Did we just see the best 1st round in Stanley Cup Playoff history?
It's a fair question. Everyone I have talked about hockey says the same thing, they can't believe how entertaining these playoffs have been.
The talk about the NHL playoffs have been rampant on Facebook & Twitter by hardcore and casual fans. And the drama off the ice has been just as good as play on the ice.
I'll have a recap this weekend about what happened in the 1st round but the 2nd round awaits so here are my picks for the Conference Semifinals. We'll start in the West.
Nashville vs. Vancouver:
Both teams had to conquer personal demons to get here.
The 3rd time was the charm as Vancouver finally got by Chicago while Nashville got past the 1st round for the first time in six tries.
Nashville game plan to beat Vancouver should be similar to their game plan against Anaheim, have their defense contain the top line of Vancouver and use your offense to expose their defense.
The only problem with that plan is Vancouver is a much deeper team than Nashville and is much better defensively.
The Predators will give Vancouver fits during the series but the Canucks have too much talent in the end.
Canucks in 6.
Detroit vs. San Jose:
This is the 1st of two semifinal rematches from last season.
Last year Detroit played a grueling seven games series against Phoenix before playing San Jose and it cost them as the Sharks won the 1st three games of the series en route to a 4-1 series win.
This year Detroit swept Phoenix and will have had nine days off before they play the Sharks. Henrik Zetteberg returns from a knee injury and will make his 1st post-season appearance in this series.
So why do I like the Sharks in this one?
I think they match up very well with the Red Wings. They have three very good lines that can score. Their goaltending is much improved with Antti Niemi in net.
I watch San Jose & I see a different Sharks team than in years past. No one has mentioned this year how they always come up short in the playoffs. It's like they are under the radar. They won three overtime games against Los Angeles they would have lost in past years.
The Sharks went 3-1 against Detroit in the regular season and they know they can play with them. It won't be easy and they will have to play better than they did against the Kings but I believe the Sharks have the players to get the job done.
Sharks in 7.
Tampa Bay vs Washington:
Speaking of teams who look completely different that they have in years past here are your Washington Capitals.
They took care of New York in 5 games after having their last four post-season series go seven games each.
The Capitals are still dangerous on offense but they are much better defensively than previous seasons. Michal Neuvirth has the best GAA (1.38) in the playoffs and has given Washington the stability they have lacked in goal the last couple years.
As for Tampa Bay they stole a page from the Pittsburgh Penguins showing a lot of resiliency in rallying from a 3-1 deficit to win the series 4-3.
The Lightning have two good scoring lines that can match up with Washington & Dwayne Roloson gives them an edge in goal. But I don't think Tampa's defense will be enough to stop the offense of the Capitals.
Washington looks like a more complete team than they have been in previous years and they will move on to the conference finals.
Capitals in 6
Boston vs. Philadelphia:
When we saw these two meet last spring Philadelphia was becoming the 3rd team in NHL history to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. It seems only fitting that both teams meet again a year later.
Both teams are coming off of difficult seven game series. The Flyers had to use three different goaltenders before they were able to advance past Buffalo while Boston had to win three overtime games to eliminate Montreal.
The Flyers are a deeper team up front. They have four good lines they can put on the ice in any situation. Their defense is one of the deepest in the NHL and that is without Chris Pronger who is just returning from a hand injury.
The one area the Bruins have an edge is in goal where Tim Thomas (2.25 GAA, .926 save percentage) has retaken his role as starting goaltender. I feel better with him in net than I do the three headed monster (Brian Boucher, Sergei Bobrovsky, Michael Leighton) the Flyers use.
I think this series comes down to the health of Chris Pronger & the play of Philly's goaltending. If Pronger is healthy & the goaltending is serviceable the Flyers should take this series. If either one isn't what it is suppose to be then all bets are off.
Flyers in 7
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Pittsburgh Penguins
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
How They Finished: 49-25-8 106 points
2nd in Atlantic Division, 4th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Penguis lost Sidney Crosby to a concussion in January & Evgeni Malkin to an ACL injury in February. Despite the injuries Pittsburgh was able to clinch the 4th seed and home ice in the 1st round.
What they weren't able to do was close out the Tampa Bay Lightning when they had the chance.
The Penguins lead the series 3 games to 1 but were blown out at home in Game 5 by a score of 8-2. They then went to Tampa where they lost 4-2 setting up for a Game 7.
In Game 7, Dwayne Roloson stopped all 41 shots he faced and Sean Bergenheim scored the only goal of the game giving Tampa a 1-0 win and the series four games to three.
Injuries didn't cost the Penguins the series because they played so well this season after both Crosby & Malkin went down. What cost Pittsburgh this series was going 1 for 35 on the Power Play. If you squander that many opportunities it will catch up with you eventually.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Where the Penguins go depends on the health of Crosby & Malkin. Malkin resumed skating last week and I'm guessing he will be ready for next season.
Crosby is a little harder to predict because of the symptoms from his concussion. He was skating with the Penguins near the end of the season but was not taking any part in contact drills.
The Penguins have about $3.6 million in projected cap space. They are set in goal and on defense. The only big money forwards they have to decide on are Alexei Kovalev, Pascal Dupuis, & Max Talbot. I don't think they will bring back Kovalev and I'm not sure they can afford to keep both Talbot & Dupuis while upgrading the team via free agency.
This season the Penguins did learn is they can compete & they can win without their two best players. The question is whether they can be a Stanley Cup contender without either one. That's a question they hope they don't have to find out the answer to.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
How They Finished: 49-25-8 106 points
2nd in Atlantic Division, 4th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Penguis lost Sidney Crosby to a concussion in January & Evgeni Malkin to an ACL injury in February. Despite the injuries Pittsburgh was able to clinch the 4th seed and home ice in the 1st round.
What they weren't able to do was close out the Tampa Bay Lightning when they had the chance.
The Penguins lead the series 3 games to 1 but were blown out at home in Game 5 by a score of 8-2. They then went to Tampa where they lost 4-2 setting up for a Game 7.
In Game 7, Dwayne Roloson stopped all 41 shots he faced and Sean Bergenheim scored the only goal of the game giving Tampa a 1-0 win and the series four games to three.
Injuries didn't cost the Penguins the series because they played so well this season after both Crosby & Malkin went down. What cost Pittsburgh this series was going 1 for 35 on the Power Play. If you squander that many opportunities it will catch up with you eventually.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Where the Penguins go depends on the health of Crosby & Malkin. Malkin resumed skating last week and I'm guessing he will be ready for next season.
Crosby is a little harder to predict because of the symptoms from his concussion. He was skating with the Penguins near the end of the season but was not taking any part in contact drills.
The Penguins have about $3.6 million in projected cap space. They are set in goal and on defense. The only big money forwards they have to decide on are Alexei Kovalev, Pascal Dupuis, & Max Talbot. I don't think they will bring back Kovalev and I'm not sure they can afford to keep both Talbot & Dupuis while upgrading the team via free agency.
This season the Penguins did learn is they can compete & they can win without their two best players. The question is whether they can be a Stanley Cup contender without either one. That's a question they hope they don't have to find out the answer to.
Thanks For Playing: Montreal Canadiens
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Montreal Canadiens:
How They Finished: 44-30-8 96 points
2nd in Northeast Division, 6th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Canadiens couldn't win in overtime and it cost them the series.
Montreal won the 1st two games in Boston and had a 3-1 lead in Game 4 before the Bruins tied the game to force overtime. In the overtime Michael Ryder scored on a pass from Chris Kelly to win the game and tie the series 2-2.
The teams returned to Boston for Game 5 where they went to overtime again. This time Nathan Horton ended the festivities when he scored in the 2nd overtime to give Boston a 2-1 win and a 3-2 lead in the series.
Montreal won Game 6 to send the series back to Boston for a winner take all Game 7. The Canadiens were able to take the game to overtime thanks to a goal by P.K. Subban. At that point I thought Montreal was destined to win because that what usually happens to the Bruins in this situation.
Instead Nathan Horton shows up once again scoring on a blast from just inside the blueline to give the Bruins their 3rd overtime win of the series and end Montreal's season.
Where Do They Go From Here:
I'm actually surprised Montreal lost this series. Boston's special teams was horrible and this is a series where I felt the Canadiens were the better team.
One thing Montreal does need to do going forward is get a little more size on their team. They have a lot of small, quick forwards that can skate but going against a bigger team like Boston they can be worn down in a series.
The Canadiens have five unrestricted free agents on defense and I'm guessing half of them will not be back next season. The emergence of Subban on the blueline gives Montreal something to build around defensively.
The most important thing for Montreal is Carey Price in goal.
Last year I questioned the Canadiens for trading Jaroslav Halak & keeping Price as their goaltender. Price rewarded their faith by winning 38 games and finishing with a GAA of 2.35 and a save percentage of .923.
If Price can continue to play like this Montreal should be a team that contends for a division title next season. They have some good young players that are starting to emerge.
They are nowhere close to being near the dominant teams they were in the 70's but they are becoming a team that when they win a playoff series it won't be considered an upset.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Montreal Canadiens:
How They Finished: 44-30-8 96 points
2nd in Northeast Division, 6th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Canadiens couldn't win in overtime and it cost them the series.
Montreal won the 1st two games in Boston and had a 3-1 lead in Game 4 before the Bruins tied the game to force overtime. In the overtime Michael Ryder scored on a pass from Chris Kelly to win the game and tie the series 2-2.
The teams returned to Boston for Game 5 where they went to overtime again. This time Nathan Horton ended the festivities when he scored in the 2nd overtime to give Boston a 2-1 win and a 3-2 lead in the series.
Montreal won Game 6 to send the series back to Boston for a winner take all Game 7. The Canadiens were able to take the game to overtime thanks to a goal by P.K. Subban. At that point I thought Montreal was destined to win because that what usually happens to the Bruins in this situation.
Instead Nathan Horton shows up once again scoring on a blast from just inside the blueline to give the Bruins their 3rd overtime win of the series and end Montreal's season.
Where Do They Go From Here:
I'm actually surprised Montreal lost this series. Boston's special teams was horrible and this is a series where I felt the Canadiens were the better team.
One thing Montreal does need to do going forward is get a little more size on their team. They have a lot of small, quick forwards that can skate but going against a bigger team like Boston they can be worn down in a series.
The Canadiens have five unrestricted free agents on defense and I'm guessing half of them will not be back next season. The emergence of Subban on the blueline gives Montreal something to build around defensively.
The most important thing for Montreal is Carey Price in goal.
Last year I questioned the Canadiens for trading Jaroslav Halak & keeping Price as their goaltender. Price rewarded their faith by winning 38 games and finishing with a GAA of 2.35 and a save percentage of .923.
If Price can continue to play like this Montreal should be a team that contends for a division title next season. They have some good young players that are starting to emerge.
They are nowhere close to being near the dominant teams they were in the 70's but they are becoming a team that when they win a playoff series it won't be considered an upset.
Thanks For Playing: Chicago Blackhawks
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Chicago Blackhawks:
How They Finished: 44-29-9 95 points
3rd in Central Division, 8th in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Blackhawks lost too many of their role players from last seasons Stanley Cup Championship team.
Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, & Brent Sopel were sent to Atlanta in the off-season while Kris Versteeg was traded to Toronto. Adam Burish (Dallas) & John Madden (Minnesota) signed elsewhere as free agents.
Antti Niemi won his arbitration case and became a free agent when the Blackhawks decided to walk away from the deal. Marty Turco was signed to replace Niemi and went 11-11-3 in 29 games with a GAA of 3.02 and a save percentage of .897 before being replaced in net by Corey Crawford.
The Blackhawks weren't bad this season but the turnover of players on the roster along with a Stanley Cup hangover added up to a slow start where Chicago was fighting for a playoff spot all season, not clinching until the final day of the season when Dallas lost to Minnesota.
The Blackhawks opened up against Vancouver and fell behind in the series 3 games to none before rallying to force a Game 7 by winning the next three games.
However a comeback wasn't meant to be when Alexandre Burrows scored in overtime to give the Canucks a 2-1 win and a 4-3 series win.
Where Do They Go From Here:
They say in hockey one of the hardest things to do in this era is repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. That ended up being the case this year for Chicago.
The Blackhawks still have a talented roster led by Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane but they still have salary cap issues that need to be dealt with.
Corey Crawford emerged as a number one goalie this season but he is a restricted free agent and will command a raise from the $800,000 he was making this season. Chicgao also has to decide if they want to extend qualifying offers to Michael Frolik, Viktor Stahlberg, Jake Dowell, Troy Brouwer, & Chris Campoli.
The Blackhawks have just a little over $8 million available in cap space so how they decide to handle their restricted free agents plays a huge factor in how the roster shapes up for next season. Because of that I think that next year Chicago will be a talented team that is once again fighting for a playoff spot.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Chicago Blackhawks:
How They Finished: 44-29-9 95 points
3rd in Central Division, 8th in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Blackhawks lost too many of their role players from last seasons Stanley Cup Championship team.
Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, & Brent Sopel were sent to Atlanta in the off-season while Kris Versteeg was traded to Toronto. Adam Burish (Dallas) & John Madden (Minnesota) signed elsewhere as free agents.
Antti Niemi won his arbitration case and became a free agent when the Blackhawks decided to walk away from the deal. Marty Turco was signed to replace Niemi and went 11-11-3 in 29 games with a GAA of 3.02 and a save percentage of .897 before being replaced in net by Corey Crawford.
The Blackhawks weren't bad this season but the turnover of players on the roster along with a Stanley Cup hangover added up to a slow start where Chicago was fighting for a playoff spot all season, not clinching until the final day of the season when Dallas lost to Minnesota.
The Blackhawks opened up against Vancouver and fell behind in the series 3 games to none before rallying to force a Game 7 by winning the next three games.
However a comeback wasn't meant to be when Alexandre Burrows scored in overtime to give the Canucks a 2-1 win and a 4-3 series win.
Where Do They Go From Here:
They say in hockey one of the hardest things to do in this era is repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. That ended up being the case this year for Chicago.
The Blackhawks still have a talented roster led by Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane but they still have salary cap issues that need to be dealt with.
Corey Crawford emerged as a number one goalie this season but he is a restricted free agent and will command a raise from the $800,000 he was making this season. Chicgao also has to decide if they want to extend qualifying offers to Michael Frolik, Viktor Stahlberg, Jake Dowell, Troy Brouwer, & Chris Campoli.
The Blackhawks have just a little over $8 million available in cap space so how they decide to handle their restricted free agents plays a huge factor in how the roster shapes up for next season. Because of that I think that next year Chicago will be a talented team that is once again fighting for a playoff spot.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Buffalo Sabres
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Buffalo Sabres:
How They Finished: 43-29-10 96 points
3rd in the Northeast Division, 7th in the Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
They didn't take advantage of a golden opportunity in Game 6.
The Sabres won Game 5 against Philadelphia in overtime & had a chance to close them out in Game 6.
Buffalo jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the 1st period & chased Michael Leighton from the net.Philadelphia would fight back to pull within one goal trailing 4-3 at the end of two periods.
The Flyers would tie the game in the 3rd period to force overtime where Ville Leino would get the game winner giving Philly a 5-4 win and forcing a Game 7 back in Philadelphia.
Listening to people talk about the game the consensus was that Buffalo would regret not closing out the series in six games.
That proved to be true in Game 7.
The Flyers came out with an aggressive forecheck and were clearly the better team outskating the Sabres & outshooting them 16-2 in the 1st period.
Ryan Miller was turned away every shot he faced and it looked like the teams would go into the 1st intermission scoreless. That was until Brayden Coburn shot from the blueline found it's way between Miller's pads to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
Once that happened it changed the whole complexion of the game. The Flyers would add three more goals & chase Miller from the net en route to a 5-2 win & a 4-3 win in the series.
Another thing that hurt the Sabres was they had no answer for Danny Briere. Going against his old team, Briere finished the series with 7 points (6G, 1A) and is a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy. He did the most damage against Buffalo and is a key reason why the Sabres season is over.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Despite the loss things are looking good for Buffalo.
This past winter the Sabres were sold to Pennsylvania businessman Terry Pegula who is a longtime fan of the franchise.
Pegula has vowed to spend the most money he can into the organization to make them a consistent Stanley Cup contender.
The commitment from him has energized the team & fanbase in Buffalo. The Sabres have one of the best goalies in the NHL in Ryan Miller and a good young core of talent to build around.
They should contend for the Northeast Division next season & if they were playing in the Eastern Conference Finals it wouldn't surprise me.
Yes Buffalo, Better Days are ahead.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Buffalo Sabres:
How They Finished: 43-29-10 96 points
3rd in the Northeast Division, 7th in the Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
They didn't take advantage of a golden opportunity in Game 6.
The Sabres won Game 5 against Philadelphia in overtime & had a chance to close them out in Game 6.
Buffalo jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the 1st period & chased Michael Leighton from the net.Philadelphia would fight back to pull within one goal trailing 4-3 at the end of two periods.
The Flyers would tie the game in the 3rd period to force overtime where Ville Leino would get the game winner giving Philly a 5-4 win and forcing a Game 7 back in Philadelphia.
Listening to people talk about the game the consensus was that Buffalo would regret not closing out the series in six games.
That proved to be true in Game 7.
The Flyers came out with an aggressive forecheck and were clearly the better team outskating the Sabres & outshooting them 16-2 in the 1st period.
Ryan Miller was turned away every shot he faced and it looked like the teams would go into the 1st intermission scoreless. That was until Brayden Coburn shot from the blueline found it's way between Miller's pads to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
Once that happened it changed the whole complexion of the game. The Flyers would add three more goals & chase Miller from the net en route to a 5-2 win & a 4-3 win in the series.
Another thing that hurt the Sabres was they had no answer for Danny Briere. Going against his old team, Briere finished the series with 7 points (6G, 1A) and is a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy. He did the most damage against Buffalo and is a key reason why the Sabres season is over.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Despite the loss things are looking good for Buffalo.
This past winter the Sabres were sold to Pennsylvania businessman Terry Pegula who is a longtime fan of the franchise.
Pegula has vowed to spend the most money he can into the organization to make them a consistent Stanley Cup contender.
The commitment from him has energized the team & fanbase in Buffalo. The Sabres have one of the best goalies in the NHL in Ryan Miller and a good young core of talent to build around.
They should contend for the Northeast Division next season & if they were playing in the Eastern Conference Finals it wouldn't surprise me.
Yes Buffalo, Better Days are ahead.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Los Angeles Kings
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Los Angeles Kings:
How They Finished: 46-30-6 98 points
4th in Pacific Division 7th in the Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
You probably think I'm going to say the Kings were doomed once they lost Anze Kopitar to an ankle injury.
Truth be told it didn't help Los Angeles to lose Kopitar before the playoffs. Ryan Smyth (2G, 3A) and Justin Williams (3G, 1A) had a good series for the Kings but they needed more from Dustin Brown & Dustin Penner (1G, 1A, -3 each) if they were to beat San Jose.
Where the Kings lost this series was in Game 3 when they blew a four goal lead against the Sharks.
Los Angeles scored the 1st four goals of the games and chased Antti Niemi out of goal. Instead of capitalizing the Kings gave up five goals in the period leaving the game tied at 5-5 after two periods.
Devon Setoguchi would go on to score the game winner giving San Jose a 2-1 lead in the series they would not relinquish.
Another thing that hurt the Kings was they couldn't get the job done in overtime. Three games went into overtime and all three times San Jose found a way to get the win. That's a sign of a young team still learning how to win.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Getting Kopitar back from injury will help the Kings next season. He lead the team in points with 73 and was 2nd on the team in goals with 25 before the ankle injury.
The other good thing for the Kings is most of their core players are under contract. The only player they need to re-sign is restricted free agent Drew Doughty. Los Angeles has $11.5 million in projected cap space next season so getting Doughty signed shouldn't be a problem.
At the start of this season I thought the Kings were a team that could contend for the Stanley Cup. That didn't happen this season but they are a talented team that is learning how to win.
If you look at the great teams that won the Stanley Cup in the 90's (New Jersey, Detroit, Colorado, Dallas) They had to all overcome playoff adversity to take that next step.
I think Los Angeles has the talent to become one of those teams. It won't be easy playing in the Pacific Division where four of the five teams made the post-season but the Kings are good enough where they should finish closer to the top of the Western Conference than the bottom.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Los Angeles Kings:
How They Finished: 46-30-6 98 points
4th in Pacific Division 7th in the Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
You probably think I'm going to say the Kings were doomed once they lost Anze Kopitar to an ankle injury.
Truth be told it didn't help Los Angeles to lose Kopitar before the playoffs. Ryan Smyth (2G, 3A) and Justin Williams (3G, 1A) had a good series for the Kings but they needed more from Dustin Brown & Dustin Penner (1G, 1A, -3 each) if they were to beat San Jose.
Where the Kings lost this series was in Game 3 when they blew a four goal lead against the Sharks.
Los Angeles scored the 1st four goals of the games and chased Antti Niemi out of goal. Instead of capitalizing the Kings gave up five goals in the period leaving the game tied at 5-5 after two periods.
Devon Setoguchi would go on to score the game winner giving San Jose a 2-1 lead in the series they would not relinquish.
Another thing that hurt the Kings was they couldn't get the job done in overtime. Three games went into overtime and all three times San Jose found a way to get the win. That's a sign of a young team still learning how to win.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Getting Kopitar back from injury will help the Kings next season. He lead the team in points with 73 and was 2nd on the team in goals with 25 before the ankle injury.
The other good thing for the Kings is most of their core players are under contract. The only player they need to re-sign is restricted free agent Drew Doughty. Los Angeles has $11.5 million in projected cap space next season so getting Doughty signed shouldn't be a problem.
At the start of this season I thought the Kings were a team that could contend for the Stanley Cup. That didn't happen this season but they are a talented team that is learning how to win.
If you look at the great teams that won the Stanley Cup in the 90's (New Jersey, Detroit, Colorado, Dallas) They had to all overcome playoff adversity to take that next step.
I think Los Angeles has the talent to become one of those teams. It won't be easy playing in the Pacific Division where four of the five teams made the post-season but the Kings are good enough where they should finish closer to the top of the Western Conference than the bottom.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Anaheim Ducks
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Anaheim Ducks:
How They Finished: 47-30-5
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Anaheim Ducks:
How They Finished: 47-30-5
2nd in Pacific Division, 4th in Western Conference
What Went Wrong:
The Ducks lost goalie Jonas Hiller to vertigo like symptoms back in February. In the interim they used Curtis McElhiney at first until he was traded to Tampa Bay for Dan Ellis.
When they found out that Hiller would not return in time for the playoffs they signed Ray Emery, who was coming off of major hip surgery, to play goalie for them.
The other thing that hurt the Ducks was they faced the one team in the 1st round that they needed to avoid.
Nashville has a great core of defenseman lead by Shea Weber & Ryan Suter. Add in Vezina trophy candidate Pekka Rinne & the Predators were a team that could contain the offense of the Ducks.
The Ducks top line of Corey Perry (2G, 6A) Ryan Getzlaf (2G, 4A) & Bobby Ryan (3G, 1A) played well but never did take control of the game like they did in the regular season. Losing Ryan to a two game suspension didn't help their cause.
But the thing I think that hurt the Ducks most was it was Nashville's time. Remember last year the Predators were on the brink of beating Chicago in Game 5 only to give up the tying goal late & lose in overtime. They then went on to lose the series in six games.
Fast forward to a year later and it is the same situation except that Anaheim has the lead and are on the brink of winning Game 5. Just like the previous year a late goal is given up to tie the game leading to the game winning goal in overtime but this time it was Nashville coming through.
What Went Wrong:
The Ducks lost goalie Jonas Hiller to vertigo like symptoms back in February. In the interim they used Curtis McElhiney at first until he was traded to Tampa Bay for Dan Ellis.
When they found out that Hiller would not return in time for the playoffs they signed Ray Emery, who was coming off of major hip surgery, to play goalie for them.
The other thing that hurt the Ducks was they faced the one team in the 1st round that they needed to avoid.
Nashville has a great core of defenseman lead by Shea Weber & Ryan Suter. Add in Vezina trophy candidate Pekka Rinne & the Predators were a team that could contain the offense of the Ducks.
The Ducks top line of Corey Perry (2G, 6A) Ryan Getzlaf (2G, 4A) & Bobby Ryan (3G, 1A) played well but never did take control of the game like they did in the regular season. Losing Ryan to a two game suspension didn't help their cause.
But the thing I think that hurt the Ducks most was it was Nashville's time. Remember last year the Predators were on the brink of beating Chicago in Game 5 only to give up the tying goal late & lose in overtime. They then went on to lose the series in six games.
Fast forward to a year later and it is the same situation except that Anaheim has the lead and are on the brink of winning Game 5. Just like the previous year a late goal is given up to tie the game leading to the game winning goal in overtime but this time it was Nashville coming through.
After that the Predators had control and there was no way Anaheim was winning Game six in Nashville.
Where Do They Go From Here:
I actually think the Ducks are in decent shape. They returned to the playoffs after a one year absence and finished strong this season. They have one of if not the top line in hockey & good scoring depth up front.
I was not impressed with the defenseman this season from a defensive standpoint but it is a young group that should improve next season.
Cam Fowler & Luca Sbisa were regulars for the 1st time & are both good enough to fill the void left by Scott Niedermeyer on defense.
I'm not saying they will be the 2nd coming of Niedermeyer & Pronger but they should develop into the best pair of defenseman the Ducks have had since Niedermeyer & Pronger played together.
The key thing for the Ducks is the health of Jonas Hiller in net. If Hiller doesn't get hurt in February there is a chance the Ducks win the Pacific Division & finish 2nd in the Western Conference.
With Hiller in net the Ducks were a Stanley Cup contender. Without him they are another talented team that is just good enough to go so far in the playoffs. His health and how the defenseman mature will determine how far Anaheim goes next season.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
New York Rangers:
How They Finished: Finished 44-33-5 93 points.
3rd in the Atlantic Division, 8th in the Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
The Rangers lost Ryan Callahan to a broken ankle right before the start of the playoffs. Callahan only played in 60 games this season but he finished 2nd on the team in goals (23) and points (48).
More importantly he was one of those forwards who could do just about anything. He score goals, he could set up goals, he could play defense against the other teams top line. In the 5 years Callahan has been in the NHL he has become one of the most important players on the Rangers. His presence simply can not be replaced.
And yet if Callahan was healthy I'm not sure it would have made a difference.
The Rangers clinched their playoff berth thanks to a Carolina loss on the next to last day of the season. If Carolina wins that game the Rangers miss the post-season for the 2nd year in a row.
However Carolina lost allowing New York to finish 8th in the East and face Washington in the 1st round.
In the series Henrik Lundqvist played well enough in goal to give the Rangers a chance to win but Michal Neuvirth played just as well in goal for the Capitals leading them to wins in the first two games of the series.
The Rangers were able to win game three back in New York and had a 3-0 lead in Game four before Washington scored three unanswered goals to force overtime. In double overtime Jason Chimera scored a freak goal to give the Capitals a 4-3 win & control of the series.
In Game 5 the Rangers needed to take control of the game early and plant a seed of doubt in the heads of the Capitals & their fans. Instead the Capitals scored the first goal of the game and added two more before New York scored with 31 seconds left to play. At that point the game was in hand & the Rangers season was coming to an end.
Where Do They Go From Here:
The Rangers actually did a lot better than I thought they would this season.
At the start of the season I thought they would miss the playoffs & John Tortorella would be fired as head coach.
Well it took until the penultimate day of the season but New York did make the playoffs.
One thing the Rangers have managed to do a good job of the last few years is drafting & developing homegrown talent instead of trying to build an all-star team through free agency.
Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Henrik Lundqvist, & Marc Staal were all drafted by the Rangers and make up the core of the team that should keep them competitive.
What the Rangers need is for their goal scores to show up. Marian Gaborik was a non factor this season scoring only 22 goals in the regular season and one goal in the playoffs. If I was the Rangers I would be expecting a little more out of my forward if I was paying him 7.5 million a year.
The core of this team is good and as long as Lundqvist is in goal the Rangers will be a threat to make the playoffs but they need more scoring from their forwards if they want to take that next step. Otherwise another one and done is likely to be expected come next April.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Phoenix Coyotes
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Phoenix Coyotes:
How they got here: Finished 43-26-13 99 points.
3rd in Pacific Division, 6th in the Western Conference.
What went wrong:
For starters they drew the Detroit Red Wings in the 1st round. Now I know the Red wings aren't as dominant as they have been in years past but it is a veteran hockey club that knows what it takes to win in the post-season. That was the case again this year.
Phoenix started strong against Detroit in game one taking an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately the Coyotes went 0-6 on the Power Play and couldn't take advantage of numerous Red Wings penalties. Detroit would score three goals in the 2nd period & never look back en route to a 4-2 win.
In game two, Detroit came out strong scoring the 1st four goals of the game before Phoenix knew what hit them. The Coyotes were able to get within one goal but ran out of time as the Red Wings won 4-3.
In game three the Coyotes were back home & hoping with the crowd behind them they could get an early jump on the Red Wings. Instead Detroit scored two goals 44 seconds apart in the 1st period to give them a lead they would never relinquish as they won 4-2.
Phoenix fell behind 1-0 in game four before answering with two quick goals to give them their first lead since game one of the series. The two clubs would trade goals back & forth until Dan Cleary scored from a difficult angle to give Detroit a 4-3 lead. Todd Bertuzzi would add an insurance goal to give the Red Wings a 5-3 win & a series sweep.
For the Coyotes to be able to win this series Ilya Bryzgalov needed to be the best player in the series. Bryzgalov finished 0-4 with a 4.36 GAA & a save percentage of .879. Not a good series for the soon-to-be free agent.
Another thing that hurt Phoenix was recent history. Last season they pushed Detroit to the brink losing to them in seven games. Watching this series it looked like Detroit remembered that and was determined to end this series as soon as possible. The Coyotes missed their opportunity and were playing catch up for the rest of the series.
Where do they go from here:
That is the question everyone is wondering. The Coyotes filed for bankruptcy two years ago & have been owned by the NHL since then.
Potential owners have been linked to buying the franchise & keeping them in the desert only to have the deal fall through.
The latest saga involves Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer attempt to purchase the franchise which is being held up by the Goldwater Institute. The Goldwater Institute is challenging the sale based the proposed sale of bonds to finance the Hulsizer purchase on the grounds that the deal between the city of Glendale and Hulsizer would violate the Arizona Constitution.
With no deal in place & the NHL losing money trying to keep the Coyotes in the desert other ownership options are being considered & their is a group in Winnipeg that is standing by ready to purchase the team & move them back to Manitoba.
Reports of a potential move & sale surfaced right before game one & I'm guessing that had to be on the players mind as they took to the ice. It's not the reason Phoenix lost the series but the off ice drama didn't help.
Will the Coyotes be in Phoenix next season or will they return to Winnipeg? At this point we don't know.
What we do know is that one way or another the ownership situation should be resolved in the next couple of months. Once it is resolved there will be a solid nucleus in place for ownership to build around & keep the Coyotes competitive. Until then all we can do is wait & see what happens.
Just like they are doing in Phoenix & Winnipeg.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Phoenix Coyotes:
How they got here: Finished 43-26-13 99 points.
3rd in Pacific Division, 6th in the Western Conference.
What went wrong:
For starters they drew the Detroit Red Wings in the 1st round. Now I know the Red wings aren't as dominant as they have been in years past but it is a veteran hockey club that knows what it takes to win in the post-season. That was the case again this year.
Phoenix started strong against Detroit in game one taking an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately the Coyotes went 0-6 on the Power Play and couldn't take advantage of numerous Red Wings penalties. Detroit would score three goals in the 2nd period & never look back en route to a 4-2 win.
In game two, Detroit came out strong scoring the 1st four goals of the game before Phoenix knew what hit them. The Coyotes were able to get within one goal but ran out of time as the Red Wings won 4-3.
In game three the Coyotes were back home & hoping with the crowd behind them they could get an early jump on the Red Wings. Instead Detroit scored two goals 44 seconds apart in the 1st period to give them a lead they would never relinquish as they won 4-2.
Phoenix fell behind 1-0 in game four before answering with two quick goals to give them their first lead since game one of the series. The two clubs would trade goals back & forth until Dan Cleary scored from a difficult angle to give Detroit a 4-3 lead. Todd Bertuzzi would add an insurance goal to give the Red Wings a 5-3 win & a series sweep.
For the Coyotes to be able to win this series Ilya Bryzgalov needed to be the best player in the series. Bryzgalov finished 0-4 with a 4.36 GAA & a save percentage of .879. Not a good series for the soon-to-be free agent.
Another thing that hurt Phoenix was recent history. Last season they pushed Detroit to the brink losing to them in seven games. Watching this series it looked like Detroit remembered that and was determined to end this series as soon as possible. The Coyotes missed their opportunity and were playing catch up for the rest of the series.
Where do they go from here:
That is the question everyone is wondering. The Coyotes filed for bankruptcy two years ago & have been owned by the NHL since then.
Potential owners have been linked to buying the franchise & keeping them in the desert only to have the deal fall through.
The latest saga involves Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer attempt to purchase the franchise which is being held up by the Goldwater Institute. The Goldwater Institute is challenging the sale based the proposed sale of bonds to finance the Hulsizer purchase on the grounds that the deal between the city of Glendale and Hulsizer would violate the Arizona Constitution.
With no deal in place & the NHL losing money trying to keep the Coyotes in the desert other ownership options are being considered & their is a group in Winnipeg that is standing by ready to purchase the team & move them back to Manitoba.
Reports of a potential move & sale surfaced right before game one & I'm guessing that had to be on the players mind as they took to the ice. It's not the reason Phoenix lost the series but the off ice drama didn't help.
Will the Coyotes be in Phoenix next season or will they return to Winnipeg? At this point we don't know.
What we do know is that one way or another the ownership situation should be resolved in the next couple of months. Once it is resolved there will be a solid nucleus in place for ownership to build around & keep the Coyotes competitive. Until then all we can do is wait & see what happens.
Just like they are doing in Phoenix & Winnipeg.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Stanley Cup Playoff Power Poll.
The Stanley Cup playoffs started last Wednesday and so far everything has gone the way I thought they would.
Detroit took a two games to none lead over Phoenix even without Henrik Zetteberg in the lineup. What's scarier is it looks like they can turn it on or off when they want to. They need to find away to play a consistent 60 minutes before it burns them.
Washington leads the Rangers two games to one. The Capitals had a chance to go up 3-0 in the series but the Rangers were able to hold off Washington & win their 1st game of the series thanks to a goal by Brandon Dubinsky. I still think Washington wins this series as they have looked like the better team. Henrik Lundqvist needs to steal a game soon to give the Rangers a chance.
Nashville received a huge break with the suspension of Bobby Ryan & were able to take advantage defeating the Ducks yesterday 4-3. Nashville's defense came up big once again holding Anaheim to only 16 shots on goal. If Nashville can win game four that should be enough for them to win their 1st playoff series in franchise history.
Vancouver has Chicago on the brink of elimination thanks to their 3-2 win last night while the only major surprise so far is Montreal leading Boston 2-0. Of course if you read this blog that comes as no surprise as I predicted a Montreal series win.
Buffalo/Philadelphia, Pittsburgh/Tampa Bay, & San Jose/Los Angeles are all tied at one game a piece. It's still anybody series in those three matchups.
Here is the Stanley Cup Power Poll:
1. Vancouver 2-0
Canucks are one win away from exercising their playoff demons.
2. Montreal 2-0
Carey Price is playing this post-season like Jaroslav Halak last season.
3. Detroit 2-0
Won 1st two games but have yet to play a good 60 minutes of hockey.
4. Washington 2-1
Michal Neuvirth (1.22 GAA .951 Save percentage) is giving the Capitals the goaltending they have been lacking.
5. Nashville 2-1
If they win Game four they will win the series.
6. San Jose 1-1
Joe Pavelski continues to cement his reputation as a clutch player.
7. Pittsburgh 1-1
Control of the series against Tampa Bay is still up for grabs.
8. Buffalo 1-1
Need to be more disciplined on the ice against Philadelphia.
9. Tampa Bay 1-1
Nice response for the Lightning after being shutout in Game one.
10. Philadelphia 1-1
Only took two games before the goalie controversy started.
11. Los Angeles 1-1
Nice win over the Sharks without Anze Kopitar & Jarrett Stoll.
12. Anaheim 1-2
It's going to be tough to beat Nashville without Bobby Ryan.
13. New York 1-2
Played their best game of the series in a game they needed to win.
14. Boston 0-2
Do they even remember how to win a playoff game?
15. Phoenix 0-2
Failed to take advantage of their series against Detroit with Henrik Zetteberg out of the lineup.
16. Chicago 0-3
Their defense of the cup is about to come to a quick end.
Detroit took a two games to none lead over Phoenix even without Henrik Zetteberg in the lineup. What's scarier is it looks like they can turn it on or off when they want to. They need to find away to play a consistent 60 minutes before it burns them.
Washington leads the Rangers two games to one. The Capitals had a chance to go up 3-0 in the series but the Rangers were able to hold off Washington & win their 1st game of the series thanks to a goal by Brandon Dubinsky. I still think Washington wins this series as they have looked like the better team. Henrik Lundqvist needs to steal a game soon to give the Rangers a chance.
Nashville received a huge break with the suspension of Bobby Ryan & were able to take advantage defeating the Ducks yesterday 4-3. Nashville's defense came up big once again holding Anaheim to only 16 shots on goal. If Nashville can win game four that should be enough for them to win their 1st playoff series in franchise history.
Vancouver has Chicago on the brink of elimination thanks to their 3-2 win last night while the only major surprise so far is Montreal leading Boston 2-0. Of course if you read this blog that comes as no surprise as I predicted a Montreal series win.
Buffalo/Philadelphia, Pittsburgh/Tampa Bay, & San Jose/Los Angeles are all tied at one game a piece. It's still anybody series in those three matchups.
Here is the Stanley Cup Power Poll:
1. Vancouver 2-0
Canucks are one win away from exercising their playoff demons.
2. Montreal 2-0
Carey Price is playing this post-season like Jaroslav Halak last season.
3. Detroit 2-0
Won 1st two games but have yet to play a good 60 minutes of hockey.
4. Washington 2-1
Michal Neuvirth (1.22 GAA .951 Save percentage) is giving the Capitals the goaltending they have been lacking.
5. Nashville 2-1
If they win Game four they will win the series.
6. San Jose 1-1
Joe Pavelski continues to cement his reputation as a clutch player.
7. Pittsburgh 1-1
Control of the series against Tampa Bay is still up for grabs.
8. Buffalo 1-1
Need to be more disciplined on the ice against Philadelphia.
9. Tampa Bay 1-1
Nice response for the Lightning after being shutout in Game one.
10. Philadelphia 1-1
Only took two games before the goalie controversy started.
11. Los Angeles 1-1
Nice win over the Sharks without Anze Kopitar & Jarrett Stoll.
12. Anaheim 1-2
It's going to be tough to beat Nashville without Bobby Ryan.
13. New York 1-2
Played their best game of the series in a game they needed to win.
14. Boston 0-2
Do they even remember how to win a playoff game?
15. Phoenix 0-2
Failed to take advantage of their series against Detroit with Henrik Zetteberg out of the lineup.
16. Chicago 0-3
Their defense of the cup is about to come to a quick end.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Round one predictions: Part two
The Stanley Cup Playoffs got underway last night & all five games went the way I thought they would.
Chicago opened up defense of their Stanley Cup in Vancouver but the Canucks got goals from Chris Higgins & Jannik Hansen to give Vancouver a 2-0 win & a 1-0 lead in their best of seven series. Roberto Luongo came up big stopping all 32 shots.
Detroit fell behind Phoenix early 1-0 but were able to kill off numerous penalties before Pavel Datsyuk & Johan Franzen scored in the 2nd period giving the Wings a lead they would not relent en route to a 4-2 win & a 1-0 lead in their best of seven series.
In a battle of great defense vs great offense defense came through in Game one in Nashville's 4-1 win over Anaheim. Mike Fisher scored twice & Pekka Rinne made 27 saves in the win for the Predators. Teemu Selanne scored in a losing effort for the Ducks.
In the East Alex Semin scored his first playoff goal in 15 games to give the Capitals a 2-1 win in overtime over the New York Rangers. Matt Gilroy scored the 1st goal of the game for New York before Alexander Ovechkin tied the game late in the 3rd period to force overtime.
Pittsburgh continues to play well without Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin. Alexei Kovalev & Aaron Asham scored goals 18 seconds apart & Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 32 shots he faced to lead the Penguins to a 3-0 win over Tampa Bay. The Lightning dropped to 0-5 when opening a playoff series on the road.
That's a quick rundown about what happened last night. We have three more games tonight which means three more sets of 1st round predictions. We'll start in the east.
7. Buffalo vs. 2. Philadelphia
Season series: 2-1-1 Philadelphia.
Why Philadelphia will win:
The Flyers are the deepest team in the East. They can roll out four lines at forward that can match-up with whoever they play against.
They have seven players on their roster that scored at least 20 goals this season lead by Jeff Carter who had 36 on the season.
The additions of Sean O'Donnel & Andrej Mezaros made a good core of defenseman even stronger. If Chris Pronger is healthy it's like having a 2nd goalie on the ice.
Plus the Flyers feel they have unfinished business after making it to The Stanley Cup Finals last season only to fall short in six games.
Why Buffalo will win:
The Sabres finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL going 16-4-4 down the stretch & are 29-11-6 since Terry Pegula took over as owner of the club.
The Sabres were also quietly one of the best offensive teams in the NHL finishing 9th in the league with 240 goals. That something to keep in mind if Pronger misses a lot of time with his injury.
One other area Buffalo has an edge is in goal where Ryan Miller is playoff tested while Sergei Bobrovsky is making his playoff debut. It doesn't guarantee a win for Buffalo but if you know the goaltending history of both clubs you know why the Sabres have the edge here.
Prediction: Buffalo was one of the hottest teams down the stretch while Philadelphia had their struggles at the end of the season. Plus the Sabres always play the Flyers tough in the playoffs. I like Buffalo to pull the upset.
Sabres in 6.
6. Montreal vs. 3. Boston
Season series: 4-2 Montreal.
Why Montreal will win:
Because they have Boston's number. This is the 33rd time these two teams have met in the playoffs. Montreal has won 24 of the previous 32 meetings. Even when Boston has had better clubs Montreal has found a way to win in the playoffs.
Another thing to factor in is the playoff atmosphere in Montreal plus the tension lingering from the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty could be enough to give the Canadiens an emotional lift over the Bruins.
One player to keep an eye on in this series is P.K. Subban. I had a chance to watch him a month ago against Minnesota & I walked away very impressed. I have a feeling he will have a big impact in this series.
Why Boston will win:
Tim Thomas has been the best goalie in the NHL this year. Thomas finished with the best goals against average (2.00) & the best save percentage (.938) Add in the strength of Zdeno Chara on the blueline & you have a Bruins team that can be very difficult to score against.
One reason the Bruins failed in the playoffs last season is injuries finally caught up to them. Other than Marc Savard the Bruins come in to the playoffs healthy. The acquisition of Nathan Horton in the off-season & Chris Kelly at the deadline gives them depth at center they didn't have last season.
Prediction: There is a lot I like about the Bruins this season. They are a trendy Stanley Cup pick & would probably do well against most teams in the East. However the Canadiens always seems to have their number. I like the Bruins to go far if they can get by Montreal. Unfortunately I think the Habs get the best of them once again.
Canadiens in six.
Season series: 3-1-2 San Jose.
Why Los Angeles will win:
What carried the Kings this season were their defense & goaltending. The Kings give up nearly 28 shots a game which is 3rd lowest in the NHL & their penalty kill was 4th in the NHL (85.5%)
When you talk about great defensive duos Drew Doughty & Jack Johnson must be mentioned in the conversation. There is no debating this. Jonathan Quick & Johnathan Bernier gives the Kings two goaltenders that are capable of winning in the playoffs.
The Kings are expected to have Justin Williams back in the lineup after missing the last month of the season with a shoulder injury. Him & Dustin Penner will be expected to provide the scoring now that Anze Kopitar is out for the season with an ankle injury.
Why San Jose will win:
Seven forwards on the Sharks have scored 20 plus goals this season lead by Patrick Marleau who had 37. Joe Pavelski, who would play on the top line of most NHL teams is currently the 3rd line center for the Sharks.
The Sharks finally have a goaltender that is capable of winning a Stanley Cup. For many years Evgeni Nabokov would get outplayed by lesser goalies in the playoffs.
This year the Sharks have Antti Niemi in net who helped lead Chicago to the Stanley Cup last season. If he is good enough to do that in Chicago he should be good enough to do it in San Jose.
Prediction: There is a lot I like about the Kings & if Kopitar was healthy I think they could win this series. However with Kopitar being hurt it will be up to the Kings defense to give them a chance to win this series.
It might be good enough to stop San Jose once but the Sharks offense is too good to be stopped over seven games.
Sharks in 5.
Chicago opened up defense of their Stanley Cup in Vancouver but the Canucks got goals from Chris Higgins & Jannik Hansen to give Vancouver a 2-0 win & a 1-0 lead in their best of seven series. Roberto Luongo came up big stopping all 32 shots.
Detroit fell behind Phoenix early 1-0 but were able to kill off numerous penalties before Pavel Datsyuk & Johan Franzen scored in the 2nd period giving the Wings a lead they would not relent en route to a 4-2 win & a 1-0 lead in their best of seven series.
In a battle of great defense vs great offense defense came through in Game one in Nashville's 4-1 win over Anaheim. Mike Fisher scored twice & Pekka Rinne made 27 saves in the win for the Predators. Teemu Selanne scored in a losing effort for the Ducks.
In the East Alex Semin scored his first playoff goal in 15 games to give the Capitals a 2-1 win in overtime over the New York Rangers. Matt Gilroy scored the 1st goal of the game for New York before Alexander Ovechkin tied the game late in the 3rd period to force overtime.
Pittsburgh continues to play well without Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin. Alexei Kovalev & Aaron Asham scored goals 18 seconds apart & Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 32 shots he faced to lead the Penguins to a 3-0 win over Tampa Bay. The Lightning dropped to 0-5 when opening a playoff series on the road.
That's a quick rundown about what happened last night. We have three more games tonight which means three more sets of 1st round predictions. We'll start in the east.
7. Buffalo vs. 2. Philadelphia
Season series: 2-1-1 Philadelphia.
Why Philadelphia will win:
The Flyers are the deepest team in the East. They can roll out four lines at forward that can match-up with whoever they play against.
They have seven players on their roster that scored at least 20 goals this season lead by Jeff Carter who had 36 on the season.
The additions of Sean O'Donnel & Andrej Mezaros made a good core of defenseman even stronger. If Chris Pronger is healthy it's like having a 2nd goalie on the ice.
Plus the Flyers feel they have unfinished business after making it to The Stanley Cup Finals last season only to fall short in six games.
Why Buffalo will win:
The Sabres finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL going 16-4-4 down the stretch & are 29-11-6 since Terry Pegula took over as owner of the club.
The Sabres were also quietly one of the best offensive teams in the NHL finishing 9th in the league with 240 goals. That something to keep in mind if Pronger misses a lot of time with his injury.
One other area Buffalo has an edge is in goal where Ryan Miller is playoff tested while Sergei Bobrovsky is making his playoff debut. It doesn't guarantee a win for Buffalo but if you know the goaltending history of both clubs you know why the Sabres have the edge here.
Prediction: Buffalo was one of the hottest teams down the stretch while Philadelphia had their struggles at the end of the season. Plus the Sabres always play the Flyers tough in the playoffs. I like Buffalo to pull the upset.
Sabres in 6.
6. Montreal vs. 3. Boston
Season series: 4-2 Montreal.
Why Montreal will win:
Because they have Boston's number. This is the 33rd time these two teams have met in the playoffs. Montreal has won 24 of the previous 32 meetings. Even when Boston has had better clubs Montreal has found a way to win in the playoffs.
Another thing to factor in is the playoff atmosphere in Montreal plus the tension lingering from the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty could be enough to give the Canadiens an emotional lift over the Bruins.
One player to keep an eye on in this series is P.K. Subban. I had a chance to watch him a month ago against Minnesota & I walked away very impressed. I have a feeling he will have a big impact in this series.
Why Boston will win:
Tim Thomas has been the best goalie in the NHL this year. Thomas finished with the best goals against average (2.00) & the best save percentage (.938) Add in the strength of Zdeno Chara on the blueline & you have a Bruins team that can be very difficult to score against.
One reason the Bruins failed in the playoffs last season is injuries finally caught up to them. Other than Marc Savard the Bruins come in to the playoffs healthy. The acquisition of Nathan Horton in the off-season & Chris Kelly at the deadline gives them depth at center they didn't have last season.
Prediction: There is a lot I like about the Bruins this season. They are a trendy Stanley Cup pick & would probably do well against most teams in the East. However the Canadiens always seems to have their number. I like the Bruins to go far if they can get by Montreal. Unfortunately I think the Habs get the best of them once again.
Canadiens in six.
Season series: 3-1-2 San Jose.
Why Los Angeles will win:
What carried the Kings this season were their defense & goaltending. The Kings give up nearly 28 shots a game which is 3rd lowest in the NHL & their penalty kill was 4th in the NHL (85.5%)
When you talk about great defensive duos Drew Doughty & Jack Johnson must be mentioned in the conversation. There is no debating this. Jonathan Quick & Johnathan Bernier gives the Kings two goaltenders that are capable of winning in the playoffs.
The Kings are expected to have Justin Williams back in the lineup after missing the last month of the season with a shoulder injury. Him & Dustin Penner will be expected to provide the scoring now that Anze Kopitar is out for the season with an ankle injury.
Why San Jose will win:
Seven forwards on the Sharks have scored 20 plus goals this season lead by Patrick Marleau who had 37. Joe Pavelski, who would play on the top line of most NHL teams is currently the 3rd line center for the Sharks.
The Sharks finally have a goaltender that is capable of winning a Stanley Cup. For many years Evgeni Nabokov would get outplayed by lesser goalies in the playoffs.
This year the Sharks have Antti Niemi in net who helped lead Chicago to the Stanley Cup last season. If he is good enough to do that in Chicago he should be good enough to do it in San Jose.
Prediction: There is a lot I like about the Kings & if Kopitar was healthy I think they could win this series. However with Kopitar being hurt it will be up to the Kings defense to give them a chance to win this series.
It might be good enough to stop San Jose once but the Sharks offense is too good to be stopped over seven games.
Sharks in 5.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Round one predictions: Part one
Tonight is the night hockey fans look forward to every spring. The Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway with five games this evening.
Before we preview tonight's games. On Monday I ranked the playoff teams that I thought had the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. In the finals I'm picking San Jose over Washington to win the cup but as we know every spring there are upsets.
So which teams will fall in the 1st round & which ones will survive? Let's start with the games tonight.
5. Tampa Bay vs. 4. Pittsburgh
Season series: 2-2.
Why Tampa will win:
The last couple seasons the Lightning had the talent to make the playoffs but not the confidence. That has changed this season under new ownership & the guidance of GM Steve Yzerman & coach Guy Boucher.
With Crosby & Malkin out of the lineup, the Lightning are the better team offensively.Steven Stamkos was 2nd in the NHL with 45 goals & Martin St. Louis lead the Lightning in points with 99. Add in Vincent Lecavalier (25G, 29A) Ryan Malone (14G, 24A) & Steve Downie (10G, 22A) & you have two good lines that are a threat to score whenever they are on the ice.
Dwayne Roloson filled a huge hole at goalie finishing the season with a GAA on 2.56 & a save percentage of .912 He done well in the playoffs during stints with Buffalo, Minnesota & Edmonton & is capable of stealing a series.
Why Pittsburgh will win:
Despite injuries to Crosby & Malkin the Penguins thrived finishing 4th in the East & nearly winning the Atlantic Division.
The main reason was the play of Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. He had an MVP type season finishing with GAA of 2.32 & a save percentage of .918.
Another important factor is the play of Kris Letang & Brooks Orpik on defense. Their main role will be to contain the combo of Stamkos & St. Louis when they are on the ice.
Jordan Staal has proven is worth as a number one center filling in for Crosby on the top line. Staal scored 11 goals, 19 assists & was a +7 on the ice going against the top lines of Penguins opponents.
Dan Bylsma has done a great job with this roster adapting to all the injuries the Penguins have had. He should be able to match-up his lines & counter what Guy Boucher does with Tampa.
Prediction: Pittsburgh has been resilient all season. They have found away to overcome every obstacle they have faced. I think Tampa is a good hockey team but I think they are still learning how to win.
Penguins in six.
8. New York vs. 1. Washington
Season series: 3-1 New York.
Why New York will win:
The Rangers played well on the road this season going 24-16-1 they have thrived on adversity this season & their young players have started to finally come of age. One of the reasons was the play of Henrik Lundqvist in goal.
Lundqvist lead the NHL with 11 shutouts on the season & gave his team a chance to win most nights. He'll need to do so again with the Rangers scoring woes up front.
Marian Gaborik had an off-season for him only scoring 22 goals & Ryan Callahan (23G, 25A) is out of the lineup with a broken ankle. The Rangers did receive some good news with the return of Chris Drury to the lineup. Drury has been a proven winner wherever he has played & will be counted on to lead a young squad in the playoffs.
Why Washington will win:
For a team has the ability to score goals, they have played more conservatively this season finishing fourth in the league in goals against. Alex Ovechkin finished with the lowest goal total of his career scoring 32 goals on the season.
Don't let the stats fool you, lead by Ovechkin, Alexander Semin (26G, 24A) Nicklas Backstrom (18G, 47A) the Capitals are a threat to score at anytime on the ice.
Michal Neuvirth gets a chance to be the man in goal for the Capitals. In 48 games Neuvirth finished with a GAA of 2.45 & a save percentage of .914. He has never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs but he has won two Calder cups with the Hershey Bears in the AHL.
Prediction: The Capitals were the hottest team in the NHL finishing 16-3-1 in overtaking Philadelphia for the top spot in the East. That trend will continue into the playoffs defeating a Rangers team that has trouble scoring goals.
Capitals in five
6. Phoenix vs. 3. Detroit
Season series: 2-1-1 Detroit.
Why Phoenix will win:
Last season, it took the Red Wings seven games to defeat Phoenix. The Coyotes know they can play with the Wings & have to like the fact they get another shot at Detroit.
With Ilya Bryzgalov in net Phoenix has an advantage over the Wings in goal and their defense seems to be surrendering fewer scoring chances. Factor in Detroit's struggles down the stretch & Phoenix feels it can win it's 1st playoff series since 1987 when they were in Winnipeg.
Why Detroit will win:
The Red Wings are loaded with talent up front while The Coyotes don't have a superstar scorer. Detroit's power play is ranked 5th in the NHL and is going against the Coyotes 26th ranked penalty killing. While Phoenix does have a good group of defenseman none of them compare to Nicklas Lidstrom, who is the closest thing to Bobby Orr the NHL has seen since Orr retired.
Prediction: Detroit did struggle at times down the stretch but this is a veteran team that know what it takes to win in the playoffs. I think Phoenix is the best match-up for them. The Coyotes will challenge them but Detroit will win the series.
Red Wings in seven
8. Chicago vs. 1. Vancouver
Season series: 2-2.
Why Chicago will win:
Because they have beat Vancouver in the playoffs the last two seasons. Yes I am aware that both teams are different compared to previous meetings but a lot of the key players are still in place.
It will be up to Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook to contain the Sedin twins when they are on the ice. Chicago will have an edge there when they play at the United Center. What will be interesting to see is how Alain Vigneault & Joel Quennville handle the match-ups when their respective clubs don't have the final change.
The Blackhawks may not be as deep as they have been in previous seasons but their best players are still on the club. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa & Patrick Sharp are all threats to score whenever they have the puck. Chicago's depth isn't as good as Vancouver's but their top two lines match-up well.
Why Vancouver will win:
Simply put the Canucks are the deepest team in the NHL. They added a puck moving defenseman in Keith Ballard in the off-season which made them more mobile & they added Dan Hamhuis from Nashville which made them more aggressive on the blueline.
Up front Henrik Sedin (19G, 75A) picked up right where he lead off last season when he won the Hart Trophy while his brother Daniel had an MVP season of is own leading the NHL in scoring with 104 points. (41G, 63A)
Also up front the Canucks have Ryan Kesler (41G, 32A), who I think is the best two way forward in the NHL. I believe Kesler may be more important to his team than any other player in the NHL.
Roberto Luongo is well rested going into this series playing only 60 games in goal this season finishing with a GAA of 2.11 & a save percentage of .928. His Backup Cory Schneider played in 25 games finishing with a GAA of 2.23 & a save percentage of .929. Either one gives the Canucks an edge over Corey Crawford of Chicago who has only 16 minutes of experience in the Stanley Cup.
Prediction: A lot of people are picking Chicago to pull the upset on Vancouver because of what happened the last two seasons. While you can't argue with history you also have to overcome your playoff demons if you want to take that next step. I believe that is what Vancouver does here.
Canucks in six.
5. Nashville vs. 4. Anaheim
Season series: 3-1 Nashville.
Why Nashville will win:
The Tandem of Ryan Suter & Shea Weber might be the best pairing in the NHL. Because they play in Nashville most people aren't aware of it. Those two along with Pekka Rinne in goal is enough to contain the Ducks top line of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry & Bobby Ryan.
What Nashville needs is one of their forwards to step up offensively. The two times I saw Anaheim in person I was not impressed with the play of their defenseman. Factor in the problems the Ducks have had in goal since Jonas Hiller came down with vertigo like symptoms & The Predators should be able score goals.
Why Anaheim will win:
The Ducks have the best top line in the NHL right now. Corey Perry lead the NHL in goals with 50 while Ryan & Getzlaf each added 19 & 34 respectively. However the Ducks have more than one line that can score.
Teemu Selanne had 31 goals on the 2nd line season which is the most he has scored since 06-07 when he had 48. Jason Blake (16G) & Saku Koivu (15G) make up the rest of the 2nd line.
For as bad as I think Anaheim is on the blueline from a defensive standpoint they are pretty good offensively.
Lubomir Visnovsky scored 18 goals to lead all Anaheim defenseman and might be playing the best hockey of his career. His puck-moving ability adds more danger when the top line is on the ice.
The play of Toni Lydman on the blueline has help to solidify the offense & Cam Fowler is developing into the next top offensive defenseman everyone thought he would be when he was drafted.
Prediction: What you have here is two teams who each do one thing remarkably well. Is Anaheim's offense enough to win the series or can the Predators defense carry Nashville to their 1st ever playoff series win.
I kept saying all year that Nashville was the one team nobody wanted to see in the 1st round. The Ducks are going to find out why.
Predators in 6.
I'll be back tomorrow with a preview of the other three playoff series. Until then thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Before we preview tonight's games. On Monday I ranked the playoff teams that I thought had the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. In the finals I'm picking San Jose over Washington to win the cup but as we know every spring there are upsets.
So which teams will fall in the 1st round & which ones will survive? Let's start with the games tonight.
5. Tampa Bay vs. 4. Pittsburgh
Season series: 2-2.
Why Tampa will win:
The last couple seasons the Lightning had the talent to make the playoffs but not the confidence. That has changed this season under new ownership & the guidance of GM Steve Yzerman & coach Guy Boucher.
With Crosby & Malkin out of the lineup, the Lightning are the better team offensively.Steven Stamkos was 2nd in the NHL with 45 goals & Martin St. Louis lead the Lightning in points with 99. Add in Vincent Lecavalier (25G, 29A) Ryan Malone (14G, 24A) & Steve Downie (10G, 22A) & you have two good lines that are a threat to score whenever they are on the ice.
Dwayne Roloson filled a huge hole at goalie finishing the season with a GAA on 2.56 & a save percentage of .912 He done well in the playoffs during stints with Buffalo, Minnesota & Edmonton & is capable of stealing a series.
Why Pittsburgh will win:
Despite injuries to Crosby & Malkin the Penguins thrived finishing 4th in the East & nearly winning the Atlantic Division.
The main reason was the play of Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. He had an MVP type season finishing with GAA of 2.32 & a save percentage of .918.
Another important factor is the play of Kris Letang & Brooks Orpik on defense. Their main role will be to contain the combo of Stamkos & St. Louis when they are on the ice.
Jordan Staal has proven is worth as a number one center filling in for Crosby on the top line. Staal scored 11 goals, 19 assists & was a +7 on the ice going against the top lines of Penguins opponents.
Dan Bylsma has done a great job with this roster adapting to all the injuries the Penguins have had. He should be able to match-up his lines & counter what Guy Boucher does with Tampa.
Prediction: Pittsburgh has been resilient all season. They have found away to overcome every obstacle they have faced. I think Tampa is a good hockey team but I think they are still learning how to win.
Penguins in six.
8. New York vs. 1. Washington
Season series: 3-1 New York.
Why New York will win:
The Rangers played well on the road this season going 24-16-1 they have thrived on adversity this season & their young players have started to finally come of age. One of the reasons was the play of Henrik Lundqvist in goal.
Lundqvist lead the NHL with 11 shutouts on the season & gave his team a chance to win most nights. He'll need to do so again with the Rangers scoring woes up front.
Marian Gaborik had an off-season for him only scoring 22 goals & Ryan Callahan (23G, 25A) is out of the lineup with a broken ankle. The Rangers did receive some good news with the return of Chris Drury to the lineup. Drury has been a proven winner wherever he has played & will be counted on to lead a young squad in the playoffs.
Why Washington will win:
For a team has the ability to score goals, they have played more conservatively this season finishing fourth in the league in goals against. Alex Ovechkin finished with the lowest goal total of his career scoring 32 goals on the season.
Don't let the stats fool you, lead by Ovechkin, Alexander Semin (26G, 24A) Nicklas Backstrom (18G, 47A) the Capitals are a threat to score at anytime on the ice.
Michal Neuvirth gets a chance to be the man in goal for the Capitals. In 48 games Neuvirth finished with a GAA of 2.45 & a save percentage of .914. He has never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs but he has won two Calder cups with the Hershey Bears in the AHL.
Prediction: The Capitals were the hottest team in the NHL finishing 16-3-1 in overtaking Philadelphia for the top spot in the East. That trend will continue into the playoffs defeating a Rangers team that has trouble scoring goals.
Capitals in five
6. Phoenix vs. 3. Detroit
Season series: 2-1-1 Detroit.
Why Phoenix will win:
Last season, it took the Red Wings seven games to defeat Phoenix. The Coyotes know they can play with the Wings & have to like the fact they get another shot at Detroit.
With Ilya Bryzgalov in net Phoenix has an advantage over the Wings in goal and their defense seems to be surrendering fewer scoring chances. Factor in Detroit's struggles down the stretch & Phoenix feels it can win it's 1st playoff series since 1987 when they were in Winnipeg.
Why Detroit will win:
The Red Wings are loaded with talent up front while The Coyotes don't have a superstar scorer. Detroit's power play is ranked 5th in the NHL and is going against the Coyotes 26th ranked penalty killing. While Phoenix does have a good group of defenseman none of them compare to Nicklas Lidstrom, who is the closest thing to Bobby Orr the NHL has seen since Orr retired.
Prediction: Detroit did struggle at times down the stretch but this is a veteran team that know what it takes to win in the playoffs. I think Phoenix is the best match-up for them. The Coyotes will challenge them but Detroit will win the series.
Red Wings in seven
8. Chicago vs. 1. Vancouver
Season series: 2-2.
Why Chicago will win:
Because they have beat Vancouver in the playoffs the last two seasons. Yes I am aware that both teams are different compared to previous meetings but a lot of the key players are still in place.
It will be up to Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook to contain the Sedin twins when they are on the ice. Chicago will have an edge there when they play at the United Center. What will be interesting to see is how Alain Vigneault & Joel Quennville handle the match-ups when their respective clubs don't have the final change.
The Blackhawks may not be as deep as they have been in previous seasons but their best players are still on the club. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa & Patrick Sharp are all threats to score whenever they have the puck. Chicago's depth isn't as good as Vancouver's but their top two lines match-up well.
Why Vancouver will win:
Simply put the Canucks are the deepest team in the NHL. They added a puck moving defenseman in Keith Ballard in the off-season which made them more mobile & they added Dan Hamhuis from Nashville which made them more aggressive on the blueline.
Up front Henrik Sedin (19G, 75A) picked up right where he lead off last season when he won the Hart Trophy while his brother Daniel had an MVP season of is own leading the NHL in scoring with 104 points. (41G, 63A)
Also up front the Canucks have Ryan Kesler (41G, 32A), who I think is the best two way forward in the NHL. I believe Kesler may be more important to his team than any other player in the NHL.
Roberto Luongo is well rested going into this series playing only 60 games in goal this season finishing with a GAA of 2.11 & a save percentage of .928. His Backup Cory Schneider played in 25 games finishing with a GAA of 2.23 & a save percentage of .929. Either one gives the Canucks an edge over Corey Crawford of Chicago who has only 16 minutes of experience in the Stanley Cup.
Prediction: A lot of people are picking Chicago to pull the upset on Vancouver because of what happened the last two seasons. While you can't argue with history you also have to overcome your playoff demons if you want to take that next step. I believe that is what Vancouver does here.
Canucks in six.
5. Nashville vs. 4. Anaheim
Season series: 3-1 Nashville.
Why Nashville will win:
The Tandem of Ryan Suter & Shea Weber might be the best pairing in the NHL. Because they play in Nashville most people aren't aware of it. Those two along with Pekka Rinne in goal is enough to contain the Ducks top line of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry & Bobby Ryan.
What Nashville needs is one of their forwards to step up offensively. The two times I saw Anaheim in person I was not impressed with the play of their defenseman. Factor in the problems the Ducks have had in goal since Jonas Hiller came down with vertigo like symptoms & The Predators should be able score goals.
Why Anaheim will win:
The Ducks have the best top line in the NHL right now. Corey Perry lead the NHL in goals with 50 while Ryan & Getzlaf each added 19 & 34 respectively. However the Ducks have more than one line that can score.
Teemu Selanne had 31 goals on the 2nd line season which is the most he has scored since 06-07 when he had 48. Jason Blake (16G) & Saku Koivu (15G) make up the rest of the 2nd line.
For as bad as I think Anaheim is on the blueline from a defensive standpoint they are pretty good offensively.
Lubomir Visnovsky scored 18 goals to lead all Anaheim defenseman and might be playing the best hockey of his career. His puck-moving ability adds more danger when the top line is on the ice.
The play of Toni Lydman on the blueline has help to solidify the offense & Cam Fowler is developing into the next top offensive defenseman everyone thought he would be when he was drafted.
Prediction: What you have here is two teams who each do one thing remarkably well. Is Anaheim's offense enough to win the series or can the Predators defense carry Nashville to their 1st ever playoff series win.
I kept saying all year that Nashville was the one team nobody wanted to see in the 1st round. The Ducks are going to find out why.
Predators in 6.
I'll be back tomorrow with a preview of the other three playoff series. Until then thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Monday, April 11, 2011
2011 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview
Well after six months the NHL regular season has come to an end. Now the fun begins this Wednesday when The Stanley Cup Playoffs start.
For the 1st time I can remember all 16 teams in the post-season have a real chance to play in the Stanley Cup Finals but in my mind only six teams have a chance to win the cup.
So who do I like? Each team has a unique characteristic this post-season. So I think the only fair thing to do is breakdown each team from 16 to 1.
Let's start on Broadway.
The Team that Leaves You Wanting More: New York Rangers
The New York Rangers seem to be always one of those teams that no matter who they have on their roster they should always be better than what they are.
This year is no different for the blueshirts. They have a goalie in Henrik Lundqvist that is one of the best in the game and A young core of defenseman that are as good offensively as they are defensively.
Yet their forwards leave you wanting more. Marian Gaborik only scored 22 goals compared to the 42 he scored last season. Brandon Dubinsky lead the Rangers in goals this season with a career high 24 and Ryan Callahan was 2nd on the team with a career high 23 goals.
The defense is good enough to keep the Rangers in most games but Callahan is out with a broken ankle so someone is going to have to pick up the scoring & Lundqvist will have to steal a couple games if the Rangers are to go far in the playoffs.
The Defending Stanley Cup Champions: Chicago Blackhawks
It took 82 games & even then the Blackhawks had to wait to find out if they were in. Thanks to the Minnesota Wild's 5-3 win over Dallas, Chicago will have the chance to defend the Stanley Cup.
Make no mistake, the Blackhawks are still have a lot of talent on their roster but one of the reasons they struggled to make the playoffs is because their role players weren't has good as they were last season.
They still have two talented lines that can score & a blueline that can play with any other team's top lines but for Chicago to advance their 3rd & 4th lines will have to be better than the other teams 3rd & 4th lines.
The Team That Came Out Of Nowhere: Buffalo Sabres
At the All-Star break the Sabres were on the outside looking in at a playoff berth & there was some question as to whether or not they would make it.
Since the break the Sabres went 20-8-5 & clinched the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The key to success for Buffalo is goalie Ryan Miller. Miller finished the season with a GAA of 2.59 & a save percentage of .916. What also needs to be taken in consideration is Miller did that with a team that finished 17th in the league in goals against.
While the team defense may have been mediocre all year the Sabres did manage to finish 9th in the league in scoring. That is impressive considering they were with out forward Derek Roy for half the season with a torn quad tendon.
The Sabres are traditionally one of the toughest teams to play against in the playoffs. Throw in the fact they have been playing playoff style hockey since March & this is a dangerous team to face in the 1st round.
I don't think they are good enough to win the Stanley Cup but with Miller in net it wouldn't surprise me if they go far.
The Darkhorse: Los Angeles Kings
I was a little higher on the Kings before they lost Anze Kopitar & Justin Williams for the season due to injuries but there is still a lot about them I do like.
I like the combination of Jonathan Quick & Jonathan Bernier in goal & I like their core of defenseman led by Drew Doughty & Jack Johnson. Both are good enough to keep any team they play against from scoring goals. Up front The Kings still have two good lines that can score goals & play with most playoff teams.
Don't let their seed fool you. This is a good young hockey club that is one of the tougher teams in the Western Conference. I don't think they will win the Stanley Cup but it wouldn't surprise me if they win the Clarence Campbell Bowl & reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Glass Ceiling: Phoenix Coyotes
You know how in life there are some situations where no matter what you do you can't advance any farther than where you are?
Well when it comes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs the Phoenix Coyotes are one of those teams.
You have to go back to 1987 when they were the Winnipeg Jets to find the last time the Coyotes won a playoff series.
They have made the playoff five times since moving to the desert losing each time in the 1st round with two of the series going seven games.
Their goaltending is good enough to go far in the playoffs & you won't find many teams that are going to outwork the Coyotes on the ice. With all the turmoil off the ice surrounding the franchise this may be the final chance for them to win a series in the desert.
The Napoleon Complex: Montreal Canadiens
I refer to the Canadiens this way because despite their lack of size up front they usually find a way to succeed early in the playoffs before it catches up with them.
They decided to keep Carey Price instead of Jaroslav Halak after last season & Price rewarded them with the best season of his young career winning 38 games with a GAA of 2.35 & a save percentage of .923.
Price will need to be that good in the playoffs as the Canadiens had trouble scoring goals this year averaging 2.6 per game.
Their defense was very good though finishing 8th in the league with 206 goals against. Like last year the Canadiens defense will be what carries them in the playoffs.
Reaching their Potential: Tampa Bay Lightning
The last couple season I have thought the Tampa Bay Lightning were a team that with the talent on their roster was good enough to reach the playoffs.
Instead the Lightning finished 14th & 12th in the Eastern Conference.
This season I thought the Lightning were good enough to clinch the final spot in the East.
The Lightning ended up being one of the best teams in the league spending most of the year on top in the Southeast before being overtaken by Washington.
I watched them last weekend against the Wild & they reminded me of the 2007 Pittsburgh Penguins, a team with a young nucleus of talent that is ready to make an impact in the playoffs.
One main difference is that they still have Vincent Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both of whom won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004. Those two will be leaned upon heavily for guidance as Tampa makes their 1st playoff appearance since 2007.
The Lightning are a good hockey team. How good are they? We are about to find out.
The Team Nobody Wants to Play: Nashville Predators
The Predators are another team that could qualify for glass ceiling status as they have yet to win a playoff series in franchise history.
However they have a rock solid core of defenseman led by Shea Weber & Ryan Suter. Throw in goaltender Pekka Rinne who is 3rd in the league in Goals Against & 2nd in Save Percentage and you have a team that is very difficult to score against.
Nashville is 21st in the league in goals scored so for the Predators to win in the post-season they can't afford to get in a shootout. If Nashville is to win their 1st ever playoff series it will be because of their defense.
They are good enough to shutdown the top scoring line of any team that they go against. This is the one team in the playoffs I would not want to play.
The One Man Gang: Anaheim Ducks
I describe the Ducks this way because they have been lead this year by the line of Corey Perry (50 G, 48 A) Ryan Getzlaf (19 G, 57 A) & Bobby Ryan (34 G, 37 A). You'll be hard pressed to find a better scoring line in the NHL.
What hurts the Ducks is their defense. They were 20th in the league in goals allowed & 19th on the penalty kill this season. Another concern for Anaheim is goalie Jonas Hiller has missed most of the 2nd half of the season with symptoms of Vertigo leaving Ray Emery & Dan Ellis to share duties in net for the Ducks.
Anaheim has enough scoring to carry them deep in the playoffs. Their defense will determine how far they actually make it.
The Measuring Stick: The Detroit Red Wings
For the last 20 seasons the Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs. In that time they have won four Stanley Cups, made six appearances in the Finals & have made it to the Conference Finals nine times.
What I find amazing is that seven times the team that has eliminated Detroit has gone on to play for the Stanley Cup with four teams winning it.
Well the Wings are back in the post-season once again & while they have a nucleus that knows how to win in the playoffs something seems to be missing this year.
Whether they are lacking that killer instinct they usually have or age is finally starting to catch up with them I don't know. What I do know is that if you are going to come out of the Western Conference chances are you are going to have to go through Detroit.
The Resilient Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
If I told you that the Penguins lost Sidney Crosby to a concussion back in January & Evgeni Malkin to a torn ACL in February how would you say they finished on the season?
You would probably think they finished 7th or 8th in the conference.
Well the Penguins did lose Crosby & Malkin but instead of mailing it in & holding on to a playoff spot the Penguins went 23-13-6 to finish 4th in the East & nearly win the Atlantic Division.
It looks like Crosby will miss the start of the playoffs but Jordan Staal has filled his void at center while trades for James Neal & Alexei Kovalev have filled the void by Malkin's injury.
I keep waiting for injuries to catch up to the Penguins & yet they keep on winning. If/when Crosby returns this team is going to be dangerous.
Looking for Redemption: Boston Bruins
Last May the Bruins lead Philadelphia three games to none in their best of seven series. They failed to win another game becoming the 3rd team in NHL history to lose a series after leading 3-0.
This season the Bruins rebounded to win the Northeast Division for the 2nd time in three seasons.
Of course none of that matters with the playoffs starting but I have to believe the Bruins would love nothingmatters with the playoffs starting but I have to believe the Bruins would love nothing more than to put last season far behind them.
One thing in their favor is their defense. Tim Thomas lead the NHL in goals against (2.00) & save percentage (.938) while the Bruins defense finished 2nd in the league in goals against (2.30)
Defense wasn't the problem last season for Boston, it was their lack of goal scoring. One positive for Boston was Zdeno Chara finished first the league in plus/minus at +33. He will need to find a way to stay on the ice & not in the penalty box for Boston to have success scoring goals.
Even without Marc Savard in the lineup they are healthier & deeper up front than they were last season. scoring should not be an issue this season as the Bruins look to win their 1st stanley cup since 1972.
Yeah, But...: Philadelphia Flyers
Everyone knows how this story goes, Great group of forwards that can score, Solid defense that is tough to score against, this team is good enough to win a Stanley Cup but...
Their goaltending is still a concern.
Last year the Flyers rode the tandem of Michael Leighton & Brian Boucher to Game Six of the Finals. This season they are attempting to do it with Boucher & Sergei Bobrovsky.
For most of the season the Flyers were the best team in the East. That was until they went 7-7-6 from March 1st to the end of the season conceding the top seed in the East to Washington.
In all fairness they played the last month without defenseman Chris Pronger which is like playing with a 2nd goalie on the ice. Pronger should be back for the start of the playoffs.
This is the deepest team in the East & is good enough to win the cup. Their play the last month & their goaltending are enough for them to possibly lose in the 1st round.
Nothing they do would surprise me.
The Tease: San Jose Sharks
For the last five seasons the San Jose Sharks have been a favorite to win the Stanley Cup & every time the have failed to reach The Stanley Cup Finals.
So why is this season any different?
For the 1st time since 1998 they have a goaltender, Antti Niemi, who has already won a Stanley Cup.
But what is more important than that he replaces Evgeni Nabokov who has had decent regular seasons but always seemed to get outplayed by lesser goalies in the playoffs.
Offensively the Sharks were one of the top ranked teams once again finishing 6th in the league in goals for while they finished 10th in the league in goals against.
The acquisition of Ian White before the trade deadline fills a void on defense the Sharks have been looking to fill since Rob Blake retired.
More importantly the Sharks aren't the top team in the West which takes a little pressure off of them at this moment.
The Under the Radar Team: Washington Capitals
Remember last season when the Capitals were an offensive juggernaut and seemed destined to walk through the playoffs & win their 1st Stanley Cup?
Well the Capitals struggled against Montreal in the last three games of their series & ended up losing in the 1st round.
This season the Capitals struggled at times & it looked like they wouldn't even win their division. All the Capitals did was go 16-3-1 since February 26th to not only clinch the Southeast Division but the top seed in the Eastern Conference as well.
What is amazing about this is that the Capitals did it this time with defense instead of offense. Michal Neuvirth took charge in goal winning 27 games & finishing with a GAA of 2.45 & a save percentage of .914.
Even though Neuvirth may be making his 1st appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs he did lead the Capitals AHL affiliate Hershey to back to back Calder Cup wins in 2009 & 2010.
Washington seems to be a more complete team defensively finishing 4th in the NHL in goals against where last year they were 16th in the NHL.
Plus on the ice it looks like Alex Ovechkin is becoming a more complete player instead of just a goal scorer.
If the Capitals can carry this play over to the post-season they just might make their 1st appearance in the finals since 1998.
The Favorite: Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have won their 1st President's Trophy in franchise history this season. What that means is the will have home ice throughout the entire playoffs.
Now, I'm aware that winning the President's Trophy doesn't guarantee you success in the playoffs. After all only seven teams have won the Stanley Cup & President's Trophy in the same season with the Detroit Red Wings being the last to do so back in 2008.
What I am aware of is the Canucks have had one of the deepest teams all season. Something that is necessary for a team to have if there are a lot of injuries to overcome.
The Canucks have battled their share of injuries this season and yet they found a way to become the best team in the NHL. Daniel (104 points) & Henrik Sedin (94 points) finished 1st & 4th in the NHL in scoring while Daniel Sedin & Ryan Kesler finished tied for 4th in goals scores with 41 each.
The Canucks seemed to click on all cylinders in hte major team categories this season. They finished 1st in the league in goals for (258), goals against (180) & Power Play % (24.3) and 2nd in Penalty Kill % (85.6)
Yet the one thing that will determine how far they go in the playoffs is the play of Roberto Luongo in net. Luongo won 38 games in 60 appearances with a GAA of 2.11 & a save % of .928. Most importantly the group of defenseman he has in front of him are the best group he has played with in his career.
Make no mistake, this season is the best team the Canucks have ever had & this may be their best chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Those are my rankings of the 16 teams vying for Lord Stanley's Cup. Keep in mind these ranking doesn't mean who I think will win what series. I'll have that for you starting on Wednesday.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey
For the 1st time I can remember all 16 teams in the post-season have a real chance to play in the Stanley Cup Finals but in my mind only six teams have a chance to win the cup.
So who do I like? Each team has a unique characteristic this post-season. So I think the only fair thing to do is breakdown each team from 16 to 1.
Let's start on Broadway.
The Team that Leaves You Wanting More: New York Rangers
The New York Rangers seem to be always one of those teams that no matter who they have on their roster they should always be better than what they are.
This year is no different for the blueshirts. They have a goalie in Henrik Lundqvist that is one of the best in the game and A young core of defenseman that are as good offensively as they are defensively.
Yet their forwards leave you wanting more. Marian Gaborik only scored 22 goals compared to the 42 he scored last season. Brandon Dubinsky lead the Rangers in goals this season with a career high 24 and Ryan Callahan was 2nd on the team with a career high 23 goals.
The defense is good enough to keep the Rangers in most games but Callahan is out with a broken ankle so someone is going to have to pick up the scoring & Lundqvist will have to steal a couple games if the Rangers are to go far in the playoffs.
The Defending Stanley Cup Champions: Chicago Blackhawks
It took 82 games & even then the Blackhawks had to wait to find out if they were in. Thanks to the Minnesota Wild's 5-3 win over Dallas, Chicago will have the chance to defend the Stanley Cup.
Make no mistake, the Blackhawks are still have a lot of talent on their roster but one of the reasons they struggled to make the playoffs is because their role players weren't has good as they were last season.
They still have two talented lines that can score & a blueline that can play with any other team's top lines but for Chicago to advance their 3rd & 4th lines will have to be better than the other teams 3rd & 4th lines.
The Team That Came Out Of Nowhere: Buffalo Sabres
At the All-Star break the Sabres were on the outside looking in at a playoff berth & there was some question as to whether or not they would make it.
Since the break the Sabres went 20-8-5 & clinched the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The key to success for Buffalo is goalie Ryan Miller. Miller finished the season with a GAA of 2.59 & a save percentage of .916. What also needs to be taken in consideration is Miller did that with a team that finished 17th in the league in goals against.
While the team defense may have been mediocre all year the Sabres did manage to finish 9th in the league in scoring. That is impressive considering they were with out forward Derek Roy for half the season with a torn quad tendon.
The Sabres are traditionally one of the toughest teams to play against in the playoffs. Throw in the fact they have been playing playoff style hockey since March & this is a dangerous team to face in the 1st round.
I don't think they are good enough to win the Stanley Cup but with Miller in net it wouldn't surprise me if they go far.
The Darkhorse: Los Angeles Kings
I was a little higher on the Kings before they lost Anze Kopitar & Justin Williams for the season due to injuries but there is still a lot about them I do like.
I like the combination of Jonathan Quick & Jonathan Bernier in goal & I like their core of defenseman led by Drew Doughty & Jack Johnson. Both are good enough to keep any team they play against from scoring goals. Up front The Kings still have two good lines that can score goals & play with most playoff teams.
Don't let their seed fool you. This is a good young hockey club that is one of the tougher teams in the Western Conference. I don't think they will win the Stanley Cup but it wouldn't surprise me if they win the Clarence Campbell Bowl & reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Glass Ceiling: Phoenix Coyotes
You know how in life there are some situations where no matter what you do you can't advance any farther than where you are?
Well when it comes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs the Phoenix Coyotes are one of those teams.
You have to go back to 1987 when they were the Winnipeg Jets to find the last time the Coyotes won a playoff series.
They have made the playoff five times since moving to the desert losing each time in the 1st round with two of the series going seven games.
Their goaltending is good enough to go far in the playoffs & you won't find many teams that are going to outwork the Coyotes on the ice. With all the turmoil off the ice surrounding the franchise this may be the final chance for them to win a series in the desert.
The Napoleon Complex: Montreal Canadiens
I refer to the Canadiens this way because despite their lack of size up front they usually find a way to succeed early in the playoffs before it catches up with them.
They decided to keep Carey Price instead of Jaroslav Halak after last season & Price rewarded them with the best season of his young career winning 38 games with a GAA of 2.35 & a save percentage of .923.
Price will need to be that good in the playoffs as the Canadiens had trouble scoring goals this year averaging 2.6 per game.
Their defense was very good though finishing 8th in the league with 206 goals against. Like last year the Canadiens defense will be what carries them in the playoffs.
Reaching their Potential: Tampa Bay Lightning
The last couple season I have thought the Tampa Bay Lightning were a team that with the talent on their roster was good enough to reach the playoffs.
Instead the Lightning finished 14th & 12th in the Eastern Conference.
This season I thought the Lightning were good enough to clinch the final spot in the East.
The Lightning ended up being one of the best teams in the league spending most of the year on top in the Southeast before being overtaken by Washington.
I watched them last weekend against the Wild & they reminded me of the 2007 Pittsburgh Penguins, a team with a young nucleus of talent that is ready to make an impact in the playoffs.
One main difference is that they still have Vincent Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both of whom won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004. Those two will be leaned upon heavily for guidance as Tampa makes their 1st playoff appearance since 2007.
The Lightning are a good hockey team. How good are they? We are about to find out.
The Team Nobody Wants to Play: Nashville Predators
The Predators are another team that could qualify for glass ceiling status as they have yet to win a playoff series in franchise history.
However they have a rock solid core of defenseman led by Shea Weber & Ryan Suter. Throw in goaltender Pekka Rinne who is 3rd in the league in Goals Against & 2nd in Save Percentage and you have a team that is very difficult to score against.
Nashville is 21st in the league in goals scored so for the Predators to win in the post-season they can't afford to get in a shootout. If Nashville is to win their 1st ever playoff series it will be because of their defense.
They are good enough to shutdown the top scoring line of any team that they go against. This is the one team in the playoffs I would not want to play.
The One Man Gang: Anaheim Ducks
I describe the Ducks this way because they have been lead this year by the line of Corey Perry (50 G, 48 A) Ryan Getzlaf (19 G, 57 A) & Bobby Ryan (34 G, 37 A). You'll be hard pressed to find a better scoring line in the NHL.
What hurts the Ducks is their defense. They were 20th in the league in goals allowed & 19th on the penalty kill this season. Another concern for Anaheim is goalie Jonas Hiller has missed most of the 2nd half of the season with symptoms of Vertigo leaving Ray Emery & Dan Ellis to share duties in net for the Ducks.
Anaheim has enough scoring to carry them deep in the playoffs. Their defense will determine how far they actually make it.
The Measuring Stick: The Detroit Red Wings
For the last 20 seasons the Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs. In that time they have won four Stanley Cups, made six appearances in the Finals & have made it to the Conference Finals nine times.
What I find amazing is that seven times the team that has eliminated Detroit has gone on to play for the Stanley Cup with four teams winning it.
Well the Wings are back in the post-season once again & while they have a nucleus that knows how to win in the playoffs something seems to be missing this year.
Whether they are lacking that killer instinct they usually have or age is finally starting to catch up with them I don't know. What I do know is that if you are going to come out of the Western Conference chances are you are going to have to go through Detroit.
The Resilient Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
If I told you that the Penguins lost Sidney Crosby to a concussion back in January & Evgeni Malkin to a torn ACL in February how would you say they finished on the season?
You would probably think they finished 7th or 8th in the conference.
Well the Penguins did lose Crosby & Malkin but instead of mailing it in & holding on to a playoff spot the Penguins went 23-13-6 to finish 4th in the East & nearly win the Atlantic Division.
It looks like Crosby will miss the start of the playoffs but Jordan Staal has filled his void at center while trades for James Neal & Alexei Kovalev have filled the void by Malkin's injury.
I keep waiting for injuries to catch up to the Penguins & yet they keep on winning. If/when Crosby returns this team is going to be dangerous.
Looking for Redemption: Boston Bruins
Last May the Bruins lead Philadelphia three games to none in their best of seven series. They failed to win another game becoming the 3rd team in NHL history to lose a series after leading 3-0.
This season the Bruins rebounded to win the Northeast Division for the 2nd time in three seasons.
Of course none of that matters with the playoffs starting but I have to believe the Bruins would love nothingmatters with the playoffs starting but I have to believe the Bruins would love nothing more than to put last season far behind them.
One thing in their favor is their defense. Tim Thomas lead the NHL in goals against (2.00) & save percentage (.938) while the Bruins defense finished 2nd in the league in goals against (2.30)
Defense wasn't the problem last season for Boston, it was their lack of goal scoring. One positive for Boston was Zdeno Chara finished first the league in plus/minus at +33. He will need to find a way to stay on the ice & not in the penalty box for Boston to have success scoring goals.
Even without Marc Savard in the lineup they are healthier & deeper up front than they were last season. scoring should not be an issue this season as the Bruins look to win their 1st stanley cup since 1972.
Yeah, But...: Philadelphia Flyers
Everyone knows how this story goes, Great group of forwards that can score, Solid defense that is tough to score against, this team is good enough to win a Stanley Cup but...
Their goaltending is still a concern.
Last year the Flyers rode the tandem of Michael Leighton & Brian Boucher to Game Six of the Finals. This season they are attempting to do it with Boucher & Sergei Bobrovsky.
For most of the season the Flyers were the best team in the East. That was until they went 7-7-6 from March 1st to the end of the season conceding the top seed in the East to Washington.
In all fairness they played the last month without defenseman Chris Pronger which is like playing with a 2nd goalie on the ice. Pronger should be back for the start of the playoffs.
This is the deepest team in the East & is good enough to win the cup. Their play the last month & their goaltending are enough for them to possibly lose in the 1st round.
Nothing they do would surprise me.
The Tease: San Jose Sharks
For the last five seasons the San Jose Sharks have been a favorite to win the Stanley Cup & every time the have failed to reach The Stanley Cup Finals.
So why is this season any different?
For the 1st time since 1998 they have a goaltender, Antti Niemi, who has already won a Stanley Cup.
But what is more important than that he replaces Evgeni Nabokov who has had decent regular seasons but always seemed to get outplayed by lesser goalies in the playoffs.
Offensively the Sharks were one of the top ranked teams once again finishing 6th in the league in goals for while they finished 10th in the league in goals against.
The acquisition of Ian White before the trade deadline fills a void on defense the Sharks have been looking to fill since Rob Blake retired.
More importantly the Sharks aren't the top team in the West which takes a little pressure off of them at this moment.
The Under the Radar Team: Washington Capitals
Remember last season when the Capitals were an offensive juggernaut and seemed destined to walk through the playoffs & win their 1st Stanley Cup?
Well the Capitals struggled against Montreal in the last three games of their series & ended up losing in the 1st round.
This season the Capitals struggled at times & it looked like they wouldn't even win their division. All the Capitals did was go 16-3-1 since February 26th to not only clinch the Southeast Division but the top seed in the Eastern Conference as well.
What is amazing about this is that the Capitals did it this time with defense instead of offense. Michal Neuvirth took charge in goal winning 27 games & finishing with a GAA of 2.45 & a save percentage of .914.
Even though Neuvirth may be making his 1st appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs he did lead the Capitals AHL affiliate Hershey to back to back Calder Cup wins in 2009 & 2010.
Washington seems to be a more complete team defensively finishing 4th in the NHL in goals against where last year they were 16th in the NHL.
Plus on the ice it looks like Alex Ovechkin is becoming a more complete player instead of just a goal scorer.
If the Capitals can carry this play over to the post-season they just might make their 1st appearance in the finals since 1998.
The Favorite: Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have won their 1st President's Trophy in franchise history this season. What that means is the will have home ice throughout the entire playoffs.
Now, I'm aware that winning the President's Trophy doesn't guarantee you success in the playoffs. After all only seven teams have won the Stanley Cup & President's Trophy in the same season with the Detroit Red Wings being the last to do so back in 2008.
What I am aware of is the Canucks have had one of the deepest teams all season. Something that is necessary for a team to have if there are a lot of injuries to overcome.
The Canucks have battled their share of injuries this season and yet they found a way to become the best team in the NHL. Daniel (104 points) & Henrik Sedin (94 points) finished 1st & 4th in the NHL in scoring while Daniel Sedin & Ryan Kesler finished tied for 4th in goals scores with 41 each.
The Canucks seemed to click on all cylinders in hte major team categories this season. They finished 1st in the league in goals for (258), goals against (180) & Power Play % (24.3) and 2nd in Penalty Kill % (85.6)
Yet the one thing that will determine how far they go in the playoffs is the play of Roberto Luongo in net. Luongo won 38 games in 60 appearances with a GAA of 2.11 & a save % of .928. Most importantly the group of defenseman he has in front of him are the best group he has played with in his career.
Make no mistake, this season is the best team the Canucks have ever had & this may be their best chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Those are my rankings of the 16 teams vying for Lord Stanley's Cup. Keep in mind these ranking doesn't mean who I think will win what series. I'll have that for you starting on Wednesday.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Week 25 Power Poll
There are only six days left in the season & there are eight playoff spots yet to be determined. Three in the East & Five in the West.
If you have followed my Power Rankings this past season you already know that it has been very difficult for teams to pull away from each other.
Right now in the East Montreal, Buffalo & New York holds down the final three spots with Carolina & Toronto on the outside looking in. The order may change but I think that Montreal, Buffalo & the Rangers will be the final three teams in.
In the West Phoenix, Los Angeles, Nashville, Anaheim, & Chicago are in the final five playoff spots with Calgary & Dallas still alive.
It looks like Phoenix, Los Angeles & Nashville will be fighting for the number four seed while Anaheim & Chicago try to fight off Dallas & Calgary for those final two playoff spots.
I'll be back next week with a playoff preview once everything is settled. In the meantime here is this week's Power Poll.
1. Vancouver 52 18 9 113 Points
Win's 1st President's Trophy in Franchise history.
2. Philadelphia 46 22 11 103 Points
That insurmountable lead in the East has all of a sudden become surmountable.
3. Washington 46 22 11 103 Points
They may not score as many goals as last season but they may be more dangerous.
4. Detroit 46 23 10 102 Points
Another year, another Central Division title.
5. San Jose 47 23 9 103 Points
One more win in their next four games will give the Sharks the Pacific Division title.
6. Pittsburgh 46 25 8 100 Points
Dan Bylsma a serious candidate for coach of the year with the success the Penguins have had without Crosby & Malkin.
7. Boston 44 24 11 99 Points
Clinched the Northeast Division. Still have a shot at home ice in the East.
8. Tampa Bay 44 24 11 99 Points
This team reminds me of the 2007 Pittsburgh Penguins, a lot of talent on the ice but not sure if they are ready to win in the post-season.
9. Los Angeles 45 28 6 96 Points
Can clinch a playoff berth with a win over San Jose.
10. Phoenix 42 25 12 96 Points
Good news: Ed Jovanovski will be back for the playoffs. Better news: He may return for the final week of the season.
11. Nashville 42 26 11 95 Points
On the precipice of locking up a playoff spot.
12. Anaheim 44 30 5 93 Points
You'll be hard pressed to find a better line combo right now that Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, & Bobby Ryan.
13. Chicago 42 28 8 92 Points
Right now holding down the 8th spot. Still hit or miss as to whether they will clinch a spot.
14. Montreal 42 30 7 91 Points
Congrats to Carey Price on being named the Montreal Canadiens Molson Cup Player of the Year.
15. Calgary 40 29 11 91 Points
Flames are 24-1-3 on the season when leading after two periods.
16. Buffalo 40 29 10 90 Points
Win over Carolina could be the difference in a playoff berth.
17. N.Y. Rangers 43 32 5 91 Points
Sure, now they win a shootout over Philadelphia.
18. Dallas 39 28 11 89 Points
Finished 9-10-5 against Pacific Division opponents.
19. Carolina 38 30 11 87 Points
See Buffalo.
20. Toronto 37 32 10 84 Points
Leafs are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot.
21. Minnesota 37 34 8 82 Points
Young kids are getting a chance to play due to injuries.
22. St. Louis 36 33 10 82 Points
Might be the biggest disappointment on the season.
23. Columbus 34 32 13 81 Points
56 points on the season, a new career high for RJ Umberger.
24. Atlanta 33 33 12 78 Points
Lost to Boston keeps Thrashers out of postseason for the 10 time in 11 seasons.
25. New Jersey 36 37 5 77 Points
Will miss the playoffs for the 1st time in 15 years. They had a nice run.
26. N.Y. Islanders 30 37 12 72 Points
Center Doug Weight contemplating retirement after the season.
27. Ottawa 30 39 10 70 Points
Top college free agent Stephane Da Costa chooses the Senators over Minnesota & Florida.
28. Florida 29 38 12 70 Points
Will have a chance at the number one pick in the draft.
29. Colorado 29 41 8 66 Points
Paul Stasny will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury.
30. Edmonton 24 43 11 59 Points
Thankfully the season is almost over.
If you have followed my Power Rankings this past season you already know that it has been very difficult for teams to pull away from each other.
Right now in the East Montreal, Buffalo & New York holds down the final three spots with Carolina & Toronto on the outside looking in. The order may change but I think that Montreal, Buffalo & the Rangers will be the final three teams in.
In the West Phoenix, Los Angeles, Nashville, Anaheim, & Chicago are in the final five playoff spots with Calgary & Dallas still alive.
It looks like Phoenix, Los Angeles & Nashville will be fighting for the number four seed while Anaheim & Chicago try to fight off Dallas & Calgary for those final two playoff spots.
I'll be back next week with a playoff preview once everything is settled. In the meantime here is this week's Power Poll.
1. Vancouver 52 18 9 113 Points
Win's 1st President's Trophy in Franchise history.
2. Philadelphia 46 22 11 103 Points
That insurmountable lead in the East has all of a sudden become surmountable.
3. Washington 46 22 11 103 Points
They may not score as many goals as last season but they may be more dangerous.
4. Detroit 46 23 10 102 Points
Another year, another Central Division title.
5. San Jose 47 23 9 103 Points
One more win in their next four games will give the Sharks the Pacific Division title.
6. Pittsburgh 46 25 8 100 Points
Dan Bylsma a serious candidate for coach of the year with the success the Penguins have had without Crosby & Malkin.
7. Boston 44 24 11 99 Points
Clinched the Northeast Division. Still have a shot at home ice in the East.
8. Tampa Bay 44 24 11 99 Points
This team reminds me of the 2007 Pittsburgh Penguins, a lot of talent on the ice but not sure if they are ready to win in the post-season.
9. Los Angeles 45 28 6 96 Points
Can clinch a playoff berth with a win over San Jose.
10. Phoenix 42 25 12 96 Points
Good news: Ed Jovanovski will be back for the playoffs. Better news: He may return for the final week of the season.
11. Nashville 42 26 11 95 Points
On the precipice of locking up a playoff spot.
12. Anaheim 44 30 5 93 Points
You'll be hard pressed to find a better line combo right now that Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, & Bobby Ryan.
13. Chicago 42 28 8 92 Points
Right now holding down the 8th spot. Still hit or miss as to whether they will clinch a spot.
14. Montreal 42 30 7 91 Points
Congrats to Carey Price on being named the Montreal Canadiens Molson Cup Player of the Year.
15. Calgary 40 29 11 91 Points
Flames are 24-1-3 on the season when leading after two periods.
16. Buffalo 40 29 10 90 Points
Win over Carolina could be the difference in a playoff berth.
17. N.Y. Rangers 43 32 5 91 Points
Sure, now they win a shootout over Philadelphia.
18. Dallas 39 28 11 89 Points
Finished 9-10-5 against Pacific Division opponents.
19. Carolina 38 30 11 87 Points
See Buffalo.
20. Toronto 37 32 10 84 Points
Leafs are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot.
21. Minnesota 37 34 8 82 Points
Young kids are getting a chance to play due to injuries.
22. St. Louis 36 33 10 82 Points
Might be the biggest disappointment on the season.
23. Columbus 34 32 13 81 Points
56 points on the season, a new career high for RJ Umberger.
24. Atlanta 33 33 12 78 Points
Lost to Boston keeps Thrashers out of postseason for the 10 time in 11 seasons.
25. New Jersey 36 37 5 77 Points
Will miss the playoffs for the 1st time in 15 years. They had a nice run.
26. N.Y. Islanders 30 37 12 72 Points
Center Doug Weight contemplating retirement after the season.
27. Ottawa 30 39 10 70 Points
Top college free agent Stephane Da Costa chooses the Senators over Minnesota & Florida.
28. Florida 29 38 12 70 Points
Will have a chance at the number one pick in the draft.
29. Colorado 29 41 8 66 Points
Paul Stasny will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury.
30. Edmonton 24 43 11 59 Points
Thankfully the season is almost over.
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