If you look at the last 20 cups winners, they all had elite players at defense or center, and for the majority of teams at both positions. Most of those teams had at least two hall of fame level players at either center or defense with Carolina and Tampa being the outliers. Based on that, you can pretty much predict how the rest of the playoffs goes.
No to montreal. No elite center. A team like New Jersey won multiple cups without an elite center but they had Niedermayer and Stevens, two hall of fame defensemen, to make up the difference. They also had Brodeur but having a hall of fame goalie hasn't really been a common denominator for teams in the last 20 years.
No to the Rangers because of lack of elite centers.
Capitals are interesting but no. i say they are interesting because Evgeny Kuznetsov looks like he is turning into a beast. Backstrom and Kuznetsov down the middle with Carlson on defense is something to watch for the future. They aren't hall of fame level but very comparable to Tampa's Stanley Cup setup with Lecavalier, Richards at center and Boyle on Defense.
Tampa Bay looks like the top team in the east with Stamkos and Johnson at center and Hedman as their #1 defender.
Out west it is either Chicago or Anaheim. Anaheim has a top notch 1-2 punch at center but nothing spectacular on defense. That's why Chicago will win the whole thing IMO. Keith is the best defenseman left in the playoffs and Toews is one of the best centers in the game.
