As we get ready for the final stretch of the regular season, we should start looking ahead to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
There is still a lot of hockey to be played and a lot of moves to be made so we are all left asking ourselves a lot of questions:
Who will make the playoffs? Who will be the biggest difference maker? Ultimately, who will raise Lord Stanley's Cup?
All of these questions and more will be answered as the ice and snow begins to thaw. Until then, let's collectively put our thoughts together and create a comprehensive list of the things we hope to learn as the season winds down.
Which Bubble Teams Will Make the Postseason?
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As the standings are now, there are several teams just a few points from one another.
Unfortunately for a few, not everyone competing will make it to the postseason. It will be fun to see who is left when the dust settles.
What Deadline Deal Will Shake Up the Playoff Picture?
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Every season general managers jockey for the best available players at the trade deadline hoping that they can acquire that one last piece they need to push their team over the top.
This season there have been plenty of big names rumored to be on the trading block. Will any of them be dealt? If so, will they provide the impact that they are expected?
Will There Be a Key Injury Suffered?
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Besides Sidney Crosby, will another star player go down that will change the landscape of the entire postseason?
Sometimes the playoffs become a game of survival where the last team standing wins.
Will There Be Another Midseason Coaching Change?
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Remember when the Pittsburgh Penguins fired Michel Therrien and hired Dan Bylsma? The Pens haven't looked back since.
Several coaches have already gotten the ax this season. Will one more get the boot and forever change the playoffs?
How Will the Games Be Officiated?
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A big point of discussion in every postseason is how the game will be officiated. Typically, referees call the game a little bit looser as the intensity cranks up.
Will There Be a Controversial Call?
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On the heels of the last question, will there be a controversial call made that will change the outcome of the playoffs?
Will we see another no-goal call similar to the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals? For the game's sake, hopefully not.
Who Will Win the President's Trophy?
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It seems to be more of a curse than a blessing, but someone has to receive the President's Trophy for obtaining the most points in the regular season.
Who will it be and will they actually be able to capture the Cup?
How Many Upsets Will There Be?
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Although last season was a bit more straightforward, the NHL has been known for its postseason upsets because of the league's parity.
Who will be upset this season and how many upsets will we see?
Who Will Be the Goat?
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Every postseason there are new heroes made and then there are the other guys. With every champion there are losers, and with losers comes goats.
It's unfortunate but someone will be the scapegoat this spring.
How Many Overtime Games Will There Be?
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One of the best part of the NHL playoffs are the epic overtimes. Hopefully this year we will see a number of dramatic OTs.
What Will Be the Longest Game?
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Also a part of overtimes are long games. There's nothing like a war of attrition that sees three or more overtimes.
How many will we see in a single game this season?
Who Will Lead the Playoffs in Scoring?
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If you lead the NHL in scoring that usually means you made it pretty deep into the postseason.
Who will rise to the top this year?
Who Will Have the Most Shutouts?
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Sometimes a hot goalie is all you need come tournament time. Will a team seemingly come out of nowhere because of an unreal performance in the pipes?
Who Will Have the Most Penalty Minutes?
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The NHL playoffs are a very rough and tough time of year, but discipline is also very important.
However, there's always at least one player who plays a little too aggressive.
Will There Be an Epic Brawl?
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Remember the old Avalanche-Red Wings rivalry? It's unlikely we'll see anything like that again, but it'd really be something.
What Will Be the Hardest Hit?
We all remember this hit. This play put Brian Campbell on the map.
Will we see one as hard as this, this season?
How Many Game 7s Will We See?
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Nothing quite has the same feel as a Game 7. Every postseason we get to enjoy at least a few.
Let's cross our fingers and hope for a lot this time around.
Will Sidney Crosby Return?
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have already had a pretty good season. Imagine if they can get Sid the Kid and everyone else healthy.
Will Roberto Luongo Rebound?
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Everyone knows how Roberto Luongo finished last season. The Canucks are almost certain to be in the postseason.
Luongo has a shot at redemption.
Will a Fanbase Riot?
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Hopefully we won't see a repeat from what happened in Vancouver last year.
Hockey fans are some of the most passionate, but that was inexcusable.
Who Will Be This Year's Surprise Team?
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Last year it was the Tampa Bay Lightning who made a surprise run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
There is always at least one dark horse who makes a statement.
Which Coach Will Make the Biggest Impact?
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Essentially it is the players who decide the outcome of the game on the ice, but a coach can also have a significant role.
Will This Be Nicklas Lidstrom's Last Postseason?
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Nicklas Lidstrom may retire at the season's end so this could be his one last chance at a Stanley Cup.
He better make the best of it.
Will Martin Brodeur Get a Crack at One Last Title Shot?
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Martin Brodeur is another future Hall of Famer who may be nearing retirement.
Will the New Jersey Devils have enough to propel him into one last playoffs.
How Badly Will Gary Bettman Get Booed?
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It's no secret that Gary Bettman is not very popular among the fans.
It's become a common occurrence for him to be booed during trophy presentations.
Will the Prince of Wales Trophy Be Touched?
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It's become common practice for the Eastern Conference winner not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Will someone go against the hockey gods?
Will the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl Be Touched?
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The same superstition exists in the Western Conference.
Does the winning captain dare touch it?
Will There Be Any Sweeps?
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Every so often one team gets completely outmatched by another and a sweep occurs.
Will we see one this year? If so, how many?
Will Home-Ice Advantage Pay Off?
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Sometimes being the home team isn't always a distinct advantage in the NHL.
Will that trend continue this year?
Will Special Teams Play a Big Role?
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How important will special teams be?
Will five-on-five hockey dictate the outcomes or will teams be doomed by committing penalties?
Who Will Lead the NHL in Postseason Ice Time?
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During the playoffs the best players get the most ice time as coach do their best to put their team in the best position to win.
It's always a defenseman, but which one will play the most?
Who Will Be the Plus-Minus Leader?
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Another key statistic that is usual lead by defensemen is plus-minus. A high total means your team has likely advanced deep into the postseason.
Who will hold the distinction?
Who Will Have the Most Spectacular Goal?
Who will be this year's Bobby Ryan?
His goal will be tough to top, but we'll definitely see some beauties.
Which Player Will Have a Meltdown?
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The playoffs bring about extreme pressure meaning that sometimes players crack.
Will that happen this season. If so, who will fold?
What Will Be the Most Dramatic Moment?
Throughout the years there have been some truly breathtaking moments to occur in the NHL.
What will be the most dramatic play this spring?
Who Will Cash in with a Big Payday?
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Who will be the player to rise up and have a big postseason and sure up his wallet?
All it takes is one good run at the right time to land a big contract.
Who Will Be the Biggest Disappointment?
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Every year there is at least one player or team who fails to live up to lofty expectations.
This season will be no different whether it is a first-round knockout or a poor statistical performance it will happen.
Will the Washington Capitals Finally Get over the Hump?
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All too many times that disappointment has been the Washington Capitals.
They hit a tough patch this year but maybe some regular-season struggles will be good for them and allow them to iron out their lumps earlier in the year.
Can the San Jose Sharks Reach the Finals?
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A team following a similar path of the Caps are the San Jose Sharks.
Despite great regular-season success, the Sharks have never reached the Stanley Cup Finals.
Will a Deserving Veteran Finally Win the Cup?
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There are a number of deserving veterans who are looking to get a chance to finally raise the Stanley Cup.
A number of guys such as Daniel Alfredsson, Jarome Iginla and Joe Thornton have yet to win it and are quickly running out of opportunities.
How Many Goals Will Be Scored?
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Will this be a postseason of defense or offense?
Only time will tell, although a number of fans are probably hoping for the latter.
How Many Penalty Shots Will We See?
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Why not hope for the most exciting play during the most exciting time of the season.
Hopefully, there will be at least a few penalty shots in the playoffs.
What Will the NHL's TV Ratings Look Like?
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It's always interesting to see how the NHL TV ratings look, especially in the U.S. where it is more of a niche sport.
A lot of this is dictated by the matchups. The guys at NBC are looking for some big numbers.
What Will the Promotional Items Be?
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One of the most underappreciated nuances of the playoffs is free stuff!
Going to a playoff game you are assured at least some type of merchandise whether it be thunder sticks, a towel or a t-shirt.
How Many Total Games Will Be Played?
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Seeing how a series can last anywhere from four to seven games, a mark of a good postseason is how many games are played.
The only thing better than hockey is more hockey, so let's hope for several lengthy series.
Who Will Win the East?
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Will the Stanley Cup Winner again come from the East? Will it be the Bruins, Rangers or will someone else emerge?
Who Will Win the West?
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The West has long been branded the tougher and more physical league. Who will survive the beating and make to the Stanley Cup Finals?
Who Will Be This Year's Unsung Hero
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Every NHL postseason a "nobody" seemingly comes out of nowhere to steal the show. Players such as Ville Leino have mounted incredible postseasons while others such as Brad May just were able to make the single-greatest play at just the right time.
Who Will Win the Conn Smythe
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Some times all it takes is one hot player to propel a team to a championship.
Last year Tim Thomas was a major reason why the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Will it be Thomas again or a different goalie or a skater, this year?
Who Will Win the Stanley Cup
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And ultimately we are all asking ourselves who will win Lord Stanley's Cup.
There are some front-runners such as the Rangers, Bruins and Red Wings, but will a dark horse swoop in and steal the show?
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