2022 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Preview

Last years Eastern Conference champions are not back this year, as the Rangers missed out on a trip to the post-season. From the 2021 playoffs, 4 teams are out and are replaced by 4 new ones. Out are the Rangers, Lightning, Bruins and Sabres and in are the Panthers, Leafs, Blue Jackets and Hurricanes, the latter of which finished at the bottom of the east just a year ago. So let’s take a peak at each of the four series. 

(D1) Florida Panthers vs. (W2) Montreal Canadiens

The Panthers are back in the post-season after a few years in the wilderness. The team loaded up in the summer and continued to do so during the season with a deadline addition in Mark Stone. It’s hard to argue that the Panthers are one of the more dominant teams in the conference heading into the playoffs. They are the only 50 win team in the East, 3rd in the conference in goals for and were 2nd in goals against. The connection between Pacioretty and Crosby has been lights out all year and has only gotten better since the addition of Stone. At the other end of the ice, Grubauer is in the conversation to win the Vezina as his play has been consistently great all year. The one concern is that offense from outside the top line has been sporadic at best. The second line of Marchessault-Bergeron-Verhaeghe all had over 40 points this year but more would be expected of them going forward. 

The Montreal Canadiens also had no problem putting the puck in the back of the net all season, finishing just behind the Panthers. A trio of 30 goal scorers (with Roope Hintz not far behind) will be hard to stop for any defence in the league. Carey Price was acquired early in the season and while his stats are not far off Jakob Markstrom, who was sent the other way, the team seemed to ignite with him behind them moving from the basement to the playoffs in quick order. One of the big additions at the deadline in Ryan Getzlaf has been somewhat of a bust, with only 1 goal in 17 games. Will he show up for the playoffs will be a question mark heading into the season. 

While the two opponents are matched up well offensively, it’s in the defensive side where the Panthers hold the clear advantage. Both teams' special teams are neutralized, posting very similar numbers on the PP and PK. The Panthers absolutely dominated the season series, out scoring the Canadiens 16-6 in 4 games. The Canadiens have their work cut out for them if they want to take out the top dog in the east. Season Series: 4-0 Panthers

(D2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (D3) Detroit Red Wings

The Maple Leafs were crushed, barely missing out on the 2021 Playoffs. It’s an understatement to say that Toronto was determined for that not to happen again. The Leafs remodeled the entire roster, bringing in star players at every spot in the roster. In were John Tavares, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Kris Letang, Brock Nelson and Jakub Voracek. Cap all that off with the addition of Mikko Rantanen at the deadline and you got yourselves a serious contender. Even with those additions, it’s been a slightly bumpy road along the way. They had a harder time playing at home than on the road, they conceded just as many goals as they did last year and only scored a handful more. Now part of the problem with the goals against can be attributed to the dreadful play from backup Marcus Hoberg. Rantanen has been the perfect fit up front and if Vas is healthy, they should be a force. 

Detroit on the other hand are hoping to correct some wrongs of their own. The Red Wings finally made the playoffs after a long layoff a few years ago, but that has come with two 1st round exits and a 2-8 record. It’s hard to get a read on Detroit. Connor McDavid can be better than his play has been this season. You would have to think they would have hoped to get more out of Evander Kane and the shipped out Chris Kreider, but Blake Wheeler has been a positive fit in the east deadline load up whereas Timo Meier has only drawn in for a handful of games. Jordan Binnnington has been a force for the Wings in net all year and Carter Hart has been just as good as a backup, so an advantage is there with having two goalies they could turn to. 

The season series between these two teams was bitterly close. Each of their 4 games was decided by a goal, two 2-1 games and two 3-2 OT games, one going to each side. If you had to pick a series that might go 7 games this is the one, firepower on both sides and steady goaltending. Both of these teams must be a little disappointed meeting in the first round, after finishing 5th and 6th in the entire league. Season Series: 2-2 Tied

(B1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (W1) Columbus Blue Jackets

The Hurricanes almost went from the basement to the top of the east in the season, but will have to just settle for top of their division. It’s not hard to find what their identity is, and that is clearly defence. They didn’t score a ton, but allowed the fewest in the entire MRFHL. The Marchand-Pastarnak connection carried most of the offense, accounting for over a third of the goals this season in Carolina. The tandem of Rask and Korpisalo were excellent all season, letting very few goals no matter who was in net. Unlike the teams in the Daigle, the Hurricanes were very quiet out of the deadline, only making one in-season move. Maybe the biggest worry in Carolina is they’ve gone cold down the stretch letting the Conference lead slip out of their grasp and finishing with a paltry 3-7 in their last 10.

The Blue Jackets are the complete opposite in how they play, and that is trying to score as many goals as they can. The Jackets led the MRFHL in goals this year with what might be the most unlikely cast of players you could imagine. Six players scored over 20 goals and the “top line” of Mattias Janmark, Erik Haula and Arrttu Ruostlainen led the way with over 80 points each. High event hockey explains the Jackets as while they finished 2nd in the league in shots on net, they allowed the most shots by any playoff team by quite a margin. Cam Talbot and Spencer Knight have calmed the waters, but surely you can’t put that on goalies every night as the opponents get tougher. Luckily they may have the perfect opponent in round 1.

You couldn’t imagine two more different teams meeting in the first round. The season series was tied this year, but the Blue Jackets took the last two of the meetings including one on the last game of the season in a 6-1 beatdown. Will that success carry forward or will the tight playoff hockey favour the Canes. Season Series: 2-2 Tied

(B2) New York Islanders vs. (B3) Pittsburgh Penguins

The Islanders dropped a heartbreaking Game 7 in the battle of New York last year and after a topsy turvy year, they’ve ended strong and even have home ice heading into the playoffs. Markstrom was a massive improvement the moment he stepped into New York, stabilizing a goaltending position that was in flux with the poor play of Carey Price. After leading the offence a year ago, JT Miller and Travis Konency took steps back but Bo Horvat and Nikolaj Ehlers were there in support. They may be one of the only playoff teams not to have a 30 goal scorer, but they’ve done it by committee all season. 

The Penguins may have thought they were out of it. They dealt Ondrej Palat late in the season after he was one of the key parts of the offence, but they seemed to keep on winning. A solid and mean backbone of defence led by Oleksiak and Gudas will cause anyone nightmares in the playoffs and the seemingly unaging Brian Elliott has stolen away the starters job and been a stabilizing force for the Penguins. Chandler Stephenson, at the age of 27, exploded offensively as he led the team with 90 points. The Penguins had a bit more success in the overtime period, finishing with more wins than the Islanders this year, so we’ll see how that evens out. 

The Islanders hold the season series lead, but all their wins came in the first month and a half of the season whereas the Penguins squeaked out an OT win in the final month of the season. Both teams are fairly matched heading in to this round and it’s hard to tell who will have the advantage. Season Series: Islanders 3-1