Maybe the 2021-22 Pittsburgh Penguins were not legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Maybe the Carolina Hurricanes would have mopped the floor with them in the Second Round.
Maybe they would have upset them and then been embarrassed by Florida or Tampa Bay.
All are quite possibly true. But it would have at least been nice to see Sidney Crosby and co. get that chance to prove themselves. And quite frankly, they should have gotten that opportunity. And it is not unfair to be mad or angry that they are not getting it because their First Round loss to the New York Rangers seems like a pretty big missed opportunity, and quite possibly a frustrating way for the greatest era in franchise history to end.