Nashville Predators: Breaking Down Each Potential 1st-Round Opponent
By Chad Minton
Los Angeles Kings (89 points, 3rd in Pacific Division)
Probability of facing Predators: 11.8 percent
This would be a tricky first-round matchup for the Predators. They haven’t played each other since the first game of February, a 5-0 drubbing in favor of the Predators. On paper, this is an appealing first-round opponent for the Predators. They’ve won all three meetings, sweeping the season series. The Kings will have to slip up down the stretch to fall into a meeting with the Predators to open up the playoffs. They’re in the top three of their division, keeping them out of the wildcard.
In odd fashion, the Kings are very ordinary. They don’t jump off the page and really put any fear into you. Their month of March illustrates that as they’re 6-5. There’s one single player that makes the Kings somewhat dangerous, and its Jonathan Quick. A veteran goaltender who is capable of getting hot in April and has a couple Stanley Cups to his name.
I have to admit, I don’t want to see the Kings in the first round. They have that weird aura about them that makes me believe the Predators would have to take them to six or seven games to get by. Quick alone would keep this series interesting.