The Biggest 'What If' for Every Eliminated NHL Playoff Team

As the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins battle for the Stanley Cup, 14 other contenders have fallen by the wayside.

To varying degrees, every eliminated team had some degree of hope when the playoffs began, especially after the Los Angeles Kings' unlikely road to the Cup in 2012. "Why not us?" they wondered.

In the NHL, a championship win is often determined by a mix of talent, timing and a little bit of luck. After their team's eliminated, players can't help but wonder if their fate might have been different if a key moment had unfolded another way.

Here's a look at each fallen team's biggest "what if" moment from the 2013 playoffs, starting with the teams eliminated first.

Vancouver Canucks: What If Hansen's Empty-Net Shot Had Gone In?

The "What If" Moment: Friday, May 3

Round 1 Game 2 vs. San Jose Sharks, Sharks lead series 1-0

Third Period, 1:24 remaining, Canucks lead 2-1

After Ryan Kesler's pair of third-period goals gave the Vancouver Canucks a late lead in Game 2, the San Jose Sharks pulled Antti Niemi for six attackers with less than two minutes to go.

The Canucks were able to gain possession in their defensive zone. Chris Higgins chipped the puck up to Jannik Hansen along the boards, who crossed the red line and quickly fired at the empty Sharks' net, missing by inches to the right.

There was no icing, so the Sharks brought the puck back down the ice. Dan Boyle moved way down the boards, almost to the goal line, before directing the puck on net. The initial shot was blocked by Alex Edler but a scramble ensued. After a couple of whacks at it, Patrick Marleau pushed the puck over the line.

The Sharks tied the game 2-2 with 58 seconds remaining in the third period. Raffi Torres scored 5:31 into overtime to give San Jose a 2-0 series lead heading back to the Shark Tank. The rest was history.

What if Hansen had taken a little extra time with his shot, scoring into the empty net to put the Canucks up 3-1 and, most likely, tie the series? How much farther could Vancouver have gone?

Minnesota Wild: What If Backstrom Had Been Healthy?

The "What If" Moment: Tuesday, April 30

Round 1 Game 1 vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Pregame warm-up

The Minnesota Wild's playoff chances may have been doomed before Blackhawks anthem singer Jim Cornelison hit the first note of "The Star-Spangled" Banner to kick off the series.

In a No. 1 vs. No. 8 Western Conference matchup against the Presidents' Trophy winners, the odds were stacked against the Wild to begin with. Those odds worsened considerably when No. 1 goaltender Niklas Backstrom was injured during the warm-up for Game 1 and was unable to start. Though he made a brief appearance as a backup, Backstrom did not play in the series and underwent sports hernia surgery when the Wild's season was over.

Backup Josh Harding stepped in. Despite seeing limited action during the regular season while dealing with symptoms from multiple sclerosis, Harding played heroically until suffering a leg injury of his own in Game 4. He returned to start Game 5, but by that point, the Wild's fate was sealed.

What if Backstrom hadn't been injured? Would the Wild have put up a better fight against the mighty Blackhawks?

Montreal Canadiens: What If Gryba's Hit on Eller Hadn't Been so Devastating?

The "What If" Moment: Thursday, May 2

Round 1 Game 1 vs. Ottawa Senators

Second Period, 6:32 remaining, game tied 1-1

As the Montreal Canadiens' first playoff game against the Ottawa Senators approached its midway point at the Bell Centre, Rene Bourque scored for the Habs to tie the game at one.

After facing off at center ice, Lars Eller was accepting a pass from Raphael Diaz when Eric Gryba leveled him with a devastating open-ice hit.

With his blood everywhere, Eller was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Gryba was issued a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct. The play seemed to leave fans and players from both teams badly shaken.

Montreal got one goal on the ensuing power play, but Ottawa scored three times in the third to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Max Pacioretty and Brian Gionta were also injured in Game 1, starting a parade to the infirmary that left Montreal's lineup decimated by the time the team was eliminated in Game 5.

Former Habs goalie and Hall of Famer Ken Dryden wrote a thoughtful piece for Grantland about the impact and the moral complexity of Gryba's hit. What if Eller hadn't been so gruesomely injured? Would Montreal have been better able to keep its composure as the series progressed?

St. Louis Blues: What If Dustin Penner Had Shot a Second Later?

The "What If" Moment: Friday, May 10

Round 1 Game 6 vs. Los Angeles Kings, Kings Lead Series 3-2

Second Period, 0:01 remaining, game tied 1-1

After taking a 2-0 lead in their series against the Los Angeles Kings, the St Louis Blues lost three consecutive games by one goal to face elimination in Game 6 at Staples Center.

With the Kings' intimidating home record, St. Louis was in a tough spot to stay alive.

Once again, the game was tight and chances were limited. As the second period wound down, Dustin Penner fired a last-second shot from the blue line that beat Brian Elliott as the buzzer sounded.

Video review confirmed that the puck had crossed the goal line before the period ended. The deflated Blues couldn't push back in the third period, and Penner's goal stood up as the game and series-winner for the Kings.

What if Penner's goal hadn't been in time? Would the Blues have been able to rally to mount a comeback in the series?

New York Islanders: What If Strait Hadn't Held Crosby?

The "What If" Moment: Sunday, May 5

Round 1 Game 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, series tied 1-1

First Overtime, 11:49 remaining, game tied 4-4

After being blown out in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Islanders fought back to tie the series as they headed back to Nassau Coliseum.

Game 3 was a back-and-forth affair, but the Islanders didn't quit. After falling behind 4-2, they scored two third-period goals to tie the game and force overtime.

A rare sudden-death penalty was called at 8:11 of the extra period. Brian Strait put the hold on Sidney Crosby as the captain drove to the Islanders' net. It took just 33 seconds for the potent Penguins power play to capitalize. Chris Kunitz gave the Pens a 5-4 win in the game and a 2-1 lead in the series.

The Islanders pushed the series to six games before succumbing, but what if Strait hadn't taken that penalty and New York had found a way to win Game 3? Could the Islanders have upset the Penguins?

Washington Capitals: What If They'd Had a Power Play in Game 6?

The "What If" Moment: Sunday, May 12

Round 1 Game 6 vs. New York Rangers, Capitals lead series 3-2

The Washington Capitals were in the driver's seat heading into Game 6 of their first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers. They weren't firing on all cylinders, but they held a 3-2 series lead and looked ready to strike the final blow at Madison Square Garden.

It's no surprise that Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist were both spectacular in net. It is surprising that five minor penalties were called against Washington, while New York wasn't whistled for a single infraction until dual roughing minors were called against both teams at the end of the game.

The Caps boasted the league's best regular-season power play, with a 26.8 percent success rate. In Round 1, they were clicking at an efficient 18.8 percent. However, by the time they were eliminated in Game 7, the Capitals had been given just 16 power-play opportunities, the lowest number of chances per game of any team in the playoffs.

The Rangers were able to slip one puck past Holtby in the second period of Game 6. By staying out of the penalty box in an elimination game—no small feat—New York was able to deprive Washington of the chance it needed to potentially tie the game and force overtime.

Henrik Lundqvist shut out Washington in the last two games to give the Rangers the series win. What if the Caps had been given a power play or two during Game 6?

Anaheim Ducks: What If They'd Drawn a Different Opponent?

The "What If" Moment: Facing Off Against Detroit in Round 1

Since the 1997 playoffs, no two teams have met more often than the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks.

2013 marked their sixth series against each other. Coming in, Detroit held the edge, 3-2. The first three meetings were all sweeps, which went 2-1 in Detroit's favor. In 2007, the Ducks won the conference final in six games on their way to the Stanley Cup. In 2009, Anaheim lost a Game 7 heartbreaker in the conference semifinal.

This year, it was supposed to be different. For the first time, Anaheim was the higher-seeded team, with home-ice advantage. The Wings hadn't even been expected to make the playoffs.

The series was back and forth, but once the Ducks took a 3-2 lead, it looked like they had victory in the bag. Not so.

After falling behind 3-1 in Game 6, the Ducks made a late push to tie the game in hopes of finishing off the series in overtime at Joe Louis Arena. Henrik Zetterberg would not allow it, needing just 1:04 to score the goal that forced Game 7.

Once the teams got back to the Honda Center, the Ducks looked nervous and the ghosts of series past seemed to settle in. Detroit got an early lead and never looked back.

After a terrific regular season for Anaheim, what if the Western Conference standings had shaken down a little differently and the Ducks had ended up facing the Wild, the Blue Jackets or the Sharks instead of their old nemesis?

Toronto Maple Leafs: What If They'd Staved off the Comeback?

The "What If" Moment: Monday, May 13

Round 1 Game 7 vs. Boston Bruins, series tied 3-3

Third Period, Leafs lead 4-1

In their first playoff appearance in nine years, the Toronto Maple Leafs certainly offered up more than their fair share of drama.

The Leafs lost both their home games to fall into a 3-1 series hole against the Boston Bruins, then mounted an unlikely comeback that saw them win twice while making the Bruins look tired and defeated along the way. Even going into a tense Game 7 at TD Garden, the Leafs dominated, building a 4-1 lead by the early part of the third period.

Then they took their foot off the gas.

When Nathan Horton's goal brought the score to 4-2 with 10:42 to play, the Bruins started to smell blood. They outshot Toronto 17-6 in the period and fired two more late goals past James Reimer to force an unexpected overtime.

The Bruins were euphoric. The Leafs were rocked to the core. The outcome was inevitable.

What if Toronto had been able to stay the course just a little longer? How many more minutes before the Bruins would have folded their tent and succumbed to a second consecutive first-round defeat?

New York Rangers: What If They'd Survived Game 1 Against Boston?

The "What If" Moment: Thursday, May 16

Round 2 Game 1 vs. Boston Bruins

Overtime, score tied 2-2

The New York Rangers were flying high as they entered their second-round series against the Boston Bruins. They'd overcome a 3-2 series deficit to defeat the Washington Capitals thanks to spectacular back-to-back shutouts by Henrik Lundqvist.

Round 2 started out with New York and Boston playing each other quite evenly. In the first 60 minutes, each team scored two goals and took three penalties. Shots at the end of regulation time were 32-30 in favor of Boston.

In overtime, however, it was a different story. The Bruins mounted a charge that the Rangers couldn't answer. Boston fired 16 shots at Lundqvist in 15:40 until Brad Marchand's tally finally went in to win Game 1 for the Bruins.

The Rangers managed just five shots of their own during that span. What if, against the flow of the play, one of those shots had beaten Tuukka Rask and the Rangers had jumped out to a series lead?

Ottawa Senators: What If Karlsson Was 100 Percent?

The "What If" Moment: Thursday, April 25

Erik Karlsson returns from injury with three games left in the regular season

Erik Karlsson returned sooner than expected after a severe skate cut to his Achilles tendon in mid-February. The Ottawa Senators were thrilled to have their superstar back in the lineup for the playoffs. The Sens cruised to an easy series win against Montreal but were bounced in five games by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 2.

As the playoff grind progressed, Karlsson's game began to show more and more signs of trouble. By the time the Sens faced Pittsburgh, Karlsson was getting beaten regularly on defensive plays and wasn't able to muster the offensive magic he'd shown when he captured the 2012 Norris Trophy with 78 points.

Though he continued to log big minutes throughout the Pittsburgh series, Karlsson had just two assists and was a minus-five. The Ottawa defense, usually airtight, opened up enough to give the Penguins' talented scorers room to operate, allowing them to ventilate the normally stellar Craig Anderson.

After a rough regular season, the Senators were initially happy just to make the playoffs. Their win against Montreal gave them confidence and got them dreaming of something more. What if Karlsson had come back as the same dominant player that he was before his injury?

San Jose Sharks: What If the Puck Hadn't Gone over the Glass?

The "What If" Moment: Thursday, May 16

Round 2 Game 2 vs. Los Angeles Kings, Kings lead series 1-0

Third Period, 2:19 remaining, Sharks lead 3-2

After losing Game 1 and falling behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 at the unfriendly Staples Center, the San Jose Sharks battled back to take a 3-2 lead with three minutes to go.

Then, Brad Stuart was whistled for a tripping penalty on Tyler Toffoli. Just 22 seconds into the critical penalty kill, Marc-Edouard Vlasic put the Sharks two men down with a delay of game call after he shot the puck over the glass. Always a tough penalty to take, this one was even harder to swallow because the puck may have deflected off the shoulder of the Kings' Jeff Carter on its way out of the rink.

Whether the call was right or wrong, Los Angeles took full advantage of its golden opportunity. It took just 58 seconds for the Kings to score the two power-play goals they needed for the Game 2 win.

What if the puck had stayed within the playing surface or the refs had determine that the puck was deflected on its way out of the rink? Could the Kings have won the game without the two-man advantage?

Detroit Red Wings: What If They'd Taken Advantage of the Gift?

The "What If" Moment: Wednesday, May 29

Round 2 Game 7 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, series tied 3-3

Third Period, 1:49 remaining, game tied 1-1

With the series on the line, the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings had just one goal each to show for their efforts as their Game 7 entered its late stages.

With less than two minutes to go, Niklas Hjalmarsson fired a puck past Jimmy Howard, but the goal was called back due to coincidental penalties behind the play. At such a key point in the game, it's easy to argue that referee Stephen Walkom's timing wasn't the best when he made the call, especially given that the play was continuing and Chicago ultimately scored.

The penalties had to stand, and the Red Wings were granted second life and a late four-on-four to try to win the series themselves.

Each team had one shot before the end of regulation and one shot in overtime before Brent Seabrook scored the goal that would propel Chicago into the Western Conference Final.

What if Detroit had managed to win Game 7 after that controversial call? The NHL and its officials would likely still be dealing with the fallout.

Pittsburgh Penguins: What If Crosby Had Stuck with the Shield?

The "What If" Moment: Sunday, May 26

Break between Round 2 and Round 3

After missing the end of the regular season and the Pittsburgh Penguins' first game of the playoffs with a fractured jaw, Sidney Crosby returned to action as he usually does—without missing a beat.

By the time the Penguins had disposed of the New York Islanders and the Ottawa Senators, Crosby had put up 15 points in 11 games and was tied for the NHL lead with seven playoff goals. When he was cleared by doctors to play without the face shield that had been protecting his jaw, things could only get better. Right?

Perhaps the Boston Bruins were a superior opponent, but Crosby didn't record a single point in the four-game series. Additionally, while it was assumed that his faceoff prowess would improve once the mask came off, his numbers on the dot actually dropped significantly compared to the Ottawa series.

We'll never know what might have been, but what if Crosby had stuck with his jaw protector? Would his play have been stronger against Boston?

Los Angeles Kings: What If Patrick Kane Hadn't Shown Up?

The "What If" Moment: Saturday, June 8

Round 3 Game 5 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 'Hawks lead series 3-1

Despite their success through the first three rounds of the 2013 playoffs, Chicago Blackhawks superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were not producing anywhere near the levels of their Cup-winning performances in 2010.

That changed for Kane in Game 5. His hat trick was the first to send a team to the Stanley Cup Final since Wayne Gretzky turned the trick for the Los Angeles Kings back in 1993.

This time, the Kings were on the losing end as Kane elevated his game. After a first-period marker put the 'Hawks up 2-0, L.A. came back to tie. Kane scored what looked like it would be the game-winner with 3:52 in the third period, but a late goal from Mike Richards with just 10 seconds left forced overtime.

Midway through the second extra frame, Kane capped off a night to remember on a two-on-one with Toews. Kane fired a wrister high glove past Jonathan Quick.

The Stanley Cup champions were out, and the Kings were left to wonder: What if Kane had continued to sleepwalk through the postseason?

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