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The playoffs are virtually right here, and whereas we’re nonetheless ready on a few matchups, we all know the 16 groups. Should you root for certainly one of them, you’re not studying this since you’re curled up in just a little ball, twitching and sweating and making an attempt to not puke. Playoffs, child!
That leaves the remainder of you, the followers of the 16 groups that spent the season being massive losers strategically retooling for a brighter future. You’ve received to determine who to root for over the approaching weeks and months. You could possibly skip that half fully, in fact, and simply benefit from the playoffs as a impartial observer. You could possibly hate-watch your staff’s rivals. Or you can decide and select, dropping out and in of whichever collection appears good and cheering on whoever appears like the suitable selection within the second.
These are all legitimate choices. However there’s one other, and it’s a considerably controversial one: You could possibly decide a bandwagon staff to journey with all spring. It’s good apply for the actual factor, in any case, supplying you with a style of the ups and downs of following one staff for so long as it might final. And when your staff will get knocked out, you may really feel dangerous for 10 minutes earlier than shrugging and transferring on to another person.
Should you’re contemplating a bandwagon staff, I’ve received you lined. Right here’s my annual have a look at all 16 playoff groups, ranked from the worst bandwagon choices to the perfect.
Why it’s best to get on board: You’re a contrarian.
Why you shouldn’t: I’ve been doing these lists lengthy sufficient that “Don’t root for the defending champs” has virtually turn into a trope. It’s basic front-running, in any case, and the rarity of repeat champions within the cap period means that it’s additionally often futile. So yeah, on the whole, don’t root for the defending champ.
However these explicit champs? Come on. Everybody hates the Golden Knights, the too-much-too-soon enlargement staff that received’t cease buying and selling for All-Stars and skipped to the entrance of the road, partly by dishonest the wage cap.
Backside line: The Knights have been all the time a enjoyable decide for a particular kind of bandwagon fan again once they have been the brand new guys nonetheless making an attempt to defy custom and buck the chances. However now that they’ve received, this can be the simplest rating within the historical past of this column.
Why it’s best to get on board: It’s all the time enjoyable to choose a wild card that goes on a run, and the Lightning seem like an inexpensive wager to do exactly that. And the narrative of the previous champs making an attempt to get again to the highest of the mountain yet one more time earlier than all of it crumbles is one you can get behind.
Why you shouldn’t: Actually, what’s the best-case situation right here? The Lightning pull off an upset or two, perhaps even go all the best way to the ultimate, and … congratulations, you’re bandwagoning a staff that’s already been there thrice in 4 years. It’s all the chance of selecting a wild-card staff, with none of the enjoyable underdog vibes.
Backside line: There’s additionally the Nikita Kucherov issue, which can assist or harm relying on how a lot you want the concept of an MVP-level wizard who may come throughout as sort of a jerk typically.
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re a possible underdog, one that everybody appears to be forgetting about however that’s been constructing to this for years now. It’s not unparalleled for groups just like the Kings to emerge as contenders, and once they do everybody else is often only a bit too late to determine what they’re watching. You could possibly be the one who already had their seat on the bandwagon.
Why you shouldn’t: The Kings peaked early, received some consideration after which pale within the second half earlier than ending robust, in order that they match the profile of a staff that most likely deserves extra respect than they’re getting. However that doesn’t imply they’re not underdogs, and using with them in a first-round matchup towards a high-flying staff in Dallas or Edmonton will not be your concept of enjoyable.
Backside line: Talking of not all that enjoyable, there’s additionally this complete factor. The Kings are going to rank excessive on this listing some yr quickly, however that yr just isn’t this one.
Why it’s best to get on board: One of many longest-suffering fan bases within the league is again within the playoffs but once more, this time with a loopy new coach to go together with their crusty previous GM. No person is selecting them to win something and their followers understand it, so for those who like a very good “us towards the world” story then you’ll have discovered your short-term house.
Why you shouldn’t: We received’t get away the dreaded “b” phrase, however we’ll level out that no playoff staff aside from Washington scores lower than the Islanders, and their ticket to a long term most likely entails using their goaltending to a bunch of low-scoring wins. Selecting this staff to bandwagon would really feel just a bit like having a cheat day in your eating regimen and selecting to spend it on the salad bar.
Backside line: In the event that they beat the Hurricanes and go on to play the Rangers in Spherical 2, it’s important to get a Denis Potvin jersey. Simply preserve that in thoughts.
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re an excellent staff with loads of star gamers, together with the probably MVP. And after final yr’s first-round catastrophe towards the Kraken, they need to be motivated.
Why you shouldn’t: Shaky goaltending has led to a troublesome last stretch, that means they’ll begin the playoffs on the highway towards an excellent Jets staff in a collection that’s mainly a coin flip. And since they received all of it in 2022, you don’t even get any underdog factors for choosing them.
Backside line: For sheer enjoyable issue, this roster is fairly stacked. Nevertheless it’s a little bit of a front-runner decide mixed with a troublesome first matchup.
Why it’s best to get on board: They have been the highest decide for the 2022 listing, and an terrible lot of what we mentioned again then nonetheless holds. They’re a enjoyable staff, they’ve by no means received a Cup, and their followers have needed to take care of limitless negativity over the previous couple of many years. Heck, they’d most likely even welcome some bandwagon love. Oh, and so they’re actually good, having adopted up a 2022 Presidents’ Trophy with a run to final yr’s last.
Why you shouldn’t: A number of weeks in the past I attempted to promote you on the Panthers because the NHL’s new staff you like to hate, with combined success. However yeah, between Matthew Tkachuk, Nick Cousins, Sam Bennett and others, you’re going to see them do one thing nasty over the following few weeks that you simply’ll should faux to defend.
Backside line: They’re additionally enjoying the Lightning, the massive brother that’s been kicking sand of their face for years. These guys can’t even villain accurately.
10. New York Rangers
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re the very best staff within the league, no less than in keeping with their common season file, and a roster stacked with expertise seems to agree. However with just one Stanley Cup to point out for the final 84 years, you’re hardly chasing after current success right here. Should you’re in search of a bandwagon, you can do rather a lot worse than an enormous market with an ideal goalie and many star energy that can get a ton of protection.
Why you shouldn’t: The Rangers have been an enchanting staff to observe this yr, with no less than some statistical proof displaying that they will not be nearly as good as their file suggests they’re, particularly on the even power that makes up most of how essential playoff video games are performed. Then once more, we’ve been having that argument for years, and so they simply preserve profitable.
Backside line: Hey, do you’re feeling just like the first-place staff within the league’s largest U.S. market nonetheless someway doesn’t get sufficient consideration? Guess what: You do now, so don’t suppose too exhausting about it.
Why it’s best to get on board: We are saying it yearly, however it stays true — if you will get previous the truth that it’s the Leafs, you’ve received a very good staff with a lot of thrilling offensive gamers, making an attempt to snap a historic drought for one of many sports activities world’s most loyal fan bases. Bear in mind how a lot enjoyable it was when the Chicago Cubs lastly received the World Collection? It will be sort of like that.
Why you shouldn’t: You may’t get previous the truth that it’s the Leafs. (Or you may, however you don’t see a path out of the Atlantic for a staff with shaky goaltending and a historical past of postseason failure, which works too.)
Backside line: There are three varieties of hockey followers: Unbearable Leafs followers, unbearable followers of different groups whose brains have been damaged by the Leafs and followers who can’t perceive what the massive deal is. Solely that third group is eligible right here, but when that’s you, there are worse decisions. But in addition higher ones.
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re arguably the league’s greatest second-half story, someway turning a canceled staff outing to a live performance right into a playoff push that simply by no means stopped. They’ll be underdogs in each collection, however have one of many league’s greatest goalies in order that they’ll all the time have a puncher’s likelihood. They employed a GM with no front-office expertise and let him make a bunch of bizarre strikes, and I believe we are able to all agree this copycat league can be extra enjoyable if different groups needed to observe that technique.
And bear in mind, they made their solely last look in 2017 as a wild-card staff, so there’s a recent-ish precedent right here.
Why you shouldn’t: The U2 factor is cool now, however test again within the convention last if the Predators are nonetheless round and also you’re listening to about it for the four-hundredth time.
Backside line: For the file, for those who select the Predators and so they make the ultimate, you just about should take a roadie to Nashville.
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re a superb staff that’s a yr faraway from a record-breaking season and didn’t take a lot of a step again this yr regardless of dropping their beloved franchise participant to retirement. Since final yr ended with a stunning first-round loss, they nonetheless have loads to show and don’t really feel like an apparent front-runner decide. And whereas they’re an Authentic Six staff with all of the over-the-top pomp and circumstance that entails, they’ve received one Cup since 1972.
Additionally, David Pastrnak wears bizarre garments to the sport typically, if that’s your factor.
Why you shouldn’t: Brad Marchand. The Jack Edwards farewell tour, which his followers will love however your mileage might differ. Pat Maroon hogging all of the Stanley Cups and by no means letting anybody else have a flip.
Backside line: Look, I’m a bitter previous man with a coronary heart of stone, and even I like the goalie hugs. With Linus Ullmark most likely getting traded in the summertime, wouldn’t you like to see one final hug because the Cup is being handed round?
(Verify again after the primary few video games of the Leafs collection for my column on why goalie hugs ought to be banned.)
6. Washington Capitals
Why it’s best to get on board: You want underdogs? You don’t get a much bigger underdog than this, no less than within the parity period. The Capitals have been purported to be rebuilding, with nearly no person selecting them as a playoff staff heading into the season, and even heading into April. You solely bothered to study their goalie’s identify two weeks in the past. They earned the final wild-card spot on their season’s last evening, regardless of dropping extra video games than they received and posting the worst objectives differential on any postseason staff since 1991. Their reward for all that can be a matchup with the Rangers, in a collection no person will suppose they’ll win. MoneyPuck has them with 0 p.c Cup odds, which I’m undecided I’ve ever seen earlier than. Should you consider in no guts no glory, that is your staff. Do it. Do it!
Why you shouldn’t: They’re not good.
Backside line: Oh cool down, Capitals followers, you already know it’s true. And it doesn’t matter as a result of all of the common season is for is getting in. They’re in. Now something can occur, and that’s the fantastic thing about it. DO IT!
(You may decide a brand new staff once they’re out by subsequent weekend, it’s high quality.)
Why it’s best to get on board: They have been my prime decide final yr, and never a lot has modified since. If something, the Zach Hyman story may make them much more likable. Aside from that, return and browse final yr’s piece, all of the arguments just about nonetheless apply.
Why you shouldn’t: They added Corey Perry to a staff that already consists of Evander Kane, in order that they’re clearly in “something goes so long as we win” mode. That’s not essentially a nasty place to be for those who’re a die-hard fan, however it may give bandwagoners some pause.
Backside line: You deserve just a little little bit of cheering for Connor McDavid as a substitute of being frightened of him, as a deal with.
Why it’s best to get on board: They’ve spent all yr as top-of-the-line groups within the league, however no person exterior of Vancouver appears to really suppose they’re good, that means you get the uncommon alternative to bandwagon a prime contender whereas additionally enjoying the “no person believes in us” card. Past that, the Canucks are only a flat-out enjoyable staff, with all kinds of firepower and a few attention-grabbing characters. And at 54 years and counting with out a Cup, it’s truthful to say they’re due.
Why you shouldn’t: Canucks followers have been ready without end for a Cup, and so they’ve been via some respectable heartbreak alongside the best way, so in the event that they ever do get there, they might not take kindly to any bandwagon followers making an attempt to crowd in on their glory. That’s cheap, and a part of being a very good bandwagon fan is realizing your house, however preserve it in thoughts.
Backside line: Wait, 54 years with out a Cup? Didn’t another staff have a well-known drought like that, one which ended towards … the Canucks? That staff might even be the favourite to be ready for the Canucks within the last. This appears like destiny lining up, proper? Oh man, I believe I simply spoiled this yr’s playoffs, sorry everybody …
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Why it’s best to get on board: As a result of the highest of those rankings is actually Western Convention heavy, and let’s be sincere, no person actually needs to remain up that late.
Oh, and likewise the Hurricanes are an excellent staff, fairly presumably the very best within the convention. They’ve enjoyable gamers, are well-coached and have a forward-thinking entrance workplace. Additionally they have top-of-the-line Previous Man With out A Cup tales of the yr in Brent Burns, and an inspiring comeback from Frederik Andersen.
Why you shouldn’t: In some unspecified time in the future, Rod Brind’Amour goes to say one thing that’s going to make you’re feeling dangerous about your exercise habits.
Backside line: Additionally, a Hurricanes championship would make Montreal followers mad, which is a plus.
2. Winnipeg Jets
Why it’s best to get on board: One yr in the past, all of us figured they have been accomplished for, an inevitable rebuild beginning years too late. At present, they’re ending off a improbable season, they’ve the presumptive Vezina winner in internet, they have been aggressive on the deadline and their coach is the last word OGWAC. They usually’re doing all of it in entrance of top-of-the-line fan bases within the league, one which has a super-cool playoff custom however has by no means seen their Jets get previous the third spherical, and oh yeah, had no staff in any respect for 16 lengthy years.
Additionally, and Jets followers may not like me mentioning this however it needs to be mentioned: All of your favourite gamers have the Jets on their no-trade listing. That implies that the Jets are constructing a contender with one hand tied behind their again. A deep run can be further spectacular below these circumstances, and it may also change just a few minds.
Why you shouldn’t: They most likely should undergo Colorado and Dallas to get out of the Central, which is kind of presumably the ugliest playoff path that any staff within the league is dealing with. There’s an excellent likelihood this ends each badly and shortly.
Backside line: Oh, and the franchise itself is in peril. However don’t let that guilt you into something, go forward and cheer for them to lose their staff once more, it’s not prefer it makes you a nasty individual.
1. Dallas Stars
Why it’s best to get on board: They’re an extremely expert and entertaining staff, they’ve an excellent shot at profitable the Stanley Cup, they haven’t received this century so it’s not fairly a front-runner decide, and Joe Pavelski often is the single greatest OGWAC story within the league. Combine in alternate-OGWAC Ryan Suter, plus Matt Duchene’s comeback season, plus Mason Marchment making an attempt to win the Cup that eluded his late father, plus not one however two enjoyable rookie tales, and the Stars are simply in regards to the excellent bandwagon decide.
Why you shouldn’t: They’ve been recognized to cheat to win the Stanley Cup, or so it has been defined to me. Additionally, they have been my decide to win each in October and earlier this week, so in the event that they do then I’ll be much more unbearable than regular.
Backside line: The Stars have a lot going for them that it’s virtually annoying, which I suppose may be a cause to activate them. However there’s no cause to overthink this one — in a league with a handful of very stable choices, the Stars are the very best of the bunch.
(Picture of Mark Stone and Connor McDavid: Ethan Miller / Getty Photographs)
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