And here are your playoff matches. Let’s talk the REAL hockey season, shall we?
Eastern Conference
- Pittsburgh Penguins 36-12 vs. 8. New York Islanders 24-17-7
The Penguins were the only team in the NHL to not lose a game in overtime or a shootout, and so in fact has the same real W-L record as Chicago. The Islanders had a shockingly good year but I don’t think an upset’s in the cards here; when Sid The Kid returns, the Penguins are easily the best team in the East.
- Montreal Canadiens 29-14-5 vs. 7. Ottawa Senators 25-17-6
Let’s all remember something; Montreal finished DEAD LAST in the East last year. Fifteenth. Bottom of the barrel. This year, they won the Northeast. That’s some turnaround, and to a large extent they did it with an offense that works on the PP and even strength. Ottawa, meanwhile, SHOULD have finished dead last this year but somehow did not, had the best goals against in the East and has EK65 back. There is upset potential here.
- Washington Capitals 27-18-3 vs. 6. New York Rangers 26-18-4
I was going to say this is the other upset opportunity but to be honest I’m not sure New York beating the Caps constitutes an “upset.” The Capitals were basically dragged kicking and screaming into the postseason by Alex Ovechkin, who is stoppable by a team as doggedly defensive as New York. I believe this is an excellent matchup for the Rangers, and they should be considered the favourite here.
- Boston Bruins 28-14-6 vs. 5. Toronto Maple Leafs 26-17-5
This strikes me as being a significant edge for Boston, and a case where home ice matters; Boston was 16-5-3 at home. Toronto is a much more wide-open team - they both scored and allowed more goals, and it takes about two minutes of watching them to see why - so Boston’s mission here is to slow the game down and play a physical, punishing style. I really think they will do so, but the Leafs have proven a lot of doubters wrong, and Randy Carlyle’s been through this before.
Western Conference
- Chicago Blackhawks 36-7-5 vs. 8. Minnesota Wild 26-19-3
By any statistical measure, the Blackhawks are the best team in the West, no sweat. They’re the most balanced, they’re awesome on both ends of the ice, they take extremely few penalties… can Minnesota win? Weirder things have happened, but the Wild backed into the playoffs and just don’t stack up. Good on them making it but this may be a short visit.
- Anaheim Ducks vs. 7. Detroit Red Wings
For much of the year Anaheim was actually quite comparable to Chicago; they frittered that away towards the end. They’re a very good team, better than Detroit, but not invincible; the Wings can shut you down defensively when they’re up for it. Still, you have to see this as another pretty lopsided affair. Not Chicago-Minnesota lopsided, but not super even.
- Vancouver Canucks 26-15-7 vs. 6. San Jose Sharks 25-16-7
It is somewhat telling of the recent playoff histories of these two franchises that they managed to both have pretty good years and get onto the playoffs without making so much as a ripple outside of the cities of Vancouver and San Jose. Onec people lost interest in whether or not Roberto Luongo would be traded the Canucks kind of vanished from Canadian media, which is amazing for the only Canadian team in the West that made the playoffs. The Sharks, like most of the Western teams from 6 down to 10, where just kinda there. I think maybe people just have a really fatalistic attitude towards the Nucks and the Sharks now, assuming that, somehow, they’ll choke. Maybe they’ll both lose the series. If you have to pick anyone, pick Vancouver; the Sharks cannot win on the road this year.
- St. Louis Blues 29-17-2 vs. Los Angeles Kings 27-16-5
Another surprise team here; who thought the Blues were gotten have home ice advantage in the first round? Put your hands down, you liars. This is another series where that matters a lot; the Kings were 19-4-1 at home, but 8-12-4 on the road. Of course nobody thought the Kings were a threat last year either, and look what happened. I think this might be the best matchup of the first round.
Wings took the season series from Anaheim, with all games won by the visitor. A dirty SOB to hate, Corey Perry. All is perfect for playoff hockey(except the damn 10PM+ start times, stupid player’s union preventing restructuring for one more year).