April 15th- It's that time again. Every hockey fan's favorite time of year, unless you cheer for the Islanders. Yes, it's the NHL Playoffs. This is your Western Conference NHL Playoff Preview. While a couple of the traditional powers remain in control at the top of the conference, there are also four new playoff clubs this season. Minnesota, Dallas, Colorado and Nashville are out. Vancouver, Chicago, St. Louis and Columbus are in. That's a pretty surprising shift, considering a lot of teams that are now on the outside have been consistently in the playoff picture in the West for a number of years.
Western Conference
San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8)
Here's one matchup with a pair of familiar teams, at least on the surface. The Ducks won the Stanley Cup just two years ago, but it took a collapse from the Edmonton Oilers to get them into the playoffs this season despite 91 points in 82 games. Don't get me started on the current point system in the standings. The Sharks have been one of the leagues best teams in recent years, but have been unable to cash in during the post-season. Dallas knocked them out in round two last year, after knocking the Ducks out in round one.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks beat out the Bruins by one point to win the President's Trophy as the NHL's top team. Of course since the award was first presented in '85-'86 only seven out of twenty-one teams have claimed both the President's Trophy and the Stanley Cup. So look at it as a mixed blessing, to say the least.
San Jose has plenty of things going for them. They've got probably the deepest roster in the league in terms of talent and youth. The emergence of guys like Devin Setoguchi, Ryane Clowe and Joe Pavelski takes some of the pressure off of big guns Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Milan Michalek. They've got a lot of depth up front and on the blueline. Dan Boyle looks right at home in the Sharks scheme and Rob Blake has looked as good as he has in a long time this season.
Look for the Sharks to lean heavily on their top four defensemen. Boyle, Blake, Vlasic and Ehrhoff will likely all break 22 minutes in the playoffs. Brad Lukowich and Douglas Murray are decent NHL defensemen, but neither should break 15 minutes per game unless the Sharks are in trouble. Ehrhoff will occasionally hurt them in the defensive end, but his puck moving skills more than balance out that risk.
Even with the increased scoring depth and the contributions of veterans like Jeremy Roenick and Mike Grier, the Sharks will live and die on the play of their big names. Thornton and Marleau must produce goals, and Vezina contender Evgeni Nabokov must transfer his stellar play to the postseason. Nabby has won 87 regular season games over the last two years, and if the Sharks are going to fulfill their Stanley Cup promise he needs to win some games for them this spring.
Anaheim Ducks
These aren't your older brother's Anaheim Ducks. These aren't even the 2007 Champion Ducks. This team is clearly in the midst of a youth movement, with many of the team's key roles filled by some of the league's brightest prospects. Familiar faces like J.S. Giguere, Teemu Selanne and Chris Pronger still dot the lineup card, but young cubs like Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Jonas Hiller are putting their own stamp on this franchise.
Giguere has ceded the #1 goaltender spot to Hiller as the season has progressed, and Hiller has performed very well. Hiller's 9-3 mark through March and April helped the Ducks make the playoffs while Giguere started just five games during the stretch run. Look for Hiller to be the guy you see against the Sharks. I'd be surprised if the Ducks juggle their netminders as some teams have in the past.
Led by Pronger and Niedermayer, the Ducks blueline remains formidable. The acquisition of Ryan Whitney from Pittsburgh and the return of Francios Beauchemin from injury gives Anaheim as impressive a top four as you'll find in the West. They've also got James Wisniewski, who can comfortably play 20 minutes per game. The Ducks are going to need that depth to keep tabs on Thornton and Marleau, who will log big minutes.
Up front the Ducks have plenty of firepower. Getzlaf and Perry are a formidable combination and the mid-season arrival of Bobby Ryan has taken this offense to a new level of performance. Ryan was the second overall pick in 2005 (the Crosby draft). At the time the pick was deemed a surprise, but Ryan has shown ex-GM Brian Burke's faith to be well-placed. He netted 31 goals in 64 games this year and has the pedigree to score 40-plus year in and year out. A true sniper much like teammate, Teemu Selanne. The ageless Finn just keeps on producing. He put up 54 points in 65 games this year, and is always dangerous when on the ice. Former U of Michigan star Andrew Ebbett is showing why he has scored at every level he's played at, giving the Ducks some serious scoring depth.
X Factor: The Ducks rookies
They could decide this series. Ryan and Ebbett give them serious punch and I'm not sure the Sharks defense is going to be equipped to handle them.
Prediction: Sharks in 6
The Ducks will push the Sharks. They have really come on the last two months of the season, and seem more assured with Hiller in net. However, Nabokov will play up to his billing and will allow the Sharks to carry this series.
Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7)
No surprise to see Detroit here. They're the defending Stanley Cup Champions and have one of the leagues deepest rosters. However, they were not a team without questions this year. As has often been the case in Detroit, the question of goaltending reared it's ugly head despite Chris Osgood's excellent play in last season's playoff run. Columbus on the other hand, makes their first ever playoff appearance. Big news for a franchise that hasn't had a lot of success. They rode the back of their hot young goalie, and now have to prove they're ready for the big dance.
Detroit Red Wings
The Wings host the best offense in the NHL. Their 295 goals led the league and they boast four 30-goal scorers. Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa and Johan Franzen are all natural scorers who are dangerous at any time. The Wings also boast solid support scoring from guys like Jiri Hudler and Tomas Holmstrom. One of the biggest reasons for the Wings offensive excellence comes from their blueline. Detroit has three defenseman with 50-plus points. Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Niklas Kronwall all possess excellent vision and the kind of passing ability you need out of a quarterbacking style defenseman.
They're no slouch in their own zone either. Their top players all know how to backcheck, and with the likes of Kris Draper, Brad Stuart and Thomas Kopecky on the roster they've got their share of shutdown players. Stuart definitely adds a needed rugged element to the blueline, while Draper is the kind of veteran leader most teams would kill for.
As said above, goaltending is where the Wings are perceived to be weakest. I say perceived because while I don't feel that Chris Osgood is a great NHL goalie, he has been a damn good one for many, many years. This is a guy who has led the Wings to a pair of Stanley Cups (98, 08) and has a third ring from the '97 team. He has 389 career wins. Yes, Chris Osgood. All that said, he has not looked particularly good this year. An .887 save percentage is not going to get it done. His numbers got better as the year went on, but not substantially enough. Ty Conklin was actually the better of the two for most of the year. One should suspect that the team will roll the dice with Osgood in the playoffs. He has the big game experience, and probably the trust of this team in front of him.
Columbus Blue Jackets
In Columbus it's all about rookie Steve Mason, who was so good that the Jackets traded former franchise goalie Pascal LeClaire to Ottawa. Mason was considered a good young goalie, but never this good. He has been simply outstanding all season long winning 33 of his 61 starts, and despite the Jackets anemic offense (226 goals, second least in the playoffs) he dragged Columbus into the playoffs.
Defensively the Jackets are solid mostly through good goaltending and methods rather than a lot of defensive talent. Their blueline is not flashy, and is not blessed with a ton of skill. Fedor Tyutin, Mike Commodore, Jan Hejda, Rostislav Klesla. Not exactly household names. They don't have a real powerplay quarterback. They do have a couple of solid bangers on the back end though, and their guys play responsibly.
Offensively the Jackets have a few weapons but they're bringing a knife to a gun fight in this series. Rick Nash is an elite scorer. Vermette has proven to be a good sidekick for him. Huselius and Jason Williams are solid NHLers but aren't gamebreakers. If Derrick Brassard was healthy this team would be in much better shape, as Brassard showcased big scoring touch early in the year. With him out, the Jackets just don't have enough weapons. Detroit's deep blueline will bother Nash and Vermette and if they're contained at all Columbus will have trouble scoring.
X Factor: Steve Mason
Seems like the obvious choice, as he's the only reason this is a playoff team. Take him away and this team finishes 10th or 11th at best. But if he can get hot, who knows? Stranger things have happened.
Prediction: Wings In 5
Mason will steal a game for the Jackets, but unless Nash has an out of body experience for 7 games, we can't see them overcoming the depth of talent in Detroit.
Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6)
Here's a pair of new playoff clubs. The Canucks turned things around after a down season a year ago. Luongo was Luongo, the Sedins emerged as better players and a handful of key new contributors stepped in for the Canucks. Also their blueline stayed relatively healthy this year after being absolutely decimated a year ago. The Blues were supposed to suck. Hey, they sucked a year ago. But they picked up a goaltender during the year and a team full of kids, castoffs and the occasional savvy veteran was suddenly running through the Western Conference.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks started off hot, struggled without Luongo in midseason and then played well down the stretch to grab the #3 seed. Luongo is the best goalie in the league for my money, and is more than capable of leading Vancouver on an extended playoff run.
The biggest difference between this Canucks team and past Canucks teams is that this one has some depth. They have seven legitimate NHL defensemen, and their guys aren't afraid to be physical. Bieksa and Edler give them a bit of scoring punch back there, and all of their regulars are capable at moving the puckup to their forwards. Up front they've got a lot of scoring, a rarity for Canucks teams in recent years. Obviously the Sedins lead the way but Pavol Demitra, Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows were also big contributors all season long. Steve Bernier showed some flashes of productivity as did Kyle Wellwood (though mostly in the fall). The 'Nucks have no problem putting out a few different lines that can hurt you at either end. Borrows ability to score (28 goals) without powerplay time (zero powerplay points) is a huge plus.
Then of course there's Mats Sundin. Hailed as the guy who was going to lead the team to the promised land, it hasn't exactly worked out that way. Sundin struggled mightily early on, but has contributed nicely as of late. He's clearly got some gas left in the tank and has a lot of playoff experience to draw on. While he's not going to control a series, he obviously helps the Canucks and their offense.
St. Louis Blues
One of the best stories of this season, or in recent memory actually. The Blues were a terrible team a year ago. They lost former #1 pick Erik Johnson for the season before the year even began, and things were bleak. So what happened? Chris Mason started playing like his old Nashville self, for one. He struggled through the fall but as 2009 came, he turned it on. Since January 1st. He's 24-10, helping the Blues climb from dead last in the Western Conference all the way to a shocking sixth. Mason has shown in the past he can be a very good NHL goalie, but has limited playoff experience.
Their blueline is an interesting mix of young talent and veteran grit. Former Calder Trophy winner Barrett Jackman led the team in minutes once Eric Brewer was lost for the year in December. He's been surrounded by youngsters like Roman Polak, Carlo Colaiacovo and Jeff Woywitka. Colaiacovo was left for dead by the Maple Leafs, but has been a big contributor for the Blues. Woywitka has developed into a solid defenseman, although not the impact player he was expected to be as a former first round pick. With veterans Jay McKee and Mike Weaver they formed a solid group in front of Mason. Colaiacovo has shown flashes as a powerplay quarterback, but this is a group that focuses mostly on defense and getting the puck up to their forwards to key rushes.
The Blues offense wasn't good at all in the first half. Only two playoff teams scored less goals. That said, they have some weapons. Brad Boyes has 76 goals the last two years. David Backes broke out with 31 goals, and David Perron showed some flashes as a playmaker. Andy McDonald's return didn't hurt the offense either, as he's their most gifted playmaker when healthy. He notched 44 points in 46 games. Other youngsters like T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund were also big contributors to the Blues run. Berglund has been on fire down the stretch while Oshie put up 34 points in his last 44 games. If Paul Kariya can somehow play, these guys could be really dangerous.
X Factor: The Blues health
If Kariya returns and McDonald is ready to roll, they could give Vancouver a lot of trouble. If not, they will probably have trouble scoring against Vancouvers deep and tough blueline.
Prediction: Canucks In 7
Kariya will play at some point and this will be a surprisingly competitive series. The Canucks will win by virtue of having the best goalie and a superior blueline, but the Blues will win some games for their home fans.
Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5)
The Blackhawks finally return to the postseason. They hadn't been there since 2002, and they're back in with a bang earning home-ice advantage in the first round. The 'Hawks scored the second-most goals in the Western Conference and spent most of the year wondering which goaltender would end up as their guy heading into the playoffs. The Flames of course leaned heavily on Mikka Kiprusoff all year and made the biggest splash at the trade deadline by adding Olli Jokinen.
Chicago Blackhawks
The 'Hawks have emerged as a team with a deep and young talent base in recent years. Patrick Kane, Johnathan Toews, Kris Versteeg, Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland, All have blossomed in recent years with the Blackhawks. Throw in the supremely talented Martin Havlat and you've got plenty of scoring options up front. Toews led the club with 34 goals while Havlat racked up 77 points. Kane, Toews and Havlat are as good a trio as you'll find on most teams, although Havlat patrols a different line. Chicago should have no trouble generating chances against most other teams including Calgary.
The 'Hawks blueline is a solid group, led by smooth-skating Brian Campbell. Campbell is a very good powerplay quarterback and along with Duncan Keith and Cam Barker gives them a trio of defensemen capable of scoring 45-plus points. Brent Seabrook doesn't have that kind of offensive upside but he's a good young defenseman as well. Thus Chicago has plenty of young legs to throw out there on the blueline.
I would guess that Khabibulin will be the guy for Chicago as he's played most of the games since March 1st. He's got the experience (Stanley Cup with Tampa in 04) and has been the better of the two this season. Huet could see time, but only if the Bulin Wall struggles. Chicago has a lot of money sunk into this position and they need to get big results out of it.
Calgary Flames
Kipper played in 78 games, winning 45. His ups and downs match that of the Flames quite well. He struggled through the first two months of the year and then was unbeatable from December through February. He struggled through a lousy March but has bounced back in April and looks to be solid heading into the playoffs. For the Flames to go anywhere he's obviously got to be at the top of his game.
The Flames aren't a Kipper-only story though, which is the reason they're more of a contender this year than any time since 2004. Iginla was again their offensive leader, but offseason addition Mike Cammalleri has been a godsend. Cammalleri scored 39 goals to lead the Flames this year, and gave them a legitimate second offensive threat. The team got the usual steady play from the likes of Daymond Langkow and Craig Conroy, but it was newcomers like Cammalleri, Todd Bertuzzi, Rene Bourque and of course Olli Jokinen that helped the Flames offense climb from mediocre to dangerous. They're still not a powerhouse, but their offensive is much more respectable than in past years and most importantly more balanced. Teams can no longer just shut down Iginla and watch the Flames fizzle.
The blueline is a solid group as usual. Dion Phaneuf didn't have his best season but he logged more than 26 minutes per night and played well. Adrian Aucoin, Cory Sarich and Robyn Regehr form a strong core of responsible defensive players. Unfortunately Regehr is still injured and could miss a significant amount of playoff time. Jordan Leopold and Mark Giordano will need to play larger roles. Both are capable and offer a bit more offensive upside.
X Factor: Olli Jokinen
If he performs well, the Flames have the right combination of weapons and goaltending to overcome the young 'Hawks. He's a legitimate All-Star talent and needs to play like it.
Prediction: Flames In 6
The Flames edge in experience will be a big plus for them. They also got the edge in goal with Kipper, although the Bulin Wall is no slouch and did beat Kipper in that 2004 Cup Final. The Flames will edge out the Hawks who need another year of seasoning.
The Eastern Conference Playoff Preview
