2021 Hockeyfights Playoff Preview – East Division

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to one quarter of the penultimate hockeyfights preview of each of the first round matchups with a hockeyfights angle.

If you would like to check out our other division previews, they are coming:

EAST * CENTRAL * WEST * NORTH

This is one half the two weakest divisions of them all when it comes to fights. Really, if it wasn’t for the herculean effort of Tom Wilson to piss off the entire hockey world, we wouldn’t even have done this preview in the first place.

East Division – (Total Fights 46)

1. Pittsburgh Penguins (8) vs 4. New York Islanders (5)
2. Washington Capitals (18) vs 3. Boston Bruins (15)

Penguins / Islanders

Between these two teams, there has only been one fight:

Casey Cizikas vs Chris Tanev from the New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins game on Feb 18

Ten total fights between the two of Casey Cizikas and Chris Tanev. TEN? If you’re coming to this matchup to find fights… good luck. When Teddy Bleuger is your number one enforcer with a total of two fights, and the Islanders have guys like Ross Johnston and Matt Martin out there policing? You can expect the Islanders are walking tall and feeling confident in this one.

Dream Fight: Ross Johnston vs Georges Laraque – When the Washington Capitals are one of the next two teams that you could have to face, why not take up Big Georges on his offer to sign with the New York Rangers recently and provide some entertainment for the real fans of hockey with a heavyweight show down for the masses.

Danimal rating: Dreaming of my dream matchup as I sleep on this one all together.

Capitals / Bruins

Between these two teams, there has also been FIVE fights:

Trent Frederic vs Tom Wilson from the Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals game on Feb 1, 2021

Tom Wilson vs Jarred Tinordi from the Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins game on Mar 5, 2021

Tom Wilson vs Trent Frederic from the Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins game on Mar 5, 2021

Nick Ritchie vs Garnet Hathaway from the Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals game on Apr 8, 2021

Brenden Dillon vs Chris Wagner from the Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals game on Apr 11, 2021

Say it with me Hockeyfights fans… THANK GORD FOR TOM WILSON. This is the guy who truly lives rent free in all of the East Division’s minds. He has the coach (Bruce Cassidy) of the Bruins talking about him before the series even starts. Three fights alone this season were between him (Wilson) and two other Bruins. This is going to be spicy, I hope.

Dream Fight: Zdeno Chara vs Brad Marchand – The master and his apprentice. Goliath vs David. This one would be a little “dad tosses his son” vibe, but man would that be fun to see.

Danimal rating: LET’S GO AND GET THREE FIGHTS IN GAME ONE

Next up we will head to the toughest SOB division, where I think there is a potential for a matchup to be as explosive as this Bruins/Caps series should be.