Round One: Western Picks

The Western Conference has been exceptionally good this season. California teams have dominated, and every team was nervous going into their California road trips. Chicago has shown no signs of having a Stanley Cup hangover. Colorado has had a huge turnaround season under Patrick Roy. St. Louis, Minnesota, and Dallas all had exceptional years. So there is no wonder why the West holds several favourites for the Cup this year. It could literally go anywhere.

WEST Match-ups

Anaheim VS. Dallas

Anaheim finished the season with 114 points, second in the race for the Presidents Trophy. They have had stellar goaltending, and their offense has been nothing short of excellent with 266 goals for on the season. They have proven to be a dominating force, and will continue this image through the playoffs.

Dallas squeaked into the playoffs with 91 points (one of two western teams under 100), the lowest of all teams in the playoffs. I don’t think they are a true competitor or threat for the cup this season, especially considering who they have to get through. 

I am taking Anaheim in five. They are just all-around a better team, and I don’t see Dallas being a threat to them this season. But, Dallas has potential in the upcoming years.

San Jose VS. Los Angeles

Both of teams are truly superb. It’s a shame they play in the first round as it would certainly be an entertaining conference final. They both have the talent and the ability to make a deep run, but in this scenario only one will prevail. Both have the depth, elite calibre goaltending, speed, scoring, and defense to be cup contenders. 

On gut feeling I am taking San Jose in seven, because I can’t logically pick one or the other based on statistics/line-up. This could go either way. Watch this series for probably some of the best hockey these playoffs have to offer.

Colorado VS. Minnesota

Colorado has had a huge year when looking at where they were last year. With Patrick Roy (my Jack Adams nominee, hands down) at the helm, this team is as determined as ever, and are confident this is their year. They have everything it takes to win a cup.

Minnesota is the second western team to make the playoffs under 100 points. They have a good line-up, and their goaltending has been playing well. With guys like Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, it’s hard to argue that they don’t deserve to move on. They are a good team, but Colorado is simply better.

I am taking Colorado in six. They have a good team, and a great coach. They are convinced that they have what it takes, and this confidence will help carry them to the next level.

St. Louis VS. Chicago

St. Louis has a good team, and managed to bring in a great goaltender in Ryan Miller to prepare for the playoffs. They believe they have a team capable of winning a cup. Top-end talent such as TJ Oshie, and Alex Pietrangelo can carry a team very far. They are certainly going to give the defending champs a run for their money.

Chicago has not slowed down at all coming off of their Stanley Cup championship one year ago.  They have continued their winning ways this season and proved they are ready to take it again. They are looking to continue their trend by winning a third cup in a span of four years which is quite remarkable.

I am taking Chicago in seven. St. Louis will leave everything on the ice and this one will go right down to the wire. Chicago will ultimately take it as they have the experience and knowledge on what it takes to win a cup in today’s NHL.

Summary

The West is just as wide open as the East in the sense that there are so many elite hockey teams in this bunch. Any team that is determined enough, and showcases their talent can go all the way this year. There are some excellent match-ups on this side of the league, so get ready for some great hockey, and some surprises en route to a Stanley cup final.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to give your input below.

Follow me @darrinharmy

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Sanford to Montreal...a depth move or something more?

On the surface, the Habs picking up Curtis Sanford, on a two-way contract, appears to be a solid depth move. Sanford has shown that he can be a capable back-up goaltender in the NHL while also being at a level where he is comfortable going up and down between the NHL and AHL. While I'm sure playing in Hamilton is not his first choice, right now that looks like the place that he is destined to play in 2009-2010. Marc Denis is likely gone by way of free agency, Price is the starter in Montreal and Halak is the backup. Right? That seems to be that case. Or is it?

Montreal's current goaltending depth charts look something like this:
1 - Price
2 - Halak
3 - Sanford
4 - Cederick Desjardins
5 - Jason Missiaen
6 - Robert Mayer

The thing to keep in mind, however, is that BOTH Price and Halak are up for new deals at the end of this season. From what I can tell, there is NO WAY that Halak will hang around in Price's shadow for anything longer than this year. Yes, they are only RFA's next year, so Montreal still holds their rights, however I believe that under the right circumstances, Halak can be a good #1 goalie somewhere in the league. More importantly, I think that HE believes that too. Gainey, while not necessarily doing what the fans always want, is still a very smart man. I think that he too knows that Halak's day in Montreal are numbered, but also that he has solid value on the trade market.

If I were Gainey, I would be trying to move Halak AND Plekanec right now, in order to get a big centerman. But maybe that's just me. However, if we look at the rumblings around the league, theres seems to be a lot of talk of Montreal potentially making a trade with either Chicago or San Jose. Chicago because they are up aginst the cap and won't be able to keep all of thier great, young players, going forward beyond this season, and San Jose because it looks like Wilson wants to blow that thing up, or at least a significant part of it, in order to stop the trend of being a perennial Stanley Cup failure.

So back to Sanford. IF Montreal were to make a deal with, say, San Jose, for Marleu, I believe that Halak would be part of that deal. Why? Well, it looks like three players in particular, take most of the brunt of San Jose's playoff failures, and that is Joe thornton, Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabakov. There is no question that Nabakov was just not up to snuff, in these past playoffs. To San Jose's credit, however, they drew probably the WORST first round match up aginst the rolling Ducks team. But I digress. Perhaps Gainey's move, in bringing in Sanford, was to act as a backup to Price, in the eventuallity that Halak is traded. Who knows. Personally, I would like to see Olaf Kolzig backup up Price. He knows Price and has mentored him in goaltending schools in the past, and he would be a great 'older brother' figure to help get Price's head on straight, but that is another story.

All of this is, of course, pure speculation based on info I see and read online and hear on the radio, so don't go placing your bets on it! All I know, is that there are a few players on the team that seem like they are moveable pieces. Halak is one of them, so is Plekanec, in my opinion, Hamrlik would be a great contract to move, although that is unlikely, and then there is the Kostitsyn brothers. How will they react, this year? Will they progress or regress, again? wil they have matured through all of the strife of last season or will they continue to be bad eggs? Only time will tell. The last note I want to leave you all with is regarding Sergei Kostitsyn and it is two-fold. First, with all the new players and new potential line combinations, where does Sergei fit, on this team? Second question is, can you trade Sergei and keep Andrei or are they a packaged deal?

My next blog will be all about Sergei....

Stay tuned....

K.

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