So What is the 2019 Playoff "Storyline"?

[Sam Spade]

I want to say the Blues winning their first ever Cup has to be it.

No single player storyline stands out, Binnington maybe, but the fact that Murray just did what Binnington did a few years ago takes a little of the luster off, at least for me. Not to mention rookie goalies tend to be pretty successful come playoff time.

Lightning going out in four is up there as well I suppose.

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[Beau Knows]

Lightning getting swept will probably be the most memorable storyline for me if they don't manage to win a Cup with that loaded team.

 

[GKJ]

The storyline is the officiating, the long and short of it.

 

[JKG33]

Binnington
Buffalo trading away the Smythe winner for nothing
Tampa getting swept
Refs

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

In order of importance..

1) Blues. Binnington. Worst to first, just a great story. ROR is part of that- I ain't even mad, it is what it is, I'm happy for him. Think most of the hockey world likes that story too.
2) The utter unpredictable chaos that was 2/3rds of the series.
3) The reffing. Luckily the finals weren't bad, but that's a black eye the league will need to fix.
4) Lightning will be a story next year. Kinda a slow burner, but could get interesting depending on the future.

 

[Sam Spade]

The storyline is the officiating, the long and short of it.

I think the fact that the last two games were excellently reffed will help that out a lot.

 

[JerseyMike34]

The storyline is the officiating, the long and short of it.

This. This. This.

 

[Over the volcano]

Worst to First

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

the league is broken and shrinking

 

[Ted Hoffman]

No single player storyline stands out, Binnington maybe, but the fact that Murray just did what Binnington did a few years ago takes a little of the luster off, at least for me. Not to mention rookie goalies tend to be pretty successful come playoff time.

That's Jordan Winnington, aka "not Andrew Hammond 2.0".

 

[Mikeshane]

Blues wild run as an underdog to cup champ.

Other memorable events:
Vegas vs San Jose game 7 circus(the series was fantastic but the ending is what will be remembered)
Tampa Bay getting swept.
The Nate MacKinnon show.

 

[Sam Spade]

the league is broken and shrinking

If the Bruins had won I think maybe you are correct (four teams winning ten of the last eleven Cups), but the Blues and Capitals give fanbases hope, hopefully.

 

[bring back the jets]

Officiating was bad. Blues had a great last to first story too. But lets be real, no one is going to care about those things 5 years from now. The tied-for-best regular season team of all time getting swept in the first round in such an embarrassing fashion will go down in hockey history as arguably the worst choke ever though. That's the story people will remember.

 

[GKJ]

I think the fact that the last two games were excellently reffed will help that out a lot.

The damage was already done. The last two games didn’t give anyone another reason to talk about it. Unless someone wants to go on about how they only called one penalty and it was delay of game tonight.

 

[jonu]

That's Jordan Winnington, aka "not Andrew Hammond 2.0".

Cam ward 2.0

 

[Sam Spade]

Officiating was bad. Blues had a great last to first story too. But lets be real, no one is going to care about those things 5 years from now. The tied-for-best regular season team of all time getting swept in the first round in such an embarrassing fashion will go down in hockey history as arguably the worst choke ever though. That's the story people will remember.

Yeah I think you may be correct. Blues fans it will be this Cup but hockey fans in general, it was the Bolts collapse.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Another one for the Blues is Maroon taking less money to play with his home town team, and scoring a couple HUGE goals along the way

 

[Avsboy]

Story of the playoffs: regular season doesn't matter. TBay had it too easy, Blues faced adversity.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Bozak wins a game 7 in Boston!!!

 

[Louie the Blue]

1. Blues winning it all
2. TB/CGY losing in the 1st
3. Sharks come back vs Vegas
4. Refs

 

[CupInSIX]

Defending champs going out in the 1st round

 

[boredmale]

On TSN it will be what could the Leafs have done to win.

 

[Todd from Leduc]

I think McDavid just narrowly missing the playoffs and Tampa getting swept in 4 are the 2 big stories of this playoffs.

 

[Dowisetrepla]

1) Blues winning. Exclamation point on decade of long-suffering franchises finally winning a Cup!
2) Bolts collapse. If they don’t have a good playoff run next year a lot of heads will roll.
3) Officiating: I didn’t think it was all that bad, but a couple of egregious calls/non-calls. Suspect will lead to increased use of video review.
4) Pens. The Bolts collapse kind of pushed them off front page, but real question if their championship window has closed.

 

[ohcomeonref]

Upsets n' underdogs.