NotTheRock Musings

Sure, so nobody who reads my site cares all that much about the NHL playoffs. I do, and that's what matters.

As I've done in years past, I'll be breaking down the NHL playoffs and offering my brilliance on what might happen. Last year, I was not so hot but in other years, I've gotten the finals teams right and won money for it, so there.

So here we go, whether you're interested or not.

Western Conference

(1) Detroit Red Wings versus (8) Calgary Flames – A few years ago, I bet on the Flamers, then the #7 seed in the West, to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals (at 14-1 odds) and they did! This team is better than most 8-seeds you typically see, as they finished with 96 points and a 43-29-10 record. But Detroit was boringly, systematically good…again, finishing tops in the West with 113 points and a 50-19-13 record. They only lost once in their last ten games so they even have the whole, hot-at-the-right-time thing in their favor. Believe me, I really want to pick the Flames to upset the Wings in round one because I think Calgary is good – but Detroit lost to another eighth-seeded Alberta team in round one last year (the Oilers) and I don’t think they’ll let it happen again. Red Wings in 6.

(2) Anaheim Ducks versus (7) Minnesota Wild – The Ducks were the best team in the league for most of the first half, even staying ahead of the Sabres out East. They came back to the pack and ended up not evening winning their conference but it’s hard to see this team falling anytime early in the playoffs. With Chris Pronger and Scott Neidermayer on the blue line and Teemu Selanne up front (among others), they’re just too good. The Wild should be proud of their 100+ point season but the ride will end here. Ducks in 6.

(3) Vancouver Canucks versus (6) Dallas Stars – The Canucks were projected to be a pretty terrible team but Roberto Luongo has been amazing in goal. And that’s the reason they’re here. He won 47 games and just had a out-of-his-mind season. The Canucks also have the Sedin twins who provide offense but the Stars just feel like a team on a mission to me. I know that’s nondescript but this seems like one of those seasons where a team that’s been good in the past and is kind of overlooked storms back to surprise people. The Stars had a very good year in the talented West and actually wound up with 50 wins – usually good enough for a top seed. They actually have two more points than Vancouver (but the Canucks automatically get the higher seed because of winning their division) and are definitely a better team. Assuming goalie Marty Turco doesn’t melt down in the playoffs, the Stars are moving on. Stars in 6.

(4) Nashville Predators versus (5) San Jose Sharks – The Predators were a solid team last year and then lost their starting goalie, Tomas Vokoun right before the playoffs began. Chris Mason was good but not good enough. The Sharks have some fluid goaltending issues of their own to deal with but they also have Joe Thornton. This might be the best series of the first round and many are saying it’s critical to Nashville’s viability as a hockey city. I don’t know about that since this team had 110 points this year – if that’s not enough to make the city care, then they don’t deserve a franchise. And it’s not like the Predators are coming out of the West anyway. Sharks in 7.

Eastern Conference

(1) Buffalo Sabres versus (8) New York Islanders – The Isles snuck in with Wade Dubielewicz between the pipes. They had to win their final four games to slip in and pushed out clearly better teams in the Maple Leafs and Canadiens. And good for them – they now get the right to be absolutely flattened by the Sabres. Sure, there’s an interesting subplot in Isles coach Ted Nolan going against his former club but will that really matter? No chance. The Sabres are too good and if they do happen to smoke Dubie in the first game, where do the Islanders turn? There’s plenty I could analyze to amplify my point but it’s not even worth it. The Sabres will run over the Isles in a sweep. Sabres in 4.

(2) New Jersey Devils versus (7) Tampa Bay Lightning – As you probably know, I hate the Devils. And it starts at the top, with alien-looking GM Lou Lamoriello, who fired his coach, Claude Julien, with three games to go in the season and the 2-seed locked up. Why? Who the hell knows? Probably so he (Lou) could coach the team to what he sees as a chance for a Cup as coach. I hate him so much I can barely see straight. And I hope the Devils cohesiveness suffers as a result. Marty Brodeur was on talk radio on Tuesday and he even admitted it made little sense to him and the other players. The other thing working against the Devils is that they played Marty 78 of 82 games this season. I don’t understand how they think this makes sense for their 34-year-old goalie as we enter the toughest playoff grind of all the sports. Will he hold up for another two months and as many as 28 more games? That would be more than 100 games on the season. I say no way. But will he have enough to get out of the first round against the scrappy Lightning. I think so. Devils in 7.

(3) Atlanta Thrashers versus (6) New York Rangers – Well, we all know I’m biased and there’s no way you should consider my thoughts on this matchup sane. After all, last year I picked the Rangers to beat the Devils in seven games in the first round. I was delusional and swore then that I would make my predictions with what I really thought was going to happen. (And no, I really didn’t think the Rangers would win last year but went with my heart.) So what do I really think will happen? I think the Rangers should win. The Thrashers are a good team, no doubt, with Keith Tkachuk and Ilya Kovalchuk very dangerous up front and Kari Lehtonen between the pipes. But they’re rather inexperienced in the playoffs and Madison Square Garden can impact teams like that. The Rangers are flying right now, as opposed to last year’s terrible finish, with Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lunqvist playing as well as they have all season. They have Brendan Shanahan back and other players on the defensive side, such as Fedor Tyutin, back from recent injuries. This team is extremely hungry and will not go so meekly this year. While last year’s sweep hurt, it was still acceptable to just have made it back to the playoffs. This year, I fully expect at least a trip to the second round. Rangers in 6.

(4) Ottawa Senators versus (5) Pittsburgh Penguins – This is another outstanding 4/5 matchup and probably the toughest pairing for me to decide on in the first round. I can see the Senators cleaning out the young Pens in a short series and I can also see the Penguins getting on a roll and totally rattling the Senators. The Sens have been labeled playoff chokers for years now and every story about the team seems to mention it and this has got to be getting into the players’ heads, too. The Penguins overachieved greatly this year, going from one of the worst teams in the league to a 105 point scoring machine. They also have some veteran leadership in the form of Mark Recchi, Sergei Gonchar and recent pickup Gary Roberts. However, all that said, the Pens seem to me to be one of those teams that racked up points against weaker teams and had trouble with the more solid teams. I think the Sens are able to withstand the youthful Pens and move on. The Pens will be incredible next year, though. Senators in 6.

Labels: me taking sports way too seriously, NHL, playoffs