The playoffs are virtually right here, and whereas we’re nonetheless ready on a few matchups, we all know the 16 groups. When you root for one in all them, you’re not studying this since you’re curled up in slightly ball, twitching and sweating and attempting to not puke. Playoffs, child!
That leaves the remainder of you, the followers of the 16 groups that spent the season being massive losers strategically retooling for a brighter future. You’ve bought to determine who to root for over the approaching weeks and months. You could possibly skip that half solely, in fact, and simply benefit from the playoffs as a impartial observer. You could possibly hate-watch your crew’s rivals. Or you might decide and select, dropping out and in of whichever sequence appears to be like good and cheering on whoever looks like the fitting selection within the second.
These are all legitimate choices. However there’s one other, and it’s a considerably controversial one: You could possibly decide a bandwagon crew to trip with all spring. It’s good observe for the actual factor, in spite of everything, providing you with a style of the ups and downs of following one crew for so long as it may final. And when your crew will get knocked out, you may really feel dangerous for 10 minutes earlier than shrugging and shifting on to another person.
When you’re contemplating a bandwagon crew, I’ve bought you coated. Right here’s my annual take a look at all 16 playoff groups, ranked from the worst bandwagon choices to the perfect.
Why it is best to get on board: You’re a contrarian.
Why you shouldn’t: I’ve been doing these lists lengthy sufficient that “Don’t root for the defending champs” has virtually turn into a trope. It’s traditional front-running, in spite of everything, and the rarity of repeat champions within the cap period means that it’s additionally often futile. So yeah, generally, don’t root for the defending champ.
However these specific champs? Come on. Everybody hates the Golden Knights, the too-much-too-soon enlargement crew that gained’t cease buying and selling for All-Stars and skipped to the entrance of the road, partly by dishonest the wage cap.
Backside line: The Knights have been all the time a enjoyable decide for a selected kind of bandwagon fan again once they have been the brand new guys nonetheless attempting to defy custom and buck the chances. However now that they’ve gained, this can be the best rating within the historical past of this column.
Why it is best to get on board: It’s all the time enjoyable to select a wild card that goes on a run, and the Lightning seem like an affordable guess to do exactly that. And the narrative of the previous champs attempting to get again to the highest of the mountain another time earlier than all of it crumbles is one you might get behind.
Why you shouldn’t: Actually, what’s the best-case state of affairs right here? The Lightning pull off an upset or two, perhaps even go all the way in which to the ultimate, and … congratulations, you’re bandwagoning a crew that’s already been there 3 times in 4 years. It’s all the chance of choosing a wild-card crew, with none of the enjoyable underdog vibes.
Backside line: There’s additionally the Nikita Kucherov issue, which can assist or damage relying on how a lot you want the concept of an MVP-level wizard who may come throughout as sort of a jerk typically.
Why it is best to get on board: They’re a possible underdog, one that everybody appears to be forgetting about however that’s been constructing to this for years now. It’s not exceptional for groups just like the Kings to emerge as contenders, and once they do everybody else is often only a bit too late to determine what they’re watching. You could possibly be the one who already had their seat on the bandwagon.
Why you shouldn’t: The Kings peaked early, bought some consideration after which pale within the second half earlier than ending sturdy, in order that they match the profile of a crew that most likely deserves extra respect than they’re getting. However that doesn’t imply they’re not underdogs, and using with them in a first-round matchup in opposition to a high-flying crew in Dallas or Edmonton might not be your thought of enjoyable.
Backside line: Talking of not all that enjoyable, there’s additionally this complete factor. The Kings are going to rank excessive on this checklist some 12 months quickly, however that 12 months shouldn’t be this one.
Why it is best to get on board: One of many longest-suffering fan bases within the league is again within the playoffs but once more, this time with a loopy new coach to go together with their crusty outdated GM. No person is choosing them to win something and their followers comprehend it, so for those who like “us in opposition to the world” story then you will have discovered your non permanent residence.
Why you shouldn’t: We gained’t get away the dreaded “b” phrase, however we are going to level out that no playoff crew aside from Washington scores lower than the Islanders, and their ticket to a future most likely entails using their goaltending to a bunch of low-scoring wins. Selecting this crew to bandwagon would really feel just a bit like having a cheat day in your food plan and selecting to spend it on the salad bar.
Backside line: In the event that they beat the Hurricanes and go on to play the Rangers in Spherical 2, you must get a Denis Potvin jersey. Simply hold that in thoughts.
Why it is best to get on board: They’re an excellent crew with loads of star gamers, together with the probably MVP. And after final 12 months’s first-round catastrophe in opposition to the Kraken, they need to be motivated.
Why you shouldn’t: Shaky goaltending has led to a troublesome last stretch, which means they’ll begin the playoffs on the highway in opposition to an excellent Jets crew in a sequence that’s principally a coin flip. And since they gained all of it in 2022, you don’t even get any underdog factors for selecting them.
Backside line: For sheer enjoyable issue, this roster is fairly stacked. Nevertheless it’s a little bit of a front-runner decide mixed with a troublesome first matchup.
Why it is best to get on board: They have been the highest decide for the 2022 checklist, and an terrible lot of what we stated again then nonetheless holds. They’re a enjoyable crew, they’ve by no means gained a Cup, and their followers have needed to take care of countless negativity over the previous couple of many years. Heck, they’d most likely even welcome some bandwagon love. Oh, and so they’re actually good, having adopted up a 2022 Presidents’ Trophy with a run to final 12 months’s last.
Why you shouldn’t: A number of weeks in the past I attempted to promote you on the Panthers because the NHL’s new crew you like to hate, with blended success. However yeah, between Matthew Tkachuk, Nick Cousins, Sam Bennett and others, you’re going to see them do one thing nasty over the subsequent few weeks that you just’ll need to faux to defend.
Backside line: They’re additionally taking part in the Lightning, the large brother that’s been kicking sand of their face for years. These guys can’t even villain appropriately.
10. New York Rangers
Why it is best to get on board: They’re the very best crew within the league, at the least in response to their common season report, and a roster stacked with expertise seems to agree. However with just one Stanley Cup to indicate for the final 84 years, you’re hardly chasing after current success right here. When you’re in search of a bandwagon, you might do lots worse than an enormous market with an excellent goalie and plenty of star energy that may get a ton of protection.
Why you shouldn’t: The Rangers have been a captivating crew to look at this 12 months, with at the least some statistical proof exhibiting that they might not be nearly as good as their report suggests they’re, particularly on the even energy that makes up most of how essential playoff video games are performed. Then once more, we’ve been having that argument for years, and so they simply hold profitable.
Backside line: Hey, do you are feeling just like the first-place crew within the league’s greatest U.S. market nonetheless by some means doesn’t get sufficient consideration? Guess what: You do now, so don’t assume too arduous about it.
Why it is best to get on board: We are saying it yearly, however it stays true — if you will get previous the truth that it’s the Leafs, you’ve bought crew with a number of thrilling offensive gamers, attempting to snap a historic drought for one of many sports activities world’s most loyal fan bases. Keep in mind how a lot enjoyable it was when the Chicago Cubs lastly gained the World Sequence? It might be sort of like that.
Why you shouldn’t: You’ll be able to’t get previous the truth that it’s the Leafs. (Or you may, however you don’t see a path out of the Atlantic for a crew with shaky goaltending and a historical past of postseason failure, which works too.)
Backside line: There are three sorts of hockey followers: Unbearable Leafs followers, unbearable followers of different groups whose brains have been damaged by the Leafs and followers who can’t perceive what the large deal is. Solely that third group is eligible right here, but when that’s you, there are worse decisions. But additionally higher ones.
Why it is best to get on board: They’re arguably the league’s finest second-half story, by some means turning a canceled crew outing to a live performance right into a playoff push that simply by no means stopped. They’ll be underdogs in each sequence, however have one of many league’s finest goalies in order that they’ll all the time have a puncher’s probability. They employed a GM with no front-office expertise and let him make a bunch of bizarre strikes, and I believe we are able to all agree this copycat league could be extra enjoyable if different groups needed to observe that technique.
And keep in mind, they made their solely last look in 2017 as a wild-card crew, so there’s a recent-ish precedent right here.
Why you shouldn’t: The U2 factor is cool now, however test again within the convention last if the Predators are nonetheless round and also you’re listening to about it for the four-hundredth time.
Backside line: For the report, for those who select the Predators and so they make the ultimate, you just about need to take a roadie to Nashville.
Why it is best to get on board: They’re a superb crew that’s a 12 months faraway from a record-breaking season and didn’t take a lot of a step again this 12 months regardless of dropping their beloved franchise participant to retirement. Since final 12 months ended with a stunning first-round loss, they nonetheless have lots to show and don’t really feel like an apparent front-runner decide. And whereas they’re an Unique Six crew with all of the over-the-top pomp and circumstance that entails, they’ve gained one Cup since 1972.
Additionally, David Pastrnak wears bizarre garments to the sport typically, if that’s your factor.
Why you shouldn’t: Brad Marchand. The Jack Edwards farewell tour, which his followers will love however your mileage could differ. Pat Maroon hogging all of the Stanley Cups and by no means letting anybody else have a flip.
Backside line: Look, I’m a bitter outdated man with a coronary heart of stone, and even I like the goalie hugs. With Linus Ullmark most likely getting traded in the summertime, wouldn’t you like to see one final hug because the Cup is being handed round?
(Verify again after the primary few video games of the Leafs sequence for my column on why goalie hugs ought to be banned.)
6. Washington Capitals
Why it is best to get on board: You want underdogs? You don’t get a much bigger underdog than this, at the least within the parity period. The Capitals have been presupposed to be rebuilding, with nearly no one choosing them as a playoff crew heading into the season, and even heading into April. You solely bothered to study their goalie’s title two weeks in the past. They earned the final wild-card spot on their season’s last night time, regardless of dropping extra video games than they gained and posting the worst targets differential on any postseason crew since 1991. Their reward for all that will probably be a matchup with the Rangers, in a sequence no one will assume they’ll win. MoneyPuck has them with 0 % Cup odds, which I’m unsure I’ve ever seen earlier than. When you consider in no guts no glory, that is your crew. Do it. Do it!
Why you shouldn’t: They’re not good.
Backside line: Oh quiet down, Capitals followers, you recognize it’s true. And it doesn’t matter as a result of all of the common season is for is getting in. They’re in. Now something can occur, and that’s the great thing about it. DO IT!
(You’ll be able to decide a brand new crew once they’re out by subsequent weekend, it’s fantastic.)
Why it is best to get on board: They have been my prime decide final 12 months, and never a lot has modified since. If something, the Zach Hyman story would possibly make them much more likable. Apart from that, return and browse final 12 months’s piece, all of the arguments just about nonetheless apply.
Why you shouldn’t: They added Corey Perry to a crew that already consists of Evander Kane, in order that they’re clearly in “something goes so long as we win” mode. That’s not essentially a nasty place to be for those who’re a die-hard fan, however it would possibly give bandwagoners some pause.
Backside line: You deserve slightly little bit of cheering for Connor McDavid as a substitute of being fearful of him, as a deal with.
Why it is best to get on board: They’ve spent all 12 months as probably the greatest groups within the league, however no one exterior of Vancouver appears to truly assume they’re good, which means you get the uncommon alternative to bandwagon a prime contender whereas additionally taking part in the “no one believes in us” card. Past that, the Canucks are only a flat-out enjoyable crew, with all types of firepower and a few attention-grabbing characters. And at 54 years and counting and not using a Cup, it’s truthful to say they’re due.
Why you shouldn’t: Canucks followers have been ready endlessly for a Cup, and so they’ve been by means of some reputable heartbreak alongside the way in which, so in the event that they ever do get there, they might not take kindly to any bandwagon followers attempting to crowd in on their glory. That’s cheap, and a part of being bandwagon fan is understanding your house, however hold it in thoughts.
Backside line: Wait, 54 years and not using a Cup? Didn’t another crew have a well-known drought like that, one which ended in opposition to … the Canucks? That crew might even be the favourite to be ready for the Canucks within the last. This looks like destiny lining up, proper? Oh man, I believe I simply spoiled this 12 months’s playoffs, sorry everybody …
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Why it is best to get on board: As a result of the highest of those rankings is de facto Western Convention heavy, and let’s be trustworthy, no one actually needs to remain up that late.
Oh, and likewise the Hurricanes are an excellent crew, fairly presumably the very best within the convention. They’ve enjoyable gamers, are well-coached and have a forward-thinking entrance workplace. In addition they have probably the greatest Outdated Man With out A Cup tales of the 12 months in Brent Burns, and an inspiring comeback from Frederik Andersen.
Why you shouldn’t: Sooner or later, Rod Brind’Amour goes to say one thing that’s going to make you are feeling dangerous about your exercise habits.
Backside line: Additionally, a Hurricanes championship would make Montreal followers mad, which is a plus.
2. Winnipeg Jets
Why it is best to get on board: One 12 months in the past, all of us figured they have been performed for, an inevitable rebuild beginning years too late. As we speak, they’re ending off a improbable season, they’ve the presumptive Vezina winner in internet, they have been aggressive on the deadline and their coach is the final word OGWAC. They usually’re doing all of it in entrance of probably the greatest fan bases within the league, one which has a super-cool playoff custom however has by no means seen their Jets get previous the third spherical, and oh yeah, had no crew in any respect for 16 lengthy years.
Additionally, and Jets followers won’t like me mentioning this however it needs to be stated: All of your favourite gamers have the Jets on their no-trade checklist. That implies that the Jets are constructing a contender with one hand tied behind their again. A deep run could be additional spectacular below these circumstances, and it may also change just a few minds.
Why you shouldn’t: They most likely need to undergo Colorado and Dallas to get out of the Central, which is sort of presumably the ugliest playoff path that any crew within the league is dealing with. There’s an excellent probability this ends each badly and shortly.
Backside line: Oh, and the franchise itself is in peril. However don’t let that guilt you into something, go forward and cheer for them to lose their crew once more, it’s not prefer it makes you a nasty particular person.
1. Dallas Stars
Why it is best to get on board: They’re an extremely expert and entertaining crew, they’ve an excellent shot at profitable the Stanley Cup, they haven’t gained this century so it’s not fairly a front-runner decide, and Joe Pavelski will be the single finest OGWAC story within the league. Combine in alternate-OGWAC Ryan Suter, plus Matt Duchene’s comeback season, plus Mason Marchment attempting to win the Cup that eluded his late father, plus not one however two enjoyable rookie tales, and the Stars are simply in regards to the good bandwagon decide.
Why you shouldn’t: They’ve been identified to cheat to win the Stanley Cup, or so it has been defined to me. Additionally, they have been my decide to win each in October and earlier this week, so in the event that they do then I’ll be much more unbearable than ordinary.
Backside line: The Stars have a lot going for them that it’s virtually annoying, which I suppose is also a motive to activate them. However there’s no motive to overthink this one — in a league with a handful of very stable choices, the Stars are the very best of the bunch.
(Picture of Mark Stone and Connor McDavid: Ethan Miller / Getty Pictures)
