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Having spoken about the amount of offensive talent on both sides of this Stanley Cup Final match-up, it goes without saying that both defensive groups are going to need to be on their game.
Tampa Bay
Victor Hedman is the most recognised defenceman on the Lightning roster and is paired with fellow Swede Anton Stralman, who is as criminally underrated as any blue-liner taking the ice in this series – unruffled, calm, and a veteran of deep playoff runs with the New York Rangers.
Perhaps his being underrated has a little to do with the fact that he’s paired Hedman, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2009. Some high draft picks are busts.
This one certainly wasn’t. He’s one of the smoothest skaters on the ice, capable offensively, and very rarely – if ever at all – makes a mistake.
If Hedman played in a more traditional hockey market, he would be a household name, and recognised as a superstar of the league. His skating is as good as any defenceman anywhere in the NHL, and he’s no slouch when it comes to offensive output, either: he leads all Lightning blue-liners with ten points and a plus-11 rating these playoffs. He’s pretty handy on the penalty kill, too.
Yep, Hedman pretty much does everything, and he does it all well. Seeing he and Stralman trying to corral the likes of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will be one of the more interesting facets of the series.
Braydon Coburn and Jason Garrison are the Lightning’s second defensive pair, and while they don’t perhaps rival their opposite numbers on the Chicago bench, they are a dependable duo, both possessing heavy shots and a veteran presence that is going to be a real key against a well-drilled, battle-tested Chicago team. Coburn, particularly, is a guy who’s been there and done that.
Anaheim’s strategy against Chicago was to batter them into submission, and it very nearly worked. If Tampa can play a similarly physical game, and somehow succeed where the Ducks failed, the continued pressure – two series’ worth – might see the Blackhawks defencemen start to falter. If it happens, especially on the defensive end, it’s going to be because of Coburn and others.
Further down the order, Matt Carle and Andrej Sustr are handy and steady enough, but have also been guilty of some turnovers that’re enough to make Lightning coach Jon Cooper tear his hair out. If you turn the puck over against Chicago’s cabal of talented forwards, you’re asking for trouble.
Keep an eye out, also, for Tampa’s seventh defender, Nikita Nesterov, a key offensive defenceman.
Chicago
The defensive corps of Chicago is, like every other facet of the team, as battle-tested a group as there is in the NHL. They’ve been faced with every sort of scenario over the years, and even with the loss of veteran Michael Rozsival, they’ve barely faltered.
Why?
Because they have the best top-four group in the NHL, lead by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Both are two-time Olympic gold medallists, and have been key performers in both of Chicago’s recent Stanley Cup wins.
Keith, particularly, is a warrior, eating up more than 31 minutes per game in the playoffs – absolutely insane numbers! – is probably at the peak of his powers, and won’t be easy for Tampa to handle.
Aside from being almost perfect defensively, Keith can score, with a wicked slap shot that’s provided some giant tallies for the ‘Hawks these playoffs. He’s registered 18 points in 17 playoff games. If I had to pick a defenceman who might win the Conn Smythe Trophy, I’d be hard pressed to go past Keith.
Except maybe to look at Brent Seabrook, who has been alongside Keith on the depth chart for many years, and averages 26 minutes a game, a number that seems rather paltry compared to Keith. He has six goals and 10 points so far in the playoffs, and is the second part of a powerful one-two offensive punch.
There are important Swedes on the Tampa defence, and Chicago has another beauty, in Nicklas Hjalmarsson, who would likely be a starting blue-liner for most teams in the NHL, but in Chicago is a winner and plays second-fiddle to the Keith/Seabrook tandem. He’s paired with countryman Johnny Odouya, to make as good a second-team pairing as there is, making it tough sledding for the Tampa offence, who will have to try and exploit two very solid tandems who aren’t exploited often.
The problem for the Lightning is that Chicago’s top four all play such giant minutes night in, night out – Hjalmarsson averages 26 minutes per game, and Odouya is just 60 seconds behind that mark – that scoring chances are limited.
At times, Coach Joel Quenneville might switch up his combinations if he thinks he can get ahead. The guys one rung further down the ladder include veteran Kimmo Timonen, a deadline acquisition, and youngsters David Rundbland and Kyle Cumiskey. Tampa will have to try and generate scoring when these guys are on the ice, which isn’t often.
Advantage: Chicago. The top two pairings are basically bullet-proof. They proved too tough for the big bodies of Anaheim, and I see them not having any trouble handling Tampa’s undoubted offensive speed.
If the top four can withstand one more series, Chicago wins.
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