The Tampa Bay Lightning were sent home in four games, so the overwhelming favorite entering the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs is now out of the conversation. That makes the path to Lord Stanley a little easier for the other contenders.
Who emerges as the new top dog? Our team chimes in:
With the Lightning eliminated, who's the Stanley Cup favorite now?
Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer: Interesting question. "With the Lightning eliminated..." Hmmm, now, which team was the catalyst for such an odd query? Oh, that's right: The burgeoning juggernaut known as the Columbus Blue Jackets.