Come on! A little Canadian patriotism. Grab yourself a “two creams” at Tim Hortons while singing the O Canada with the mounted police and try to pray in the name of the religion of hockey for the return of the Stanley Cup to our country.
It was an awkward birthday last year. It was the 30e time in a row that no Canadian team was capable of winning the Cup.
We have explained at length the causes which disadvantage Canadian markets. Although in my opinion it’s a bit of an apology for some teams who have, in fact, been bad due to a series of terrible decisions that have nothing to do with playing in Canada.
The power of the Oilers, Jets and Leafs last year seemed so solid to me to end the drought. Especially after the surprise elimination of the Bruins. But no, once again, our Canadian teams faltered.
This year, we add the Canucks to the mix.
So 4 clubs out of 16, 25%. This is exactly the percentage of Canadian teams in the league.
But it’s more than 25% in reality. Because the 4 Canadian teams are among the 10 best clubs in the ranking.
That’s more than 25%, because since the Oilers changed their coach in November, they’re the best team in the league.
It’s more than 25%, because since the new year, the Leafs have won 25 out of 39 games and often against big clubs.
It’s more than 25%, because since January 1, the Canucks have only lost 11 games out of 39 in regular time.
It’s more than 25%, because the Jets are the team that has given up the fewest goals in the NHL this year with the Panthers, which is still an interesting statistic to go to the playoffs.
Anyway, my point is that Canadian clubs don’t come in through the back door.
Leafs, Jets, Canucks or Oilers?
It’s hard to believe in the Leafs, but with a 25.6% power play, nothing is impossible. Many commentators have fun talking about how bad Toronto is defensively, but since the 1er January, Toronto gave up fewer goals than Colorado, Los Angeles, Vegas and Boston, in particular. In my opinion, we should not dismiss Toronto too quickly.
The Jets also have a great playoff club. A goalkeeper who is already certain to win the Vezina, a reliable defense, and a varied attack with lots of depth (including a third trio made up of scary giants). The arrival of Toffoli and Monahan with all these great people will make Winnipeg a feared opponent. Young sensation Cole Perfetti is only a supporting player. This clearly demonstrates the power of the Jets who are, however, experiencing a very difficult streak of six defeats. It can sink them, but also crack them.
Photo AFP
The Canucks arrive at the top sooner than expected. But the team is flirting with first place in the general classification. The defense is brilliant and several attackers can change a game in the blink of an eye. It’s hard not to believe in their chances.
Ultimately, the Oilers are, in my opinion, the team that will break the curse. I believed in it last year too, but now we add a luxury version of Evan Bouchard who can do everything with the puck. Everything will depend on Stuart Skinner and his play in the playoffs. The mustachioed man has a career save percentage of 0.910, but 0.833 in the playoffs, with only 5 wins in 12 games.
The Panthers, Avalanche, Hurricanes and Stars remain the favorites according to all betting houses, just ahead of the Oilers. But, for the 11 highest ranked teams (including the 4 from Canada), it remains extremely close. Nobody gets along.
I like to think that it will happen in Canada this year. Six Canadian teams are among the 10 teams with the longest drought without a Stanley Cup. It’s sad and embarrassing.
