The Stanley Cup Playoffs will officially get underway in just a few short hours, can you tell I'm excited? No doubt there is going to be a ton of chatter coming out of the jam packed National Hockey League schedule that we will be seeing over the next couple of days, but for those of you who just can't wait to talk some hockey we've got a special treat for you this morning.
The New Jersey Devils are not one of the 24 teams that will be participating in this tournament and that means that star defenseman P.K. Subban has had to find some ways to keep busy. He's been doing a pretty good job of it too, from training with The Rock, to now announcing his predictions for the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here's a brief summary of what Subban had to say about each of the series:
Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins.
"Listen to me. You've got Crosby and Malkin and they're rested. This is probably going to be the most interesting series because of one player in my opinion, and one player only, Carey Price. Carey Price can steal that series, that can happen."
"I can see Montreal taking that series, but I'm gonna tell you I do not bet against Sidney Crosby... You don't bet against Sidney Crosby. So if I'm taking team I am taking Pittsburgh."
Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers.
"That is gonna be a tough series. That is gonna be a fun series to watch."
"The thing is with Carolina, Carolina's team is sort of built for this type of format. They have a lot of players with good sticks, they can play both sides of the ice, they have veteran presence in that room with Justin Williams, they have a coach behind the bench who has been through the wars and who played in the NHL and understands it."
"It's going to come down to coaching in that series... I think with Carolina they make it so hard on you to break out of your zone and I think with this time off it's going to come down to coaching and execution."
"So Carolina maybe I am edging towards them, but if New York picks up where they left off.... New York could be moving on."
New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers.
"Tough series once again... the thing is there's so much parody in the NHL."
"I'll tell you this right now and there's very few guys that can skate like [Mathew Barzal]."
"They've got veteran presence in that locker room, that's what I like about the New York Islanders. You've got a two way team and coaching, you've got Barry Trotz, won a Stanley Cup, understands how to get his team the right way."
"If the Islanders play to their capabilities the Islanders can be a team that is the Stanley Cup Final, they are that good."
"It's going to be a fun one to watch but if the Islanders play to their capabilities I think the Islanders will take it."
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets.
"This is going to be an interesting series."
"[The Leafs] can outscore you every game. So we know that Columbus isn't going to get into a track meet with these guys. If I'm John Tortorella im going to clog up the neutral zone, you're going to force their defensemen to skate with the puck and try to make plays, and in that they've got guys that can capitalize on turnovers."
"The question is going to be, can the Toronto Maple Leafs defense hold up against their forecheck. We saw what they did to Tampa they just ran them out of the building."
"I think it's going to be coaching again, but I think it's going to be a toss up... It will be a tight series... it will be a test for the Leafs and I am interested to see how they will respond."
"If I gotta pick one I am gonna go with the Leafs, but for Columbus Blue Jackets fans out there it would not surprise me if Columbus took this series and took it fast."
For Subban's full comments on all the series that will be played in the East, check out the short clip below.
