NHL Schedule is close to done and may be released in June this year… Christmas may come early!
- Now that Chicago is out, attention turns to getting the dynamic duo re-signed. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes… back the truck up, this one is going to be expensive.
- Apparently the search for Ray Shero’s replacement in Pittsburgh is coming to a conclusion… expectations are that an announcement could happen in the next few days.
- The New Jersey Devils have announced that Marek Zidlicky will be returning to the team. One year, $4 million.
- Is Joe Thorton going to be moved out of San Jose? Interesting theories are being floated.
- Game seven of the Western Conference finals set ratings records on NBCSN, on the strength of simply insane numbers from Chicago.
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