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Maple Leafs Roller Coaster Ride Over, Stanley Cup Playoffs Carry On

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Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs wrapped up last night. The Toronto Maple Leafs had our expectations on an extreme roller coaster ride from being down three games to one to the Boston Bruins, and up, up, up the expectations went winning the next two, taking a 4-1 lead in Game 7, before it all came crashing down. A solid season and series by all accounts for the Buds, but still a bitter pill to swallow at the end.

Over in the other Game 7, between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals, it was anything but a dramatic finish. The Rangers steamrolled the Caps 5-0 for the win to advance after being down most of the series.

Our Hockey Playoffs Pool is updated, and congrats to Kartin who holds down first place after going eight-for-eight picking the Round 1 series winners. knuckle_pucks is the lone other entry that went perfect in Round 1, and sits in second place, while markymark2281 is in third place.

There are still a lot of people who can make a run at this thing given we have a lot of different combinations of final four teams within striking distance of the top three spots in the pool. Although there are not many Ottawa Senators picks, so personally, Go Ottawa! I’ll definitely be pulling for the upset over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And I don’t have to wait long to see how that series might shape up. Wasting no time at all, the NHL kicks off Round 2 tonight with two games: Ottawa at Pittsburgh, and San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings. Detroit Red Wings play at Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday to start their series, while the must be tired Rangers and Bruins being Thursday in Boston.

Good luck to all of you still in the running in the pool, and enjoy the rest of the playoffs!

Hockey Playoffs Pool Coming Soon

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Oi! I fell deathly ill yesterday. That is the first time in a long time I can remember taking a full sick day where I didn’t touch a bit of work. I was in no condition. Thankfully, I’m feeling much better today, even if my energy is not at its peak.

The Hockey Playoffs Pool! That is what we are eagerly waiting for. I’m a day behind plan but very close to releasing the pool for the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The playoffs are scheduled to start next Tuesday, April 30th (tax deadline day!).

The last regular season game is Sunday, Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins, which doesn’t give much time from the end of the regular season to the start of the playoffs, but once the pool is up you can enter whenever you like, and come back and edit your picks all the way up to the pool deadline.

Plus, the deadline will very likely be extended to Thursday, May 2nd, after each series is one game old. I need to see the full schedule to make a final determination, but go on that assumption. We’ve done it the last two years and it worked well… except for the fact I can’t help but overreact to the result of the first game!

I just updated my “if the playoffs started today” post from last week. Detroit Red Wings are in as of now, overtaking Columbus Blue Jackets, and I’m sure the Chicago Blackhawks would prefer it the other way around. No changes in the Eastern Conference since my last update.

Okay, Hockey Playoffs Pool will be up soon, perhaps later today. An email newsletter will go out to people who played last year.

If The Stanley Cup Playoffs Started Today (Updated April 27)

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Every team in the National Hockey League has 4-6 games 2-4 1-3 0-2 games to go in their lockout-shortened 48-game regular season schedule, and as thankful as we are for the owners and players coming to their senses and giving us real hockey, real playoff hockey – The Stanley Cup Playoffs! – is the crème de la crème of televised pro sports events. This is what we’ve truly been waiting for.

The Montreal Canadiens already punched their ticket to the playoffs, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are a centimetre away from doing the same in! There is a powerhouse team running away with each conference, Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. The New York Islanders might make made the playoffs. Say what?

The Detroit Red Wings might not! The Ottawa Senators looked dead in the water losing star defenceman Erik Karlsson early in the season. They are strongly in the mix and the Winnipeg Jets are right on the cusp, too. This is setting up to be a ridiculously exciting time for hockey fans.

Our annual Hockey Playoffs Pool is a go again this year, with the same format as usual. Pick the winner of every series from the opening round to the Stanley Cup Final. Guess the number of games your picks will take to win each series. Pick five players and score points for goals and assists. Get your entry in before the deadline, and then sit back and watch the action, and hopefully the points add up in your favour.

The last regular season game is Sunday, April 28th. I expect the playoffs will start the following Wednesday Tuesday, similar to last year. The deadline was set to Friday the last couple years so each opening round series was one game old, and I’ll likely do that again to give everyone a little more time to enter, research, overreact to Game 1, adjust and submit their final picks.

I’m going to work on the playoffs pool today. It will go live on the website as soon as possible, with the seeds set based on the current playoff picture. As the seeds shuffle around, I’ll update the pool. Keep in mind you can enter early, and then simply come back and edit your picks as much as you like all the way up to the deadline.

Okay, without further adieu, here is the NHL Playoff Picture going into the games scheduled on Thursday, April 18th Monday, April 22nd Thursday April 25th Friday April 26th Saturday April 27th:

Eastern Conference Western Conference

#8 New York Rangers
vs.
#1 Pittsburgh Penguins

#8 Minnesota Wild
vs.
#1 Chicago Blackhawks

#7 Ottawa Senators
vs.
#2 Boston Bruins

#7 Detroit Red Wings
vs.
#2 Anaheim Ducks

#6 New York Islanders
vs.
#3 Washington Capitals

#6 San Jose Sharks
vs.
#3 Vancouver Canucks

#5 Toronto Maple Leafs
vs.
#4 Montreal Canadiens

#5 Los Angeles Kings
vs.
#4 St. Louis Blues

Feel free to tell your friends about the pool (although probably best once it is up and running), and enjoy the final stretch run to the playoffs.

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Mar. 12: Sabres, Red Wings, Predators

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The Hockey Survivor Pool is down to two, and we came under 30 seconds from a three-way split last week, before the Boston Bruins scored on the Pittsburgh Penguins to keep ezcollectibles and markymark2281 alive. Now they go head-to-head in week 17 of the pool, and hopefully they each have at least one of these best bets available.

 
Buffalo Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators (Sunday, 5:00 Eastern)

It’s officially “must-win” time for the Buffalo Sabres who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes nipping at their heels, the Sabres have been on a roll of late reeling off a 5-1-2 record in their last eight games.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s “must-lose” time for the 29th-ranked Ottawa Senators, but more points at this stage won’t help their cause in acquiring a top selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in June. While Craig Anderson’s stifling play between the pipes for the Sens have made wins easier to come by, the Sabres lead the season series 4-1 and need to continue beating up on weaker opponents to secure a playoff berth.

Prediction: Sabres win 3-1

 
Detroit Red Wings at St. Louis Blues (Saturday, 8:00 Eastern)

The Detroit Red Wings seem like contenders year after year, while the St. Louis Blues seem like pretenders year after year. The 2010-11 season has been no different and despite suspect goaltending, Nick Lidstrom’s Red Wings are again among the NHL’s elite. Look for the ageless wonder to lead his team to a road victory over the 23rd-ranked St. Louis Blues on Saturday night at the Scottrade Center.

Prediction: Red Wings win 4-2

 
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche (Saturday, 8:00 Eastern)

The Nashville Predators could not have picked a worse time to hit a rough patch. Having won just two of their past nine, Nashville has slipped to 10th-place in an extremely tight Western Conference playoff battle. Fortunately for the sputtering Preds, the abysmal Colorado Avalanche come to town on Saturday having won just one of their past 17, posing an ideal opportunity for a turnaround. The Predators have been awful offensively all season, but the Avalanche have been even worse defensively. One of Shea Weber’s signature slap shots could well be the deciding factor in this matchup of slumping squads.

Prediction: Predators win 3-2

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Feb. 26: Bruins, Red Wings, Maple Leafs

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And then there were three. Yes, we finally had another elimination in our Hockey Survivor Pool last week as Eugenius was sent packing after the Phoenix Coyotes squeaked out a 3-2 victory over his Nashville Predators. Selections get even more dicey this week, so I have scoured over the streaking trends in the NHL during the past month to help shed some light on the “less obvious” favorable matchups this weekend.

 
Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers (Sunday, 8:00 Eastern)

The Bruins-Oilers matchup will mark the first meeting between top two 2010 draft picks Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin. While Hall has had the better rookie season, it’s Seguin who will likely get the first taste of playoff hockey at the NHL level, as his Bruins have been the far superior team. With a measly 46 points, Hall’s Oilers are the NHL’s basement dwellers and appear to be just a few months away from yet another lottery pick. While the Oilers could be a perennial contender a few years from now, they are presently no more than a team to beat up on.

Prediction: Bruins win 4-1

 
Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres (Saturday, 7:00)

Winners of five of their past six, the Detroit Red Wings appear poised to capture their ninth Central Division title in 10 seasons. Following some abysmal play around the midway point of the season, Red Wings’ goaltender Jimmy Howard has rediscovered his game. Detroit’s offense has also received a substantial boost since Pavel Datsyuk returned from a broken hand eight games ago.

The mediocre Buffalo Sabres have lost three of their last four, and have struggled to find consistency all season long. Superstar netminder Ryan Miller has allowed 13 goals in his past four starts en route to an 0-3-1 record.

Prediction: Red Wings win 4-2

 
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Under normal circumstances, there is no way I would take the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately for the Penguins, these are anything but normal circumstances. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and several other regulars on the shelf with injuries, the Penguins are mired in a slump, having won just twice in their past nine.

Conversely, the Maple Leafs are red hot with a 7-2-2 record in February. Rookie goaltender James “Optimus Reim” Reimer has been stifling between the pipes, and is making it so that the Leafs don’t have to do much scoring to win games. This is great news for the Leafs, because they’re zero for 10 on the powerplay since Tomas Kaberle’s departure.

Prediction: Maple Leafs win 3-1

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Feb. 19: Sharks, Maple Leafs, Red Wings

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We almost decided the Hockey Survivor Pool last week. Somehow the New York Islanders took the Buffalo Sabres to overtime in a wild 7-6 game, with the Isles on the winning side. Since it went to OT, the Sabres pick counted as right for the three entries who took them in the original survivor pool, and they barely survive.

Had the Sabres lost in regulation, this pool would be decided with markymark2281 declared the winner. Instead, his pick of the Dallas Stars failed him, yet he is still alive in the pool because that is just his first incorrect since we started 13 weeks ago. This pool is double elimination remember. The other three entries are all on their last life.

On to this week, pickings are definitely getting slim because we’re almost halfway through the available NHL teams! In fact, at this point, five teams are off limits for all four of our contestants: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, and Washington. This does take some of my favourite matchups off the table, but there are still some solid picks this week. Let’s have a look!

 
San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche (Saturday, 10:30 Eastern)

Last year, the Colorado Avalanche looked like they could be the league’s next up and coming contender, with their solid core of drafted talent. They still should be, but this year has been a rough learning experience for the young bunch. The recent distractions surrounding Foppa’s abbreviated comeback surely didn’t help, and this was evident in the Avs 9-1 dismantling at the hands of the Calgary Flames on Monday. To make matters worse, the Avs lost their leading scorer, Matt Duchene, to an injury in that same contest. With a 1-8-1 record in their last ten, things are looking pretty bleak for one of last season’s biggest surprise teams.

On the flipside, the Sharks seemed to have turned things around nicely after a rough holiday season. They are 7-2-1 in their last ten, thanks largely due to efforts from depth players such as Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. If Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Ryan Clowe can get back on track, the Sharks could be scary.

ezcollectibles and JoePoolGuy, this one’s for you.

Prediction: Sharks win 4-2

 
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators (Saturday, 7:00)

I can’t believe it’s come to this. I am picking the Toronto Maple Leafs to win a hockey game. Not only that, I’m actively telling others, who have money at stake, that I think they should do the same.

Let’s look at the facts though: the Senators have recently shipped out Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly, and Daniel Alfredsson is out indefinitely. Things aren’t looking good. The Fisher and Kelly deals sort of puzzle me, because I really don’t think they were part of the problem in Ottawa. Unfortunately for Brian Murray, he doesn’t have much else in the way of marketable assets, as guys like Alex Kovalev, Jason Spezza, Filip Kuba and Sergei Gonchar all have contracts that seriously hamper their trade value. So Murray is stuck with dealing two of his character guys for draft picks in what is supposed to be one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory.

The Senators have also won just once in their last ten, while the Maple Leafs have won six of their last ten and are currently riding a two game winning streak. As if I needed to rub more salt in the wound… not surprisingly, all of our contestants still have the Leafs available as a pick. Hold on tight and good luck!

Prediction: Leafs win 3-1

 
Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild (Sunday, 12:30)

I was actually pretty shocked that only one of our contestants (Eugenius) picked the Red Wings so far. The Wings and Wild have actually split their two meetings thus far this season, but Detroit took the last meeting in Minnesota by a 4-1 margin, and their other matchup needed OT to be decided.

Detroit is currently riding a two game winning streak, and getting Dan Cleary back in the lineup has helped the team get back to its regular forward lines and re-establish their depth up front. Minnesota meanwhile, is currently riding a two game losing streak.

Prediction: Wings win 4-2

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Jan. 15: Red Wings, Kings, Capitals

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All five entries survived another week in our Hockey Survivor Pool, and the good news doesn’t stop there – all five of our remaining entries have at least one option amongst our three favourite teams this week! The Ottawa Senators-Washington Capitals matchup is my personal favourite, unless Cory Clouston gets his walking papers soon and that sparks the Sens.

 
Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Columbus has lost five straight, and the Wings just keep plugging along like they always do, currently tied with Philly for second most points in the league. As if that alone wasn’t reason enough to pick the Wings, Detroit is 2-0 against Columbus this year, and went 4-1 against the Blue Jackets last year. It seems as if maybe the Blue Jackets are still haunted by their four game sweep against the Wings in their only playoff appearance to date.

Prediction: 4-1 Wings

 
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (Saturday, 10:00)

The Oilers have won just once in their last ten, so it seems like a safe bet to pick against them versus almost anyone right now. All is not well in L.A. though, where the Kings currently find themselves on the outside looking in as far as the playoff picture is concerned, and Drew Doughty has regressed significantly since last year.

Kings fan and our survivor pool players can take some comfort in the fact that the Kings are 14-7-1 at home, compared to 9-11-0 on the road.

Prediction: 5-2 Kings

 
Washington Capitals vs. Ottawa Senators (Sunday, 3:00)

The Ottawa Senators are a mess. Firing Clouston is probably the next move, but the team’s problems run much deeper than that. The Sens aging, high-priced core of Alex Kovalev, Daniel Alfredsson, and Sergei Gonchar is not producing at all, and their salaries render them virtually untradeable. Jason Spezza is out for an extended period, and Pascal Leclaire and Brian Elliott have played so poorly that the club is currently looking into bringing Evgeni Nabokov back across the pond.

The Capitals, meanwhile, have turned things around in a big way since enduring one of their worst slumps during Bruce Boudreau’s tenure. They are 6-1-3 in their last 10, and it’s only a matter of time before Alexander Ovechkin breaks out in a big way.

Prediction: 6-2 Capitals

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Dec. 11: Thrashers, Penguins, Red Wings

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Finally, I’m not so lonely in the loser’s lounge of our Hockey Survivor Pool. A New Jersey Devils loss to the Philadelphia Flyers saw Cacciatorini eliminated last while the streaking Atlanta Thrashers victory over the Washington Capitals knocked out jsimpson and also fellow pick advisor Iain Arseneau (arseneau) last week.

We are five weeks in now and the number of powerhouse teams for selection are dwindling. For that reason I am leaving the Los Angeles Kings out as a selection this week, despite their matchup with the lowly Minnesota Wild, as only two competitors have the Kings remaining as an option. For our elite eight, here are my three favourite matchups this weekend:

 
Atlanta Thrashers at New York Islanders (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

Could Ilya Kovalchuk have been holding the Atlanta Thrashers back all those years? I know it’s still early, but the Dustin Byfuglien-led Thrashers are on pace for a 97-point campaign, which would tie a franchise record. Despite lacking a superstar sniper, they rank sixth in the NHL in goals scored with 88.

Previously known for antagonizing opposing goaltenders from the crease-area, Byfuglien is doing his damage from the blueline this season with his blistering shot. Expect the 257-pound defenseman to create some issues for the basement-dwelling New York Islanders.

Prediction: 4-1 Islanders

 
Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

This is the third straight week the Penguins are making an appearance in our picks’ suggestions, however they still remain an option for half of our remaining entries. Riding a 10-game winning streak, it is hard to make a case against the Penguins right now. They have also been virtually unstoppable on Saturday’s this season with a 6-1-1 record.

The last five meetings between Pittsburgh and Buffalo have been decided by a single goal, with the Pens coming out victorious four times. Even if the Sabres are able to keep the game relatively close, I like the red hot Penguins’ attack to edge the offensively-challenged Sabres. And besides, hasn’t Sidney Crosby been known to score timely goals against Ryan Miller?

Prediction: 3-1 Penguins

 
Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey Devils (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

They might have lost veteran Mike Modano for a few months with a severed tendon in his wrist but the Detroit Red Wings have rallied, posting a 3-1-1 record in his absence. The always-competitive Wings sit atop the Western Conference with a 17-5-3 record. That means that they will get you through to the next round in our survivor pool 80 percent of the time.

Contrarily, the Devils rank second-last in the NHL with an 8-17-2 record, getting you through to the next round only 38 percent of the time. Statistically, the Red Wings make for a safe play this week.

Prediction: 3-1 Red Wings

Hockey Survivor Pool Picks for Nov. 20-21: Canadiens, Ducks, Red Wings

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The Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers seem to have been everyone’s favourite go-to pick through the first two weeks of our Hockey Survivor Pool.

After a somewhat lacklustre start, the Flyers have not lost in regulation in their last ten, thanks largely to rookie sensation Sergei Bobrovsky, who has gone from free-agent pickup to the star of my fantasy hockey team.

Meanwhile, on the west coast, the Kings sit nicely perched atop the Western Conference despite recently having a six game winning streak snapped by the San Jose Sharks.

Three quarters of our entries have used up at least one of these teams, and a full third of our entries have actually used both! Not to worry though, this week’s games feature enough solid matchups that finding a new pony shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

 
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday, 7:00 Eastern)

At this point, it seems a safe bet to choose almost anyone to beat the Maple Leafs. The offense has completely dried up. Jean-Sebastien Giguere is letting in soft goals at key moments, and it was just announced he’ll miss one to two weeks with a groin strain, prompting the Leafs to recall James Reimer from the AHL. Captain Dion Phaneuf continues to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

In Montreal, meanwhile, the Habs are doing their best to prove that last season’s postseason run wasn’t a fluke, and that there is life after Jaroslav Halak. Carey Price, fresh off being named the NHL’s first star for last week, is on a tear, blanking the Flyers in his last outing despite facing 41 shots.

Some of you may be wondering how the Habs will fare without star defenseman Andrei Markov. Well, here’s some food for thought: the Habs started this season 7-2-1 without him, and were 4-3 after his return. Just sayin’…

Prediction: 4-2 Canadiens

 
Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers (Sunday, 8:00 Eastern)

The Edmonton Oilers have lost their last four games by a combined total of 25-8. The Ducks, meanwhile, boat an impressive 7-1-1 record at home, and are 7-2-1 in their last ten.

Even if the Ducks decide that this is a prime opportunity to rest Jonas Hiller, backup Curtis McElhinney has been no slouch so far. He’s 2-2, with a shutout and a sparkling .924 save percentage.

As an aside, Ducks defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky has posted some gaudy numbers to this point: 16 points and a plus five rating through 21 games.

Prediction: 5-3 Ducks

 
Detroit Red Wings vs. Calgary Flames (Sunday, 5:00 Eastern)

As a huge Jarome Iginla fan, it has pained me to watch him play like he has this season. Iginla used to play with a bull in a china shop mentality, charging the net with authority and using his speed and strength to create opportunities to unleash his wicked shot. Without Iggy scoring, the Flames’ already thin offense has struggled mightily.

I firmly believe Iginla still has the ability to be a 35+ goal scorer, but a change of scenery might be necessary to make that happen.

Meanwhile, it’s business as usual in Detroit. The Wings are jockeying for position atop the Western Conference, and are 7-1-1 at home. Nicklas Lidstrom is off to his best start in years, Jimmy Howard is proving last year’s regular season was no fluke, and Todd Bertuzzi is producing at a pace we haven’t seen from him since he left Vancouver.

Prediction: 3-1 Red Wings

NHL Western Conference Playoff Series Predictions

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Stanley Cup Playoffs
Hockey Pool

~ Pick the team to win each series
~ Pick the games for each series
~ Pick 5 players to score points
~ $20 to enter ~ 1st, 2nd, 3rd place
~ Now open at our sister website
   MyOfficePool.ca

Your DraftBuddy.com username works at MyOfficePool.ca

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche

Could this finally be the Sharks’ year? Probably not, but at least a first-round upset isn’t in the cards for them again this year. This series lacks the upset potential that some of the other quarter-final matchups have, but the young Avs won’t go down without a fight.

It’ll be interesting to see how players like Matt Duchene and Chris Stewart fare in their first NHL playoff series. While Colorado would get an enormous boost from the return of Peter Mueller, he remains out indefinitely recovering from a concussion.

The Sharks on the other hand are healthy and primed for a deep playoff run. Dany Heatley has 35 points in 34 career playoff games and the Sharks will need him to continue that trend if they’re finally going to silence the critics. The Sharks and Avalanche split the season series 2-2.

Prediction: Sharks in 5

Players to Watch:

Evgeni Nabokov, G, SJ—Following years of stalled playoff runs and a recent early elimination from the Olympics, Nabokov has gained the reputation as one of the game’s most notorious chokers. The pressures of playing on powerhouse teams like the Sharks and team Russia could be getting to the former Vezina Trophy finalist, and if he falters against Colorado in the first round, this could be the last we see of him playing for the Sharks. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Chris Stewart, RW, COL—Stewart was the Avs’ trigger man this season and they will need him to score in bunches if they are to advance to the second round. Stewart doesn’t have extensive playoff hockey experience at the pro or even semi-pro levels. He has just 11 postseason matches under his belt at the OHL level, one at the AHL level and until now, no NHL playoff experience.


(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators

At the start of the season, the Blackhawks had an excess of skilled defensemen and not enough ice-time to go around. Now they face the opposite dilemma. Defensemen Brian Campbell and Kim Johnsson find themselves sidelined with injuries and are expected to miss the series. Luckily for the Hawks, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are capable of logging big minutes.

While Pekka Rinne might be capable of stealing a game for the Preds, the Hawks from the Windy City should breeze through the quarter-finals. The Blackhawks won the season series 4-2.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 4

Players to Watch:

Marian Hossa, RW, CHI—Could this be Hossa’s third straight season as a Stanley Cup finalist? It’s certainly possible, and with three different teams no less. Cup losses aside, Hossa has an impressive playoff track record the last couple years—41 points in 43 games—and the Hawks will need their $63-million man to start earning that contract with his postseason play.

Shea Weber, D, NAS—The Preds will need Weber to log considerable minutes if they are to contain the ever-dangerous Patrick Kane. Weber had just one assist and a -1 rating in five games against the Hawks this season, so he’ll need to elevate his play if the Predators are to knock off the second seed.


(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings

The Kings head to the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season, and hope 24-year-old netminder Jonathan Quick will be able to shut the door on the Canucks’ high-flying offense. While the Kings’ team features a trio of young stars in Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Quick, they’ll likely be overpowered by the Canucks deep roster. Secondary scoring should be the difference in this one. The Canucks won the season series 3-1.

Prediction: Canucks in 5

Players to Watch:

Roberto Luongo, G, VAN—Since his gold medal performance at the Olympics, Luongo has been rather shaky. During the last three weeks of the regular season, Luongo went 3-3-2 and allowed three or more goals in seven of eight starts. He doesn’t need to be spectacular in the quarter-finals for the Canucks to win the series but his recent level of play won’t suffice.

Drew Doughty, D, LA—If it were up to me, Doughty would take home the Norris and Hart Trophies for his outstanding contributions this season. The 20-year-old has been blessed with tremendous skill and hockey sense, and will probably be asked to play around 30 minutes per game in his first series of NHL playoff action.


(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Many are picking the veteran Red Wings to “upset” the Coyotes during this year’s quarter-finals but I think youth and skill will outweigh age and experience in this one. The Red Wings team features a host of former Stanley Cup winners skating in front of rookie netminder Jimmy Howard. While Howard was nothing short of phenomenal for the Wings during the regular season, he’s never been tested during the playoffs.

Ilya Bryzgalov has a brief but impressive playoff resume with a 9-5 record, a .937 save percentage and a 1.68 goals against average. The Yotes should win this battle of the backstoppers. The Coyotes and Red Wings split the season series 2-2.

Prediction: Coyotes in 7

Players to Watch:

Lee Stempniak, RW, PHO—Stempniak could further cement himself as the smartest acquisition at this year’s trade deadline if he can continue his scoring prowess against the Wings. Like many of the younger Coyotes, Stempniak has no playoff experience.

Johan Franzen, RW, DET—With 25 goals accumulated over the Wings’ past two playoff runs, “The Mule” definitely has a flair for the dramatic. However, he’s scored just three goals in 14 meetings with the Coyotes during his career.