Lazerus’ Stanley Cup prediction: Blues over Red Wings
BY MARK LAZERUS Staff Reporter September 30, 2013 8:39PM
Alex Ovechkin
Updated: October 1, 2013 2:20AM
Mark LAZERUS’ PREDICTION
Stanley Cup Final: Blues over Red Wings.
By any objective measure, the Hawks are the clear favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They have a deep and talented offense, the best defense in the league, a Cup-winning goalie and strong veteran leadership. And they’re largely intact after their magical
season in 2013.
But here’s the thing: Magic is hard to come by, and the Cup is even harder to come by. There’s a reason no team has repeated since 1998: It’s ridiculously
difficult. Eventually, the short offseason, a second consecutive compressed regular season, the Olympics and
another playoff run will take its toll on the Hawks. Or maybe there’s a key injury. Or maybe they just run into a hot goalie.
It’s the playoffs, where little goes according to plan. Are they the best team in hockey? Yes. But that usually doesn’t mean much in the NHL. This won’t be a popular pick with Hawks fans — the only thing that would make it worse is if the Vancouver Canucks were in there — but fear not. Picking the playoffs eight months in advance is a fool’s errand. Better to enjoy the ride and see what actually happens.
Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com
Twitter: @MarkLazerus
