This whole playoffs has been meh. I think lack of fans has reduced the drama and intensity. Also the fact that the players basically had an offseason beforehand means it hasn’t been as grueling as normal...gives it a feeling more like an international tourney than the quest for the Stanley cup.
At least Tampa winning it would give the thing a little more legitimacy than say, a borderline playoff team like the Isles who might not have even made a normal playoff.
I've paid as much attention to this playoffs as normal when the Devils aren't involved, which is to say very little. The fact there have been very few 'classic' series haven't helped. I don't think there's been one series that went to a deciding game other than Dallas-Colorado.
Addendum: Forgot about Isles-Flyers and Vegas-Vancouver going the distance, that's how little engagement I've had with this postseason (and also how unremarkable both Game 7's were, at least Colorado-Dallas was a classic Game 7). And Toronto-Columbus in the prelim round was a classic, albeit a weird-ass series.
