In just a few days, the NHL playoffs will begin and hockey fans will go crazy. After a great season that was full of surprises left and right, it's time to start the final battle and see which two teams will face one another for the Stanley Cup and a permanent spot in hockey history.
One team everyone has watched this year is the New York Rangers, who have recently had a reputation as a team that just barely made the playoffs in recent years.
This season was a different story, as the young Blueshirts came together as a strong unit and, despite some hurdles, finished as the top team in the Eastern Conference behind some stellar play from big-time free agent acquisition Brad Richards and Vezina Trophy finalist Henrik Lundqvist.
In the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks once again finished as the top seed and took home their second consecutive President's Trophy as the team with the best overall record. They made the Stanley Cup Finals last year, but lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins.
This year, with star forward Daniel Sedin fully recovered from a concussion and ready to return for the playoffs, they're hungry to avenge last year's loss.
Yet before any of that can happen, the first round of the NHL playoffs has to happen. Let's go ahead and break down who'll make it past to the conference semifinals.
No. 1 New York Rangers vs. No. 8 Ottawa Senators
To a layman, this seems like an open and shut case. The Rangers are the top seed in the East, so they should make short work of the lowly Senators. However, such is not the case.
Believe it or not, the Senators won this season series, taking three of four games. Over those four games, they outscored the Rangers 15-8, and in their first matchup of the season, overcame a 4-1 deficit to win, 5-4, in a shootout.
Simply put, Ottawa is not a team to just write off, as it has solid leadership in Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek, not to mention some decent goaltending from Craig Anderson.
Yet, the Rangers have a clear advantage in this series: home ice. Given how rowdy the New York fans can get, Madison Square Garden will be shaking from the drop of the puck and coach John Tortorella's troops will be fired up and ready to play.
Thanks to leadership from captain Ryan Callahan and top-tier work from Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, the Blueshirts will be just fine despite regular season struggles.
Prediction: Rangers in 6
No. 2 Boston Bruins vs. No. 7 Washington Capitals
The defending champion Bruins are a team that can get hot and make it last, having had winning streaks of 10 and seven games during the regular season. They have a great number of guys who can contribute with scoring and their defense is solid as well. In terms of goaltending, they have a fine man in Tim Thomas, and when Tuukka Rask returns, they'll have a truly deadly tandem.
Yet, as the Rangers did with the Senators, the Bruins had some trouble with the Caps, as they lost the season series, 3-1. Washington's shootout victory over Boston on March 29 was the start of a final push the team made, as it won four of its last five to clinch a playoff spot despite an overall off year from star Alex Ovechkin. That said, this series is sure to be a good one.
Still, the Bruins are the defending champions, and with an enormous defenseman in Zdeno Chara, I have them exiting this round as victors, though with some hard work under their belts.
Prediction: Bruins in 7
No. 3 Florida Panthers vs. No. 6 New Jersey Devils
This season was a great one for the Panthers, as they just barely won their division after finishing last in the conference last year. Yet, the fact that they did just barely take home a division crown is why they are doomed in the first round.
You see, Florida's win to seal the division last night snapped a five-game losing streak, and in the playoffs, they have to face the New Jersey Devils. Sure, they may be a No. 6 seed, but the Devils are a team with lots of postseason experience and some great veteran leadership in Zach Parise and all-time winningest goalie Martin Brodeur.
On experience alone, the Devils will make short work of the Panthers and achieve the upset.
Prediction: Devils in 4
No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 5 Philadelphia Flyers
This series is sure to have a lot of bad blood, with emotions boiling over to the extreme. Not too long ago, these two teams engaged in a ridiculous brawl that saw all 10 players on the ice start with each other. All that was missing was the goalies getting into it. Needless to say, this series has more than just state pride on the line.
However, the clear advantage is to the Flyers. They always bring their A-game, regardless of opponent, and almost never lay down for anyone. Against their hated rivals, they'll make it a physical series that will be full of hard hitting and trash talking.
Given the relative inconsistency of the Penguins all season, save for a hot streak here and there, Sidney Crosby and company will go home empty handed, but not without a fight.
Prediction: Flyers in 6
No. 1 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are blessed with a young and talented team, but cursed with inconsistency. Save for goalie Jonathan Quick and center Anze Kopitar, the rest of the team is hit or miss.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, that will hurt it against the Vancover Canucks, who are looking to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals and walk away winners this time. Behind the stellar goaltending of Roberto Luongo and the red-hot scoring of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, this series will be over fairly quickly.
Prediction: Vancouver in 5
No. 2 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 7 San Jose Sharks
Any other year, I'd have picked the Sharks to win this series in a heartbeat. Yet, that was before the Blues brought in Ken Hitchcock to be the head coach and before Brian Elliott established himself as a top goalie.
On the season, Elliott and Jaroslav Halak shared responsibilities between the pipes and finished with a combined GAA of 1.76. Combined with a solid defense in front of them, the Blues emerged as serious contenders and swept the season series against the Sharks.
Yet, facing San Jose in the playoffs won't be easy for St. Louis. The Sharks are a team that knows how to score goals in bunches, not to mention the fact that they're tough as a whole. This series is going to be intense and hard-fought from start to finish, with only one victor emerging.
Prediction: Blues in 7
No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks
Considering how the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup just two years ago, they haven't really played like champions as of late. They were marred by inconsistency all season long and at one point, coach Joel Quenneville was said to be on the hot seat.
The Coyotes, on the other hand, won their division thanks to some excellent defense and quality play from guys like Radim Vrbata and 39-year-old veteran Ray Whitney. They fought hard all season and gave it their all every game.
The Blackhawks did the same, but just looked tired at times. There won't be time for that in the playoffs, but can they shake off the cobwebs in time?
Prediction: Coyotes in 5
No. 4 Nashville Predators vs. No. 5 Detroit Red Wings
I know that most of you out there are ready to pick the Wings for this series, but let's not jump the gun. Sure, Detroit has a great team with the talented Jimmy Howard in goal and some fine leaders in Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg, not to mention Pavel Datsyuk. Yet therein lies their issue.
As good as the Red Wings are, most of their key contributors are over 30, and against a young Predators squad, that could come back to hurt them. On top of that, the Preds have home-ice advantage, which could easily come into play.
Throw in some rowdy Nashville fans, and this series gets a lot more intense.
Prediction: Predators in 4
That all being said, fasten your playoff seat belts, fans. It's going to be a great ride!
Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo
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