2019 NHL Playoff Predictions!

The best part of the NHL year is upon us. Let me breakdown the road to the Stanley Cup, or at least as I see it for all ya all! By the way I was right last year! BUT I had been riding on the Caps winning for a decade or so, so there is that fact. But here is Tavis' predictions this years

Western Conference

Calgary V Colorado - It will be nice to see the flames fans sad when Calgary implodes. I am not certain it will be the first round. They have the momentum and the talent to win this one. A great regular season does not always make a good playoff run. This is the closest series in the playoffs is my guess. Calgary in 6 though.

San Jose V Las Vegas - Yes we all remember last year. The Knights shocked the world until the finals. Not this year. If I was to find out hockey was fixed I would cry, it looked like it last year. This year while there will be excitement, it won't be the same for the Knights. Also SJS has to win. The window of them winning a cup is closing more and more. They may not super fail, like say the Kings but the time is running out. SJS in 6.

Nashville V Dallas - I maintain a goalie is what wins cups. Oilers are not in the finals without Rollie. They don't even make it out of the first round, ah that spring was amazing. But back in the real world you have 2 amazing goalies. Bishop has been the hotter of them and he is winning this round. So Dallas in 5.

Jets V St. Louis. First Patrik Laine you utterly let my pool down. You are not my new Ovie! I want to say Jets HOWEVER the Blues are simply too hot. The fact is for the last couple years the Blues should have had a bigger impact in the playoffs. This I am guessing is there year. Another tight one but Blues in 6.

West Round 2

Calgary V SJS - Sorry flamers fans after a year of talking game, the luck runs out. Again solely based on years of failure and the time crunch SJS takes this. Big, strong and hungry before they need a rebuild. Make it quick, SJS in 5. Not a knock at Calgary, they are playing like Edmonton should be and maybe in a year or two they are hoisting a cup. Just not your year.......

Dallas V Blues - This will be a battle. Dallas has all they need to be the best in the league but and I have 0 proof of this they are going to go down the SJS / Caps playoff road and be amazing in the regular season but fall short in playoffs for years. Not saying they won't win but I see a few disappointments ahead. The tipping point is Bishop, if I am wrong it is his fault. But the Blues are the same team, built to win (Like the Stars) but working harder and wanting a good playoff run, to forgot the past few years. Blues in 6

Western Finals

San Jose V St. Louis - I wanna crap out and call it to close to call, but that isn’t why I am writing this. SO I will pick one. This is desperation vs hot streak (And brinking on desperation to prove themselves) It is the Blues time though. They are flying high. Both teams will have a decent battle to get there but I am saying Blues have it a bit easier. Plus this is going to come down to straight drive and hunger. You look at the second half of the season and the Blues have had more hunger than anyone in the league. I will be honest though, this is just a gut thought. Also I dunno if SJS has it in them anymore to run deep. But I am calling them and the Blues West finals. Oh and this is Blues in 6.

Eastern Conference

Tampa V Columbus - I love and hate the term beast in the east, but it is apt for Tampa Bay this season. For people thinking that they are gonna roll through the playoffs though, I think another thing is coming. The Jackets fought tooth and nail for that spot and they are gonna keep that fight up!! Don’t get me wrong I am calling Tampa in 5 BUT a longer series OR Columbus winning would not shock me at all!!

Boston V Toronto - Big bad Bruins and the Leafs. B’s are the team in this one. They are Toronto kryptonite! First of the leafs have been choking. Second the back end is weak and third the B’s are big strong and can play the fast game too. Yes the leafs are a good team, pains me to say that BUT until they are stronger and better in the back end their playoff hopes are small. Boston in 7

Washington V Carolina -  I like the Canes. I think they could be another dark horse.  But again I think the favorite will win. Ovi finally hoisted the cup and after the summer of Caps I think he really wants it again!!! Plus Holtby is great and I stick to a good goalie goes a very long way specially when you have the offense to back him. Maybe against another opponent I would go with the Canes but I see the Caps going deep again. Caps - 6

PIttsburgh V New York - The penguins are always a threat. I don’t like Cros but I totally respect him. Same as the team. The Isles are good and I bet are losing John T they wanna prove something but the Pens aren’t the team you can do this against. Now they are splitting goalie and I don’t see either being as good as they were winning the back to back cups but overall the edge I have to say is Pens and I am calling Pitts in 5

Eastern Round 2

Tampa V Boston - I honestly think this decides the cup finals. IF I am wrong an Toronto wins then the Bolts make the cup finals. If Tampa plays the Bruins they are going to get beat down. Don’t get me wrong, the bruins could win this, but my money is on Tampa just being too much. So I am calling Tampa in 6. But the Bolts limping through, that determines the winner in the East final… But we will get there.

Washington V Pittsburgh - these rivals are awesome. I wish Edmonton and Calgary could be them. Two teams that keep clashing, with captains who don’t like each other and a ton of hype. It is not because I am Caps fan that I am calling their win but because Pitts isn't Pitts of a couple years ago. While I think they will handle the Isles, the Caps are a whole different level. They got a taste for the cup, they got over the unbeatable Crosby hump. The Caps have grown and are more hungry…. Caps in 6.

Eastern Finals

I am calling the Bolts and Caps in a rematch. I am calling the Caps again, that is based on my other predictions coming true. IF Toronto wins all bets are off. Tampa will slap out the leafs and be in good enough shape to beat Ovi and Co. HOWEVER if I am right, the Bruins are going to take it out of the Bolts and the Caps will be able to win it again in 6. BUT I repeat that is based on Toronto going out in the first round. If they win all bets are off, basically if Toronto wins I am saying  Washington is screwed!  HOWEVER I stick with it Caps in 6

So there that’s the final 4 Blues and Sharks. Bolts and Caps with a St. Louis V Washington final…. You read it here first.....

The Cup

So in a perfect world my predictions are true and the Caps will play the Blues. It is literally a coin toss by this point. I can easily see the Caps so full of confidence by this time that they are unbeatable. I can’t say the same for the Blues as they aren't defending champs but making it that far has to count for something, give them a little boost. Both teams will have battled, by this point it is gonna be pure grit & goaltending. Can the Holtbeast show up? Or will the Bolts have finished the Caps drive. Will the Blues be able to stay the hottest team in the league? Will Tarasenko prove he is a machine? Both teams have talent on the front and blue lines. Both have skill in net. So this one is literally a fan boy call. Caps in 6!