The real season begins
After 82 games of hard work, the contenders have separated themselves from the pretenders. So yes, now the real work begins.
After a gruelling 82 games, all that has happened is the weak have been culled, and the elite are ready to play for their chance to hoist the WCHL Cup. Will it be the New York Rangers, on a quest to be the first ever three-peat champions in WCHL history? How about the Tampa Bay Lightning, a GM less ship that somehow floated along improbable waters to make the playoffs?
While the Rangers have better chances than the Lightning, the reality is that any team can win the cup, and there are several new contenders to the crown. Who will claim WCHL glory in Season 17?
It's too soon to know, for now let's deal with round one. Here are my predictions:
Western Conference
(1)Anaheim Ducks vs. (8) St. Louis
For the Ducks, this series comes on the heels of a tremendous season in which GM Terry Danton put a bull's-eye squarely on the teams back. Proudly proclaiming the club would be a top three squad before the puck even dropped on the season, the Ducks did their GM even better, locking down the Presidents Trophy. Now, that will put a bull's-eye on their back as well, but it's not like the Ducks aren't used to that.
St. Louis
Prediction:Anaheim
(2)Nashville Predators vs. (7) Calgary
At the start of the season if you had said the Predators and Flames would be meeting in the first round, many would have expected the seedings to be reversed. But it was the Predators who rode the amazing netminding of Jonathon Quick to elite levels, rattling off the third best record in the league. Workhorses like Henrik Zetterberg and Alex Pietrangelo should keep the squad humming along as well.
Calgary
Prediction: The freefall will continue, and off-season changes appear in order for the Flames.Nashville
(3)San Jose Sharks vs. (6) Colorado
Prior to the Rangers winning two straight WCHL Cups, the Avalanche did the same thing, and they are looking to get back into the winner's circle. Normally a late season upstart, the Avalanche once again awoke from their early season slumber to go 13-7-1 down the stretch and lockdown a playoff spot and only a loss in the final game of the season prevented a 100-point season. An injury to Dmitri Kulikov could cost the blueliner the entire playoffs, and could have a big impact onColorado
The Sharks meanwhile are just trying to overcome a string of playoff defeats that has tarnished their once nearly flawless image. The original powerhouse in the WCHL, the Sharks have had trouble lately following up on strong regular seasons, so this is yet another chance to do so. The chance to ice forwards like Tyler Seguin, Jonathon Toews, Zach Parise and Eric Staal should make it possible to do it.
Prediction: Somehow,Colorado always gets it done and until San Jose Colorado
(4)Minnesota Wild vs. (5) Edmonton
A ragtag collect of "Who?" has lead the Wild into the playoffs. Largely a no name collection of solid, albeit unspectacular players has fuelled a run into the playoffs, and home ice advantage to boot. If you have to pick a star, it's not hard to look at the man between the pipes, as Antti Niemi has had a Vezina caliber season, posting a 1.82 goals against average and easily being the backbone to the team.
The Oilers have their own man between the pipes, Tomas Vokoun, who posted a sub two goals against average of his (1.99). The Oilers though will be spearheaded by Jason Pominville, who again led the Oilers in scoring with 35 goals and 80 points in 82 games, potting nearly a point per game in a season where scoring was nearly impossible. If he and Brad Richards can find a way to solve Niemi, the Oilers can prevail.
Prediction: Someone will knock of the Wild, but it won't be the Oilers.Minnesota
Eastern Conference
(1)Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) Tampa Bay
It's time to shut up and put up for the Penguins. Long a team that couldn't win in the playoffs, the Penguins did just that in Season 12, winning the WCHL Cup. They had a run back to the finals the next year but since then it's been a few flops, and despite having the horses to pull the cart, that cart hasn't been very close to the finals in a bit. Now another Eastern Conference regular season title is in the rear view mirror and it's time to show that it matters.
Tampa Bay couldn't be coming in any more different than Pittsburgh Pittsburgh has at its helm one of the longest tenured and most successful GM's, Tampa Bay
Prediction:Tampa 's heart will factor in, but not enough to stop Pittsburgh Pittsburgh
(2)Carolina Hurricanes vs. (7) Ottawa
Seeding be damned, this series is much closer than it would appear.Carolina Carolina Carolina
This series will feature the only one where two teams that played their starting netminders for every minute of the regular season will meet up. More pressing though,Ottawa
Prediction:Ottawa Ottawa
(3)New York Rangers vs. (6) Washington
Its 16 wins until a three-peat for the Rangers, and you have to know it's weighing on the players minds if their own owner is acknowledging that a three-peat is possible. But why not be open about it, the Rangers are as good a team to win it all as anyone else. After posting 119 points and leading the league in fewest goals against, the Rangers have to figure their chances are terrific to do it again.
Talk about a tough task for the Capitals. Slowly improving each of the past three seasons, the Capitals are starting to change from pretender to legitimate contender, but this year may not be the best year to capitalize on the fruits of those labours. A solid squad, talented forwards like Dany Heatley and Vinny Lecavalier may have already had their best days, but young gun Jordan Eberle hasn't. If this team can recapture some old Lecavalier magic and get some production on Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist, they could make a push.
Prediction: It'll be a lot closer than one might think, but the team you think will win, will win. Rangers in five games.
(4)Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (5) Philadelphia
After nearly claiming the division crown, the Maple Leafs had to settle for home ice advantage against the Flyers in round one in what should be the closest series of the first round.Toronto Toronto
Philadelphia
Prediction:Toronto Toronto
ACHL
Western Conference
(1) Norfolk Admirals vs. (8) Utica Comets -Norfolk
(2) Chicago Wolves vs. (7) Rockford IceHogs -Rockford
(3) Portland Pirates vs. (6) Lake Erie Monsters -Lake Erie in six games
(4) Manchester Monarchs vs. (5) Abbotsford Heat - Abbotsford in five games
Eastern Conference
(1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (8) Hamilton Bulldogs - Hamilton in seven games
(2) Hershey Bears vs. (7) Syracuse Crunch -Syracuse
(3) Hartford Wolfpack vs. (6)St. John 'sHartford
(4) Binghamton Senators vs. (5) Adirondack Phantoms -Binghamton
After 82 games of hard work, the contenders have separated themselves from the pretenders. So yes, now the real work begins.
After a gruelling 82 games, all that has happened is the weak have been culled, and the elite are ready to play for their chance to hoist the WCHL Cup. Will it be the New York Rangers, on a quest to be the first ever three-peat champions in WCHL history? How about the Tampa Bay Lightning, a GM less ship that somehow floated along improbable waters to make the playoffs?
While the Rangers have better chances than the Lightning, the reality is that any team can win the cup, and there are several new contenders to the crown. Who will claim WCHL glory in Season 17?
It's too soon to know, for now let's deal with round one. Here are my predictions:
Western Conference
(1)
For the Ducks, this series comes on the heels of a tremendous season in which GM Terry Danton put a bull's-eye squarely on the teams back. Proudly proclaiming the club would be a top three squad before the puck even dropped on the season, the Ducks did their GM even better, locking down the Presidents Trophy. Now, that will put a bull's-eye on their back as well, but it's not like the Ducks aren't used to that.
Prediction:
(2)
At the start of the season if you had said the Predators and Flames would be meeting in the first round, many would have expected the seedings to be reversed. But it was the Predators who rode the amazing netminding of Jonathon Quick to elite levels, rattling off the third best record in the league. Workhorses like Henrik Zetterberg and Alex Pietrangelo should keep the squad humming along as well.
Prediction: The freefall will continue, and off-season changes appear in order for the Flames.
(3)
Prior to the Rangers winning two straight WCHL Cups, the Avalanche did the same thing, and they are looking to get back into the winner's circle. Normally a late season upstart, the Avalanche once again awoke from their early season slumber to go 13-7-1 down the stretch and lockdown a playoff spot and only a loss in the final game of the season prevented a 100-point season. An injury to Dmitri Kulikov could cost the blueliner the entire playoffs, and could have a big impact on
The Sharks meanwhile are just trying to overcome a string of playoff defeats that has tarnished their once nearly flawless image. The original powerhouse in the WCHL, the Sharks have had trouble lately following up on strong regular seasons, so this is yet another chance to do so. The chance to ice forwards like Tyler Seguin, Jonathon Toews, Zach Parise and Eric Staal should make it possible to do it.
Prediction: Somehow,
(4)
A ragtag collect of "Who?" has lead the Wild into the playoffs. Largely a no name collection of solid, albeit unspectacular players has fuelled a run into the playoffs, and home ice advantage to boot. If you have to pick a star, it's not hard to look at the man between the pipes, as Antti Niemi has had a Vezina caliber season, posting a 1.82 goals against average and easily being the backbone to the team.
The Oilers have their own man between the pipes, Tomas Vokoun, who posted a sub two goals against average of his (1.99). The Oilers though will be spearheaded by Jason Pominville, who again led the Oilers in scoring with 35 goals and 80 points in 82 games, potting nearly a point per game in a season where scoring was nearly impossible. If he and Brad Richards can find a way to solve Niemi, the Oilers can prevail.
Prediction: Someone will knock of the Wild, but it won't be the Oilers.
Eastern Conference
(1)
It's time to shut up and put up for the Penguins. Long a team that couldn't win in the playoffs, the Penguins did just that in Season 12, winning the WCHL Cup. They had a run back to the finals the next year but since then it's been a few flops, and despite having the horses to pull the cart, that cart hasn't been very close to the finals in a bit. Now another Eastern Conference regular season title is in the rear view mirror and it's time to show that it matters.
Prediction:
(2)
Seeding be damned, this series is much closer than it would appear.
This series will feature the only one where two teams that played their starting netminders for every minute of the regular season will meet up. More pressing though,
Prediction:
(3)
Its 16 wins until a three-peat for the Rangers, and you have to know it's weighing on the players minds if their own owner is acknowledging that a three-peat is possible. But why not be open about it, the Rangers are as good a team to win it all as anyone else. After posting 119 points and leading the league in fewest goals against, the Rangers have to figure their chances are terrific to do it again.
Talk about a tough task for the Capitals. Slowly improving each of the past three seasons, the Capitals are starting to change from pretender to legitimate contender, but this year may not be the best year to capitalize on the fruits of those labours. A solid squad, talented forwards like Dany Heatley and Vinny Lecavalier may have already had their best days, but young gun Jordan Eberle hasn't. If this team can recapture some old Lecavalier magic and get some production on Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist, they could make a push.
Prediction: It'll be a lot closer than one might think, but the team you think will win, will win. Rangers in five games.
(4)
After nearly claiming the division crown, the Maple Leafs had to settle for home ice advantage against the Flyers in round one in what should be the closest series of the first round.
Prediction:
ACHL
Western Conference
(1) Norfolk Admirals vs. (8) Utica Comets -
(2) Chicago Wolves vs. (7) Rockford IceHogs -
(3) Portland Pirates vs. (6) Lake Erie Monsters -
(4) Manchester Monarchs vs. (5) Abbotsford Heat - Abbotsford in five games
Eastern Conference
(1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (8) Hamilton Bulldogs - Hamilton in seven games
(2) Hershey Bears vs. (7) Syracuse Crunch -
(3) Hartford Wolfpack vs. (6)
(4) Binghamton Senators vs. (5) Adirondack Phantoms -
