Ah Spring, when hockey fans fancy turns to a rather sizeable piece of silverware. The Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us and once again, I am continuing my yearly tradition of prognostication. If you want to participate, then put your picks (or criticisms of mine) in the comments section.
Western Conference
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild – CHI in 5
On paper, this shouldn’t be much of a contest, and in reality, I don’t think it will be. The ‘Hawks are far deeper than the Wild and have been on a roll since the start of the year. I don’t think the Wild have gelled as well as they’d hoped this season with all the new additions over the summer. Chicago’s goalies have gotten the job done and I honestly can’t see where the Wild with find the offensive punch to overcome that. This could easily be a 4-game series.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings – ANH in 6
This isn’t the greatest matchup for Detroit. Despite getting in the playoffs for the 22nd straight year, this isn’t the Detroit team of old. They have a bunch of injuries and that has really impacted their ability to move the puck. On the other hand, is there a better two-way player in the game that Pavel Datsuk? This guy can do everything on the ice. He’s a game breaker and Anaheim better hope that they can shut him down. That being said, I think the Ducks are deeper, bigger, and just plain better. Goaltending is a bit of a saw-off here, but I have to give the offense to the Ducks. Still, it’s the playoffs and anything can happen.
Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks – VAN in 7
The Canucks stumbled to their way to a division title in a very weak division. Simply put, they rarely looked dangerous and played not to lose for so many games. Some commenters have said that the team has learned to win “ugly”, but I disagree with that. The team has been inconsistent from day one and has too readily fallen into a “prevent defense” mode in games. The twins have merely been above average players and that will not do for the playoffs. Schneider has been good and one has to hope that Luongo can step up if needed. San Jose, on the other hand, is led by “No Show Joe” Thornton. Although he showed up and dominated in the playoffs for the first time last season, will he be able to do it again? What about San Jose’s goaltending? Defense? Scoring? There are just too many question marks for me on that San Jose team. While not an ideal matchup for the Canucks, it is better than some of the other matchups. If the Canucks can find their scoring touch, they should be ok. On the other hand, if the Sharks can pound on the Canucks, they can beat them into submission. This one is a toss-up of two teams that aren’t really that good, but I’ll give it to the Canucks.
St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings – STL in 6
This is going to be an ugly series where both teams beat on each other as hard as possible for as long as possible, with the winner being the team that can absorb the most. Neither team excels in any one particular area of the game outside of the physical side of things. Both teams have goaltending that can be great and defenses that are solid. I will admit I didn’t see that much of LA this year, but I did see a bunch of St. Louis games. I think this series is going to be like the old Dallas-Edmonton series: tough, physical, with no quarter given. I give the edge to St. Louis based on their overall team defense.
Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders – PIT in 5
Is there a scarier team in the East than the Penguins? They are rolling and they will make roadkill out of the Islanders. Admittedly, the Islanders have given their fans some hope for the future by making the playoffs this year, but other than Tavares (who’s been great by the way), they just don’t match up. I’m giving New York one game, but I just can’t see them giving Pittsburgh much of a run.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators – MON in 6
With the dizzying array of injuries the Senators had this year, it is amazing that they kept pace and made the 7th spot. They showed a lot of team mental toughness all season and I don’t think there is a team as mentally resilient as they are right now. The Habs sort of stumbled their way into 2nd place, mainly on the weakness of their goaltending. I think they will get it turned around now that the playoffs are here, but if they don’t, they are in serious trouble. They had some significant injuries near the end of the year, so that may ultimately limit how far they can go, but for right now, I think they will play a great series against Ottawa.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers – WAS in 6
Is Adam Oates a candidate for the Jack Adams trophy? He has completely turned around the Capitals and that started with turning around Alexander Ovechkin. I don’t think there is a player (or a team) on more of a roll right now and this was probably the worst possible matchup for the Rangers. I will definitely give New York the edge in goaltending and a slight edge in terms of banging and crashing, but I have to wonder when the offense is going to show up. Washington has it in spades and they are a confident bunch right now. Goaltending will win the Rangers two games, but that’s about it.
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs – BOS in 7
This original-six matchup should be a dandy one. Although I would have preferred a Toronto-Montreal series, playing the Bruins will be a great way to welcome Toronto back to the playoffs after a long absence. The Leafs definitely have some belligerence, truculence, and pugnacity all in the mould of Brian Burke. They team can also score some goals, with Nazim Kadri developing nicely, Joffrey Lupul rejuvenating his carrer, and Phil Kessel having a good year. This will be a tough matchup for Boston, who are big, strong, and can put the puck in the net. Goaltending is a toss-up here. This series should be a knock-down drag’em-out brawl. I will give the edge to Boston based on the defensive corps. I think they are also deeper and more experience. The pressure on the Leafs will be immense, but they have already handled some of that pressure by just getting to the dance. If Toronto can get timely goaltending, they can stretch this series out.