These teams could take advantage of the NHL’s expanded postseason.
The 2019-20 NHL season has been anything but traditional. This makes for a much more exciting experience for both fans and players. The new 24-team Stanley Cup Playoff format is a huge opportunity for these three teams as they get a chance that they never would have got if not for a global pandemic.
Here are three teams that must take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
3. Montreal Canadiens
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The Montreal Canadiens just barely qualified for the play-in round with a 31-31-9 record. Carey Price didn’t have a good season and they got hit with major injuries to key players like Jonathan Drouin and Tomas Tatar. Claude Julien’s Habs are one of the hardest-working teams in the league but don’t have forwards with exceptional skill who act as difference makers.
Their biggest black ace is Price. He has had two poor seasons in the last three years but people point to fatigue and injuries as the main culprit. With the pause in the season, it could give him the chance to properly rest up and get back to his dominant self.
While you may point out major problems with the Canadiens on their roster, Price has the ability to completely change everything. All he needs to do is get hot for these next few months and the Canadiens have a legitimate chance.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks built a modern-day dynasty in the 2010s but they are now on a decline. Their core is getting older and the team doesn’t have the same dominance they once had. If it weren’t for the new playoff format, they would have missed the playoffs for the third-straight season.
Corey Crawford is 35, Duncan Keith is 36, and both Kane and Toews are 31. The window for these veterans is starting to close and this playoff format just might be the best chance they’re ever going to get.
1. Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have one of the oldest teams in the league and are the definition of a team that’s stuck in the middle. They are not built for the modern-day NHL and until there are major changes, they won’t be taken seriously. However, the play-in offers them a fantastic chance to go for it one more time with their veteran core.
Ryan Suter, Eric Staal, and Zach Parise are all 35 years old and recognize that this just might be their last chance at a Stanley Cup run. Their combined 26 years of playoff experience could prove vital over the young Vancouver Canucks. This desperation could be the fuel that pushes the Wild over the edge and get them past the first round for the first time in five years.
The Wild’s veterans understand that if it weren’t for the new playoff format, they would have missed the postseason yet again. This second chance cannot be thrown away and they must make the most of this opportunity.