Morning Coffee – Tue, Feb 9 - Raptors Republic

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Morning Coffee – Tue, Feb 9 – Raptors Republic

Published

3 years ago

February 9, 2021

Harry Miller

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Raptors struggle to contain Jonas Valanciunas, win anyway – The Athletic

And so it was here, with three minutes to go in the third, that the game swung on a pair of coaching decisions.

The first was that of Nick Nurse. Nurse received a technical foul in the first half but said the officials told him it was on Siakam, not him. Frustrated with a no-call on a potential Valanciunas travel, he earned a second and thereby an ejection. He was understandably confused, and apparently the first technical had been changed to his name. There is a larger underlying problem here: The Raptors lead the league with 28 technical fouls, and no other team has more than 20. That persistent lack of composure has, at times, derailed things. In this instance, the brief pause and Nurse’s walk of shame to the locker room to watch the game on mute while blaring The Doors had a rallying effect.

The second was Jenkins opting to only briefly play Dieng in Valanciunas’ spot. It’s true that Dieng had a few bad possessions, but he’s also leading the league in 3-point shooting and has generally been quite good in his backup role. Jenkins instead rolled with a smaller lineup with Kyle Anderson and Tillman as the frontcourt, with a splash of personal favourite John Konchar. That group was too light on shooting and athleticism to get the traditional full benefit of a smaller lineup, and a Fred VanVleet-led bench unit took full advantage, getting stops and getting out on the break.

The minutes Valanciunas was on the bench produced a 19-4 run for the Raptors. That’s not entirely the Valanciunas effect, of course, but even when the Raptors are still trying to find themselves, they’re not a team opponents want to let back in the game. VanVleet took over the lead initiator role on his way to 32 points and nine assists. Siakam found his 3-point shot — and the joy in his game, from the look of it — on his way to 32 points and six assists, his fourth 30-point game in the previous six. Norman Powell scored 29, too, nearly achieving the rare three-by-30 in the box score.

More important than the aggressive, opportunistic offence was a rediscovered level of defence. That defence had been quite shaky most of the night, to put it politely. The comeback and pull-away stretches were far more characteristic, forcing seven turnovers and holding Memphis to 7-of-26 shooting over the final 15 minutes. Siakam, in particular, was electric on defence, especially once he was moved closer to the interior to help Boucher after Valanciunas sealed him deep in the post on a couple of possessions. DeAndre’ Bembry did a terrific job on Ja Morant, too, leaving too much of the offence running through Anderson and Dillon Brooks, who cooled off late. (Brooks was quite good at both ends up to that point, a nice sign for the Canada Basketball side of things.) Boucher used his speed in transition to be a factor while being shifted some on defence.

VanVleet Siakam lead Raptors furious comeback win Grizzlies – Yahoo!

Four — Leader: VanVleet stepped up when the Raptors needed him most. He was relatively quiet early on, blanketed by the aggressive defense of Canadian forward Dillon Brooks, but he imposed himself with 12 points in the third quarter to assert control over the team. VanVleet amped up the pace of the game, and was personally looking for his shot in every way possible, whether it was through threes, midrange jumpers, or by getting to the foul line. VanVleet also punctuated the win with a driving layoff to Chris Boucher, who followed up the play with a two-handed dunk that was the highlight of the game. VanVleet’s insistence offensively paid off with 12 trips to the foul line, and he was also masterful in finding the open shooter once he sucked in the defense. It’s just yet another example of VanVleet stepping up as the Raptors’ most important player, and this is already the fourth time VanVleet has led the Raptors to victory in Lowry’s absence this season.

Recap: Toronto Raptors rally late and overwhelm Memphis Grizzlies, 128-113 – Raptors HQ

The defensive turnaround coincided with some offensive brilliance by Fred VanVleet, who added an excellent night of his own to join Powell and Siakam. VanVleet was masterful in the second half, getting to the rim, hitting tough mid-rangers, and finding his teammates for some easy buckets on his way to 32 points on only 14 shots and nine assists.

When it was all said and done, Powell, Siakam and VanVleet had combined for 93 points, and they all contributed in turning an ugly three quarters into a comfortable win in the fourth. From the moment Nurse was ejected until the final buzzer sounded, the Raptors outscored the Grizzlies 43-19.

The time after Nurse’s ejection served as a reminder of how good this team can be when they are locked in and communicating defensively. They overwhelmed the Grizzlies with speed and length, moving as one cohesive unit.

That said, they can’t rely on an external spark every night, and will need to bring that same intensity from the jump against quality opponents. For now, however, they have something to build on as they continue their road trip on Wednesday, taking on the Washington Wizards.

Quick Recap: Grizzlies lose their fourth in a row – Grizzly Bear Blues

The Raptors held all the momentum at the start of the fourth — Memphis took a quick timeout after Toronto obtained a four-point lead, culminating a 16-2 run that originated in the third. Unfortunately for Memphis, the Raptors lead continued to balloon from this point on. Toronto turned 15 Grizzlies mistakes into 26 points, a number that ultimately decided the outcome of this one. Norman Powell lit up Memphis for a season-high 29 points on 10-for-17 accuracy from the field. The Grizzlies got demolished in the fourth to the tune of 34-16 and fell 128-113.

LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and the Charlotte Hornets are next up on the Beale Street Bears calendar. The point guard battle between Ball and Morant should make for some compelling basketball. Tune in on Wednesday at 7 pm CT.

Without Lowry, Raptors’ young leaders step up to earn challenge-filled win – Sportsnet

No matter what side of that argument you might fall on, there’s no denying that the Raptors were able to play better because they managed to tighten up their defence after Nurse was forced to watch the game from the visitors’ locker room, and it was largely thanks to Toronto’s young leadership stepping up in Lowry’s absence.

“We all challenge each other to play harder and be more into it and that didn’t just include the five guys that were on the floor,” said VanVleet. “That was also the guys on the bench. We definitely went out there and earned it after giving up 70 in the first half. A 27-point third and a 16-point fourth. You can live with that. You can survive that way. So hopefully we’ll build on that moving forward.”

Added Norman Powell: “It was focus. That was the main talk at halftime. Top to bottom, guys got on each other, holding each other accountable, making sure we weren’t blame shifting or anything like that. You made a mistake? You own it and do better the next time. And I think top to bottom we did that in the second half. We got stops and we played together.”

And Pascal Siakam: “I just think at half coach came in [asking for] a lot more energy just from the bench, all the coaches [said the same]. I just felt like it’s always on the players to bring energy, but it’s on all of us, the players, the coaching staff, the players on the bench, we all have to bring it.”

Bring it the Raptors certainly did — especially the aforementioned trio, who combined for 93 points and came a Powell-point shy of becoming the first Raptors trio to score 30 or more points each all in the same game.

And in particular, Siakam was great, scoring 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including a welcome 5-for-8 mark from three-point range, snapping a 9-for-47 funk from deep he’s been in for the last 15 games.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” said Siakam. “I feel good, man. Finally making some shots. It’s about time.”

No regrets two years after trade, but Raptors sure miss Valanciunas – TSN.ca

Whatever sparked them – whether it was Nurse getting tossed, VanVleet’s impassioned speech during a huddle, or maybe they just got tired of watching Valanciunas bully them in the paint and flipped the switch – it worked. Boucher played the final 17 minutes and mostly held his own in a tough matchup with JV, though Toronto sent multiple defenders at the Grizzles centre when he caught the ball in the post and attacked him in the pick and roll on offence – a formula opposing teams used to use to neutralize Valanciunas when he was with the Raps.

In that regard, Monday’s game also served as a reminder of why Dwane Casey would often close games with Valanciunas on the bench, or why Nurse opted to platoon him with Ibaka. For all of his strengths offensively, there are still ways of exploiting his physical limitations on defence, especially late in games or when teams play small.

He’s not a perfect modern big, though he has worked hard to adapt his game over the years, but he makes up for that by excelling at the things he does well; rebounding, scoring efficiently around the bucket and getting to the free throw line – all things that the Raptors badly need from the centre position.

Baynes appeared to be turning the corner a bit after his rough start to the season, but there’s no way to sugar coat it – he’s been a major disappointment, even based on the relatively modest expectations the team had when they signed him to help fill the void at the five. Alex Len, the other traditional big man that they added, was waived after a forgettable nine-game stint with the team.

Outside of Boucher, who’s had a strong start to the campaign and gives them a different look, the Raptors are still searching for answers at the position. More and more, it’s looking like that answer isn’t currently on the roster.

Kyle Lowry hurt, Nick Nurse ejected … and Raptors dig deep to rally past Grizzlies | The Star

The turnaround was shocking. The Raptors had been brutal defensively before the ejection, giving up 70 points in the first half while showing very little fight or toughness. But they had a string of eight consecutive stops to key the 28-6 run that put the game away. They held Memphis to 16 points in the fourth quarter and only 33 in the entire second half.

“We all challenge each other to play harder and be more into it, and that didn’t just include the five guys that were on the floor,” said guard Fred VanVleet, who had 32 points and nine assists. “That was also the guys on the bench. We definitely went out there and earned it after giving up 70 in the first half. A 27-point third and a 16-point fourth. You can live with that. You can survive that way. So hopefully we’ll build on that moving forward.”

The Raptors played the majority of the game without Kyle Lowry, who left with back spasms in the second quarter, and the entire game without OG Anunoby, still out with a calf injury. Lowry played fewer than eight minutes, making his only two field-goal attempts before he walked gingerly to the locker room.

“I just talked to him and he said he didn’t know when it happened,” Nurse said of Lowry. “(He said) ‘I hit those first two floaters and then it started bothering me.’”

The Raptors could recall Malachi Flynn from his G League assignment near Orlando, but he would have to spend at least a little time in COVID-19 quarantine before he would be allowed to play. The road trip concludes with games in Washington on Wednesday and Boston on Friday.

Norm Powell had a season-high six three-pointers as part of a 29-point night, while Pascal Siakam drilled five threes and scored 32.

Jonas Valanciunas was outstanding for Memphis with 27 points and 20 rebounds, the third 20-20 game of his career.

Raptors turn it around late to steal win in Memphis | Toronto Sun

Jonas Valanciunas, the former Raptor playing just his second game since a five-game absence due to a bout with COVID-19, almost won this one by himself returning to the starting five with 27 points and 20 rebounds.

Of those 20 boards, 10 were offensive rebounds as the Lithuanian who spent the first 6 1/2 years of his NBA career in Toronto wreaked early havoc on his former teammates.

But in the second half and most notably in that fourth quarter, the Raptors started sending multiple bodies towards Valanciunas preventing him from getting his team those second chances or simply scoring himself.

The game really seemed to turn with the ejection of Nurse for that second technical, a technical he assumed was his first only to find out after the game that an earlier tech he was told was issued to Siakam, was in fact given to him.

Suddenly the defensive energy that seemed to have been lagging since the win in Brooklyn picked up again as the Raptors went on a 26-8 run that at one point included eight consecutive defensive stops.

The Raptors got the lead back up to as many as 12 at one point before the Grizzlies found their rhythm again and made things tense for a while.

But that was the last push from the Grizzlies who lost for the fourth time in a row as the Raptors re-established their double-digit lead.

VanVleet led the comeback taking over from his point guard position but from a scoring standpoint he had plenty of support from his fellow veterans in Norm Powell and Siakam.

NBA Power Rankings – Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are figuring things out

This Week: 18
Last Week: 21
2020-21 record: 10-13

Toronto remains a team in flux. Since their 2-8 start, the Raptors have gone 8-5, posting the East’s third-best record — and the league’s sixth-best offense — during that stretch. But that still leaves Toronto under .500 at this point in the season and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is now dealing with starting forward OG Anunoby’s absence with a calf injury.

NBA Power Rankings: Can Anyone Catch the Lakers? – The Ringer

This Week: 13
Last Week: 17

Yuta Watanabe deserves your attention.
Few things make me happier in life than good help defense. That’s why Watanabe, a third-year undrafted forward, is becoming one of my favorite players to watch.

My friend William Lou, of Yahoo Sports Canada, clearly shares my passion. He’ll only have more clips for his video as the season moves forward, because Nick Nurse is having a hard time keeping Watanabe off the floor despite his offensive limitations because of his off-ball impact and his ability to contain opposing wings in man-to-man situations.

It’s been a long and winding road to get to this point. Watanabe was born in Japan and came to the United States at age 18 to pursue basketball. After four years at George Washington University and two years spending the majority of his time in the G League, he’s making the most of his chance in the NBA. “Coming into this season, I was only on a training camp deal. So I never knew if I was going to get an opportunity like this,” Watanabe recently told reporters. “In training camp I worked hard every day, and I was able to show what I can do to the coaches, front office, and my teammates. I got the two-way, and now I’m getting my opportunities. I’m really proud of myself, and what I’m doing right now.”

NBA Power Rankings: Revisiting preseason predictions – The Athletic

This Week: 14
Last Week: 18

10-13, +1.2 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Magic, Win at Nets, Loss at Hawks

The preseason prediction: Aron Baynes hits 100 3-pointers.

The update: Maybe it’s the swampy Tampa Bay air (is it swampy there?), or maybe he’s just not hitting shots. Whatever it is, Baynes has not been the 3-point shooter we saw last season. He’s made just 11 3-pointers through 20 games played, shooting 23.4 percent from deep. Baynes would have to hit almost two 3-pointers per game while playing every game for the rest of the season to knock down 100. The Raptors could use his shooting a little, but mostly they’ve righted the ship without him turning into a Splash Brother.

Why this ranking? A 2-1 week for the Raptors, and I just love where they’re headed as they hit this long travel trip. They’re 8-5 in their last 13 games, which doesn’t sound spectacular, but it’s a good trend.

NBA Power Rankings: Lakers, Jazz battle for top spot; Bucks turn up the defense; scorching Kings make big jump – CBSSports.com

This Week: 15
Last Week: 22

It was a strange game against the Nets with Kevin Durant in and out of the lineup, but give the Raptors credit for hanging on for a big win. The offense exploded for Toronto in a 2-1 week, as Fred VanVleet scored 54 points in Tuesday’s win over the Magic, the most ever for an undrafted NBA player. Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell each averaged 20 points for the week, while Kyle Lowry added 17.7 points, 7.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds on 42 percent 3-point shooting. Nick Nurse said OG Anunoby could return soon, which should only help Toronto on both ends.

Power Rankings, Week 8: Lakers return to No. 1; Jazz continue to rise | NBA.com

This Week: 21
Last Week: 21

Record: 10-13
Pace: 100.2 (16) OffRtg: 112.5 (8) DefRtg: 111.1 (18) NetRtg: +1.3 (11)

The Fred VanVleet story just keeps getting better. From going undrafted to grinding his way into the rotation of one of the best teams in the league, catching fire to help that team win its first championship, turning into one of the most disruptive defensive players in the league, cashing in on his bets on himself, and now, setting the franchise record with 54 points in Orlando on Tuesday. Four days before Stephen Curry had his second 50-point game of the season, VanVleet looked a lot like the two-time MVP, shooting 11-for-14 from 3-point range, and, late in the game, leveraging his hot shooting to get a handful of layups.

Kyle Lowry’s triple-double in that game went under the radar, but Lowry had his fingerprints all over the Raptors’ win in Brooklyn on Friday. Lowry scored 30 points, with a run of 11 straight turning the game around in the fourth quarter. The Raps have had five of their seven most efficient offensive games of the season in the last 10 days, but they lost two of those five.

With their loss in Atlanta (in which Lowry shot 4-for-16 with no free throw attempts) on Saturday, the Raps are 0-3 in the second games of back-to-backs, having allowed more than 124 points per 100 possessions over those three games. They have three more back-to-backs left on the first-half schedule, including one on Wednesday and Thursday to close their six-game trip.

Are Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors Headed for a Divorce? | Bleacher Report

Toronto also discussed Lowry before the February 2019 trade deadline with Memphis, according to league sources, and almost added him to that eventual Jonas Valanciunas package, which would have landed Mike Conley with the Raptors alongside Marc Gasol. Those negotiations were so advanced, sources said, Lowry himself was made aware of the talks, and Grizzlies officials even told other front offices they were nearing a deal. Toronto sniffed the market for Lowry before the 2020 deadline as well, sources said.

Finding a destination for Lowry may be more complicated this season. He’ll turn 35 the day of the trade deadline, and his one-year, $30.5 million deal will be a huge number to introduce into a team’s cap sheet.

Toronto does not appear interested in rebuilding. You don’t rebuild after paying a combined $157 million to VanVleet and OG Anunoby the summer after inking Pascal Siakam to a $130 million deal. You retool. The Raptors have extended both Nurse and general manager Bobby Webster on multiyear deals. Regardless of Ujiri’s future—he’s in the last season of his own contract—Toronto prides itself on a tradition of winning and its seven straight playoff runs. The organization is committed to that core.

Moving Lowry will likely require a return which can both benefit the Raptors’ immediate postseason aspirations and their long-term ceiling. That could mean adding a young player while eating a veteran salary, or gaining a seasoned playoff performer plus a draft pick. Perhaps all three.

Lowry’s age and the length of his contract may limit his most likely suitors to championship contenders. And while they’ve been mired in their own slow start, the Heat still hold title aspirations and have long shown interest in Lowry. “He’s a very Miami-type player,” another Eastern team official said. “Gritty, tough.”

How Tom Brady and LeBron James together introduced a new kind of GOAT to the sports world – CBS Sports

Finding a trade partner would be a somewhat difficult undertaking from a cap perspective. Lowry will earn $30 million this season, and matching such a hefty number during a pandemic season won’t be easy. That is especially true given the number of likely suitors that are hard-capped. Of the 29 teams Toronto could possibly deal Lowry to, 17 are dealing with hard caps thanks to their offseason moves. Some of those teams have more than enough room below the line to make a move, but others, like the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks, are pressed up against the apron as is. That doesn’t preclude them from making a deal, but it makes aggregating multiple salaries to reach Lowry’s extremely difficult because room needs to be left over to fill out the roster.

But a player of Lowry’s talents will have plenty of suitors. The Clippers, lacking a traditional point guard, would make sense if they could make the money work, though their lack of tradeable first-round picks will also complicate a deal. The Miami Heat are in a similar position. Lowry’s hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers, could use a more traditional point guard, and unlike the Clippers and Heat, they are not hard-capped.

What Toronto would demand in such a deal remains unclear. In what is shaping up to be a seller’s market, Toronto might have the best available player on the board. They should therefore expect to extract a decent price for Lowry in terms of draft assets and young talent, should they decide to move him. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported Monday that they are interested in Andre Drummond. That would suggest a desire to remain competitive with players still in or near their primes.

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NHL Playoffs 2024: Picks for every first-round series, predicting the Stanley Cup winner – CBS Sports

Published

1 hour ago

April 20, 2024

Harry Miller

Getty

It’s officially time for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs to begin.

The New York Rangers secured the Presidents’ Trophy with the best record throughout the 2023-24 regular season. When the dust settled on the 2023-24 regular season, the Rangers finished with a 55-23-4 record (114 points) as they just edged out the Dallas Stars for the crown.

In the opening round, the lower-seeded wild card team faces off against the division winner with the best record. The other wild card team takes on the other division winner. The second and third-place teams from the divisions battle it out in the other playoff matchups. In the opening two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, home-ice advantage is given to the higher seed, which means that they had the better regular season record.

With the playoffs here, our NHL experts revealed their first-round predictions along with their Stanley Cup picks.

Western Conference

(1) Stars vs. (WC2) Golden Knights

Chris: This truly pains me to pick against the defending Stanley Cup champions, but it’s such a tough matchup. The Stars are one of the most dominant offenses throughout the NHL as they averaged 3.59 goals (third in the league) during the regular season. The scoring depth is astounding with Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, and Wyatt Johnston lighting the lamp on a consistent basis. Adding Chris Tanev to stabilize the blue line was a massive addition at the trade deadline. My only question mark lies in the crease for Dallas. We’ve seen goaltender Jake Oettinger thrive in the past, but it’s been an up-and-down campaign for the former first-round pick. Entering the postseason, Oettinger has tallied a 5-1-0 record, a 1.67 goals-against-average, and a .941 save percentage over his last six starts, so perhaps he has turned the corner. The Golden Knights will give the Stars everything they can handle after adding Tomas Hertl to a loaded group of centers at the trade deadline. Captain Mark Stone could also return at some point in this series, but the Stars are too well-rounded to go against. Pick — Stars beat Golden Knights 4-3

Austin: This matchup could easily be a conference final, which it was last year, but instead we get to see it in the first round. The Stars worked all season to earn the top seed in the Western Conference, and their reward is a date with the defending Stanley Cup champs and the team that eliminated them from the 2023 postseason. This is a heavyweight battle, and it looks like the Golden Knights are getting healthy at the right time once again. Mark Stone has started practicing after missing extended time with a lacerated spleen, and he joins a loaded lineup that has added the likes of Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl since last year’s Stanley Cup run. Of course, this Dallas lineup also looks different from the one that fell to Vegas last summer. The signing of Matt Duchene has provided some extra pop to the Stars’ forward group, and Chris Tanev only solidifies the team’s blue line. As intimidating as the Golden Knights look on paper, the Stars are just as scary, and they have been the better team this season. Dallas gets its revenge in a hard-fought series. Pick — Stars beat Golden Knights 4-2

(2) Jets vs. (3) Avalanche

Chris: This might be the toughest series to predict out of the eight in the opening round. The Avalanche really faded over the last month of the regular season as they dropped seven of their last 11 games. As a result, Colorado was out of the race for the Central Division crown, and even lost out on home-ice advantage in this series. Still, Nathan MacKinnon just produced a Hart Trophy-caliber season, and this is still a well-rounded group that put the puck in the net more than any other team on a nightly basis (3.68 goals-per-game). It certainly won’t be an easy road in this series with likely Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in between the pipes for the Jets. My biggest issue with the Jets is that I’m not sure if they have enough of a scoring punch to keep up with the Avalanche. This is going to be a very entertaining series, but I’ll go with the team that’s been there before. Pick — Avalanche beat Jets 4-2

Austin: Much like the above series, this is a brutal first-round matchup for both sides. The Jets and Avalanche both had great regular seasons, and one will be going home early. The tough part is figuring out which team that will be. The Avalanche are led by Nathan MacKinnon, who just tallied 140 points and seems to be playing a different game than everyone else right now. Add Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar and Devon Toews into that mix, and Colorado has the edge at the top of the lineup. The issue for the Avs is that the goaltending situation is on shaky ground heading into the playoffs. Alexandar Georgiev has struggled, and Justus Annunen has about as much NHL experience as me. The Jets don’t have that issue in net. Connor Hellebuyck will likely win the Vezina Trophy, and he gives his team a massive advantage at that position. On top of that, Winnipeg has some solid depth that only got better with the additions of Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli ahead of the trade deadline. If the Jets’ shutdown line consisting of Adam Lowry between Nino Niederreiter and Mason Appleton can make life difficult on the Avs’ top players, this series will go in Winnipeg’s favor. Pick — Jets beat Avalanche 4-3

(1) Canucks vs. (WC1) Predators

Chris: The Canucks have come a long way in a calendar year, to say the least. Since bringing in Rick Tocchet, the Canucks have been a juggernaut, and are a very deep team. Vancouver did get goaltender Thatcher Demko back in the lineup over the regular season’s final week after missing time with a knee injury. Having Demko back in the crease is massive, and really makes life that much more difficult for the Predators. It’s been a very successful season for the Predators, but the Canucks are just too loaded from an offensive perspective. Pick — Canucks beat Predators 4-1

Austin: These two teams are fascinatingly similar. Overachieving rosters? Check. Norris Trophy candidates? Check. Jack Adams Award candidates? Check. Elite Swedish forward at the top of the lineup? Check. Goaltender capable of stealing a series? Check. That’s why this series might be closer than the standings would indicate. With Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and J.T. Miller leading the way, the Canucks have more than enough offensive firepower to advance. That said, no team generated expected goals at a higher rate than the Predators down the stretch. Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Ryan O’Reilly were driving that bus, but all four lines were chipping in on offense. This series might ultimately be decided by which goalie blinks first. Juuse Saros and Thatcher Demko are two of the best in the business, and they can erase a lot of mistakes. Given the way they played down the stretch, as well as the wealth of playoff experience on the roster, I think the Predators pull off the upset against a highly skilled Canucks team. Pick — Predators beat Canucks 4-3

(2) Oilers vs. (3) Kings

Chris: The Kings nearly ended up facing the Stars, but were able to come back and defeat the Blackhawks in Game 82 to earn this matchup against the Oilers. While the Stars are a juggernaut, the Oilers are certainly no slouch. After dealing with a lower-body injury late in the regular season, Connor McDavid returned to the ice and even made some history in the process. The biggest question mark when it comes to Edmonton’s postseason chances has always lied in between the pipes. However, Stuart Skinner played extremely well over the final two months of the regular season. As long as that continues to be the case, I just think that the Oilers have too much firepower for the Kings to handle. Los Angeles is a middle-of-the-pack scoring team, and I believe that McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and company will be a buzzsaw that the Kings aren’t ready for. Pick — Oilers beat Kings 4-1

Austin: It’s Groundhog Day all over again. In each of the last two years, the Oilers have eliminated the Kings in the first round. Is the third time the charm for Los Angeles? We’re about to find out. As is usually the case, the Oilers boast an explosive offense with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl capable of putting a touchdown on the scoreboard at a moment’s notice. They’re joined by now 50-goal-scorer Zach Hyman, who has dominated the netfront all season. The good news for the Kings is that they seem uniquely positioned to combat the high-powered Oilers. Los Angeles is content to drag the game into the mud, and it remains an elite defensive squad. The big problem for the Kings is that not even the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils could completely shut down McDavid and Co. They will get their chances and their goals. When Edmonton does light the lamp, who can Los Angeles rely on to answer the bell? Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe are talented players, but the Kings might lack the horses to keep up with the Oilers in this one. Pick — Oilers beat Kings 4-1

Eastern Conference

(1) Rangers vs. (WC2) Capitals

Chris: The Rangers’ postseason hopes were dashed early on during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they certainly rebounded with a stellar 2024 regular season. Artemi Panarin had a sensational year in which he tallied his first career 100-point season with 120 points (49 goals & 71 assists). Panarin has been underwhelming at times throughout his playoff career, so the Rangers will definitely need Panarin to lead the way throughout the postseason from an offensive standpoint. Meanwhile, the Capitals drug themselves across the finish line to qualify for the postseason, but it’s hard to imagine the Capitals giving the Rangers a run for their money. As long as Igor Shesterkin has a solid performance in net, the Rangers should roll. Pick — Rangers beat Capitals 4-1

Austin: Anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but this matchup is really pushing the boundaries of “anything.” These Capitals and their minus-37 goal differential might be the worst team to make the playoffs in my lifetime. Beating any other team in this playoff field would be a tall task for them, but knocking off the President’s Trophy winners seems especially far-fetched. The Rangers have some filthy offensive weapons with Artemi Panarin coming off a 120-point season, and he is surrounded by Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. Simply put, the Caps don’t have a fraction of that offense. As fun as it will be to see Alex Ovechkin in the playoffs once again, that’s not enough for Washington to pull off the upset. If Charlie Lindgren can keep his awe-inspiring play between the pipes going, the Capitals might have a puncher’s chance. The kicker there is that the Rangers have the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin, in the crease. I’d be surprised if this becomes a long series. Pick — Rangers beat Capitals 4-0

(2) Hurricanes vs. (3) Islanders

Chris: The Hurricanes have added quite a bit of talent over the last calendar year, and look primed for a deep Stanley Cup run. Jake Guentzel has been tremendous since coming over from the Penguins at the trade deadline. Skating with a line alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis has really elevated Guentzel’s game to another level. The Hurricanes also are one of the few teams in the playoff field that have the luxury of two top-tier netminders in Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. Andersen will presumably be the starter for Game 1, but even if he struggles, head coach Rod Brind’Amour can turn to Kochetkov, who played extremely well when Anderson was out of the lineup earlier this season. Pick — Hurricanes beat Islanders 4-1

Austin: In one corner, the Hurricanes are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender that only upgraded as the season progressed. In the other corner is an underwhelming Islanders team that needed a crazy late-season push just to get here. Carolina has been trying to get over the postseason hump for a few years now, and this seems like the year to do it. The Canes’ defense is still borderline impenetrable, and Frederik Andersen returned late in the regular season and looked like a goaltender ready to dominate the postseason. The only question about the Hurricanes was their finishing talent, and that was addressed with the trade deadline acquisitions of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Islanders, on the other hand, were a bit of a mess throughout the season. They made a coaching change, going from Lane Lambert to Patrick Roy, and their defensive numbers did take a notable step forward with Roy behind the bench. On top of that, the Islanders goaltending duo of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov might be the best in the playoffs. The narrow path to victory for New York is clear. Play lockdown defense and have the goalie stand on his head. It could happen, but I’m not betting on it. Pick — Hurricanes beat Islanders 4-1

(1) Panthers vs. (WC1) Lightning

Chris: The battle for bragging rights in the Sunshine State is arguably one of the more intriguing series of the first round. The Panthers looked like arguably the top team in the East entering the final month of the season, but they did have caught a slide entering the final two weeks. However, Florida did enough down the stretch to edge out Boston for the Atlantic Division crown. On the other hand, the Lightning are proven playoff contenders that are paced by NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov. Obviously, having a goaltender that is battle-tested like Andrei Vasilevskiy is a huge plus, but I just think that the Panthers are a talented enough team to solve Vasilevskiy to win what could be a lengthy series. Pick — Panthers beat Lightning 4-3

Austin: The Battle of Florida always delivers, and for the first time in recent memory, I think the Panthers have the clear upper hand. After their incredible run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, the Panthers have been among the NHL’s very best in 2023-24. Whether it’s generating scoring chances or suppressing scoring chances, Florida has been excellent at five-on-five. The same cannot be said for the Lightning, a team that was slightly underwater with its expected goals share. Despite that clear edge in favor of the Panthers, it’s not hard to imagine the Bolts springing the upset. Tampa has a championship pedigree, a dominant power play, and one of the best goalies on this rotating rock. That can be a recipe for success in the playoffs. It also helps that Nikita Kucherov just dropped 44 goals and 100 assists on the rest of the league. All that said, the Panthers found out what it takes to go on a deep postseason run last year. Players like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sam Reinhart won’t be intimidated by the rings on the other side. The Panthers finally get the electric monkey off their back. Pick — Panthers beat Lightning 4-2

(2) Bruins vs. (3) Maple Leafs

Chris: Perhaps I’ll regret this, but I’m siding with the Maple Leafs in this series. Toronto is absolutely loaded at the top, and Auston Matthews has been a proven playoff producer in each of the last two seasons. Yes, it’s noteworthy that the Bruins won all four matchups during the regular season, but the Bruins limped into the postseason and should be facing the Lightning rather than the Maple Leafs. One of the biggest storylines in this series could be the talent drop-off after David Pastrnak. Sure, Pastrnak tallied 110 points on the season, but they didn’t have anyone else that even touched the 70-point mark. If the Maple Leafs defense can do enough to limit Pastrnak’s opportunities, this could be a series that Toronto can steal. Pick — Maple Leafs beat Bruins 4-3

Austin: As Maple Leafs fans know all too well, this matchup has always gone the Bruins’ way in recent history. If Toronto is going to get over this hurdle, it has to find a way to consistently beat one of the best defensive teams and one of the best goaltending duos in the game today. Letting Auston Matthews shoot the puck early and often might be a good start in that regard. Matthews scored 69 goals in the regular season, and the Leafs’ star power doesn’t end there with William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares rounding out the “Core Four.” Of course, that core hasn’t done much against the Bruins, a team that keeps plugging along despite key offseason losses. Even after losing Patrice Bergeron, Boston was able to remain atop the NHL due to David Pastrnak being a stone cold killer, superb team defense, and rock-solid goaltending. All that said, the Bruins have looked more vulnerable than usual this year, with their five-on-five play sagging a bit. If the Maple Leafs can seize the opportunity, they’ll exorcise this New England demon in dramatic fashion. Pick — Maple Leafs beat Bruins 4-3

Stanley Cup winner

Chris: I’ve always been a proponent of sticking with my preseason Stanley Cup pick barring something catastrophic happening with that team. The Hurricanes were my pick at the start of the 2023-24 season, and I see no reason not to ride the wave. When the trade deadline rolled around, the Hurricanes did something that they traditionally shy away from — making a splash. Carolina acquired star winger Jake Guentzel and forward Evgeny Kuznetsov to bolster a forward group that was already quite talented. Guentzel has been sensational since arriving in Raleigh, and makes this team all the more dangerous. The likes of the Rangers, Panthers, and Bruins are certainly worthy foes, but it’s worth noting that the Hurricanes were nipping at the Rangers’ heels down the stretch after not having goaltender Frederik Anderson for the majority of the year. From a Western Conference standpoint, the Stars are definitely capable of making a deep run if they can get past the scrappy Golden Knights in the opening round. These would certainly be the two best teams in my book, but I trust the goaltending and scoring depth of the Hurricanes way more in a series. Pick — Hurricanes beat Stars 4-3

Austin: The Stanley Cup Playoffs are often a war of attrition, and the Stars have a unique combination of high-end talent and depth. The forward group is littered with big names like Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. The blue line, led by shutdown expert Miro Heiskanen and budding star Thomas Harly, only got better when Dallas snagged Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames last month. The Stars’ only clear flaw for most of the season was in goal, with Jake Oettinger struggling. Well, in the closing weeks of the regular season, Oettinger finally looked like himself again and is red hot heading into the postseason. Now you’d need the Hubble telescope to find an issue with this team. There is a non-zero chance Dallas has to go through the Golden Knights, Oilers and Avalanche just to reach the Stanley Cup Final. That’s an arduous path, but no team is better positioned to navigate it than the Stars. On the other side of the bracket, the Hurricanes’ upgrades pay off, and they finally get over the hump to reach the Final. Unfortunately for them, they run into a loaded and battle-tested Stars lineup. Pick — Stars beat Hurricanes 4-2

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Utah NHL owner Smith says season ticket deposits now top 20,000 – TSN

Published

7 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Harry Miller

Owner Ryan Smith told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun Friday that Utah’s NHL team has received just over 20,000 season-ticket deposits.

The news comes less than 24 hours after the NHL’s Board of Governors unanimously approved sale of the Arizona Coyotes from Alex Meruelo to Smith and subsequent relocation to Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 season.

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Just got off the phone after doing an interview with Utah NHL owner Ryan Smith and he said the updated total is now at just over 20,000 season-ticket deposits.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun)
April 19, 2024“>

The team is expected play out of the Delta Center in the city’s downtown core, the home of the Utah Jazz, which currently has about 12,000 unobstructed seats for hockey. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday Smith and his ownership group will raise the seating capacity to about 17,000 after renovations.

“As everyone knows, Utah is a vibrant and thriving state, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” Bettman said in a statement. “We are also delighted to welcome Ashley and Ryan Smith to the NHL family and know they will be great stewards of the game in Utah. We thank them for working so collaboratively with the League to resolve a complex situation in this unprecedented and beneficial way.

“The NHL’s belief in Arizona has never wavered. We thank Alex Meruelo for his commitment to the franchise and Arizona, and we fully support his ongoing efforts to secure a new home in the desert for the Coyotes. We also want to acknowledge the loyal hockey fans of Arizona, who have supported their team with dedication for nearly three decades while growing the game.”

The move ends years of uncertainty surrounding the Coyotes franchise and wraps up a nearly three-decade existence of mostly poor on-ice results and chronic mismanagement over the course of multiple owners.

Utah’s team will not carry over the Coyotes moniker and will instead develop a new brand identity. LeBrun reported on Thursday’s edition of Insider Trading the franchise may take until beyond the start of next season to pick a team name and Smith has hired a firm to look into branding for the NHL’s newest franchise.

The Coyotes finished the 2023-24 campaign 36-41-5, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth time in a row and 11th time in the past 12 seasons.

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Marchand says Maple Leafs are Bruins’ ‘biggest rival’ ahead of 1st-round series – NHL.com

Published

18 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Harry Miller

BOSTON – Forget Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens.

For Brad Marchand, right now, it’s all about Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs.

“You see the excitement they have all throughout Canada when they’re in playoffs,” Marchand said Thursday. “Makes it a lot of fun to play them. And I think, just with the history we’ve had with them recently, they’re probably our biggest rival right now over the last decade.

“They’ve probably surpassed Montreal and any other team with kind of where our rivalry’s gone, just because we’ve both been so competitive with each other, and we’ve had a few playoff series. It definitely brings the emotion, the intensity, up in the games and the excitement for the fans.

“It’s a lot of fun to play them.”

The Bruins and Maple Leafs will renew their rivalry in their first round series, which starts Saturday at TD Garden (8 p.m. ET; TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS). They’ll be familiar opponents.

Over the past 11 seasons, the Bruins have faced the Maple Leafs four times in the postseason, starting with the epic 2013 matchup in the first round. That resulted in an all-time instant classic, the Game 7 in which the Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period and came roaring back for an overtime win that helped propel them to the Stanely Cup Final.

That would prove to be the model and, in the intervening years, the Bruins have beaten them in each of the three subsequent series, including going to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference First Round in 2018 and 2019.

Which could easily be where this series is going.

“Offensively they’re a gifted hockey club,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday. “They present a lot of challenges down around the netfront area. We’re going to have to be really sharp there. We’re a pretty good team defensively when we stick to what our principles are. So I expect it to be a tight series overall.”

But if anyone knows the Maple Leafs — and what to expect — it’s Marchand. In his career, he’s played 146 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 11th most of any active player. Twenty-one of those games have come against the Maple Leafs, games in which Marchand has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists).

“They’re always extremely competitive,” Marchand said. “You never know which way the series is going to go. But that’s what you want. That’s what you love about hockey is the competition aspect. They’re real competitors over there, especially the way they’re built right now. So it’s going to be a lot of fun, and that’s what playoffs is about. It’s about the best teams going head-to-head.”

But even though the history favors the Bruins — including having won each of the past six playoff matchups, dating back to the NHL’s expansion era in 1967-68 and each of the four regular-season games in 2023-24 — Marchand is throwing that out the window.

“That means nothing,” he said.

The Maple Leafs bring the No. 2 offense in the NHL into their series, having scored 3.63 goals per game. They were led by Auston Matthews and his 69 goals this season, a new record for him and for the franchise.

“You have to be hard on a guy like that and limit his time and space with the puck,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “He’s really good at getting in position to receive the puck and he’s got linemates who can put it right on his tape for him. You’ve just got to know where he is, especially in our D zone. He likes to loop away after cycling it and kind of find that sweet spot coming down Broadway there in the middle. It’s not just a one-person job.”

Nor is Matthews their only threat.

“They have a lot of great players, skill players, who play hard and can be very dangerous around the net and create scoring opportunities,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “You’ve just got to be aware of who’s out there and who you’re against, who you’re matched up against, and play hard. Also, too, we’ve got to focus on our game and what we do well and when we do that, we trust each other and have that belief in each other, we’re a pretty good hockey team.”

Especially against the Maple Leafs.

Marchand, who grew up in Halifax loving the Maple Leafs, still gets a thrill to see their alumni walking around Scotiabank Arena in the playoffs. And it’s even more special to be on the ice with them, to be competing against them — even more so when the Bruins keep winning.

But that certainly doesn’t mean this series will be easy.

“They’ll be a [heck] of a challenge,” Marchand said.

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