Players To Watch In the Stanley Cup Playoffs

With March Madness odds coming to a close, it’s time to start thinking about the playoffs in other sports, and today we’ll focus on hockey, as the Stanley Cup playoffs are on the horizon. Some spots still have to be wrapped up, but there’s a pretty good idea of who will be in, and here’s a look at the players who will factor into their team’s Stanley Cup odds, and not surprisingly, goaltending will be huge.

Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

Luongo lead Canada to the gold medal in the Olympics, and that had to be huge for a goalie who had a reputation for being shaky in big games. He won’t have the defense in front of him that he had then, as the Canucks are battling injuries at the back, but Luongo needs to step up.

Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey

The big catch at the trade deadline, Devils fans are hoping that Kovalchuk will boost their team’s sports betting chances. Kovalchuk and Zach Parise form a powerful duo that can give some support to the team’s defense, which is spearheaded as always by Martin Brodeur.

Joe Thornton, San Jose

The gifted center also won a gold medal in Vancouver, but he was quiet as the tournament went on. Thornton is in the middle of a big line with Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley, and they’ll be leaned on heavily if the Sharks want to finally progress in the playoffs. Thornton has the size to dominate in the corners, and he has the skill, but he may have to put his pass-first attitude to the side and shoot a bit more, much like Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby has this season.

Cristobal Huet/Antti Niemi, Chicago

You’d have more luck in an internet super casino than you would taking a guess at who will be the No.1 goalie for the Blackhawks heading into the postseason. Huet has put in more work and most think that he’ll be the guy, but Niemi has put up some phenomenal numbers this year as the backup. The Chicago goaltenders may need to be even better as Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell are both hurt, and we know that Campbell, at least, will miss significant time in the playoffs. We know the Blackhawks can score, but much like Washington in the East, we have no idea how their goalies will hold up.

Ryan Miller

The MVP of the Olympic tournament despite being on the losing team, Miller has carried the Sabres all season, and they should end up as the Northeast champions. The Sabres are 3-8 this season when Miller doesn’t start, and they’re not an offensive juggernaut, although they are in the middle of the pack when it comes to goals scored. Miller can be compared to Ohio State’s Evan Turner: as Turner goes, so go the Buckeyes’ March Madness betting chances. That’s what it’s like for the Miller and the Sabres.