NHL Playoffs: Reinventing Yourself in the Playoffs

Written by

Janet Eagleson

Published on April 14, 2019

The playoffs give you a chance to reinvent yourself. I'm talking about you, Jordan Eberle. Five points, including a goal in each game. And eight goals and three assists in his last 10. #Sizzle
The Blue Jackets are in rarified air. They're just the second team in history to go up 3-0 on the President's Trophy winner. The first? The Kings downed the Canucks in five in 2012.

Nazem Kadri IS Sideshow Bob. I think he just solved Kyle Dubas' salary cap problem. Bu-bye.
Goalies are a different breed, but who puts on new pads to start the playoffs? Andrei Vasilevskiy went back to his old ones for Game 3. He didn't win, but at least he was comfortable.
Anyone seen Sidney Crosby or Steven Stamkos? Or Brayden Point? Oh right -- we talked about that last time.
Patrik Laine, where have you been most of the season? Ditto Max Pacioretty.
Waiting to exhale. The fans in Manitoba finally got to take a breath with that 6-3 win. I'm still worried about them, but at least this gets them back to Winnipeg for Game 5.
The Leafs are in a lot better position to absorb this year's Kadri suspension. But when will Auston Matthews show up? I just haven't noticed him. Have you?
Team Canada could have a big roster boost for the upcoming IIHF World Championships. Crosby, Point, Stamkos, Letang ... the list goes on.
Speaking of Kris Letang -- he's the best defender on the ice, but he's been out of position and behind on just about every play. The Pens can't win that way.
Speaking of the IIHF -- man, did they blow it at the #WomensWorlds today. A bizarre video review overruled the on-ice refs and stole the winning goal from Team Finland. Yes, the women's game has grown immensely, but it would have exploded if a team other than Canada or the U.S. had won.
Matt Murray won 29 games and had a .919 save percentage in the regular season. No-one gave Robin Lehner, who just happened to have a .930 save percentage, a chance. Man, were we wrong.
Tuesday -- the first day a team may go home. Just not the teams we thought.