It shouldn't be happening this early in the playoffs, but that shouldn't stop anyone from appreciating the upcoming second-round series between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

We all know the NHL's divisional playoff format is flawed. The Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy with a league-best 118 points in the regular season, and the Penguins finished with the second-best record in the NHL. They shouldn't be facing each other until the Eastern Conference final.

A traditional bracket pitting No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No 7, and so forth, makes much more sense. That's why it still exists in the NBA and in the ultimate example of numerical seeding, the NCAA tournament.

No disrespect to the New York Rangers or the Ottawa Senators, but the fact that one of those inferior squads is guaranteed a spot in the conference final before having to play either the Capitals or the Penguins is ridiculous.

Related - Winnik slams playoff format: 'It's the stupidest thing ever'

However, boasting a top seed doesn't mean much once the NHL's two-month postseason marathon begins. The Capitals were No. 1 entering the playoffs last season, but the Penguins knocked them out in six games.

The top seed in the Western Conference this season, the Chicago Blackhawks, were swept out of the opening round by the Nashville Predators, a wild-card team.

It's unfortunate that the two best teams in the NHL are playing each other one round too soon, and that one of these two dominant squads is going to be sent packing before the Eastern Conference final just because of the format, but they were going to have to play each other eventually.

"(We) kind of expected that we'd probably see each other at some point, so we just have to prepare," Sidney Crosby told reporters Monday, via Sportsnet.

The Penguins have won eight of nine playoff series against the Capitals in their history, but this Pittsburgh squad looks a little different than the one that eliminated the Capitals last spring.

Marc-Andre Fleury isn't watching from the bench this time around. He's the Penguins' No. 1 netminder again due to an injury to Matt Murray, who hasn't resumed skating since he was hurt moments before Game 1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Crosby is flanked by two talented young wingers, Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary, and the trio has been one of the NHL's most effective units since it was formed earlier in the campaign.

The Capitals have made some changes since their last meeting, too. All-world center Nicklas Backstrom has jumped up to the top line with Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie, while Justin Williams is now in the team's top-six. "Mr. Game 7" provided the overtime winner in the extra frame of Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

We're well past the point of focusing exclusively on the Crosby-Ovechkin narrative, particularly because these two teams have so much secondary scoring and all-around depth.

Both offenses are stacked with prolific scorers and dynamic playmakers. The Penguins led the NHL with 3.39 goals per game, and the Capitals weren't far behind that pace, ranking third with 3.18. Many of those goals came via the man advantage, and the two teams tied for third in the league with a 23.1 percent success rate on the power play in the regular season.

The Capitals have the unquestioned edge in goal with 2016 Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, who's nominated for the 2017 award. Washington also got a boost on the back end before the trade deadline, landing Kevin Shattenkirk in a deal with the St. Louis Blues.

Pittsburgh was ravaged by injuries on the blue line this season, the most devastating of which was the neck ailment that forced Kris Letang out for the rest of the season earlier this month. But Olli Maatta and Trevor Daley are back, and the additions of Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit before the deadline now give the Penguins options on the back end.

It's always a blast when the Capitals and Penguins play in the postseason, and even if it is happening a little earlier than it should, this one should be another doozy.

Betting line

(Odds courtesy: Bodog)

Prediction

Capitals in seven. Washington allowed fewer goals than any other team in the regular season, and while Holtby deserves much of the credit for that, it was a team effort.

Offense is obviously important, too, but these two high-powered scoring machines are essentially a wash. It will likely come down to who's more effective in their own end. Between goaltending and the defense corps, the Capitals have the edge there.

Schedule

*If necessary

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Ryan Johansen is ready for the next challenge.

The Nashville Predators center played a huge role in the disposing of the Chicago Blackhawks in four games, leading the team with six points (one goal, five assists) while also going head to head with and containing Jonathan Toews.

A second-round series with the St. Louis Blues is now on deck, and the 24-year-old doesn't see how he can be held back.

"Knowing that I played solid against Toews and got the job done versus him, why can’t I do that against anyone?" he opined, per Adam Vingan of The Tennessean.

In fact, Johansen - who's set to become a restricted free agent on July 1 - is embracing the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a chance to prove he's a bona fide No. 1 center that can be relied upon to come through when it matters most.

"I want to be a guy that’s counted on," he said. "I want to be a guy that must perform for us to be successful ... It’s a fun time right now for me. It’s just a great opportunity for me to go out there and prove myself that I can be a top player in this league on the biggest stage."

Based on how he played against Chicago, he's well on his way.

Game 1 between the Predators and Blues is set for Wednesday in St. Louis.

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Bruce Cassidy has officially been named head coach of the Boston Bruins.

The club confirmed Wednesday that the interim tag has been removed from Cassidy's title, making him the 28th head coach in team history.

Following the dismissal of Claude Julien in early February, Cassidy served as acting bench boss over the course of the final 27 regular-season games, guiding the Bruins to a record of 18-8-1 and a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2014. There, Boston fell to the Ottawa Senators in six games.

Prior to joining the Bruins, Cassidy spent five seasons as head coach of Boston's AHL club.

Including a stint with the Washington Capitals from 2002-04, Cassidy's career head coaching record now stands at 65-55-9-8 with two first-round playoff exits.

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After an unforeseen first-round sweep at the hands of the Nashville Predators, word on the street is that the sky is falling in Chicago.

Who could've seen that coming, certainly not the entire ESPN panel ... and yours truly, who not only predicted a first-round win by the Blackhawks, but a Stanley Cup victory.

Instead, the NHL's most successful dynasty of the last decade was ousted in four games and - for the second straight year - in the opening round.

With that considered, it's not all that surprising that many are starting to feel that the Blackhawks' heyday is in the rear-view mirror. And with three Stanley Cups in six years from 2010-2015, it's most likely true.

However, to think that the Blackhawks will plummet from the top of the league standings is an outrageous assertion, and here is why:

The numbers back it up

What shouldn't be forgotten is that the Blackhawks had the third-best record in the league this season, behind just the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets.

They paced the Western Conference standings and, against all 29 opponents, had a points percentage of under .500 against just six. In fact, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were the only teams not to lose to the Blackhawks this season.

In terms of goal scoring, the Blackhawks finished with the ninth-most tallies - averaging 2.93 goals per game - while boasting six 20-goal scorers, the most of any team.

Then there's the goaltending, which has been no slouch either. This season, the Blackhawks allowed the 11th-fewest goals against per game, but had the fifth-best team save percentage.

Corey Crawford and Scott Darling are not a bad tandem.

Sweep by Preds more of an anomaly

More important than the other reasons not to discredit the Blackhawks is the simple fact that their failed postseason appears to be more of a one-off than anything.

During the regular season, the Blackhawks were dominant against the Predators, going 4-1-0 and outscoring them 20-13, including three games where the Blackhawks scored five.

This isn't to take anything away form the Predators, but it's clear the Blackhawks got the better of Pekka Rinne during the regular season.

Factor in that the Predators had only won three playoff series' in their previous 18 seasons, and it's also quite clear that history wasn't on the Blackhawks side this time around.

Just look at that roster

In the end, the clearest reason why the Blackhawks will still be a team to be feared is their ridiculous roster.

They are still very much the envy of the league with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane - the league's MVP last season - Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa ... the list goes on.

This roster has proven itself time and again that there's no quit and that they are among the best in the league - hell, they did as much during the regular season.

Not many predicted this fate for the Blackhawks, and it's easy to see why. However, despite their loss, the Blackhawks remain a lethal franchise and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The NHL announced Tuesday that Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds and New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic were named the finalists for the NHL Foundation Player Award.

The award is given to the player "who applies the core values of hockey - commitment, perseverance, and teamwork - to enrich the lives of people in his community."

The winner will be presented with $25,000 toward a charity of their choosing.

Simmonds has been instrumental in raising money for kids in his native Scarborough, Ontario by hosting Wayne's Road Hockey Warriors for the past five years. The program - which aims to help children learn the fundamentals of hockey - has raised over $100,000.

Hamonic, meanwhile, continues to work with his D-Partner Program that helps children who have lost a parent at a young age. Hamonic has hosted children at Islanders' games and also conducted meet-and-greets and other events with program participants.

The award will be announced Tuesday, June 20 at the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards.

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Don't expect a farewell tour from Zdeno Chara next season.

The Boston Bruins captain confirmed at the team's locker clean-out Tuesday that he would like to sign a new contract after his current seven-year deal concludes next season, according to WEEI.com's Ty Anderson.

The 40-year-old is coming off his 11th season with the Bruins and 18th in the NHL. He posted 10 goals - his highest total of the past three years - and 29 points in 75 games. Despite his age, he still led the team in ice time, playing an average of 23:20 a night.

Chara will make $4 million next season, and if he can continue to to produce at his current clip, he should be welcomed back with open arms at a similar rate.

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A day after admitting to playing with a torn MCL and ACL, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair both ligaments, the team announced.

The 37-year-old is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the 2017-18 season, according to the Sharks.

While the news is encouraging, it will be interesting if the injury impacts where he plays next season. Thornton will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and while his 50 points were impressive, he managed just seven goals (with three of them empty-netters).

Still, wisdom would suggest if the Sharks aren't eager to bring him back, another suitor will quickly emerge.

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The Boston Bruins' top center fought through a serious malady all season long.

Patrice Bergeron revealed he was playing with a sports hernia throughout the 2016-17 campaign and may require surgery, according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com.

A sports hernia, per OrthoInfo, is "a painful, soft-tissue injury that occurs in the groin area that most often occurs during sports that require sudden changes of direction or intense twisting movements."

Bergeron was still able to appear in 79 regular-season games - earning a Selke Trophy nomination as one of the best two-way forwards in the NHL - but the hernia may explain why he recorded only 12 points from October until the end of December.

In six playoff games, Bergeron scored two goals and added two assists while logging almost 23 minutes a night.

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