Via Si.com
The last time we saw a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup Playoffs was in 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings to win the prevailed trophy. This was exactly 30 years ago from the current playoff that has just been taken underway in 2023. 30 years of hardships for the country after dominating the NHL for so long. In fact, from 1893 to 1926, the Stanley Cup was won exclusively by Canadian teams, with the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the bout. However, as the NHL grew to the 31 teams as we have today, the composition heightened. The reality is, Canadian champions will be rare as there are only seven Canadian teams currently in the league. This makes up just 23% of the NHL. There have been a few other close calls over the years, with Canadian teams making it deep into the playoffs only to be eliminated in the later rounds.
As we begin the 2023 NHL playoffs, it is hard to imagine anyone beating the Boston Bruins coming off a historic season. The odds are in their favor to have a simple time getting through the playoffs after winning a record setting of 65 games this season. This article has now become a piece on which team can beat the Boston Bruins in the playoffs?
We have three Canadian teams making the playoffs this year, with one in the East with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and two in the West with the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.
Let’s start with the Canadian team that is the least likely to win the cup, with Winnipeg. The Jets MO in the regular season has been the same in terms of dominating on defense and goaltending. They’ve done a great job with it and have seen a lot of regular season success in the last few years. However, in the playoffs, we see them always fall short. I’ve been in on them in the past only to watch them disappoint, and this will be more of the same as they enter as a Wild Card team this year. I’m ruling them out, leaving just two Canadian teams with legitimate Stanley Cup dreams.
The only Canadian team keeping up with the Bruins in the East is the Maple Leafs. No franchise has always had more hope only to be disappointed more often than the Maple Leafs. They have not won a playoff series since 2004 and have been eliminated in the first round in each of their last four playoff appearances, and particularly have had trouble against the Bruins specifically. Toronto has had an amazing season and although it was short of the heights the Bruins reached, there is a reason to believe that they can make a run. They have the talent and have continued to add on at the trade deadline, which is usually a key factor in the playoffs. We usually see that what a contender does at the trade deadline can make or break a playoff run. With the acquisition of Ryan O’Rielly, the move can make their trip to the playoffs prolong past the first round. They have a tough go against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, however, if they win, they can be dangerous moving forward.
The Oilers, on the other hand, have arguably the best shot at making the Stanley Cup Finals out of all the teams in the West. They’ve won 13 out of their last 14 games coming into the playoffs, with the one loss coming in overtime. They are the hottest team in the league and are poised with their star talents to return back to the finals. Led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have always had the offense to make a run. However, their biggest struggle was always goaltending. This year, they finally had the goalie duo they were looking for with Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell.
No matter what, both teams will have a tough ride in the playoffs and will be facing a lot of adversity as they do so. I mean, there hasn’t been a Canadian winner in 30 years. However, this feels like the year compared to the past. These teams are really good and have the talent that a Stanley Cup team would have. All they need is the execution, and this is the year they finally nail that drought in the bed.
