Which bubble playoff team would be the scariest Round 1 opponent?
We’ve reached the time of year where checking the NHL standings becomes pretty exciting, especially when it comes to the Wildcard races. It seems like more teams than ever are realistically in playoff contention.
So, Roundtable:which of the bubble teams would be the scariest opponent if you’re a top seed having to play one of them in Round 1 of the playoffs? ‘Bubble’ in this case is defined as any team currently in a Wildcard spot or outside the playoffs and in the hunt.
MATT LARKIN: I know they’ve slumped of late, but I’d still be scared to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s not just because they’d come into the playoffs with emotional momentum trying to win for the late Johnny Gaudreau, either. This team is actually deep and talented. Guys like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov have games tailored for playoff-style hockey. Zach Werenski is one of the most dynamic and offensively dominant D-men in the game. They’ll get a boost when center Sean Monahan returns, too. Columbus needs work defensively but quietly has a top-10 offense in the league and would be a spirited Wildcard opponent.
PAUL PIDUTTI: It has to be the scorching Ottawa Senators, right? In what once looked like yet another season without meaningful progress, Sens Army has had good reason to be optimistic lately. Holding the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot, all the boxes are checked to be a scary dark horse opponent in Round 1. Playing with house money having not made the playoffs in eight years? Check. A healthy and confident Linus Ullmark to steal a road game or two in the first round? Check. A young, mainly homegrown team that’s extra motivated to prove themselves? Check. Strong record at home? Check. An 8-3 record in overtime this season? Check. The ingredients are simmering to see the #PeskySens emerge in April if they can hold up down the stretch. Stay tuned…
STEVEN ELLIS: I’d be scared of the Senators, too. But I’m going with the Montreal Canadiens. This team, on and off in different intervals, has found themselves in the top five in points earned, both since Jan. 1 and since March 1. Samuel Montembeault is capable of some massive, game-changing saves, Nick Suzuki is playing some tremendous hockey, Lane Hutson has been dynamite and Juraj Slafkovsky is playing his best hockey of the season. Even Patrik Laine has regained some offensive relevancy in recent weeks. The Canadiens are going to have to play must-win hockey down the stretch, and like with Florida in 2022-23, I wouldn’t want to face a team that has had nothing to lose for months at a time.
SCOTT MAXWELL: There are a few teams in the hunt that have an elite aspect of their game that could give a top-seeded team fits in a seven-game series, but for me, the Utah Hockey Club might be the one that stands out the most. Even if you want to ignore the fact that there might be some momentum for a new team getting into the playoffs for the first time (something that worked for both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken in recent years), their underlying numbers have been consistently excellent all season. They’re tied for seventh in 5v5 expected goals for per 60 minutes with 2.68, and they’re only tied for 14th in 5v5 expected goals against per 60 with 2.47 despite dealing with a depleted defense corps for a good chunk of their season. Clayton Keller is having a phenomenal season, Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Barrett Hayton and Mikhail Sergachev add even more to their offense, and they have a lot of depth pieces that are capable of producing or driving play, even if they haven’t at points this season. On top of that, after Dustin Wolf and Sam Montembeault, Karel Vejmelka is having the best season for a goaltender on a Wildcard-contending team with 20.23 goals saved above expected. There’s a lot to like about this Utah team, and while they’re the furthest out of the Western Conference playoff hunt right now, they could make some serious noise if they sneak in.
ANTHONY DI MARCO: It has been a rollercoaster of a season, but you can’t count out the New York Rangers. If we’re going based on talent alone, the Rangers have the makings of a top team. Artemi Panarin, Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, J.T. Miller – the list goes on. Their issues are well documented – intangibles being a major thing along with poor overall structure – but the talent is there for them to cause problems. If they were to match up with the Toronto Maple Leafs or Washington Capitals, would they really be that much of an underdog? If for no other reason, the goaltending would have to be a major factor in the Rangers’ favor.
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