There has been plenty of discussion in the last few days about a potential first-round matchup between Winnipeg and Vancouver or even Calgary, which would be cool. But it occurred to me, if there’s a great Canadian matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs, we saw it Thursday night. And wouldn’t it be great to see it again?
The Winnipeg Jets against the Edmonton Oilers. In the Western Conference final. You heard it, an all-Canadian West final. It would be crazy, wouldn’t it?
Now, we have seen these two teams go head-to-head in the playoffs before — years ago, and in two different leagues. Hockey nerds will remember the Jets winning the final WHA game ever, and the championship at the old Arena in 1979. Those same nerds will lament the 1980s when Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers always seemed to overcome every adversity against Dale Hawerchuk’s Jets.
But that was then, this is now. The game’s best player would face the league’s best line. Two Hart Trophy candidates would go head-to-head. Last season’s best power play would go toe-to-toe with this season’s best power play.
The storylines would be endless.
And you know what else would be great about it? It would be a series to decide which team goes to the Stanley Cup final, meaning, a Canadian-based team would play for Lord Stanley’s Cup — a drought that is far too long; 32 years, in fact.
If Thursday night’s game was any indication, it would be a long, physical, fast series. One for the ages.
Edmonton vs. Winnipeg. Alberta vs. Manitoba. A true wild west showdown, Connor, Leon, Darnell and company against the other Connor, Mark, Adam and Josh.
Two weeks in May that will give this generation a chance to talk about it for decades, just as we old folks talk about Wayne, Dale, Slats and Fergy.
Oh my. It would be fun. A guy can dream, can’t he?
