It's Part 2 of the NHL playoff pool skater targets. Jason Chen goes through the eight Cup dark horses for reasons why they will or won't go all the way.
It’s time to think about your NHL playoff pool. The second season of fantasy hockey will begin on Monday. The playoff version is very different from its regular-season counterpart because the player pool diminishes as the NHL crowns its champion.
On Saturday, we looked at the players to target from the top eight contenders. This time, it's the next eight teams in the NHL playoffs who look to surprise and go deep in the post-season.
The league is flush with talent; 38 players finished the season averaging a point per game, and 11 players scored at least 100 points. That means there’s at least one very good player on each team, but if they’re on a team that can’t get past the first round (ahem, Leafs) or even the second round (ahem, Canes), they’ll end up playing fewer games to potentially accumulate points.
Though the format of playoff pools varies, one golden rule rings true through all of them: pick players from the team you think will go deep. The safest route is to whittle the brackets down to four teams, and a reminder going with the obvious teams may not allow you to separate yourself from the pack. It’s a survival of the fittest, and sometimes the most daring are the ones who reap all the rewards.
For example, getting seven games out of Nikita Kucherov – and no way Leafs-Lightning doesn’t go all the way for peak drama – is still potentially better than getting, say, three rounds of Evan Rodrigues or two rounds of Chris Kreider.
If you missed it, check out a review of the BetMGM Cup odds and the final power rankings of the season.
Here’s a list of the playoff teams and players to target. Players in bold are top picks. (* denotes injured player)
Need Some Luck
9. Vegas Golden Knights (BetMGM Cup odds as of April 12: +1200)
Why they’ll win: Excellent coaching, a versatile lineup and, hopefully, decent goaltending.
Why they won’t win: There’s no telling if Laurent Brossoit (too inexperienced) or Jonathan Quick (too old) will end up being the starter, and Adin Hill (also too inexperienced) and Logan Thompson (too young) remain injured. The biggest unknown is Eichel, who yearned for spring hockey and now gets his chance to prove he’s a No. 1 center. But he also disappeared for stretches during the season, and the Knights can’t afford to take nights off. The road is tough, and perhaps there’s just one question mark too many this year. Not having captain Mark Stone would really hurt, but he did participate in a full-contact regular practice with the Knights on Saturday.
10. Los Angeles Kings (+2000)
Why they’ll win: They play a stifling, heavy style once again, helped out by some timely goaltending. The young core steps up and blossoms into steady contributors, and Fiala manages to upgrade their offense in a big way.
Why they won’t win: They have trouble scoring with Fiala and Vilardi out, and their goaltending with the untested Pheonix Copley and Joonas Korpisalo doesn’t hold up. McDavid continues where he left off in the regular season.
11. Minnesota Wild (+2000)
Why they’ll win: The Wild can go far if Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson channel some Roloson-Fernandez energy. Kaprizov and Boldy lead the team in scoring, but their added depth pulls through, and Eriksson Ek returns in time and manages to stay healthy for a lengthy run.
Why they won’t win: Their lineup isn’t talented enough, and their goaltending implodes. Even if the Wild knock off the Stars – they won the regular-season series – they could face the defending champions in the next round.
12. Florida Panthers (+3000)
Why they’ll win: There are reasons to fear the Panthers. They’ve got talent at every position and literally clawed their way into the playoffs after a very uneven season. They’re a nightmare matchup with Tkachuk, and there should have a massive chip on their shoulder after last season’s disappointing showing.
Why they won’t win: They couldn’t prove they could be a top-tier team during the season, and they face the Bruins in the opening round. Alex Lyon’s hot streak ends, and Sergei Bobrovsky shows (again) he’s not worth anywhere close to $10 million per season. Bennett, a proven playoff performer, has minimal impact. Paul Maurice can’t steer the ship in the right direction, and the Panthers look both listless and lost in the playoffs for the second straight season.
13. Seattle Kraken (+5000)
Why they’ll win: A really balanced lineup and excellent possession metrics, and also being able to sustain their high shooting percentage.
Why they won’t win: Being unable to sustain their high shooting percentage. While the improvement wasn’t totally unexpected, they are frighteningly efficient at scoring with a very balanced attack. It covers up their biggest weaknesses, which are the lack of a top center (Beniers isn’t there yet), an elite defender and reliable goaltending. Who do they rally behind? The Kraken and the Jets are the only playoff teams without a captain.
Long Shots
14. New Jersey Devils (+1100)
Why they’ll win: Experience schperience. The Devils are so laden with talent, they overcome any potential jitters, Luke Hughes becomes a significant contributor right away, and Vitek Vanecek starts hot.
Why they won’t win: I’m a believer that Cup-winning teams have to suffer multiple heartbreaks before they win. The hockey gods say so. The Devils are the most inexperienced team in an Eastern bracket that features six returnees. The Rangers are heavy on experience after last season’s run and added Tarasenko and Kane, both Stanley Cup winners. The Devils are also a little light on “heavy hockey,” and Meier doesn’t work out.
15. New York Islanders (+6600)
Why they’ll win: They keep punching above their weight, Ilya Sorokin establishes himself as the unquestioned best goalie in the league, and Barzal and Horvat continue where they left off. Their defense steps up, and the Devils and Rangers beat each other into oblivion and have little in the tank in Round 2.
Why they won’t win: Their lineup is too thin at the top, and their once-vaunted defense doesn’t make much of a difference. The Canes are a tough opponent despite their late-season fade, and they don’t play with the same winning structure that Barry Trotz implemented.
16. Winnipeg Jets (+5000)
Why they’ll win: Somehow, Rick Bowness’ grinding defensive style works, and Connor Hellebuyck stands on his head. Their offense finds its groove, and the locker room pulls it together before its inevitable sea change, either this summer or next summer.
Why they won’t win: They limped into the playoffs and continue to have trouble staying consistent. The scoring completely dries up, especially with Ehlers hurt and the streaky Connor under a cold spell. They’ve got some of the worst odds for good reason.