NHL Postseason and Stanley Cup Picks

Hawks still have a decent chance IMO. I will be watching Pittsburgh, Detroit, who I don't expect to go all the way, but it should be interesting to see how far they DO go, Caps, Sharks, and Coyotes. Out of those, I'm anticipating a Pens- Sharks final. I know San Jose and Thornton have been branded chokers, and it's not unreasonable. But with a shitload of olympians learning what it is to win and thornton finally getting that never won anything gorilla off his back, I think they've got a decent chance. I'm rooting for the Yotes though, since my own team is out of it (Carolina can't decide if they want to make the playoffs or pick first-canes), and they would be quite the story. Backup plan, any team that has former Hurricanes. Unless you're the ducks. Aaron Ward was what killed our season this year.

If my Flames make in then I cheer for them all the way, otherwise i'm seeing a Caps - Nucks final. Hopefully Caps and Pens get into a series rematch of last year. Hawks might make the finals, but can't win (Hossa curse) and I still don't see SJ doing anything. Thornton always disappears in big games (even in the olympics he wasn't the force he could have been... Toews show). Detroit is at the end of the line. Phoenix might surprise a few and make it to the conf finals but I don't see them breaking into the finals past teams like the Nucks or Hawks

Only thing my Oil got a chance at are the Taylor Hall sweepstakes... Gonna support Vancouver, unless a certain Red Mile comes into existence...

Wow . . . Flames fans that support the Canucks? This is certainly a first on the Internet.

Unfortunately, I remain pessimistic with my Canucks. Went all the way to Chicago last year to see them eliminated.

Sharks. The Buffalo Bills of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Out of the East, Caps. Ovi is sick and Semin is going to get damn near 40 and would be the best player on many other teams.

My money is on Washington.

Shameless homer.

No D and doubtful goaltending. Run and Gun doesn't usually work as well in the playoffs. It can, as the Canes showed in 2006, but Ward was there to bail us out most games, and when he had an off game it showed just how dependent that team was on getting goaltending in the playoffs.

I just don't think the Caps have the guy between the pipes to do that, or a D that can make the goaltending less of a factor.

New Jersey is another to watch, but I would be very happy to see them lose in the first round.

As long as the Pens don't face NJ, I like their [our] chances. I'm just hoping for a Pittsburgh-Washington rematch; even if you hate the teams (or the players on them), the games are always, always top-notch.

Looks like my wings are going to squeak in. Just need one more win. ofcourse we will blow it all by starting osgood when you have a possible vezina trophy winner sitting on the bench. Mabye we could bring vernon out of retirement to back osgood up.

Lu's game last night made me re-evaluate. The west is pretty wide open, but now I think the Hawks will get to the finals.

The east is pretty much a fight between Caps/Pens/NJ, and while I think Caps will prevail I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Pens or NJ in the finals instead.

My god a Caps/Hawks finals would be a monster goal fest

I love the caps as much as the next guy in Virginia, but I don't see them making it to the finals this year mainly because of D. For some reason Ottawa feels like they'll make another good run in the east. As for the west, I have not seen too many games to judge - will san jose under perform as always?

Gotta root for the Predators, an overachieving bunch of players. Trotz just hit 900 games with the team, pretty impressive these days.

I'm a huge canucks fan, and I just have to hope Luongo recovers his game in time for the playoffs. In the west I think it'll be either Vancouver, Chicago, or Detroit, I just don't the San Jose ever having playoff success. In the east I actually think NJ will be the team to come out of it, I just don't think the Caps have what it takes to win a seven game series.