Holy goodness, world, life after the first round is mighty boring. Throughout the near month-long void of Bruins hockey, I can still admit that I’ve watched every Stanley Cup playoff game.
While this experience has given me a newfound appreciation for the dedication to the game shown on a yearly basis by Toronto Maple Leafs fans, I truthfully have no clue who I want to root for. I don’t think I’m alone in this. And I don’t think watching a Bruin-less playoffs has been easy on B’s fans, but at the end of the day, most of them will still watch each game because at their core, they’re hockey fans.
Allegiances to certain clubs? Absolutely, but hockey fans nevertheless. The problem? There’s really no team out there that’s captivated us to get on one bandwagon over the other.
So alas, here’s a Bostonian’s Guide to Bandwagoning in the 2012 Playoffs…
In the East…
New York Rangers
The Skinny: A team built from the net out, the Rangers have muscled and shot-blocked their way to their first Conference Final since 1997 behind the always-angry style of head coach John Tortorella.
Friends and Family: While nobody on the New York roster has suited up for the Black and Gold, the Blueshirts boast quite a few New England ties. Massachusetts-born forwards Brian Boyle (Hingham, Mass.) and Chris Kreider (Boxford, Mass.) are both loaded with local connections given their allegiance to the Bay State as hometown heroes and former Boston College Eagles. Behind the bench, New York head coach John Tortorella hails from Melrose, Mass., while assistant coach Mike Sullivan (a Marshfield, Mass. native) coached the Bruins from 2003 to 2006.
What’s to love: The attitude. One of the things I’ve really grown to like about the Rangers throughout the year and into the playoffs is that everybody goes as hard as they can on every shift. It takes a special kind of club that have that sort of commitment given the sometimes enigmatic personality that a club can take on through the course of an 82-game season along with mentally taxing rounds of playoff hockey, but Tortorella’s got his guys locked in. Remarkable.
What’s to hate: It’s that damn Boston-New York thing again. It’s no secret that the rivalry transcends sports, be it the Yankees-Sox, or even Pats-Jets/Giants, and I doubt that Boston wants to hear about another New York championship. Especially one that a comes a year after Boston’s.
Root-worthy player: At the end of the day, you have to respect Chris Kreider‘s ability to storm into the NHL as a rookie in the playoffs (Seriously!) and find himself succeeding in key situations. Through 13 games, the New Englander has tallied three goals, two of which being game-winners, and has become a pivotal piece of the Rangers’ forward core.
Cup history: The Rangers haven’t been to a Cup since their unforgettable run back in 1994, which ended a 54-year drought. In their near nine-decade long history, Broadway has four Cup banners hanging from their rafters, with ’94 joined by banners from ’28, ’33, and ’40.
New Jersey Devils
The Skinny: After missing out on the playoffs last year for the first time since 1996, a coaching change and emergence of some youthful faces led the Devils Army back to the playoffs.
Friends and Family: On the ice, New Jersey defensemen Mark Fayne (Nashua, N.H) sits as the lone New Englander on the Devils’ roster. Meanwhile, New Jersey assistant coach Adam Oates played with the Bruins for six seasons, tallying 499 points in Black-and-Gold, while GM Lou Lamoriello hails from Providence, Rhode Island.
What’s to love: His desire to continue to play for ‘another two years’ has been well documented, but the 40-year-old Marty Brodeur remains as a pretty likable crease-warrior, and could only bolster his (somewhat fading) legacy with another Cup win. Perhaps I have a bit of personal bias when it comes to this issue as I grew up during Brodeur’s era of playoff dominance (and loved it), but there’s always something awesome about the old guy getting things done, especially given the way Brodeur’s name has been dragged through the mud in the post-lockout NHL.
What’s to hate: It shouldn’t really shock us that the Devils are still using the patented trap to win games and advance on into the final four of the NHL season, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s just so incredibly boring. I know it works, but my goodness, without overtime, their games have been torturous. Sorry, Devils fans, but I’m blaming you guys if there’s another lockout after your (potential) Cup win.
Root-worthy player: Considering that most B’s fans have him pegged atop their 2012 offseason wish-list, Zach Parise seems to be a player that you can get behind. One of three American captains still in the playoff picture, the 27-year-old forward remains among one of the more exciting forwards to watch in all of hockey. Plus, a strong playoff showing bolsters your argument for the Bruins to throw a gazillion dollars at him this summer, right?
Cup history: With four trips to the Cup, the Devils boast a cupboard of three Stanley Cups, with the last one coming in 2003.
Now, onto the other side of the States…
Los Angeles Kings
The Skinny: A team that couldn’t score for the life of ’em before the deadline, a coaching change, the arrival of Jeff Carter, and key saves from an all-world goaltender have put the Kings in the driver’s seat of the Western Conference.
Friends and Family: The ace of the 2012 playoffs, Jonathan Quick, hails from Milford, Conn., and played college hockey for the University of Massachusetts. But the Kings certainly come with some secondary New England ties as the Manchester Monarchs, situated in New Hampshire, have been the longtime AHL affiliate of the club.
What’s to love: If the Kings can go on and win the Cup, they will have to do it through what may potentially be the hardest road ever traveled to a Stanley Cup. They bumped off the Presidents Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in round one (In just five games, may I add), swept the two-seeded St. Louis Blues, would have beaten the three-seed Phoenix Coyotes, and potentially meet up with the East’s number one seeded New York Rangers. What! That’s nuts, and you can’t help but root for this severely underestimated eight seed.
What’s to hate: Bruins fans may take issue with the Flyer connections in the Kings lineup with Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and the recently medically cleared Simon Gagne, there’s really not much to hate about this Kings club. Their only blemish? Hearing Cartman yell “Go Kings Go!” during every stoppage. Can you hear me stretching from the seat of your chair?
Root-worthy player: With a name like Dwight King, you have my vote. As Cosmo Kramer would say, “That’s like an ice cream man being named “Cone.””
Cup history: Nothin’ but a trip to the Finals in 1993. That’s 42 years of nothingness for the Kings. Think they’re due, huh?
Phoenix Coyotes
The Skinny: Dave Tippett continues to bewilder the hockey-world with a competitive club while Mike Smith made the entire Earth look dumb with a ridiculous season that literally nobody saw coming.
Friends and Family: ‘Yotes defensemen Derek Morris signed with and played for the Bruins for half of the 2009-10 season before being traded (back) to Phoenix, defensemen Keith Yandle hails from Boston, and the grizzled Adrian Aucoin suited up for Boston University all the way back in 1992-93.
Root-worthy player: Shane [bleepin’] Doan. Let’s not kid ourselves here, Doan should’ve been traded to a contending club about four years ago. Instead, the veteran winger hung with the Coyotes, believing in what GM Don Maloney was trying to get done. Now, with two series wins, it’s paying off for him.
What’s to love: With all due respect to the maroon and white of the desert, the Phoenix Coyotes are not a team that should be in the Western Conference Finals. They lost Ilya Bryzgalov and replaced him with Smith in the offseason, and their core remained to be an aging group of forwards in the twilight of their career. But that hasn’t stopped ’em. It’s a club that seems to feed off the doubt. Love it.
What’s to hate: There’s a gigantic elephant (See: Circus-sized or something) in the room when it comes to the Coyotes…they’re owned by the National Hockey League. I really don’t want to hear the conspiracy theories that’d surely ruin a summer of celebration for the team if they were to win the Cup. Bettman’s totally in on the league funding a team instead of generating (additional) revenue, right, guys? Oh, and they employ Raffi Torres.
Cup History: Zip. Zilch. Nothin’. Not even an appearance!
…Here comes the next part: Ranking who you want to win by rootingness. That’s never a word, but I’m not changing it, get over it.
Based on location alone, you have to go with the two Western Conference clubs as your top two. Given the upstart nature of the club and Jonathan Quick’s ties to the area, I’m going with the LA Kings as the number one team to bandwagon for. In second, Boston-born Yandle and the ‘Yotes. Then comes the Eastern Conference.
While the Devils are by all means one of the most non-offensive teams in the entire East — and I mean that in every sense of the word — I just find a potential Jersey Cup victory to be utterly unbearable. Give the local kids some rings and put the Blueshirts at three. Once again, sorry, Devils fans.
Who are you rooting for?