Once the first round of playoffs was over, we could say goodbye to eight teams. And more importantly for our purposes today, we could also say goodbye to 48 potential Stanley Cup finals.
Sorry, anyone hoping for Blues vs. Canadiens in a rematch of the 1969 final, or Kings vs. Senators in a re-litigation of the Dion Phaneuf trade. Losing half of our playoff teams means we lose three-quarters of our possible final combinations – thanks, math – bringing us down to a manageable 16. Gosh, that almost feels like the right number for a ranking.
To be clear, we’re going to be going from the worst possible matchup to the best, based purely on narratives and vibes.