NHL mailbag: Hockey Hall of Fame leftovers, Stanley Cup Playoffs, draft

Who would you pick to win the Stanley Cup?

It’s hard to predict who’s going to win the Stanley Cup when teams haven’t played hockey since mid-March. I usually gravitate towards teams that are playing their best hockey as they enter the postseason, but obviously, that means nothing right now.

In the Eastern Conference, I like the Boston Bruins. The Bruins are a veteran team. There’s not much they haven’t gone through. Veteran teams are going to have an advantage in this chaotic postseason so I think the Bruins have a good chance of emerging from the East. For that same reason, I like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Don’t sleep on the Philadelphia Flyers, though.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues stand out to me in the Western Conference. They were already a great team. Now they’re getting Vladimir Tarasenko back healthy. A healthy Tarasenko gives the Blues the offensive spark they lacked without him. The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights also jump out at me. Want a darkhorse candidate? The Edmonton Oilers have two of the best centers in the NHL. That’s a pretty good recipe for success.

All of that being said, this chaotic postseason could lead to an unexpected champion. Let’s go with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets winning the Stanley Cup after going all-in last season would be weird. This season’s been so darn weird and it deserves to have a weird champion.