So I know it's been a while since I've posted something, but hey, I was hiding from my embarrassing March Madness performance. But now it's time for maybe the 2nd best tournament in sports. Playoff Hockey. Edge of your seat action, 7 Over Time games, guys diving all over the ice to keep a puck in the offensive zone during a big power play. I love it.
March Madness has the best tournament because of the Cinderellas and great buzzer beaters. The only tournament/playoff that can match the intensity those kids bring to every second of a game is the NHL playoffs. They are great every year and this year has the potential to be one of the best in recent memory. That's because there is no clear cut favorite.
The defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the team that I picked in the beginning of the year to once again raise the world's best trophy. I'm going to stick with that pick but I'm not as confident now as I was then. Their power play is way down this year. If they come up against a hot goalie, which can be the death of a great team, they'll need this power play to step up. Goalies are the most important position come playoff time and last year Marc-Andre Fleury stepped up. This year his numbers are down but some players are able to turn it on come playoff time. The main reason I'm sticking with the Penguins is because Sidney Crosby wins. He was the star of the Stanley Cup Finals last year, he was the star of the Olympics this year. He's the best player in the world because he wills his team to victory.
The Red Wings have been the hottest team since the Olympics. They are finally healthy getting Franzen and Kronwall back. They have great experience having gone to the last two finals. They have two of the most underrated players in the league in Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Here's the problem I see with the Red Wings. They don't have a grinder. They all play hard, they all play defense but come playoff time you need someone mean and or crazy. They don't have that player. When they won the Cup two years ago, they brought back Darren McCarty, a guy that could rough people up if need be. Helm is not that guy even though he's and exciting little guy that likes to hit and neither is Kronwall even though he likes to dish out big hits. The other problem I see with the Red Wings is their goalie. Jimmy Howard could be considered the rookie of the year. He's regular season numbers were great coming in for veteran Chris Osgood. But he's young and gives up way too many big rebounds. He got away with it in the regular season but you can't do that in the playoffs. I except the Wings to make it past the Coyotes and maybe past the next round but I don't see another trip to the Finals.
The other teams people are talking about are Washington, San Jose, and Chicago. The Capitals won the Presidents Trophy for having the best regular season record but I don't think they have enough defence to win the Stanley Cup. Alex Ovechkin is one of the best two players in the world and has a very good surrounding cast but Jose Theodore is a slouch when it comes to tending in big playoff games. I don't trust him. I believe that the Caps will score but I don't know if it'll be enough.
San Jose is the number one seed in the West. They have been one of the best two or three team over the past five years but always seem to choke it away. I don't know if I see them doing that again this year. I think their line of Thorton, Marlaue, and Heatley have gained a lot of confidence from their Gold Metal run with Team Canada. They also have Nabokov in goal who can get hot and take over a series.
The Blackhawks were my team of choice to come out of the West when the season started. I'm slightly backing away from that. I still think they have one of the best shots of coming out of the West but once again it comes down to who's in net and I don't trust Huet. The run to the Western Conference Finals last year will help with this young teams confidence but I think that the Sharks, Red Wings, and some surprise team could be too much for the Blackhawks this playoff season.
Predictions:
Surprise team in the West: King: I didn't expect them to make the playoff and the Canucks don't really scare me.
Surprise team in the East: Sabers, never dought a team with the goalie that put up the best regular season numbers.
Caps over Canadians in 5
Devils over Flyers in 5
Sabers over Bruins in 6
Penguins over Senators in 6
Sharks over Avalanche in 5
Red Wings over Coyotes in 6
Blackhawks over Predators in 5
Kings over Canucks in 7
Round 2 Pens over Caps in 7
Devils over Sabers in 7
Sharks over Kings in 5
Blackhawks over Red Wings in 7
Conference Finals Pens over Devils in 6
Sharks over Blackhawks in 7
Stanley Cup Finals Pens over Sharks in 6
March Madness has the best tournament because of the Cinderellas and great buzzer beaters. The only tournament/playoff that can match the intensity those kids bring to every second of a game is the NHL playoffs. They are great every year and this year has the potential to be one of the best in recent memory. That's because there is no clear cut favorite.
The defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the team that I picked in the beginning of the year to once again raise the world's best trophy. I'm going to stick with that pick but I'm not as confident now as I was then. Their power play is way down this year. If they come up against a hot goalie, which can be the death of a great team, they'll need this power play to step up. Goalies are the most important position come playoff time and last year Marc-Andre Fleury stepped up. This year his numbers are down but some players are able to turn it on come playoff time. The main reason I'm sticking with the Penguins is because Sidney Crosby wins. He was the star of the Stanley Cup Finals last year, he was the star of the Olympics this year. He's the best player in the world because he wills his team to victory.
The Red Wings have been the hottest team since the Olympics. They are finally healthy getting Franzen and Kronwall back. They have great experience having gone to the last two finals. They have two of the most underrated players in the league in Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Here's the problem I see with the Red Wings. They don't have a grinder. They all play hard, they all play defense but come playoff time you need someone mean and or crazy. They don't have that player. When they won the Cup two years ago, they brought back Darren McCarty, a guy that could rough people up if need be. Helm is not that guy even though he's and exciting little guy that likes to hit and neither is Kronwall even though he likes to dish out big hits. The other problem I see with the Red Wings is their goalie. Jimmy Howard could be considered the rookie of the year. He's regular season numbers were great coming in for veteran Chris Osgood. But he's young and gives up way too many big rebounds. He got away with it in the regular season but you can't do that in the playoffs. I except the Wings to make it past the Coyotes and maybe past the next round but I don't see another trip to the Finals.
The other teams people are talking about are Washington, San Jose, and Chicago. The Capitals won the Presidents Trophy for having the best regular season record but I don't think they have enough defence to win the Stanley Cup. Alex Ovechkin is one of the best two players in the world and has a very good surrounding cast but Jose Theodore is a slouch when it comes to tending in big playoff games. I don't trust him. I believe that the Caps will score but I don't know if it'll be enough.
San Jose is the number one seed in the West. They have been one of the best two or three team over the past five years but always seem to choke it away. I don't know if I see them doing that again this year. I think their line of Thorton, Marlaue, and Heatley have gained a lot of confidence from their Gold Metal run with Team Canada. They also have Nabokov in goal who can get hot and take over a series.
The Blackhawks were my team of choice to come out of the West when the season started. I'm slightly backing away from that. I still think they have one of the best shots of coming out of the West but once again it comes down to who's in net and I don't trust Huet. The run to the Western Conference Finals last year will help with this young teams confidence but I think that the Sharks, Red Wings, and some surprise team could be too much for the Blackhawks this playoff season.
Predictions:
Surprise team in the West: King: I didn't expect them to make the playoff and the Canucks don't really scare me.
Surprise team in the East: Sabers, never dought a team with the goalie that put up the best regular season numbers.
Caps over Canadians in 5
Devils over Flyers in 5
Sabers over Bruins in 6
Penguins over Senators in 6
Sharks over Avalanche in 5
Red Wings over Coyotes in 6
Blackhawks over Predators in 5
Kings over Canucks in 7
Round 2 Pens over Caps in 7
Devils over Sabers in 7
Sharks over Kings in 5
Blackhawks over Red Wings in 7
Conference Finals Pens over Devils in 6
Sharks over Blackhawks in 7
Stanley Cup Finals Pens over Sharks in 6
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