2011 NHL Playoffs: Stanley Cup Finals Matchups the NHL Doesn't Want

If you are a fan of one of the remaining teams in the playoffs, you'll have no doubt gone through the potential Stanley Cup Finals matchups. Even if you are only a general fan, you have played out different scenarios in your head. There is also no question that gamblers have handicapped every conceivable outcome. 

Yet, the biggest question we should be asking is—what is the best matchup for the NHL?

If you are a die-hard hockey fan, it shouldn't—and probably won't—matter that much to you. All four teams left standing have intriguing storylines and entertaining styles of play. 

Let's take a look at them one by one:

Out East, you have the favorite in Round 3—the Boston Bruins.  After collapsing flat on their face last season, 2011 has been a year of redemption. They've wiped out the demons of yesterday by completing a sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Tim Thomas bounced back to have one of the greatest regular seasons in recorded history. Cam Neely is once again relevant. They are an original-six franchise and haven't been to the big dance in quite some time.

Their opponents will be the rejuvenated Tampa Bay Lightning. Led by newcomers Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher, this club is on a serious roll. With seven straight wins, it appears like we could be watching a season of destiny.

Steven Stamkos is in under the bright lights of playoff pressure for the first time, and Victor Hedman is showing people why he was heralded as a franchise defensemen coming out of the draft. Marty St Louis is having a Hart-Trophy year, and Vincent Lecavalier has found the fountain of youth.

Speaking of youth, how about Dwayne Roloson? 

He's come from the dungeons of Nassau Coliseum to the penthouse in Tampa Bay at the ripe old age of 41. Yet, it's possible Sean Bergenheim has outclassed him and is the leading frontrunner for the John Druce award.

In the West, we have two chronic underacheivers in the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks.

In the Canucks, we have a team that is supposed to go all the way for the first time since 1994. The relatively healthy team has never entered the finals as the favorite.

Roberto Luongo continues to fight off critics with a dull knife, and the Sedins are still struggling with the "sisters" label. Ryan Kesler loves to taunt opposing teams' fans after a goal, but he's backed it up with a Conne Smythe-worthy second round. 

Meanwhile, they host the other choke-artists of the last decade or two in the Sharks. Patrick Marleau stepped up his game and proved he wasn't the Tin Man after all, and Joe Thornton said he doesn't care what people think or say.

OK. That all sounds great and lovely, but the microscope isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Both players will need to continue that success in Round 3 to keep up with the likes of Logon Couture.

In fact, do you remember a time when a rookie that isn't a goalie has been this instrumental in a postseason run?

Antti Niemi has yet to lose a playoff round in his young career and he backstops a team that enters the Conference Finals as an underdog for once. Alright, so the Sharks haven't been this far very often, but they avoided a historic choke job against Detroit and should come into this series loose and confident.

So, which of the four do you want to see in the finals?

I'll tell you who the NHL doesn't want to see—Vancouver and Tampa Bay. 

President's Trophy winners or not, if Gary Bettman wants to keep the momentum ball rolling and get more casual sports fans interested in the game, the Vancouver Canucks are not the team for the job.

Don't get me wrong—if they resided in an American city, they would be an NHL dream come true. Alas, they play in the great white north, the frozen tundra, where everyone lives in igloos and cooks bacon on an open fire with lumberjack vests.

The living-nightmare opponent for the Canadian team that no one wants to see is the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

This is a franchise that almost lost its core group of fans until the new ownership group came aboard and rescued a sinking ship. Despite this upsurge in success and superstar-laden lineup, most of the American public could care less about this non-traditional hockey team.

It wasn't a ratings success when they won the Stanley Cup back in 2004, and it will be even worse if they square off against a team from the Pacific Northwest. 

The only appealing aspect of this potential series for the NHL is...oh wait—I can't think of one.

Adding insult to injury is that if there was to be an upset in the West, the San Jose Sharks wouldn't really be great for the finals either. This California team has enough trouble getting the East Coast hockey community to watch them during the season, so what makes you think anyone will care about them in the finals?

The truth is—they won't.

The only saving grace the NHL can hope for is the Boston Bruins. Their logo is older Don Cherry, and it carries a recognizable brand that will lure in the unsuspecting fan. 

It wouldn't even surprise me if Bettman calls up Bobby Orr and asks him to lace 'em up one last time.

Looking at the final four teams, can anyone blame him?