Tag: new-york-rangers

2024 NHL Eastern Conference Finals Prediction

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What a round! The two best teams in the east are in the conference finals. On one side, the well designed, balanced and deep New York Rangers. Led by coach Peter Laviolette, captain Jacob Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider, the Rangers are the best and most complete of the remaining four postseason teams. Their opponent is last year’s eastern conference champion Florida Panthers. Defensive leader Aaron Ekblad, two time Vezina winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and captain Aleksander Barkov lead Florida’s return to the ECF. All three are Conn Smythe worthy after their team ousted two deep, well built division rivals. Both squads will have their hands full and many believe whoever wins this series is the favorite to win the championship. Time to break down who has the best chance to win the eastern conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

#2 Florida Panthers v. #1 New York Rangers

This could be the best series in the entire 2024 NHL playoffs. Both teams have great coaches, great offenses and scoring depth, strong physical presences around the net and shutdown defenses. Florida and New York have some of the best special teams (power-play and penalty-killing) units in the league and make some of the quickest adjustments each game. Unlike last year’s conference finals matchup between the aforementioned Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes, this series shouldn’t be a four game sweep.

Physical play and depth scoring from talented players such as Florida’s Sam Bennett (left) and New York’s Barclay Goodrow (right) will determine who wins this thrilling series.

The Rangers drastically improved under coach Peter Laviolette and remain a threat even if they’re down three goals on the road. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin’s given up more than three goals in the postseason once in the last three years. A deep defense led by captain Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox makes this hard for the Panthers to consistently score.

New York loves to play an aggressive 1-3-1 formation that overwhelms opposing defenses. It’s deadlier when New York’s on the power-play with their top scorers. However the Panthers defense has improved and gave up one power-play goal last series, frustrating the veteran Boston Bruins. A major reason comes from their brutally physical 2-1-2 style of play where an extra player is left higher/further up on the ice as an offensive option while the other four forecheck opponents at the walls. Florida’s mastered how and when to dump the puck into an offensive zone, hit an opponent near the boards, and pass it to an area close to the net giving a player a good shot on goal. This wears down an opponent over time faster than a typical bump-and-skate approach. The Rangers playing an aggressive version of 1-3-1 means a smarter veteran team like the Panthers can exploit more holes in the defensive end and play more transition offense once forcing more turnovers.

Florida has a major advantage over New York with not just their physical play, but their determined mindset. In both the playoffs and regular season, the Panthers lost only three games where they had a lead in regulation or went to overtime. That means their opponent has to score and overwhelm them early. While it can be done a few games at a time, doing it four times in a series is close to impossible. The Rangers have great roster depth, a tight playing style and a bastion of scoring options, but they don’t have the determination to play mean and physical like Florida. The longer this series goes (and it will be long), the more Florida breaks down New York in every facet.

Prediction: Panthers win the eastern conference and the series 4-2

Eastern conference playoff predictions after two rounds: 5-1

2024 NHL Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

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Every playoff series in the eastern conference was set almost a week before the regular season ended. In a surprising twist, Pittsburgh misses the playoffs for the second straight year and Detroit came up short despite a thrilling overtime win. Only Carolina and Tampa Bay acquired more than one major player by the trade deadline. The other six will rely on scoring depth and coaching changes to get through another tough postseason. Each team has their hands full against veteran playoff franchises wanting a championship appearance. It’s time to break down which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.

#7 New York Islanders v. #2 Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina’s Seth Jarvis (24) was fun to watch throughout the regular season. He’ll have a tough time keeping up with New York’s Mathew Barzal (13).

Two months ago, it was inconceivable the Islanders wouldn’t just make the playoffs, but get as high as the seventh seed. New York won eight of their final ten regular season games and have adjusted to a postseason mindset led by center Mathew Barzal.

Unfortunately for the Islanders, they drew the red-hot Hurricanes. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is back to full health and the acquisitions of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov are another layer of playoff depth few teams can counter. New York had a great run to end the regular season, but Carolina’s depth will overwhelm them early and often.

Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1

#8 Washington Capitals v. #1 New York Rangers

Jimmy Vesey and the Rangers offense will give Washington’s defense and Charlie Lindgren (79, white) problems.

The Capitals almost drew a favorable first round matchup against Carolina. Instead they drew the President’s Trophy winning (awarded to the team with the league’s best record) New York Rangers. The Rangers have a top five offense, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin is among the best at shutting down opposing offensive playmakers.

Washington coach Spencer Carbery has proven resourceful and will find ways to frustrate a deep, veteran New York offense to take some pressure off goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper. Don’t be surprised if this series lasts longer due to the Capitals new, scrappy mindset.

Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2

#5 Toronto Maple Leafs v. #4 Boston Bruins

Two original six franchises in another physical and mean first round series. This will be a ratings success.

The last power rankings discussed Toronto’s disadvantages facing any atlantic division rival in round one. Auston Matthews didn’t even get 70 goals in the regular season and the celebratory gift for the team is another first round matchup against their long-time rival Boston.

The Bruins have many advantages over their Canadian rival, but the big ones are the goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, and their home play versus their rivals. The Leafs netminder duo of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll are streaky and not ready to face a veteran team like Boston.

The latter advantage cements this pick. The Bruins are 7-0 against the Leafs (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games. Toronto’s also lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden. While this series might go seven games, it’s clear who advances.

Prediction: Bruins win series 4-3

#6 Tampa Bay Lightning v. #3 Florida Panthers

The 1980s-1990s had the Battle of Alberta. The 2010s-2020s have the Battle of Florida. Like the winner of those glorious western conference series, the winner of these eastern matchups are favored to represent the conference in the Stanley Cup finals.

There’s nothing better than a state or provincial rivalry in the NHL playoffs. It’s juicier if both teams are heavily favored to reach the championship.

Coaching doesn’t get better than Jon Cooper versus Paul Maurice. Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky will have games where they frustrate opposing offenses and give up four or more goals depending on how both teams attack the net. Both Florida teams again feature the best forward and center depth in the conference. One could say it’s a deadlock and the winner might be decided in game seven.

If there’s a decisive factor for which team advances, it’s defensive depth. Both Aaron Ekblad and Victor Hedman will return, but Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh, Erik Cernak, Matt Dumba and Calvin de Haan are a better core than Florida’s Gustav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers core defensive players will struggle whenever the Lightning have power-play opportunities.

Eastern conference upset prediction: Lightning win series 4-2

Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2