FRIDAY COMMENTARY – THE PICK
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)
We’re not quite there yet, but we’re close.
Friday marks the final night of the NHL regular season and believe it or not, not all first round match-ups are set for the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
After tonight they will be, and Colorado will clinch the Central Division banner with a win over Nashville.
As it stands, Seattle and Minnesota still don’t know whom they’ll face in the first round, so it’s not time yet for our first round predictions.
However all the match-ups are set in the East, and there’s some fun to be had there!
Boston and Florida are meeting in the first round for just the second time ever, and the first since 1996 when the Panthers beat the B’s on the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Remember the rats? Of course I’m pulling for the Panthers to win it. I want to see some more hockey live this spring! That doesn’t mean I’m picking them.
Toronto and Tampa meet in Round 1 for the second consecutive year. The Lightning won in seven last season but there’s plenty more on the line now including the jobs of the Leafs GM and coach.
The Devils and Rangers meet for a fifth time in the Hudson River Series and the first since 2012 when a 40-year old Martin Brodeur vanquished the Blueshirts on the way to the Stanley Cup.
The Hurricanes and Islanders will meet for just the second time and for me, that’s a heart-tugger. Beloved Notre Dame Hounds great Rod Brind’amour is Carolina’s coach and here he’s going up against Lane Lambert, a Sask boy and former Blade on the Islanders bench.
The other two series in the West are set. Edmonton and L.A. will meet for the ninth time ever, and the Oilers hold a 6-2 edge there. That includes a 7-game series win last spring. Melville’s Todd McLelland leads the Kings against and Edmonton franchise which fired him. Juicy.
And dare I say the series with the most intrigue for me is Vegas-Winnipeg which begins Tuesday night with Game 1 in the Fortress. They last met in the 2018 Conference Final and those Golden Knights are coming off a season where they’ve clinched the Pacific Division and Western Conference banners.
You heard it here first:
Vegas and Boston in the Stanley Cup Final.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV, WQEE Radio and all major podcast platforms)
You picked FLA to win round 1, but put Boston in the finals… #timetohunt
Leafs and Oilers in the cup 6 games leafs win.
Boston/Florida, nothing stopping the Boston Bruins this playoff.
Toronto/Tampa Bay, Lightning win based on player experience.
Devils/Rangers, Devils wayyy too fast for the Rangers to keep up, Devils win.
Carolina Hurricanes/New York Islanders, Islanders might surprise in a hard to choose series, toss up between these two.
Edmonton Oilers/Los Angels Kings, Kings solid from top to bottom, Oilers not so as they are a two pony team, Kings win if they get the goaltending.
Las Vegas Knights/Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg barely got into the playoffs, Knights skate circles around the Jets and easily take this series, Jets need to clean house.
I’m still standing Jets win the Western conference
🙄🙄🙄🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪🤪🤪🤪
Boston Bruins +350 odds to win the coveted NHL Stanley Cup Championship 2023.
Rod picked the flames to win the Pacific… Guy doesn’t have a clue.