That was fun.
If there was a bracket fever for NHL playoffs like there is for March Madness, it would be safe to say that nearly everybody would have a brutally busted bracket. Unless of course, you’re a monkey or squid or Llama (God I wish they would have a Llama picking winners on TSN, I’d call him Larry) with insanely high accuracy, proving that no body really knows anything.
Here are a few quick hits from where I’m sitting.
Los Angeles 4 – Vancouver 1
As a Canucks fan, it is near impossibly to hate the Kings. Their team is a very dangerous force, and flew under the radar because they could not win a game if they gave up more than 2 goals. However, they have a winning formula with a vezina caliber goalie, a dynamic defenseman like Doughty, offensive talent with Brown, Kopitar, Richards, Carter not to mention the right amount of grit that is needed for a playoff run.
The Canucks will have a very intriguing off season, with rumors of Luongo demanding a trade that appears to be a mutual feeling with Mike Gillis and crew. The Canucks need to unload Luongo for any offer they get, clearly they’ll weigh options and try to maximize it. Even if they take a contract in return that is in the 3 – 4.5 M range that frees up a fair amount of space to sign another solid player, or help lock up Schneider to a contract. I don’t believe other teams will undervalue Luongo as much as fans may, and Gillis has a chance to gear the team up for another cup run. It may be hard to fire Vigneault, but the thought must come up in conversation, but when he has just won two Presidents’ Trophies in two years, with the team not showing a quit on him, he deserves a fair shot at at least one more season.
New York 4 – Ottawa 3
It is not where near the result the Senators wanted in the end of things, but something tells me if you would of told their fan base that they would have taken #1 seed to game 7 of the first round, only to lose by 1 goal, they would laugh you off. But funny things can happen with a team who gets solid, eventually and when healthy, goaltending from Anderson and has a kid in Karlsson who went from a -30 and a .6 point per game player to a +16, .96 point per game Norris finalist. It is a shame Gonchar is a brutal shell of what he was otherwise this series could have gone the other way. The future is bright, despite the uncertainty of their captain, in Ottawa, and providing Karlsson doesn’t dip too badly, it is a rare situation where a first round loss is not a bad result. Perhaps it is not ideal, but, it is definitely a very positive result.
The Rangers have what it takes to make a deep run. Which is not profound or news, but have now show they have what it takes to buckle down and win a big Game 7. The future is now with young talent stepping up and taking big minutes, along with their stars who can snipe with the best of them when they are going in Richards and Gaborik. pair that with very solid defense and the very talented Lundqvist. Teamed with players such as born to be captain Callahan, and this team looks a lot like the Kings in the west to me.
Washington 4 – Boston 3
The Bruins just did not have the depth to get it done, beyond their top two lines they had cogs in the grindstone machine on their 3rd and 4th lines. Maybe they were not as hungry, maybe not having players like Mark Recchi hurt more than anticipated. Either way you slice it, they had a hard fought series and lost on a maybe it should not count type goal, but they have a lot of decisions to make in the off season. Thomas created a circus this year on numerous occasions and is 38, while they have a stud on the bench in Rask. Teams like Tampa Bay who many believe would be in on the Luongo sweepstakes could take a hard look at Thomas if he is available. He is older, but he only has a year left on his contract and potential for signing a shorter term contract after the final year. He may be more attractive for the short term, so perhaps Tampa would be more interested in going that route and hoping any of their younger goalies like Tokarski becomes NHL ready. That being said, no one wants a Roloson situation again.
Washington had been the sweetheart pick for a few years to make a cup run and just could not quite get there as the favorites. So perhaps now, with a fierce coach who isn’t afraid to sit his stars to get the results needed may play the underdog card just perfectly to make a run. and if being 6th in minute in Game 7 for forwards does not motivate Ovechkin to play at his top level, then nothing will It is incredibly difficult for a young goalie, never mind a goalie who has played as many regular season games as he has playoff games, to play at a high level such as Holtby has done. The Caps have finally bought into the system Dale Hunter has in place and if I am in that locker room, and I just knocked off the Bruins, I would follow Hunter to the end of the earth. It did not happen before, so why not now?
Phoenix 4 – Chicago 2
Every now and then you run into a very good goalie, who plays like an all-universe goalie. Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Keith, those names will always keep you in contention every year. However when you have Corey Crawford as your guy, it will not cut it, as evident by the brutal OT goals given up. I think Chicago will look, with minimal success, for a goalie this offseason and have to hope that Crawford works hard and figures it out for next season.
It is a shame that Tampa Bay never had a goaltender who could stop the puck on a consistent basis…oh wait
Mike Smith, SV% in 6 games, a mere .950 with a 1.81 GAA. That will do, I guess, if you are into amazing goaltending with highlight reel saves.
I’m not sure how long they can keep this pace up, with taking nearly every game to OT and giving up leads very late several times, so I would look for the the Predators to have more success than Chicago did. That being said, if Smith can put up close to those numbers, it will be a great run to watch.
Not much else to say besides that defensive core looks very strong, their future is bright and to think if they can keep Yandle and Ekman-Larsson in the fold with studs in the minors like Gormley and Rundblad they will continue to be an absolute thorn in the side of anyone they play in the next few seasons. I’m not sure how long they can keep this pace up, with taking nearly every game to OT and giving up leads very late several times
Philadelphia 4 – Pittsburgh 2
Philly figured out the formula to beat the Penguins. It was much the way Chicago did it against Vancouver a few years ago. Pester, annoy, win every scrum you possibly can. That does not necessarily mean win in the physical sense, but when you have James Neal getting himself suspended for a game, Sidney Crosby jawing, being heavily involved in post whistle activity, fighting and swatting gloves away, Malkin being frustrated and shut down by a rookie, you know you have it figured out. If Bryzgalov can figure it out, which is no guarantee as seen in the playoffs for the Coyotes last year, then the Flyers have a shot to meet the Rangers in a very exciting rematch of the Winter Classic.
What if? That will be the main theme in the off season for the Penguins. What if Crosby did not get reinjured, James Neal didn’t have to carry your team for the first few games of Round 1, if Fleury did not look worse than he did in the World Juniors when he was scoring on his own net. That is the beauty of sports though, it doesn’t matter about what happened in the past, it is about the now, what have you done in the playoffs. The Penguins were not mentally there, when you play with emotions, the hate puts out the competitive fire and removes focus from the task at hand. Winning. The cornerstones of this franchise may not have had a strong, or even moderately good, post season but when you have Letang, Staal, Fleury, Neal, Crosby, Malkin as those corner stones, it is not time to panic. It is however, a long time to wait to being to avenge yourself before next season starts.
Nashville 4 – Detroit 1
No wonder Detroit was irate that Radulov was allowed to return.
Is it nearing the end of the cycle of success that is Detroit? Probably not their playoff streak, but their contender status will not be there as it was after this season. Especially considering if Lidstrom retires. Their top guys will be all over 31. Detroit always rebuilds without losing its key pieces even when they’re top level contenders, but you cannot always think find gems like Datsyuk (okay, well, maybe Detroit can but that is yet to be seen for recent years). At worst, Detroit frees up a fair amount of salary with Lidstrom and Holmstrom potentially gone, and best case Lidstrom sticks around for another fantastic season.
Nashville was a very popular pick as a dark horse, so much so that they lost the dark horse status even before the playoffs began. With players such as Rinne, Weber, Suter, Radulov, Fischer, Gaustad, Klein, an emergence of Gabriel Bourque. That is a formidable list, with solid depth. They have a great coach, a great and very loud arena and star power across their own end, with Radulov who may not be at his top level yet but makes his opposition ensure they are accounting for him which frees up their other scorers. They will be a fun team to watch, and it is no surprise they were on so many lists for a solid run.
St. Louis 4 – San Jose 1
It is time to call ACME and get a dramatic TNT cutscene. Blow it up. They have some decent pieces that you need, such as Burns and Vlassic, Galiardi, Winnik, but those names are not exactly blow you away talent, but they are valuable pieces to a winner. Players such as Couture, Pavelski are very solid players and have a lot of time left. The same cannot be said for the seemingly uninterested Marleau, “But he gets assists” Thorton and the “Seriously how did he win a cup” Niemi. Martin Havlat wasn’t meant to be a key piece, but he is still on the team and has never really shown to be big i the playoffs. Big contracts, big headaches, big problems in San Jose and it’s time to push the TNT plunger down and rebuild.
Halak, Elliot, it does not matter. With a young and solid defensive core in Pietrangelo, Shattekirk, and a very sneaky potentially lethal offense it all amounts to a dangerous combination. Even though they finished 2nd in the West, they did not garner the respect of many. Sure they would get through San Jose but what about after? The question could still be posed, but, they are as healthy as ever and if they can get respectable production from the likes of Mcdonald, Berglund, Perron and Backes they will be in very nice shape. It will be a defensive hard fought match up against the Kings, and whoever can capitalize on the minimal chances that will happen will take it.
New Jersey 4 – Florida 3
Turning back the hands of time. Martin Brodeur had a strong Game 7. If he can dig deep and give it one last solid month of play, and the Devils can stay healthy, it is possible they can do some damage against the Flyers. Probably not win their next round, but provide some entertaining games. With Zajac, Parise, Henrique, Kovalchuk swarming Bryzgalov, it will prove to be a challenge.
Who knew Theodore would be respectable again in the playoffs? Tough loss for Florida, there are certainly positives to take away from this season. Gubrandson looks like the real deal, as does Kulikov. With scoring help on the way in the form of Huberdeau if he can get himself NHL ready by next year. If Markstrom can get and stay healthy, he will be at worse equal to Theodore and the ceiling is very high. He may not be ready by next year, but fans can definitely be pleased with the way their team is shaping up.
Round 2 predictions
Kings beat Blues in 6
I think the depth is going to be put the test for both teams. I just think the Kings will get it done when it matters most.
Nashville beats Phoenix in 5
Mike Smith can only stand on his head for so long. Luckily for Nashville, while Smith is playing hero, Rinne will be equally up to the task unlike Crawford was for Chicago.
Rangers beat Capitals in 6
Holtby can’t possibly be that good again… right? I think the Capitals are coming in with more confidence, but the Rangers take care of business with Lundqvist playing like a Conn Smythe waiting to happen.
For fun, I will call a sweep Flyers beat Devils in 4.
I do not believe in Brodeur for the long grind of the playoffs, Kovalchuk looks hampered out there and the shutdown abilities of the Flyers were shown in Game 7 and I look to see that continuing into this round.
