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As the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach, the excitement among hockey fans is palpable. There are several teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the championship this year, but here are the five teams that I believe are the most likely to take Lord Stanley home.
1. Boston Bruins remain runaway Stanley Cup favourites
The Boston Bruins have been the best team in the league all season and they are showing no signs of slowing down. Led by Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, they have an incredibly deep and talented team that is capable of beating anyone. Their goalie tandem has been outstanding, and they have a solid defence that can shut down opponents.
If the Bruins win their way to the Stanley Cup, it will be a remarkable achievement for a team many pundits felt had reached the end of their window to contend.
Jim Montgomery has been lights out in his first season behind the bench in Boston, benefiting from remarkable individual performances by netminder Linus Ullmark and forward David Pastranak.
2. Carolina Hurricanes rise into Stanley Cup contention
The Carolina Hurricanes have not been a surprise package this season – they are a very talented team that has played consistently well all year. Their scoring is spread out throughout the lineup, and they have solid goaltending from Frederik Andersen. They are a team that could make a deep run in the playoffs.
3. Dallas Stars could be surprise package in Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Dallas Stars have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past few months, and they are playing their best hockey at the right time. Their head coach, Peter DeBoer, has done a great job of getting the most out of his players, including several starlets who have stepped up and contributed.
Jason Robertson is the clearest example, with 91 points (41 goals, 50 assists) in 72 appearances this term. In his third professional season, the 23-year-old will be a player to watch down the stretch, as the Stars try to lock in home ice advantage in the Western Conference.
4. Colorado Avalanche in with a shot at back-to-back Stanley Cups
The Colorado Avalanche are the defending champions and boast an extremely talented roster that is capable of winning it all again this year. They endured a string of injury issues at the start of the campaign, but they are getting healthy – and hot – at the right time.
The Avalanche have won eight of their last ten games, which includes a hard-fought shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
If the likes of Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon stay healthy, the Avalanche have a real shot at winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs could rewrite history with Stanley Cup run
The Maple Leafs have a lot of talent but have really struggled to live up to expectations in recent years.
Kyle Dubas – in the final months of his contract as general manager – made some big moves at the trade deadline to strengthen his roster, with Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, and Erik Gustafson added to an already impressive group.
If the Leafs feel the need to add another piece to their offensive weaponry, Matthew Knies is waiting in the wings too.
History of failure aside, the Leafs mean business.
In conclusion, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are always unpredictable, and any team is capable of winning it all. However, the five teams listed above have the best chance of taking home the cup this year. It will be interesting to see how the playoffs unfold, and I can’t wait to see which team comes out on top.
