2007 NHL Playoff preview and first round predictions
Eastern Conference:
#1 Buffalo Sabres (53-22-7) vs. #8 NY Islanders (40-30-12); season series: 3-1 Bufallo
The NY Islanders sneaked into the playoffs with a win in game 82 of their season over the NJ Devils, whereas the Buffalo Sabres have been assured of a playoff spot and top spot in the NE division for at least a month their playoff bound and a week that they won the President's Trophy. On paper the Sabres should take the series easily, but the Islanders have been playing desparate playoff hockey the last month just to make it to the post-season. As well, in the past the President's trophy team has bowed out early as teams like to face the best. Goaltending wise, the Sabres have a decided edge with all-star Ryan Miller between the pipes whereas the Isles will be forced to with third stringer Wade Dubelewicz and should he fail, the struggling Mike Dunham will be forced into action, at least until later in the round and only if it goes five or more when starter Rick DiPietro may return from a cocussion, but he'll likely be rusty after missing a month. On defense, the Sabres boast good young defensemen, and as they demonstrated last season in the playoffs when injuries decimated their defensive corps, they have pretty good depth beyond their top four. The Isles can also play defense, which is a good part of the reason why their here. Up front, the Sabres have four sizzling lines that can score led by superstars Briere and Afinoginov right down to fourth liners Pominville and Stafford, where as the Isles will be relying on PP specialist Smyth, inconsistent captain Yashin, who really hasn't lived up to his lucrative contract. In short, this series will come down to depth, which the Sabres have and the Isles don't.
My Pick: Sabres in five.
#2 NJ Devils (49-24-9) vs. #7 Tampa Bay Lightning (44-33-5); season series: 3-1 Tampa Bay
Any team would stand a chance with arguably the best goalie in the world in Martin Brodeur between the pipes as the Devils are lucky to have. He'll easily win the goaltending battle against the inconsistent Marc Denis. Defensively, the Devils neutral zone trap will frustrate the Lightning's forwards into coughing up the puck and Brodeur knows how to handle it as well, acting as a sixth player at times. The Lightning play a more wide open style that will struggle against the Devils counterattack. Up front, Gionta, Elias and Gomez form a dangerous top line, after that, their not as dangerous as the Lightning can be.
My Pick: Devils in 6
#3 Atlanta Thrashers (43-28-11) vs. #6 NY Rangers (42-30-10); season series: 3-1 Atlanta
The Thrashers boast a tough goalie in Kari Lehtonen, but the Rangers Henrik Lundqvist, arguably the second and third best goalies in the Eastern conference. It should be an even match-up between the goalies. When Jason Strudwick and Marek Malik mke up your top defensive pairing, you're in big trouble. The Thrashers are only slightly better defensively. A lot has been made of the Thrashers decision to pick up Tkachuk at the deadline, but he has quitely produced and will be a strong leader for the youngsters in the Thrashers line-up. Free agent signing Brendan Shanahan had a similar effect on the Rangers. The Rangers and Thrashers both boast a good mix of young and older players, with the Thrashers superstars being younger. Ultimately this series will come down to the forwards, the goalies and special teams.
My pick: Rangers in 7
#4 Ottawa Senators (48-25-9) vs. #5 Pittsburgh Penguins (47-24-11): season series: 3-1 Pittsburgh
This will be the tighest of the four Eastern series and perhaps the highest scoring with two teams that have players that can light it up, the Penguins have Sid the Kid Crosby, Malkin, and Staal and the Senators will counter with Alfredson, Heatley, and Spezza. Defensively, the Senators have a strong top pairing of Chris Phillips and Joe Corvo with a second pairing featuring 21-year-old Andrej Meszaros and Wade Redding. The Penguins have veteran Gonchar and Ray Whitney. I feel the Senators have more depth defensively, and the Penguins have the edge with their forwards. Ultimately, it will come down to which teams goalies do worse. Ray Emery has proven himself to be a capable #1, but Marc-Andre Fluery is prone to giving up big rebounds.
My Pick: Senators in 6
Western Conference:
#1 Detroit Red Wings (50-19-13) vs. #8 Calgary Flames (43-29-10): season series ties 2-2
On paper judging by the regular season standings the Flames are in for a whipping. However, the Red Wings lost to the Flames just three seasons ago, albeit pre-lockout. Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Red Wings will be the health and durability of their aging players (Chelios, Hasek, Lidstrom). For the Flames their question mark is whether Kipper can dominate in the playoffs despite not exactly dominating the league. Also, the Flames must continue to win on the road, where they'll need to win at least once and likely two or three times. I call the goaltending edge even with both Hasek and Kipper capable of slamming the door shut. Defensively, the Red Wings get the nod with two former Norris trophy winners on their blueline. Offensively, Iginla will be a force for the Flames as will Conroy and Tanguay. However, the Red Wings have a lot of good young talent up front (Zetteberg, Datsyuk). The series will go the distance. If the Flames are physical, which they should be, they'll wear down the Wings wily veterans and break up their puck possession game.
My Pick: Flames in seven
#2 Anaheim Ducks (48-20-14) vs. #7 Minnesota Wild (48-26-8): season series tied 2-2
A re-match of the 2003 West Final, features two defense-first teams. Both these teams, especially the Wild, will wait for the opportunity and then steal the puck and use a strong transition game to score. Expect this to be a tight, low-scoring series that will go the distance.
My pick: Wild in 7
#3 Vancouver Canucks (49-26-7) vs. #6 Dallas Stars (50-25-7): season series tied 2-2
Statistcally, these two teams are dead even with the Stars holding a slight edge in wins, points, goals for and goals against (four each). The Canucks should have the goaltending edge, assuming Luongo doesn't have any playoff jitters. Defensively, the teams are dead even and up front the Canucks have a slight edge with a bit more depth.
My pick: Canucks in seven by a Luongo toe save.
#4 Nasville Predators (51-23-8) vs. #5 San Jose Sharks (51-26-5): season series: 3-1 Nashville
Again, two dead even teams with the Preds having the edge up front and in goal and the Sharks dangerous on special teams and on defense. You can almost flip a coin with this one.
my pick: Sharks in 7
#1 Buffalo Sabres (53-22-7) vs. #8 NY Islanders (40-30-12); season series: 3-1 Bufallo
The NY Islanders sneaked into the playoffs with a win in game 82 of their season over the NJ Devils, whereas the Buffalo Sabres have been assured of a playoff spot and top spot in the NE division for at least a month their playoff bound and a week that they won the President's Trophy. On paper the Sabres should take the series easily, but the Islanders have been playing desparate playoff hockey the last month just to make it to the post-season. As well, in the past the President's trophy team has bowed out early as teams like to face the best. Goaltending wise, the Sabres have a decided edge with all-star Ryan Miller between the pipes whereas the Isles will be forced to with third stringer Wade Dubelewicz and should he fail, the struggling Mike Dunham will be forced into action, at least until later in the round and only if it goes five or more when starter Rick DiPietro may return from a cocussion, but he'll likely be rusty after missing a month. On defense, the Sabres boast good young defensemen, and as they demonstrated last season in the playoffs when injuries decimated their defensive corps, they have pretty good depth beyond their top four. The Isles can also play defense, which is a good part of the reason why their here. Up front, the Sabres have four sizzling lines that can score led by superstars Briere and Afinoginov right down to fourth liners Pominville and Stafford, where as the Isles will be relying on PP specialist Smyth, inconsistent captain Yashin, who really hasn't lived up to his lucrative contract. In short, this series will come down to depth, which the Sabres have and the Isles don't.
My Pick: Sabres in five.
#2 NJ Devils (49-24-9) vs. #7 Tampa Bay Lightning (44-33-5); season series: 3-1 Tampa Bay
Any team would stand a chance with arguably the best goalie in the world in Martin Brodeur between the pipes as the Devils are lucky to have. He'll easily win the goaltending battle against the inconsistent Marc Denis. Defensively, the Devils neutral zone trap will frustrate the Lightning's forwards into coughing up the puck and Brodeur knows how to handle it as well, acting as a sixth player at times. The Lightning play a more wide open style that will struggle against the Devils counterattack. Up front, Gionta, Elias and Gomez form a dangerous top line, after that, their not as dangerous as the Lightning can be.
My Pick: Devils in 6
#3 Atlanta Thrashers (43-28-11) vs. #6 NY Rangers (42-30-10); season series: 3-1 Atlanta
The Thrashers boast a tough goalie in Kari Lehtonen, but the Rangers Henrik Lundqvist, arguably the second and third best goalies in the Eastern conference. It should be an even match-up between the goalies. When Jason Strudwick and Marek Malik mke up your top defensive pairing, you're in big trouble. The Thrashers are only slightly better defensively. A lot has been made of the Thrashers decision to pick up Tkachuk at the deadline, but he has quitely produced and will be a strong leader for the youngsters in the Thrashers line-up. Free agent signing Brendan Shanahan had a similar effect on the Rangers. The Rangers and Thrashers both boast a good mix of young and older players, with the Thrashers superstars being younger. Ultimately this series will come down to the forwards, the goalies and special teams.
My pick: Rangers in 7
#4 Ottawa Senators (48-25-9) vs. #5 Pittsburgh Penguins (47-24-11): season series: 3-1 Pittsburgh
This will be the tighest of the four Eastern series and perhaps the highest scoring with two teams that have players that can light it up, the Penguins have Sid the Kid Crosby, Malkin, and Staal and the Senators will counter with Alfredson, Heatley, and Spezza. Defensively, the Senators have a strong top pairing of Chris Phillips and Joe Corvo with a second pairing featuring 21-year-old Andrej Meszaros and Wade Redding. The Penguins have veteran Gonchar and Ray Whitney. I feel the Senators have more depth defensively, and the Penguins have the edge with their forwards. Ultimately, it will come down to which teams goalies do worse. Ray Emery has proven himself to be a capable #1, but Marc-Andre Fluery is prone to giving up big rebounds.
My Pick: Senators in 6
Western Conference:
#1 Detroit Red Wings (50-19-13) vs. #8 Calgary Flames (43-29-10): season series ties 2-2
On paper judging by the regular season standings the Flames are in for a whipping. However, the Red Wings lost to the Flames just three seasons ago, albeit pre-lockout. Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Red Wings will be the health and durability of their aging players (Chelios, Hasek, Lidstrom). For the Flames their question mark is whether Kipper can dominate in the playoffs despite not exactly dominating the league. Also, the Flames must continue to win on the road, where they'll need to win at least once and likely two or three times. I call the goaltending edge even with both Hasek and Kipper capable of slamming the door shut. Defensively, the Red Wings get the nod with two former Norris trophy winners on their blueline. Offensively, Iginla will be a force for the Flames as will Conroy and Tanguay. However, the Red Wings have a lot of good young talent up front (Zetteberg, Datsyuk). The series will go the distance. If the Flames are physical, which they should be, they'll wear down the Wings wily veterans and break up their puck possession game.
My Pick: Flames in seven
#2 Anaheim Ducks (48-20-14) vs. #7 Minnesota Wild (48-26-8): season series tied 2-2
A re-match of the 2003 West Final, features two defense-first teams. Both these teams, especially the Wild, will wait for the opportunity and then steal the puck and use a strong transition game to score. Expect this to be a tight, low-scoring series that will go the distance.
My pick: Wild in 7
#3 Vancouver Canucks (49-26-7) vs. #6 Dallas Stars (50-25-7): season series tied 2-2
Statistcally, these two teams are dead even with the Stars holding a slight edge in wins, points, goals for and goals against (four each). The Canucks should have the goaltending edge, assuming Luongo doesn't have any playoff jitters. Defensively, the teams are dead even and up front the Canucks have a slight edge with a bit more depth.
My pick: Canucks in seven by a Luongo toe save.
#4 Nasville Predators (51-23-8) vs. #5 San Jose Sharks (51-26-5): season series: 3-1 Nashville
Again, two dead even teams with the Preds having the edge up front and in goal and the Sharks dangerous on special teams and on defense. You can almost flip a coin with this one.
my pick: Sharks in 7
posted by opinionator777 at 7:30 PM
3 Comments:
Interesting pick in the Ducks/Wild series. I look forward to seeing if your insight is correct!
Six right, not too bad!
Peter Mcguire of TSN got all eight right.
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