The North Division has everyone shocked with a second-round series consisting of the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets.
Most people were already talking about a Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Edmonton Oilers Round 2 series before the first round had even started. It just seemed that obvious.
But then, against all odds, the Jets swept the Oilers, and the Canadiens beat the Leafs in seven games.
Perhaps, this is not all coincidence and both teams have a playoff style of hockey, as opposed to the Leafs and Oilers who were doing amazing in the regular season.
It’s easy to see the similarity between the Leafs and Oilers. They both have superstars (and sidekicks). The Leafs have Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and the Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Matthews finished the regular season with 41 goals and 25 assists for 66 points in 52 games played. McDavid, on the other hand, had 33 goals and 72 assists for 105 points in 56 games played. Both these numbers are incredible, but did not help much in the playoffs. Matthews had one goal and four assists, and McDavid one goal and three assists.
Superstars are easy to spot and, therefore, easy to shut down if you have the assets. The Montreal Canadiens sent Phillip Danault’s line to shut down Matthews’s line, and it worked.
Although the Habs don’t have a superstar, their team leader in goals is Tyler Toffoli, with 28 goals and 16 assists for 44 points in 52 games. And in the playoffs, it’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi, with three goals. However, Toffoli remains the team leader in points with two goals and three assists, for a total of five points. Eric Staal is the leader in assists, with four. And let’s not forget Corey Perry who has shown everyone why the Habs signed him. He has two goals and two assists.
The Jets’ team leaders in goals are Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, with two goals and three assists for five points each last series. They also have Kyle Connor with two goals and two assists, and Josh Morrissey with one goal and three assists.
In the regular season, Scheifele had 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points.
Both these teams don’t have a Matthews or McDavid type of superstar, but they have guys all around the lineup who are willing to work and score when needed. That makes it more difficult to play against because there isn’t just a player or a line that needs to be shut down. There are players in all four lines that can be dangerous.
This makes the series that much more unpredictable and entertaining, and it might be once again the team that adjusts the best that will win.
Of course, it’s also going to be another four to seven games of a goaltending battle, with both Carey Price and Connor Hellebuyck being spectacular so far.
The defence will also play a big part in who wins the series, and that, once again, comes with the previously mentioned adjustments. Will the Habs’ defence be able to adjust if need be? If they want to win, they will have to, as playing defence against the Leafs and Jets will be very different.
The lineup tonight remains the same as it was for Games 6 and 7:
Toffoli-Suzuki-Caufield
Evans-Danault-Gallagher
Byron-Kotkaniemi-Anderson
Armia-Staal-Perry
Chiarot-Weber
Edmundson-Petry
Kulak-Gustafsson
Ultimately, if the Montreal Canadiens want a real shot at winning this series, they will have to play fast and physical, and also play defensively, which is pretty much what they did against the Leafs. But their ability to adjust their play from playing against superstars to a team that looks like theirs will be the real test here.