Western Conference Playoff Preview

In a season where literally anything was possible, hockey fans were given the unfathomable. It was a season where teams sprung up out of nowhere to make the playoffs and a season where sure-fire playoff teams had struggling points. We saw an unimaginable points streak by the Blackhawks and saw an incredible turnaround by the Washington Capitals. We saw the Red Wings almost miss the playoffs in the first time in 22 years as the Blue Jackets threatened to steal a playoff spot in the West. And, of course, we saw the Islanders and Maple Leafs, two cursed franchises, make the playoffs.

The storylines for this shortened season were endless and in the last couple of months, we have 16 teams who will battle for the ultimate prize.

These first round matchups should give us some good hockey so let's jump in.

WEST

1. Chicago Blackhawks vs. 8. Minnesota Wild

1) Heavy Favourites 

There have been few NHL teams to be as favoured to win the Cup as the Blackhawks. Sure, their streak this season was incredible and they've kept up the stellar play all year but there's something about being the Presidents Trophy winner that makes you suffer in the playoffs. Since they began giving out the trophy to the team with the top record in 1985, only seven teams went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Canucks, Sharks and Capitals are known as playoff chokers mainly because they failed to finish off the job after a grand regular season. Will the Blackhawks be next to disappoint?

2) $196 Million Gamble

It wasn't so long ago that Minnesota GM, Craig Leipold, laid out close to $200 mil to land big free agents Ryan Suter and Minny native, Zach Parise *sob*.  The duo combined for a very good season but barely got the team into the postseason. We all know Parise's heart and soul in the playoffs from last year and Suter has been good in the past as well. But can these two get Minnesota on a track to the Cup?

3) We'll See Ryan Suter. A Lot.

There was no skater in the NHL who played more than Ryan Suter this season. Suter was on the ice for an average of 27 minutes a game. He's out there on the powerplay, on the penalty kill, and whenever the Wild need a big shift. So expect him to be out there versus Chicago's top players, everyone on the first three lines. We'll be seeing a lot of number 20 in green.

4) Return of the Mullet

The Chicago Tribune reported that Hawk's forward, Patrick Kane, will be bringing back the playoff mullet this season. Kane had the mullet when the Hawk's won it all but also two years ago in their loss to Vancouver. This year forward Brandon Saad will be joining him in the growth.

5) Hockeytown Back in Playoffs

First of all, I know what you're thinking. "Isn't Detroit really Hockeytown?" The answer is, technically, no. The real Hockeytown in the US is Warroad, Minnesota. Warroad, Minnesota’s use of the term ‘Hockey Town USA” predates the Detroit Red Wing’s copyrighted slogan by about 40 years, although it is heavily debated among sources as to when exactly the term came to rest on Warroad’s shoulders. While St. Paul, Minnesota isn't exactly Warroad, Minnesota, there's no arguing the meaning of hockey in that area.

One of the most memorable upsets in recent NHL history is that of the sixth seeded Minnesota Wild over the third seeded Colorado Avalanche back in 2003. After going down 3 games to 1, Minnesota won 3 straight, 2 of them on the road. To make things more crazy, games 6 and 7 were won in overtime. The sight of Minnesota coach, Jacques Lemaire, smiling excitedly on the bench after the series win is one of magic and happiness. (fun fact: that goal by Brunette was the last goal against in Patrick Roy's career. )

Expect Minnesota and their fans to be right there in this thing, no matter how big of an underdog they are.

Prediction:

Did I mention the Hawks won like 20 straight at a point?

Blackhawks in 4 

2. Anaheim Ducks vs. 7. Detroit Red Wings

1) No Lidstrom, No Problem

Many people doubted Detroit's chances of making the playoffs without their leader, Nick Lidstrom, who retired prior to this season. Now go back and reread that sentence.

We're talking about a storied franchise that has made it to the playoffs, now, 22 consecutive years. If you thought that one defenseman was going to make all the difference, then you don't understand the way the Red Wings work. Sure, it was close by the end of the season but these players still got the job done to get in. I'm not denying the major loss of one of the best defensemen to ever play the game. I'm just saying that one man does not a team make.

2) Duck Season

Last year was a season to forget for Anaheim Ducks fans. Their 13th seed finish was nowhere near where most expected them to reach after a solid year. But the team rebounded well and now they find themselves as, perhaps, the most shocking high seed in the playoffs. They did it with goal scoring and fine defense and they quietly became one of the strongest teams in the league.

3) Viktor Fasth

One reason for Anaheim's climb to greatness this year was partly due to some Swedish 30 year old rookie goaltender who started out the season going 9-0. He played about half the season and finished with a 15-6-2 record with solid numbers to boot. This inspiring story came out of nowhere and people had no clue how to react to this sensation. Although he's not expected to start (right away) he still may have some impact down the road.

4) Hiller's Coming Out Party

4 Years ago, I recall watching this playoff game between Detroit and Anaheim. I recall not understanding how this Jonas Hiller kid was playing so unbelievably well throughout the game. It seemed like he was stopping everything that was made out of rubber and finished the night with 59 saves, many of them on high quality chances. His glove swalled up everyshot within his immediate area code. This game was, in my opinion, Hiller's first legitimate superstar moment. Being the starter for this series, he's going to have to channel what he did that series.

5) Saku Koivu Hasn't Won Yet

Saku Koivu has to win the Stanley Cup. He's the best. Please, Anaheim. Let him get it. Much like Jarome Iginla and the Penguins, we're all cheering for him.

Prediction:

I just have this feeling that the Ducks were not a fluke to make it to the playoffs. People might still be iffy on them from last year's embarrassment, but they came back this year on a mission and have pulled through thus far. The Wings have looked slow at times this year and I'm not sure how they'll do in the postseason of this shortened year.

Ducks in 6

3. Vancouver Canucks vs. 6. San Jose' Sharks

1) Roberto Luongo Is Good. Trust Me.

For some reason, it became the cool thing to hate on Vancouver goaltender, Roberto Luongo. It all started in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals when the entire Canucks team Luongo randomly decided to suck in the TD Garden. Those 3 games gave Luongo the status of a choker and a bad goalie. He's a bad goalie even though he's proven himself to be one of the best in the league up until then and has played well since. He's considered a choker EVEN THOUGH HE WON AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL!!! 

Well Luongo is getting the start for now with Schneider nursing an injury to his soul. Don't be surprised if Luongo shines.

Did I mention he is hilarious?

2) Rematch

Speaking of 2011, these two teams have a recent history of playoff matchups. Just 2 years ago, these teams battled for a chance to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals and ended in about the weirdest way possible. The series was short but it was intense and included probably the most controversial nothing to ever happen. The bottom line is, these teams immensely dislike each other and we should see a rather physical affair.

3) Sharks Reversed

We usually see the Sharks in a different kind of atmosphere come playoff time. The Sharks usually cruise through the regular season and then get upset in the postseason, as has happened plenty of times in the past several seasons. This year, on the other hand, the Sharks faced adversity during the year and kind of positioned themselves into the playoffs under the radar. This suits the Sharks fairly well seeing as they can focus on their game and not the media's negative attention or the fans.

4) Awful First Rounds

Last year, these two teams were utterly dismantled by their opponents in the first round. The Canucks were stifled by the Kings in their start for their fast-track to the Cup while the Sharks were just nowhere to be found against the tough St. Louis foe. Both these teams exited the playoffs last year before they expected to so this year they'll both be out to make up for it.

5) Brent Burns' Beard

Brent Burns had a rather interesting beard at the beginning of the season. His playoff beard should definitely be a storyline to follow during the postseason.  

Prediction:

To me, I think this series belongs to the Sharks. I feel like the Canucks are using the same equations every single year and it just hasn't been working out for them. I like San Jose's resiliency this year as they didn't have the easiest path to the playoffs yet they were still able to pull through as a team. This should be a fun series though.

Sharks in 7

4. St. Louis Blues vs. 5. Los Angeles Kings

1) Last Year’s Prediction

Last year, I wrote up a whole piece in my playoff prediction that the Blues were going to play fundamental hockey to death and suffocate the life out of the Kings. This year it’s essentially the same personnel going at it. The Blues still have this possibility of winning the series in their perfect form of hockey and, with understanding what went wrong in last year’s matchup, might be able to win this series this year.

2) Last Year’s Kings Revisited?

Last year the Kings snuck into the playoffs by the end of the year and didn’t seem like the strongest candidate to win the Cup. But they legitimately turned it into turbo drive and blasted through the West like Malkin against the Lightning. This year they weren’t overly impressive either and enter the playoffs neutrally. Can they find that same step they achieved last year or will they wither away early on? No team has won back-to-back Cups since the Wings did it in '97-'98. Can the Kings pull it off?

3) Goal Song

The Blues play in one of the only arenas in the country to still have an organ blasting out tunes between timeouts. Not only that, they still kept the same goal song, “Oh When the Saints Come Marching In.” In a league where teams go for loud, thumping music, it’s nice to see one team get it right and sticking to their roots.

4) Brian Elliot

Although he played like Brian Elliot for a bit of the season, he randomly became phenomenal again down the stretch going into the playoffs. Elliot was unremarkable in last year’s postseason so maybe he can get the job done this time around with Halak watching.

5) Taylor Stevens

I hope Tay Stevens shows up again…

Prediction:

Like I just wrote, these two teams are very similar from last season. Last year I took the Blues and things didn't work out. At All. This year, though, I'm going to go with them again for much of the same reason. The Kings don't seem to have the same kind of lust to win as they did last season and I feel the Blues can contain them this time around.

 Blues in 6