Do the Capitals have enough to bring their high-level of play into the playoffs? Or will a different team rise up to the occasion to win the cup? Read on as we take a look at a handful of teams contending for the Stanley Cup.
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Washington Capitals
Offense isn’t the only thing fuelling Washington’s success. The Caps rank second in the league in goals-allowed average (2.3). Braden Holtby has been unsolvable this season, going 35-6-3 with a 2.16 GAA as a frontrunner for the Venzina Trophy. A complete overall game has the Caps the firm favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +350.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are putting up a fight in the Central Division, being neck and neck with the division-leading Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks have hands down the best forward in the game this season. Patrick Kane has been stellar with a league-high 82 points, 18 points more than the next best player.
Everything flows through Kane. It’ll be interesting to see how he manages having a solid supporting cast such as Jonathan Toews and reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith. The Blackhawks are +700 to win the Stanley Cup.
Dallas Stars
Dallas was an up-and-coming team which failed to deliver up to expectations last year. This time around, they’re the best team in the Western Conference, holding off challengers such as the past two Stanley Cup champions Chicago and Los Angeles.
The Stars have it all from depth, youth and experience. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin top the team with 64 and 63 points respectively as Dallas’ dynamic scoring duo. They have plenty of support from veterans such as Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya, who bring some championship experience after helping win the Stanley Cup with Chicago in past seasons.
The Stars have just enough firepower to make a push in the playoffs. They’re +800 to win it all later this year.
Sleeper
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators hold one of the Wild Card spots in the Western Conference. But there’s still plenty of hockey to be played, so they can’t really afford to relax. The Preds finished second in the Central Division last season, but have failed to deliver the same level of hockey this time around. They’re middling in the league ranking 16th in goals per game (2.6) and goals-against average (2.6).
Nashville is a pretty good pick at +3,000. Their best performances are still ahead of them. They have an excellent collection of players such as young guns Roman Jose and Filip Forsberg, who lead the team with 42 and 37 points respectively. They also have a veteran scorer, James Neal, who has a team-high 21 goals. Expect the Preds to make a push later on in the season.
Long Shot
Vancouver Canucks
What’s wrong with the Vancouver Canucks? They were eighth in the NHL with 236 goals last season, which helped them to a playoff spot as one of the top three teams in the Pacific Division. They’re ranked 28th this year with just 129 goals.
The ‘Nucks are an aging team; their roster’s average age of 29.3 years is the second oldest in the league. Three of their top four skaters, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Radim Vrbata, as well as goalie Ryan Miller are all 34 or older. But you can still make an argument that Vancouver is saving its best for much later into the season, especially since it’s still within an arm’s reach of a Wild Card spot.
Vancouver is +6,000 to win the Stanley Cup.
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