The playoffs have been.....okay. Meh, some great games, but kind of overall boring. I really think the lack of big and traditional US markets has hurt the playoffs. But I am having trouble getting into it. Finding a real rooting interest.
Carolina vs Caps. Carolina is boring to me. No stars, systematic, no juice positive or negative. The Caps have that, have Ovy, but do I really want to see the Caps win their second? Plus I love the symbiotic relationship that everytime the Pens or Caps have won a cup, it involves beating the other along the way.
Florida vs Leafs. I like Florida's team and heavy, almost old school style. But do I really want them to go back to back? The Leafs are THE story as they haven't won a Cup since color TV despite being center of the hockey universe. I can get with them losing again because now their window is probably going to start closing after this year.
Stars vs Jets. The Dallas Stars are the most "meh" team to me. Good team, no doubt. But combine with meh fans and meh team, they absolutely don't move the needle positive or negative to me. The Jets. Now this is the team I can get behind. Small market, never has won, whiteout (the original) and could break Canada's drought of having not winning the Cup since 1993. As much as I want that streak to remain, I can get behing Winnipeg.
Vegas vs Oilers. I hate Vegas. Just felt it was unfair to gift them an automatic Cup contender. Franchises like Buffalo and Philly have suffered so long, these guys are in it every year. But...I am rooting against the Oilers for a myriad of reasons, don't want to see them get their 6th Cup and jump the Pens, want McDavid to go Cup less in some perverse, macabre humor way, and yeah there is that 0 for Canada thing.
So just weird playoffs this year and finding it a bit hard to get into.