The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs and to be honest, it’s a little weird.
After a disappointing season, the Blackhawks missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade as the 2018 season has been a complete disaster for Chicago. The consistency just wasn’t there for Chicago as they struggled to build point streaks and eventually fell out of the race.
While the Blackhawks look ahead to the 2018 NHL Draft, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing.
In the Eastern Conference it was Tampa Bay, Washington, Pittsburgh and Boston all advancing while Nashville, Winnipeg, Las Vegas and San Jose advanced to the second round of the playoffs in the Western Conference. The Penguins are looking to make it three-straight Stanley Cup wins as they meet Washington once again in the second round.
While the Eastern Conference is loaded, the Western Conference is an interesting mix. Nashville advanced to the Finals last season, but there appears to be a new favorite to represent the Western Conference this year.
It wouldn’t shock us if Pittsburgh is back in the Finals and faced the expansion franchise Las Vegas. The two teams appear to be on a collision course that could make for a fun Finals.
Both earned impressive wins in their opening games. Vegas blasted San Jose 7-0 on home ice, thats why they have the best odds to become champions and where the money is going right now, but before you do that check this list before placing a bet at a betting site as these guys had been detailed their personal experiences using each. On the other hand we have Pittsburgh that came back from a 2-0 deficit to steal a road win against Washington, a team they have owned in the postseason. If they advance to the conference finals, both will face a stiff test. But the other two series — Tampa vs Boston & Nashville vs Winnipeg — are likely to be long, drawn-out crucibles that could go either way, which makes it difficult to back any of the quartet at this stage.
While we are only in the second round, the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have been a treat to watch so far. And if the first round is any indication of how the rest will go, then it will certainly be must-see TV.
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continue through the month of May and can be seen on NBC Sports and NBC.
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