Western Conference
No. 1 Chicago Blackhawks Vs. No. 8 Minnesota Wild
I would love to paint a pretty picture about how Minnesota came into the post season really hot and has a chance of upsetting the number one seed, but I can’t. Even the addition of two $100 million+ contracts in Ryan Suter and Zach Parise haven’t made the Wild a contender. In fact they needed a tiebreaker just to get the 8th spot. If you are betting on a sweep anywhere in the first round, this is it folks. Even though the Blackhawks haven’t had to play a meaningful game since starting 21-0-3, they won’t sleep through this series. Chicago has too many real superstars like Toews, Kane, Hossa, and Keith, to name a few, and will prove to be far too much for the Wild who won’t have Jason Pomminville in the lineup for game 1.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 4
No. 2 Anaheim Ducks Vs. No. 7 Detroit Red Wings
An interesting series in the making. The Ducks had an amazing turn around season from last year and were turning heads all year. Alternating two great goalies, I kept waiting for them to come down to earth, and just like Selanne does every year, the Ducks proved me wrong. I love the Ducks with their star power in Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan, their veteran leadership and production from Selanne and Koivu, and their character and situational players like late pickup David Steckel. They also have good toughness and a rugged blue line.
The Red Wings, however, are the Red Wings. With twenty-two straight years of post season births, the post Lidstrom era is upon them and they are still competing. They may not be the dominant team we remember from years past but with a blue line lead by Kronwall, some great young talent, and a couple of guys named Datsyuk and Zetterberg, the Red Wings are still a dangerous threat. Rumors are circulation that this may in fact be Datsyuk’s NHL curtain call adding another storyline to the mix.
These teams will trade back chances and it will go to the wire. It could come down to the battle in net of Hiller against Howard. But I have to make a pick.
Prediction: Ducks in 7
No. 3 Vancouver Canucks Vs. No. 6 San Jose Sharks
In another great series that should draw a fair amount of attention out west, the media circus that has been the Vancouver Canucks will have home ice advantage to Jumbo Joe and the San Jose Sharks. Probably not a shock that goalies will lead the headlines. Cory Schneider, Roberto Luongo’s would be replacement, is on the shelf with an undocumented injury. Meaning the Canucks whipping post Luongo may be between the pipes, and their playoff hopes could fall directly on him. Across the ice surface is a great goalie in Antti Niemi who is hoping to get some Vezina votes for his performance this year in the regular season. He also has a nice piece of shiny hardware on one of his fingers from his Stanley Cup Championship with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
Both teams have offensive weapons and play similar styles of hockey setting up deep behind the net, in the corner or along the boards looking to move the puck around the offensive zone. Joe Thornton and Henrik Sedin are two of the most premiere set-up men in the NHL and Logan Couture and Daniel Sedin are two of the most talented goal scorers in the league. This series should go the distance and could be a coin flip. The Canucks need Ryan Kesler to return to his former self in order for them to get out of this series. If you take a shot every time an announcer references Joe Thornton playoff struggles during this series, I suggest you hold back on drinking during the Eastern games because you will be putting some booze back in this series. He can’t escape it and won’t this year. I think the Canucks get the job done.
Prediction: Canucks in 6
No. 4 St. Louis Blues Vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Kings
My nominee for the best series in the West is the Blues against the Kings. The defending champs didn’t exactly have a spectacular season by any means, but most don’t after hoisting the Cup. Meanwhile, the Blues possibly play with the best defensive system in the NHL. Anyone that can get goalie Brian Elliot to the top of the NHL in save percentage is doing something right. With one of the deepest teams in hockey and possibly the best group of defensemen in the NHL, the Blues are a very tough team to beat and are a threat to dethrone the champs in the first round. Although they lack a game-breaking superstar on their top line, they can score from all 4 lines and the whole team contributes. TJ Oshie will return from injury, which will be a huge bonus for them.
The LA Kings are my favorite team in the west. Why? They play east coast hockey. They hit, they chirp, they will fight, they score big goals, and they have Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, two of my favorite players. On top of that they step up in big games and are built for the playoffs. Just ask everyone they steam rolled last year. What is more dangerous is goalie Jonathan Quick is finally returning to form as his numbers suffered after his off-season hip surgery. Compared with the Blues weakness in net, which is covered up by their defense system, it’s hard to find any weakness on the defending champs.
I am a bit torn on this pick because I picked the St. Louis Blues as my dark horse to win the cup in the off-season, but I didn’t expect they would have to meet the Kings in the first round. If Halak was in net for St. Louis I might stick with my off season pick, but the edge goes to the superstar power of Kopitar, Carter, Richards, and the playoff prowess of Dustin Brown – and because Brian Elliot is just awful. With career .882 save % and 3.15 GAA Vs. Kings. 0-8-1.
Prediction: Kings in 6
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. No. 8 New York Islanders
Congrats to the Islanders on making the playoffs. The fan base must be excited that this team is trending in the right direction after years of terrible GM’s and Mike Milbury setting them about 6 years behind schedule. This youthful team lead by young phenom John Tavares has a great future, but not in the next couple of weeks. They have squeezed in and will be get a taste of playoff action, but I’m afraid it’s going to be a very bitter taste.
The Penguins loaded up with big name talent – to the point it left fans scratching their heads as to how they fit it in under the cap. Adding proven leaders, Jarome Iginla and Brendon Morrow, from the Flames and Stars was added veteran leadership. Plus the addition of Douglas Murray to the blue line for shut down ability and bone crushing hits, and of course Jussi Jokinen, a depth forward who has found his scoring touch again in the absence of Malkin and Crosby. The Penguins are the consensus favorites to walk to the finals from the east and the Islanders are just a speed bump along the way.
It’s actually tough for me to not predict a sweep. And I won’t. I just can’t see the Islanders being able to handle a fully healthy Penguins roster.
Prediction: Penguins in 4
No. 2 Montreal Canadiens Vs. No. 7 Ottawa Senators
A very good series in this one, and a lot of people don’t realize that a little rivalry has been brewing in these teams, and a playoff series is going to put a match to this pile of kindling. Montreal being just two hours down the road, Sens fans hate when Habs fans come into their rink and try to take it over. Not only that, but these are two very talented, very young teams who are going to see a lot of each other over the next few years. They match up very well, having offensive blue lines, young scoring cores, and a mix of veterans with great playoff experience.
The Habs scored more goals than the Sens in the regular season, and they are going to have to rely on their goal scoring in order to win this series. They won’t win on defense or with an edge in net. The problem is the Canadiens goal scorers are for the most part rookies. Michael Ryder will need to be the catalyst of the offense in order to keep pressure off of Galyenchuck and Gallagher, and they will need scoring from all of their lines. The problem is the Senators were 2nd (104) in goals against this season only to the powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks (102). Oh, and they did that without their two best defensemen, defending Norris trophy winner Erik Karlsson, and Jared Cowen. And lets not forget their MVP for this season in my eyes, Craig Anderson, missed half of the season. Young backups Bishop and Lehner were responsible for the duties in goal and keeping that number respectable.
With those D men back, Ottawa doesn’t have to focus as much on team D, and they will be able to open things up a bit more offensively. Healthy, even without top forward Jason Spezza in the lineup, the Sens will prove to be too much for the young Canadiens, whose season and playoff birth was a bonus in their rebuilding phase. The loss of Emelin to the Canadians blue line was too much and the numbers show it.
Prediction: Senators in 6
No. 3 Washington Capitals Vs. No 6 New York Rangers
Remember when everyone said Ovechkin was done? Those are the same people rushing to draft him in their playoff pools. Once a superstar, always a superstar. Sometimes it’s hard to have 3 coaches in as many years, but the Caps are back and were the hottest team heading down the stretch into the playoffs. Not only has OV returned, Mike Green has also been producing again from the blue line. Not to take anything away from their run to win their division, but most of their games were played in that garbage South East division. I thought the game against Ottawa would be a good measuring stick, and I was once again let down by a quiet Ovechkin shut down by the defensive Senators roster. Have fun with the Rangers.
The Rangers were high on cup favorite lists to begin the season. However, like a few other teams, they found it tough to start after the lockout. Luckily they got things together down the stretch and looked dangerous. Not only are they great defensively, but Rick Nash is a true game breaker. Picking up grit and depth for Gaborik was a brilliant move as he was logging a ton of soft minutes and wasn’t producing. This series will be decided on whether or not the Rangers buy in to Tortorellas system one more time. If they do, they will make short work of the Caps. And lets not forget that the Rangers have one of the best goalies in the world – who can steal a series by himself – in Henrik Lundqvist.
Prediction: Rangers in 6
No. 4 Boston Bruins Vs. No. 5 Toronto Maple Leafs
This original six matchup is going to get a ton of media attention. The Leafs are finally back in the playoffs. Most of my friends that are Leaf fans were enjoying their first couple of years legal drinking when they saw Jeremy Roenick end their last playoff run nine years ago. The Bruins have essentially dominated the Leafs the last few years. Boston has won nine of the last ten regular season games against and twelve of the last thirteen playoff games. The addition of Jaromir Jagr spices up the Bruins offence which had seemed to run dry. The Big Bad Bruins will look to steam roll the Leafs with their size up front and on the blue line, playoff experience, and depth of forwards right?
The problem with that is these aren’t your fathers Maple Leafs. Built by Brian Burke and polished off by Dave Nonis, this Randy Carlyle coached team will back down from no one physically. Leading the NHL in fighting majors and penalty minutes, they have two or three players that will willingly fight Milan Lucic and they finish just about every opportunity to hit. They have a hard hitting blue line that are tough to play against, and the best goal tender in Toronto Maple Leafs history between the pipes in James Reimer (according to stats). Their offense isn’t just Phil Kessel anymore. Lupul, Bozak and Kadri are all scoring threats, and don’t discount the playoff experience of young James vanRiemsdyk, who loves playing the Bruins in the playoffs.
This series in my opinion will be very even and I for one can’t wait to see it. Both Tukka Rask and James Reimer are looking to prove they are number one goalies. There will be more fights in this series than any other and these two teams will beat the hell out of each other. Whoever wins this series will be beat up for the second round, and it will be fun to watch.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in 7
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