Another Attempt to Call the 2021 Postseason

The 2021 NHL regular season has been shaped to be one of the most interesting of all time. With a dramatic new look, the divisions have set us up for some crazy fun matchups and series that I imagine will lay out pretty clearly during the season who will be representing each division in the quarterfinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
For those who aren’t aware of the recent changes to the league and postseason format, there’s a lot to take in. Canadian teams have been restricted by their government from crossing national borders to play against American teams, setting the seven Canadian teams into their own division. With no northern-neighbor teams allowed into the contiguous states, the league shuffled around the national teams to create three other divisions of eight teams each. These teams will play only amongst their own division and in baseball-esque series trips to minimize travel for teams. The divisions are the Scotia NHL North Division, Honda NHL West Division, Discover NHL Central Division, and MassMutual NHL East Division. Yes, you did read that right, brand-name divisions.

The playoff format has adjusted slightly to also conform to Canada’s limitations. Each division will send four teams to compete amongst themselves in a divisional playoff bracket. The winner of each of these brackets will meet for the quarterfinals, reseeded ranked by their division seedings, and then two for the Stanley Cup Finals. 

So without further ado, my predicted ranks and seeding for all divisions through the playoffs:

Scotia NHL North Division

1. Canucks
2. Oilers
3. Maple Leafs
4. Jets
5. Canadiens
6. Senators
7. Flames

I think it’s pretty clear from the past couple of seasons which teams in the North are the hot ones right now. With young, high-flying teams, the Canucks, Oilers, and Maple Leafs are all built and destined for the playoffs. I think the Jets round out this group nicely as a real solid-built, reliable competitor. 

1. Canucks vs. 4. Jets, Canucks in 5

The Canucks are a powerhouse team bearing down on the Jets who I imagine won’t be able to keep up with the pace and speed of their competition.

2. Oilers vs. 3. Maple Leafs, Maple Leafs in 6

I think the controversial pick in this selection is that the Oilers are the higher seed. I believe that their productivity will be higher against the washouts of the division, however their lack of depth will be buried by the overpowering Maple Leafs.

1. Canucks vs. 3. Maple Leafs, Maple Leafs in 7

This matchup is an absolute coin toss for me. I believe that these teams will split all their games this season, including the playoffs. I have chosen the Maple Leafs in the end because I have more faith in Andersen than Demko (who I imagine will win the starting job over Holtby).

Honda NHL West Division

1. Avalanche
2. Blues
3. Golden Knights
4. Wild
5. Sharks
6. Coyotes
7. Ducks
8. Kings

This Division feels a lot more tight to me than the others, with several peak teams and numerous fringe teams throughout. The Avalanche are going to come out on top by the skin of their teeth, with the Blues trailing just a point or two behind. I could see the Avalanche taking early and mid-season bumps in points that the Blues cannot overcome before the end of the short season. The Golden Knights have been a dominant and stacked force since day one and that’s not going to change.

1. Avalanche vs. 4. Wild, Avalanche in 6

The Wild have always been a tough team to play in the postseason, grinding down competition with physical play. I believe in the depth and strength of the Avalanche, however it won’t come easy.

2. Blues vs. 3. Golden Knights, Blues in 6

Same as above, the Golden Knights are a powerhouse. They can beat any team whenever they need, however I am not confident they can beat Jordan Binnington enough to lock them in for the series win, just like the Stars of 2020.

1. Avalanche vs. 2. Blues, Blues in 7

This matchup is going to be the most entertaining for the entirety of the season and postseason for all the divisions. These teams are building a strong rivalry, are both built to win now, and have vied to be the golden child of the Central (pre-COVID divisions) for some time. In this matchup, I truly see the Blues already-ranked 3 power play, enhanced by Hoffman and Krug, taking the cake.

Discover NHL Central Division

1. Lightning
2. Blue Jackets
3. Hurricanes
4. Stars
5. Predators
6. Panthers
7. Blackhawks
8. Red Wings

As a Blues fan, I am beyond envious of the elite teams that get to play in this division. You have two of the worst teams in the league, the Red Wings and the Blackhawks, in the same division that you get to play eight times. The Lightning might as well get sixteen games against the Little Sisters of the Poor, at least they have God on their side. The points leaders for the season will be in this division with so much low hanging fruit available, however no team in this division should count their eggs before they hatch.

1. Lightning vs. 4. Stars, Stars in 7

This is easily my most controversial take so far, as the Lightning are the defending champions and will definitely have the most points at the end of the season. But what evidence is there that the Lightning of a non-bubble playoff will have the same advantages and disadvantages as the bubble? The bubble was certainly a harder test by my standards, but the season before and a more traditional setting might result in the Lightning’s sad cycle resuming.

2. Blue Jackets vs. 3. Hurricanes, Blue Jackets in 5

The Hurricanes are a playoff team. That is where that sentence stops. The Blue Jackets will have a series that makes them look like potential champions when playing against the Hurricanes.

      2.   Blue Jackets vs. 4. Stars, Blue Jackets in 6

This will be quite the entertaining series, however I cannot imagine the gas will be in the tank for the Stars after a rough and tumble series against the Lightning. Goaltending will still be on point, but a broken and bruised team playing against a 5-game series team will be a tough hill to climb and not sustainable through the series.

MassMutual NHL East Division

1. Bruins
2. Capitals
3. Flyers
4. Penguins
5. Islanders
6. Rangers
7. Sabres
8. Devils

What can I say about this division that I didn’t just say about the Central? Another top-heavy, easy pickings division. Playing the Sabres and Devils will be vacations for the Bruins and Capitals. The top of the list, however, is a lot more strenuous. The Capitals look the same in the front lines, however their 3rd and 4th lines are weak. Many people will also point to the addition of Lundqvist to the roster as a boon, however I do not see him playing any games in the postseason, just serving as the veteran backup to the young gun being developed in net.

1. Bruins vs. 4. Penguins, Bruins in 6

The Penguins are always here to play, however their team has stumbled and halted their long-term greatness for the time being. The Bruins won’t have any walkaway games, but fans shouldn’t ever be scared by this series.

2. Capitals vs. 3. Flyers, Capitals in 7

I love the look of the Flyers. They are a fun, dark-horse kind of team that could ruin anybody’s run to the Cup, however they are meeting a juggernaut. The Capitals will be a team frustrated by being edged by the Bruins for first seed coming in to prove that they are the team they were in 2018 before it can be claimed that they’ve lost their throne on top of the league.

1. Bruins vs. 2. Capitals, Bruins in 7

The classic playoff matchup arrives. Two teams that will be heavy favorites to win the cup through the season and into the playoffs will meet to decide who takes the division title and bragging rights for the next year. The Capitals lost less talent in the defensive arena, however I am not confident that their young and fresh goalie is up to the challenge for slowing the Bruins powerful offense.

Stanley Cup Semifinals

These teams are seeded for the quarterfinals by their seeding in the divisional playoff, making the seeding the following:

1. Bruins
2. Blues
3. Blue Jackets (edged by the Blues in points)
4. Maple Leafs

1. Bruins vs. 4. Maple Leafs, Bruins in 7

Much like several other matchups in my projected postseason, it’s the young, up-and-coming team taking on the standard and seasoned behemoth that has dominated the playoffs. In the not-too-distant future, these teams will flop with who is on top, but for now the Bruins edge out a series victory to make another Stanley Cup Playoff.

2. Blues vs. 3. Blue Jackets, Blues in 6

The Blues have proven that they can grind with any team since around 2012, and have since then continued to stack and stack and stack talent to back up this grind. Led forward by ROR in center and the best young stud in Binnington, the Blues will be able to outclass and finesse the Blue Jackets to a series victory.

Stanley Cup Final

1. Boston Bruins vs. 2. Saint Louis Blues

How could this matchup not come back again sometime in these next few years. The Blues have started their apex of talent and success and will ride this wave for the next few years as top talent in the league. The Bruins are on the other end, keeping their rising sun from setting by continually playing fundamentally strong hockey. This series will not look like the last time the teams meet, however. The crazy back and forth of the series will be more steady and predictable with a more steady and predictable Blues team coming to the top. Blues in 6.

Thomas Lally (@lallygaggin)