By Eric Pytel
The 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs are about to kick off and the theme this season is “redemption.” Both conferences feature players and teams searching for the kind of pressure cooker performances that ultimately will lead to hockey immortality and an engraving on North America’s oldest trophy in professional sports.
It’s also time to sit back and enjoy a tasty beverage while firing off one-liners at the TV screen for every shot that hits a goalpost or every bad penalty call made by the zebras “policing” the ice. This is also the time of year when players bury their razor blades in the far recesses of their bathroom cabinets as the “playoff beard” is born.
Let’s just jump right in and look at the matchups.
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Western Conference
(1) Detroit Redwings (54-21-7; 115 pts.)
(8) Nashville Predators (41-32-9; 91 pts.)
Detroit has a lot to prove after a deep playoff run that ended in the conference finals last season at the hands of eventual Cup champion Anaheim. Once overlooked as a team too old and lacking physicality, Detroit added old tough guy Darren McCarty down the stretch to help out if things get a little “old time hockey” against Nashville. Nashville sports Jordin Tootoo, one of the best pests in the league. If Nashville hopes to upset the Red Wings they’ll need to play physical, capitalize on turnovers, and stay out of the penalty box at all costs. It might also help if they take a run at mercurial Dominik Hasek, who’ll get the first shot at backstopping Detroit’s Cup hopes. Traffic and more traffic in front of Hasek’s doorstep might be crucial to rattling him early and improving the Predators hopes for a series upset. Detroit’s power play was the third best in the league and even the third best penalty kill that Nashville boasts will have all it can handle with Detroit’s skill players.
(Players to Watch Det: Offense: Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen; Defense: Nicklas Lidstrom & Brian Rafalski are a deadly 1-2 punch from the blueline; Goaltending: Dominik Hasek & Chris Osgood)
(Players to Watch NSH: Offense: Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont, & Alexander Radulov; Defense: Dan Hamhuis, Marek Zidlicky, & Ryan Suter; Goaltending: Dan Ellis)
Pick: Barring an injury to a key player on Detroit, it’ll most likely be Detroit in 5.
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(2) San Jose Sharks (49-23-10; 108 pts.)
(7) Calgary Flames (42-30-10; 94 pts.)
San Jose is considered a favorite to beat in the West because they’ve had a red-hot finish and nearly caught Detroit for the best record in the regular season. A trade deadline deal with Buffalo brought over slick puck-moving defenseman Brian Campbell. He stirs the drink both with his crisp passing and his ability to take the puck from the defensive zone, rush up the ice, and find a way to gain entry into the offensive zone. Joe Thornton is still the most important offensive forward and it’ll be a big order for Calgary to slow both him and Shark Captain Patrick Marleau down. Marleau epitomizes the theme of redemption. After a poor start to his season and a disastrous playoff last season, he finished the season strong and could be the “X” factor for the Sharks. The Calgary Flames boast mirror image type players on offense and defense in the form of Jerome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf. Both are talented leaders that play with the right combination of sandpaper and skill. They can hurt a team with their offense just as much as with a powerful crunching check. Mike Keenan coaches the Flames and he’ll undoubtedly have his squad ready to play a physical style in an attempt to intimidate and overpower a more skilled Shark squad. This series should be a barnburner if the refs let both teams play. In net it shapes up to be an excellent battle between former Shark and current Calgary Flame stalwart, Mikka Kiprusoff, and San Jose workhorse Evgeni Nabokov.
(Players to watch SJ: Offense: Joe Thornton, Jonathon Cheechoo, Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek, & Jeremy Roenick in what might be his last crack at a Stanley Cup; Defense: Brian Campbell, Craig Rivet; Goaltending: Evgeni Nabokov)
(Players to watch: CGY: Jerome Iginla, Daymond Langkow, Kristian Huselius; Alex Tanguay; Defense: Dion Phaneuf, Adrian Aucoin; Goaltending: Mikka Kiprusoff.)
Pick: Take the Sharks in 7.
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(3) Minnesota Wild (44-28-10; 98 pts.)
(6) Colorado Avalanche (44-31-7; 95 pts.)
Minnesota is a “system” team that will use the trap to force turnovers and create offense off those turnovers in transition. They rely on solid goaltending and player commitment to the system to produce effective results. It’ll be a tall order to shut down the Avs as they have a unique combination of young upstarts and grizzled vets looking to prove they’re still relevant. Minnesota must get offense from their lone stick of high-octane dynamite in Marian Gaborik, but also look for Brian Rolston to chip in when needed. Minnesota’s Brett Burns is the kind of defenseman that can chip in with an occasional goal and he could be important if the Wild don’t get offense from players not named Gaborik or Rolston. For the Avalanche, their offense is no longer predicated upon the exploits of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, although both are sure to make their presence felt. The younger Avalanche players, Paul Stastny and Wojtek Wolski, will look to initiate in the offensive end. On defense Adam Foote and Scott Hannan have the unenviable task of shadowing Gaborik and keeping him off the scoresheet. In net Nicklas Backstrom will have to be sharp and steal a few games where he faces more shots than his teammates throw at Colorado goaltender Jose Theodore. Theodore was once a Vezina winner and the next big thing in goaltending. Then he fell on hard times, got traded and struggled to find his former excellence. This season served as a bit of a rebound year and he’ll be looking to prove his regular season wasn’t a fluke.
(Players to watch MIN: Marian Gaborik, Brian Rolston, Pavol Demitra, Pierre Marc Bouchard; Defense: Brett Burns, Kim Johnsson, Kurtis Foster; Goaltending: Nicklas Backstrom)
(Players to watch COL: Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski, Joe Sakic, Andrew Brunette, Ryan Smyth, Peter Forsberg; Defense: Scott Hannan, Adam Foote, John-Michael Liles; Goaltending: Jose Theodore)
Pick: Colorado in 6.
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(4) Anaheim Ducks (47-27-8; 102 pts.)
(5) Dallas Stars (45-30-7; 97 pts.)
Anaheim and Dallas could be as physical a matchup as there is in the first round. Both teams have played contested battles during the eight regular season meetings. While Dallas won five of those, the last two went in favor of Anaheim, both in the month of March. Anaheim got a boost when Teemu Selanne decided to play the last 26 games of the season after sitting out the start. Similarly, Scott Niedermayer came out of his self-imposed semi-retirement to lace up the skates in time to play half a season. Both added skill and leadership to the defending champion Duck squad that already boasted solid young players and two very good defensemen in Chris Pronger and Mathieu Schneider. Anaheim is posed to prove that last season’s Cup wasn’t a fluke. In net J-S Giguere will have to out duel Dallas netminder Marty Turco. On offense Dallas had a stellar season from Mike Ribeiro and captain Brendan Morrow. Dallas is hoping their trade deadline acquisition of former Conn Smythe trophy winner (playoff MVP), Brad Richards, will pay dividends against a sound Anaheim defense.
(Players to watch ANA: Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz, Corey Perry, Teemu Selanne, Doug Weight, Samuel Pahlsson; Defense: Chris Pronger, Scott Neidermayer, Mathieu Schneider, Francois Beauchemin; Goaltending: J-S Giguere)
(Players to watch DAL: Mike Ribeiro, Brendan Morrow; Mike Modano; Jere Lehtinen; Brad Richards; Defense: Phillipe Boucher, Matt Niskanen, & Stephane Robidas will have to pick up the slack for injured Sergei Zubov; Goaltending: Marty Turco)
Pick: Anaheim in 6.
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Eastern Conference
(1) Montreal Canadiens (47-25-10; 104 pts.)
(8) Boston Bruins (41-29-12; 94 pts.)
Montreal and Boston meet in a classic Original Six matchup. Historically the Canadiens have dominated this playoff matchup winning 22 out of 29. Montreal is a dynamic offensive team with a dangerous pp (power play) unit ranked 1st in the league at 24.2% which matches up favorably against the Bruins pk (penalty killing) unit that ranked 28th in the league at 78.6%.
(Players to watch: MTL: Offense: Linemates: Alexei Kovalev, Tomas Plekanec, & Andrei Kostitsyn; Defense: Andrei Markov & Mike Komisarek; Goaltender: rookie Cristobal Huet )
(Players to watch: BOS: Offense Patrice Bergeron, Marc Savard, & Marco Sturm; Defense: Zdeno Chara; Goaltender Tim Thomas)
Pick: Barring a miracle, Montreal will win this series, probably in 5.
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(2) Pittsburgh Penguins (47-27-8; 102 pts.)
(7) Ottawa Senators (43-31-8; 94 pts.)
Pittsburgh has a return engagement with Ottawa with the roles reversed: the Penguins are now the team to beat and the Senators will be looking to spoil what Pittsburgh fans hope will be a lengthy post-season. Last season Ottawa dumped the Penguins in five, but look for NHL poster child Sidney Crosby and his dynamic duo partner Evgeni Malkin to reverse that outcome this year.
(Players to watch: PIT: Offense: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Peter Sykora; Defense Sergei Gonchar; Goaltending: Marc Andre Fleury will look to redeem himself after last season’s quick exit.)
(Players to watch: OTT: Offense: A deadly top line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, & Daniel Alfredsson; Defense: Chris Phillips & Wade Redden will have a tough task stopping the Penguin offense; Goaltending: Martin Gerber and Ray Emery both might see action but look for Gerber in net first.)
Pick: Take the Penguins in 6.
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(3) Washington Capitals (43-31-8; 94 pts.)
(6) Philadelphia Flyers (42-29-11; 95 pts.)
Washington is the Cinderella team in this year’s playoffs. They qualified on the very last day of the season by beating the Florida Panthers. Washington can be explosive and they’re heading into the playoffs red hot with offensive sensation Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin is a goal scoring machine (65 in the regular season) and if Philadelphia wants to win this series they must find an answer for slowing down the Ovechkin train. In net Washington boasts Cristobal Huet, a trade deadline deal stole him away from Montreal and he’s done nothing but win in Washington, at an 11-2 clip with a .936 save %. Philly must get offense from their 2nd ranked pp (21.8%) which matches up nicely against Washington’s weaker pk that ranked 25th in the league at 80.5%.
(Players to watch: WSH: Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom who dishes to Ovechkin, & Alexander Semin; Defense: Mike Green & Tom Poti; Goaltending: Cristobal Huet)
(Players to watch: PHL: Offense: Daniel Briere, Mike Richards, & Jeff Carter; Defense: Kimmo Timonen & Braydon Coburn; Goaltending: Martin Biron)
Pick: Take Washington in 6.
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(4) New Jersey Devils (46-29-7; 99 pts.)
(5) New York Rangers (42-27-13; 97 pts.)
The battle of the New York market pits the 4th seeded New Jersey Devils against the 5th-seeded New York Rangers. Look for a very low scoring affair as both teams will pin their playoff hopes on their stalwarts in net: New Jersey boast the veteran Martin Brodeur while the Rangers will ice the equally impressive Henrik Lundqvist. On paper New Jersey appears to be overmatched by a much deeper and very talented New York Ranger team that underachieved in the regular season. If the scores remain close Brodeur is the type of goalie playing in a defense-first system in New Jersey that can steal a few wins en route to an upset but it’s a tall order as the Rangers appear to have the better depth. Scott Gomez will get to dash his former team (NJ) Stanley Cup hopes as he centers a line alongside Jaromir Jagr for the Rangers.
(Players to watch: NJ Offense: Zach Parise, Patrick Elias, & Brian Gionta; Defense: Paul Martin, Johnny Oduya; Goaltending: Martin Brodeur)
(Players to watch: NYR Offense: Jaromir Jagr, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Brendan Shanahan; Defense: Michal Rossival; Fedor Tyutin; Goaltending: Henrik Lundqvist)
Pick: NYRangers in 7.
Posted on April 9, 2008