The NHL Playoffs begin on April 19th amidst a very busy period in sports. With the NBA Championships and UEFA Champions League going on at the same time, the ferocity at which NHL games are played will need to be prevalent. There are a handful of great teams that are expected to make a deep run and raise the cup when it’s all said and done. While that’s the case, there are also a few dark horse teams that come in as clear underdogs who could make some noise in this year’s playoffs. With teams clinching berths or on the verge of doing so, let’s take a look at who some of those underdogs could be.
NHL Playoffs: 3 Underdogs to Watch
Ottawa Senators
For the first time since 2017, the Ottawa Senators have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their hot play in the month of March is what propelled them to do so, going 10-3-2 and beating teams ahead of them in the wild-card race. They lost their first game in April but went on to win three in a row, putting the final touches on their fight to get in.
The Senators may not be favorites, but they’re for sure an underdog to watch. Goaltending and defensive play has got them this far and it’ll need to continue heading into the playoffs. While the defensive/goaltending side has gotten the most attention, the Senators have star forward Brady Tkachuck and former number three overall pick Tim Stutzle on the offensive side.
While the Senators have clinched, they’re still fighting for playoff positioning but whoever draws them will not have an easy matchup. Ottawa is young and hungry to prove themselves. Don’t be surprised if they’re a possible underdog team poised to make a run in the playoffs.
St. Louis Blues
If there’s a team heading into the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs that could make a deep run as an underdog, it’s the St. Louis Blues. Sitting eight points out of a playoff spot heading into the four-nations break, St. Louis looked all but finished…until they weren’t. The Blues became the hottest team in the National Hockey League, at one point winning a franchise-record 12 consecutive games that catapulted them into a wild card spot, although not officially clinched yet. All of that happened while their best defenseman Colten Parayko missed time with an injury.
They got hot at the right time and not many teams would want to play them come playoff time. Their goaltending has been red hot since the four-nations break and their top players are playing like the best players in the league at the moment. Hiring head coach Jim Montgomery as soon as the Boston Bruins fired him was one of many things Blues GM Doug Armstrong has done well since this past offseason.
Forward Dylan Holloway has an injury and his time frame is unknown but one thing the Blues have adopted is the next man-up mentality and that’s what has made this team so dangerous. This run has kind of reminded everyone of the 2019 Stanley Cup season and we know how that ended.
New Jersey Devils
Coming into the season, the New Jersey Devils were tied for the fourth-best odds to win the Stanley Cup. As they enter their first-round matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes in a few days, their odds to win it all are near the bottom among all playoff teams. The Devils looked like favorites over the first three months of the season but over the last three months, it’s been the opposite.Â
They finished March with a points percentage of .531, which was the first time they were over .500 since December. At times, the Devils showed that they could make noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs but if so, they’ll have to do it without Jack Hughes, who’s out until next season. New Jersey still has some firepower on offense, led by the great duo of Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom struggled after returning from injury but he has shown signs of getting back to himself.
The Devils have faced adversity this season but for the most part, have overcome it. Everyone is counting them out but they still have the talent and lineup to make a possible run if they start clicking come playoff time.Â
Main Image: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
