The wild, wild west will be an epic battle. Everyone has been saying that the Western Conference is the superior conference. I guess we will see if it is, but I can tell you that there is numerous teams that can make it to the cup finals. With the power of Anaheim, St. Louis, San Jose, and previous champions Los Angeles and Chicago this will be a royal battle.
#1 Colorado Avalanche versus #4 Minnesota Wild
I am pretty sure that no one predicted this match-up when the season started. The surprise Colorado Avalanche come in as the #1 seed and battle the red-hot Minnesota Wild. The Avalanche have been solid all year. The goaltending of Semyon Varlamov has been amazing. If that was not enough the Avalanche has also filled the net with pucks this year. They were the fourth leading scoring team in the NHL. If these to success stories continue in the playoffs the Avalanche will be hard to beat. The Wild have slowly been picking up steam all season. This team has grown into a quiet force. Now with the acquisition of Ilya Bryzgalov in net, the Wild look to be a formidable opponent. Bryzgalov has been unstoppable since he was acquired. If this continues Minnesota will make this a very even series.
Prediction: Minnesota in 7
#2 St. Louis Blues versus #3 Chicago Blackhawks
The Blues are a very difficult, and surprising draw for the defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks. Everyone thought the Hawks would be taking on the Avalanche, but a late season collapse of the Blues pushed them into a battle with the Hawks. If the Blues can shake off their last season struggles they will give the Hawks all they can handle. The Blues have one of the best defensive corp,s and a recently acquired Ryan Miller has shown that he single-handedly win games. The Blues have to regain their grit and let David Backes lead the way. The Hawks are happy to have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews back for the playoffs. They have scoring depth, and a strong defense. Goaltending with Corey Crawford has always been a question mark (which is crazy because he lead them to a Cup last season). The experience of the Blackhawks will be their biggest asset.
Prediction: Chicago in 6
#1 Anaheim Ducks versus #4 Dallas Stars
Nobody wanted Anaheim in the first round. The size and speed of the Ducks make them a Western Conference favorite. The Ducks are very well-rounded on the offensive and defensive side of the puck. They are deep, physical and solid up front. The only question is in net. Will they go with Jonas Hiller, rookie John Gibson or Fredrik Andersen. All three are very capable, but is it better having a clear-cut number one heading into the playoffs? The Dallas Stars are heavy underdogs, and many people are making this their long-shot upset pick. Not so fast! Will the Stars be able to keep up with Getzlaff and Perry? Are they strong enough defensively? There is no question that Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin can score, but the question is can they stop the Ducks from scoring more?
Prediction: Anaheim in 5
#2 San Jose Sharks versus #3 Los Angeles Kings
This will be a blood bath. Probably the most anticipated first round match-up. It is almost a shame that one of these talented teams will be out after the first round. This is an extremely even series. They played four one goal games this season. They are dead even on offense, and defense for that matter. The edge in net goes to Los Angeles with Jonathan Quick. This is the only difference that I can come up with, and it looks like the goaltenders will be the key. The Sharks will win if they solve Quick early, and get strong defense. The Kings will win if the get depth scoring, and a strong goaltending from Quick. This may be the most even series of the first round.
Predictions: Los Angeles in 6
Predictions for later rounds:
Conference Semi-Finals
Chicago over Minnesota in 6
Anaheim over Los Angeles in 7
Conference Finals
Anaheim over Chicago in 6
Stanley Cup Finals
Boston over Anaheim in 5
Brad Burud the owner/editor of the Inside Edge Hockey News. I am a huge fan of hockey, from youth hockey, to junior hockey, and of course professional hockey. I have played, coached, worked as statistician, and watched hockey all of my life. Hockey is not just a game, it is a lifestyle and family. The game of hockey is great! It can bring you nights of great enjoyment. It also brings nights where you feel like your team will never win. I am proud to be a journalist for the greatest game in the world. I have a degree in Business Administration, Psychology from Minot State University. I also have a Hockey General Manager and Scouting, and Sports Communications/Journalism degree from Sports Management Worldwide. I am also a member of the Sports Executives Association. Most of all I am a fan. Hockey is a huge part of my life and my families life.