NHL 2026 Playoff Thread

[Panthers Fan 69]

@LinvilleGorgekind sir may you un pin the regular season thread and on this one?

[Anybodyhome]

My thoughts on Carolina's post-season run:

• Obviously, the season began with a below average Freddie Andersen and everyone hoping Kochetkov would pick up the slack, until he got hurt. Enter Brandon Bussi who had a made-for-TV movie type run until the end of the season, when he came crashing back to earth, his save % drops under .900 and the team needs to score 5-6 goals to win games. Freddie has shown signs of a resurgence and Bussi looked pretty good the last 2 games of the season, but both sample sizes are small and questions abound for all 3 goalies.
• The physicality of playoff hockey will take its toll. Save for a few players, the Canes best players are small, their top 2 lines are small and there's no getting around that. The only way to protect the size disadvantage is a strong forecheck. Allowing opposing teams to establish the offensive zone and create board battles with smaller players will hurt Carolina.
• The Stankoven line could be a difference-maker. If they continue to play well against lower defensive pairs, it only adds to the depth of the team. 
• The Aho line had stretches of absenteeism during the season. The Canes cannot afford to have them dry up offensively and leave the scoring to Ehlers and the Stankoven line. If they aren't performing well, teams will simply roll their best lines out on the Canes best playing lines. 
• If the Canes can get by Ottawa and get some help from Boston against Buffalo, I think they have a legit shot to make the finals. Make no mistake, I think their toughest challenges are Ottawa and Buffalo in the East. 

[organicrusty1201]

2 hours ago, Anybodyhome said:

My thoughts on Carolina's post-season run:

• Obviously, the season began with a below average Freddie Andersen and everyone hoping Kochetkov would pick up the slack, until he got hurt. Enter Brandon Bussi who had a made-for-TV movie type run until the end of the season, when he came crashing back to earth, his save % drops under .900 and the team needs to score 5-6 goals to win games. Freddie has shown signs of a resurgence and Bussi looked pretty good the last 2 games of the season, but both sample sizes are small and questions abound for all 3 goalies.
• The physicality of playoff hockey will take its toll. Save for a few players, the Canes best players are small, their top 2 lines are small and there's no getting around that. The only way to protect the size disadvantage is a strong forecheck. Allowing opposing teams to establish the offensive zone and create board battles with smaller players will hurt Carolina.
• The Stankoven line could be a difference-maker. If they continue to play well against lower defensive pairs, it only adds to the depth of the team. 
• The Aho line had stretches of absenteeism during the season. The Canes cannot afford to have them dry up offensively and leave the scoring to Ehlers and the Stankoven line. If they aren't performing well, teams will simply roll their best lines out on the Canes best playing lines. 
• If the Canes can get by Ottawa and get some help from Boston against Buffalo, I think they have a legit shot to make the finals. Make no mistake, I think their toughest challenges are Ottawa and Buffalo in the East. 

All valid points - I think the team is well positioned to make a deep run with the players they have, my big concern is goalie play, it is buy far the most important element in the playoffs, I assume Freddie will start and do ok for a series or maybe two, does Rod use the tandem approach? If not when Freddie wears down is the Buss going to be ready? And Kooch is the wild card in all this, it's going to be an interesting playoff!!