1) The Pittsburgh Penguins
There is only one reason why seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins win would be the worst. It’s not because they’re a team who has won the Stanley Cup three times in recent memory dating back to 2009, 2016 and 2017. It wouldn’t be because the Penguins have already benefited from a superstar player getting drafted from the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL in Sidney Crosby back in 2005. And it’s not because the team already has ridiculous skill upfront with Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel.
The Penguins winning would be unfathomably difficult because that would be mean the Montreal Canadiens would’ve won the lottery if they lost the series.
No one can see the future. It’s impossible to know for certain how things are going to play out. And it would be in poor taste to mitigate with the Habs were able to accomplish in defeating the Penguins.
At first, it was all Carey Price, but as the series continued, the Canadiens improved their play and took the fight to them at 5v5. Players like Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi took a step further while Jeff Petry went on another run of proving his worth to the organization. The Montreal Canadiens should be proud of themselves.
That said, that little thought of, “That could’ve been us,” is surely going to appear if Bill Daly flips that card over with the Penguins’ logo on it.
This is the sacrifice that comes with making the playoffs. You miss out on chances like these. But let me be clear, it won’t be the players who are missing out. They did their job, and many are going to be getting their first taste of playoff hockey. However, Bergevin and Geoff Molson may not want to watch the event, especially if one of those three gets the win.