Preview of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and End of Year Awards
NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoffs (seeds in parentheses)
(1) Carolina Hurricanes versus (8) Tampa Bay Lightning- The Carolina Hurricanes are a strong team and while the Lightning had momentum on their side before the strike, their late season surge will not be enough to fight the Hurricanes’ powerful defensive game.
(2) Ottawa Senators versus (7) Montreal Canadiens- The Ottawa Senators have not won a Stanley Cup in nearly eight decades and while they may not win the Stanley Cup this year, they will certainly beat the historically prolific Montreal Canadiens. Dany Heatley will be able to circumvent the Canadiens defense and the Senators will make a strong push for the Stanley Cup and at the very least go far into the playoffs.
(3) New York Rangers versus (6) New Jersey Devils- Martin Brodeur’s 41 wins prove that he is still stellar between the pipes and while the Rangers have MVP candidate Jaromir Jagr and a solid lineup, they are still overpriced for what they will give the New York faithful. New Jersey will advance and will make a surprisingly strong run at the Cup.
(4) Buffalo Sabres versus (5) Philadelphia Flyers- The Flyers will take down the Sabres in the Stanley Cup playoffs despite the recently strong play of Ryan Miller of the Sabres but they will not advance beyond the second round.
NHL Eastern Conference Champions (Prince of Wales Trophy)- New Jersey
NHL Western Conference Stanley Cup Playoffs
(1) Detroit Red Wings versus (8) Edmonton Oilers- Steve Yzerman is proving to be only getting better with age, as his second decade as captain has mirrored the success of much of his career. The Red Wings, winners of the President’s Trophy for most points, will cruise past Edmonton and into the Stanley Cup finals.
(2) Dallas Stars versus (7) Colorado Avalanche- The Dallas Stars have the experience and will have to contend with the star power of the Avalanche. But the Stars will defeat the Avalanche and will be a tough out for any teams they face in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
(3) Calgary Flames versus (6) Anaheim Ducks- The Calgary Flames, who had “Flame”-dimonium in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, have to contend with Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald but Vezina Trophy finalist Mikka Kiprusoff will shut down the Ducks’ attack in the early rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
(4) Nashville Predators versus (5) San Jose Sharks- The Sharks, under veteran coach Ron Wilson and star forward Joe Thornton, have surged since their early season woes. Thornton may prove to be the successor to the leadership skills of people like Steve Yzerman and the Sharks will beat out the Predators in the first round.
NHL Western Conference Champions- Detroit Red Wings
NHL Stanley Cup Finals- New Jersey Devils versus Detroit Red Wings- The New Jersey Devils will continue to confound expectations by defeating the Red Wings in a seven game series. Martin Brodeur will win the Conn Smythe Trophy for Stanley Cup MVP as he will shut down a strong Red Wings offensive attack. The Devils-Red Wings finals will return some of the luster lost by the Lightning-Flames final of two years ago.
NHL End of Season Awards:
Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Hands down, forward Alexander Ovechkin will win the Calder Trophy. While Sidney Crosby maybe the next great hope of the league, Ovechkin has scored 102 point on a bad Washington Capitals team.
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Forward Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers is finally living up to the promise that drew the attention of the New York Rangers several years ago. His strong playmaking, now out of the Mario LeMieux shadow, will make them a strong team in the playoffs.
Jack Adams Trophy (Coach of the Year): San Jose’s Ron Wilson should win this award because of how they have rebounded from a horrible first quarter of the season. While Joe Thornton’s arrival can explain some of their success, Wilson’s no-nonsense style will guide the Sharks to a strong playoff performance.
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)- While Martin Brodeur makes a strong case for the Vezina, Calgary’s Mikko Kiprusoff will win this trophy easily. His 2.09 goals against average and his 92% percentage make him a solid candidate and his 42 wins make him a shoe-in for the position.
