The stage is set: Vegas vs. Montreal, and Tampa vs. New York. Writers and reporters will look for broad narratives about what it means to be a Stanley Cup contender. And they may talk about a shift away from raw skill with teams like Colorado and Toronto getting ousted earlier than expected, and “gritty” teams like Montreal and NY drawing in. Yes, the lower seeds have won 9 of 12 series thus far. But all of these superficial points miss the nuance of who these teams are.
Personally, I don’t think the playoffs offer any insight that is uniquely distinct from the regular season, at least broadly speaking.