Well, its that time of the season again. Towels are waving, beards are growing, and the final push has begun. Thats right- its Playoff time! I have to admit (as a Canadian) I am slightly disappointed that we don't have any teams in the Playoffs. This is the first time since 1970, that's huge. Now, fellow Canadians, lets not panic. This is no cause for alarm, hockey is still our sport! Here are some helpful stats to boost your mood in this time of mourning...
In the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
- Of the approximate 368 roster players, there are about 199 Canadian Players in this year's bracket (thats 54%!)
- Of these players: 9 are Captains, 17 wear A's, and 16 are Goalies
- The Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, St Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks all have 16 Canadian players on their rosters (the highest number on a playoff team)
- The Detroit Red Wings are the team with the fewest number of Canadian players (7)
- Brian Elliot (a Canadian goalie for the St Louis Blues) got his first playoff shutout last night, winning 1-0 against the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime
- Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals is the top ranked goalie going into the playoffs. With a record of 48-9-7, he finished the season by tying Martin Brodeur's previous record for wins in a regular season (ps. Brodeur is also Canadian)
- Other Canadians rounding out the top 10 goalies from the regular season: #3 Jones (Sharks), #6 Fleury (Penguins), #7 Luongo (Panthers), #8 Crawford (Blackhawks), #10 Dubnyk (Wild)
- Jamie Benn (Stars), Sidney Crosby (Penguins) and Joe Thornton (Sharks) were ranked #2, 3, and 4 respectively for scoring at the end of the regular season
- Brent Burns (Sharks) and Kris Letang (Penguins) were ranked #2 and 3 for points for a defensemen in the regular season
Some Canadians To Watch...
- Braden Holtby- His record says it all, this is his year! A Saskatchewan native, Holtby carries a save% of .922, played 66/82 games, and has a GAA of 2.20... And just to make things fun, he also had 6 penalty minutes this season. Holtby is a staple in my last two years of Fantasy hockey. He very rarely disappoints, and his saves are beautiful. Its easy to see why he's the Vezina Trophy front runner this year!
- Kris Letang- I am a huge fan of offensive defence players... not sure why, I just love watching the style of play. As an Ottawa fan, Karlsson is easily my favourite. However, this guy is a close second. Letang hails from Montreal and has a history of bad luck. From broken bones, to strokes, this guy rarely stays healthy for a whole season... but when he does? WOW. His numbers are great, his speed is impressive, and his style of play is very physical. Earlier this season, he got a penalty for trying to play with an OPPOSING team player's stick... How can you not love that??
- Matt Martin- If you miss the glory days of the enforcers, this could be the player for you! Matt Martin is a Windsor Ontario native who may have a relatively unknown name in the NHL. After all, he finished the season with only 19 points to his name. That being said, he led the regular season for hits (365- averaging about 5/game), and has a respectable 119 PIM (9th overall). If you're looking to catch a fight, tune into an Islanders game and keep your eyes peeled for #17
So yes, while it may be true that there are no Canadian TEAMS... there are still lots of Canadians! Don't let the lack of a team stop you from catching a post-season game this year. We have lots to cheer for! I haven't decided which team I'm rooting for yet... I think I'm leaning towards the Capitals, I would love to see Holtby win a cup and possibly get the nod to start for Canada at the World Cup in September. Who are you guys cheering for? Comment below!
I'll be back tomorrow to discuss night #2 of the playoffs!
- Jess
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