Preliminary Round Predictions For The West

In just over a week, post-season hockey will return to the NHL. That means it must be time for some bold predictions.

Ryan and Rory dive into all four Western Conference preliminary round series and how they believe things will play out. It’s hard to imagine how the porous Chicago defence has any chance of stopping the dynamic one-two combo that is Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. And while the Arizona Coyotes were having a disappointing season, how could two big X-factors — the return of goalie Darcy Kuemper and mid-season pickup Taylor Hall — influence things when it comes to the Desert Dogs’ showdown with the Nashville Predators?

No team was hotter than the Minnesota Wild when play was stopped in March, but will that carry over in any way against a Vancouver Canucks squad that — at least on paper — appears to have the upper hand? As for the lone all-Canadian matchup, Rory is bullish on a Jets team that has a goaltending advantage over the Flames and five stud forwards that seem built to thrive in the NHL’s second season.

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This episode is produced and edited by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.