Might as well post some first round predictions and, assuming I have the rules down correctly, my predictions for the entire playoffs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (8) Boston Bruins – Winner: Montreal Canadiens in 5 games

I admire the job Claude Julien did with the Bruins and I think he was unfairly fired last year by the Devils, but come on. This is just too lopsided a match-up.

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators – Winner: Pittsburgh Penguins in 6 games

It seems like perhaps Marc-Andre Fleury may have finally reached a new level in his development. Martin Gerber and Ray Emery have not. The Sens are a bit of a mess right now, though I think they’ll get their act together somewhat for this series, but that won’t be enough to stop the Penguins.

(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers – Winner: Washington Capitals in 6 games

The Flyers are not a bad team but I don’t see the right kind of chemistry on this team for a long playoff run. Paul Holmgren did a decent job of assembling good players, but as a whole, they may not all be the right fit. Martin Biron is not an elite goaltender, either. The Caps’ moves at the deadline were brilliant as all three have paid off huge dividends. A revitalized Sergei Federov, an energized and hungry Cristobal Huet and of course, Alexander the Great, along with young Mike Green on the blueline make this a scary team. The Flyers are going to have their hands full with a team of guys that have been waiting for this chance for a long time.

(4) New Jersey Devils vs. (5) New York Rangers – Winner: New York Rangers in 6 games

This series will be a lot like the games these two played in the regular season. A bunch of close games that could go either way. I think that the Rangers veterans, however, are really motivated. This might be the last stand for some of them and, for others, a chance to start their legacy on the team off with a bang. They’re going to take it.

WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Nashville Predators – Winner: Detroit Red Wings in 6 games

My favorite coach in hockey? Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators. My favorite GM in hockey? David Poile of the Nashville Predators. Year after year, these two do an an amazing job amid a whirlwind of obstacles thrown at them. I’d be shocked if this was an easy win for Detroit, but at the end of the day, they are too good for this scrappy, loveable Nashville team to overcome.

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Calgary Flames – Winner: San Jose Sharks in 6 games

San Jose may finally be ready to step it up. The acquisition of Brian Campbell has worked well, at least so far. The Flames are too good to go down without a fight. When you have Jarome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf and Miikka Kiprusoff, you always have a chance to win games. Tough series, but the Sharks have an extra tooth in their bite this year.

(3) Minnesota Wild vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche – Winner: Colorado Avalanche in 7 games

The Wild are a very well-run franchise, but they just never seem to have enough. I think the Avalanche are similar to the Rangers, in the sense that there are a few guys here for whom this might be their last chance. Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote. These guys are nearing the end. Not to mention how important this playoff run will be for Jose Theodore’s future, financially speaking. This will be the Western Conference version of the Rangers/Devils series, tight as can be. Big Game Joe and his troops come up big one more time, though.

(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Dallas Stars – Winner: Anaheim Ducks in 6 games

If the Stars had a healthy Sergei Zubov, maybe my verdict would be different. They don’t. The Ducks, with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer, are still an excellent team and one of the top contenders to win the cup. For some reason, the Brad Richards trade has left the Stars fragmented. They’re still a solid team, but you can’t try and experiment to find a new way of doing things while playing a team as good as the Ducks and win. Expect a solid effort from Dallas, but the Ducks will fly to the second round.

Now, assuming I remember the reseeding system correctly, here are some quick predictions for the rest of the playoffs. I’m of course, assuming that all of my first round predictions will come true, even though I’m sure some won’t, which is why I’ll do this again before the start of the second round.

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (3) Washington Capitals – Winner: Montreal Canadiens in 6 games

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers – Winner: New York Rangers in 7 games

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche – Winner: Detroit Red Wings in 6 games

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (4) Anaheim Ducks – Winner: San Jose Sharks in 6 games

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (5) New York Rangers – Winner: New York Rangers in 7 games

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (2) San Jose Sharks – Winner: San Jose Sharks in 6 games

STANLEY CUP FINALS

San Jose Sharks vs. New York Rangers – Winner: San Jose Sharks in 6 games

I’m a traitor, I know. What can I say…I gave my honest opinion.

Posted under 2007-08 Playoffs

Isn’t this fitting? Like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, like chocolate versus vanilla, like a cheetah and a gazelle, no matter what, it seems like all roads run through Jersey when it comes to the playoffs, doesn’t it?

Yes, finally, the real fun can begin. The time has come, ladies and germs, for the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. What better way to kick things off then yet another Rangers-Devils series that is bound to be, at the very least, low-scoring…er, that is, entertaining.

Seriously, though, as long as you don’t mind a lack of fours and fives on the scoreboard, this should be one hell of a series.

After losing the chance at home ice – as well as the game in a shootout – on Sunday, the Rangers now must settle for starting out on the road. The Prudential Center in Newark will house the first two games of this opening round series between the two cross-river rivals and it is, as always, imperative that the boys in blue take one game, if not both, in Jersey.

Without a doubt, no mention of this series will come without a parallel mention of the Blueshirts’ 7-1 record against the Devils this season, but while athletes often spew the same ol’ rhetoric, in this instance, they aren’t just talking when they say that that stat means little. Anyone who watched those games knows how close many of them were, how many of them could have gone either way. This is a fresh start and I doubt anyone in the Jersey locker room is paying much heed to it and the Rangers would be foolish to have a sense of superiority because of it.

What’s so interesting about this series is how evenly matched these teams are. The Rangers had the league’s sixth-worst offense, while New Jersey was fourth from the bottom. Defensively, New York ranked fourth from the top in goals against per games, while the Devils were next best.

As successful as the Rangers have been since the All-Star break, going 18-5-7 over their final 30 games, they still had a lot of trouble scoring goals. Plus, you’ve got arguably the greatest goalie in the history of the game looking you right in the face.

Both of these teams have superb goaltending and excellent team defense. The difference in this series will be which team can manage to break out of their defensive shell, open up their game a little bit and pot some goals.

The Rangers need to hope, more than anything, that Jaromir Jagr can carry over his play from the last two weeks of the regular season into the post-season. He probably still can’t do quite what he used to be capable of, but #68 was fired up, not shying away from some physical contact in that final game.

If Jagr can maintain the level of play he’s shown of late, that adds an element to the Rangers offense that wasn’t quite there for much of the season. Yes, Jagr ended up tied for the team lead in goals (with Chris Drury, at 25), but he wasn’t a real threat for most of the season like he has been before.

A full-steam Jagr would give the Devils another big option to worry about, perhaps making things easier for guys like Scott Gomez, Sean Avery and Brandon Dubinsky, all of whom have cooled off over the past few weeks after catching fire during the Rangers hot streak about a month ago. The better Jagr plays, the more Brent Sutter will focus Dainius Zubrus, Mike Rupp, David Clarkson and especially Colin White on him. I’m sure the less the other Rangers see of Colin White, the better, as the Devils lack any other true shutdown defensemen. Johnny Oduya is a nice player, but he doesn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing forwards.

An ignited Jagr would also hopefully fuel a power play that, simply put, must get better if this team has any chance at a serious playoff run. The Blueshirt power play was ranked 20th this season. The only Eastern Conference playoff team that was worse with the man advantage was in fact New Jersey, at 25th.

2008 is not 2006, however. Jagr alone can no longer make or break this team. The rest of the Ranger forwards must be factors offensively, as well.

Obviously, a lot of focus will be on Chris Drury. I’m sure every Ranger fan has heard his name and the word clutch so many times in the same sentence that their heads are ready to burst, but now comes the time where Drury makes his money, as they say. He certainly did it against the Rangers last year. Can he do it again, now as a member of the team? Considering he led the team with seven game-winning goals this year, I’m not very worried about him.

I’m also not too worried about Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan. Callahan was a great addition for the playoff run last year and he’ll be the same in-your-face presence he always is. He’s become the new Jed Ortmeyer, with the potential for a little bit of offensive production. As for Dawes, he’s really blossomed before our eyes this year and that will continue in these playoffs. If the Rangers have a strong showing in these playoffs, Dawes will be a significant part of it.

Then of course, there are Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka. Unfortunately, the longer the season draws on, the more we see age and injury getting to these guys. I’m not sure what Renney’s plan is with Shanahan, but if the intent is to play the veteran on the fourth line with Blair Betts and Freddy Sjostrom, it isn’t that bad an idea.

Shanahan has become less and less effective at even-strength, as his quickness continues to dwindle. Why not save his energy for penalty-killing, where his great hockey sense remains an advantage, as well as the power play, where the threat of his shot at least draws significant focus from opposing penalty-killers?

If only there was a way to cut down Straka’s even-strength minutes, as well. His willingness to sacrifice his body and his still-impressive speed makes Straks a great penalty-killer, but his inability to produce points consistently at even strength is becoming more and more of a problem.

The onus, as well as the pressure, will be on the Ranger forwards in this series. Scoring comes at even more of a premium in the second season, so the Rangers must find a way to capitalize on the few chances they’re likely to receive. As has been the case all season, that pesky power play may be at the center of scrutiny if the Rangers fall short in this series, or the playoff run in general.

Posted under 2007-08 Playoffs