What do you do when you work for an NHL franchise in the Western Conference and you already put your two weeks in? You write about all their rivals and everyone else in the playoffs besides them, since there is nothing else to do. Of course I'm speaking of the Blues who missed the playoffs again for the 4th time in 5 years, despite my supreme effort as an inside sales representative with the franchise. I was never a huge fan of the Western Conference until this season. I witnessed some really solid hockey from teams and players people on the East Coast don't get to witness that often. Guys like Rick Nash, Jarome Iginla, David Backes, Paul Statsny, Loui Eriksson and Chris Stewart were all guys on non playoff teams who were worth sticking around to watch even when the Blues were losing by 4 in the third period. The West is real deep and every team beats up on each other for the majority of the season. It took a Dallas loss in the last game of the regular season to seal the fate for the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks, giving them the final spot in the top eight.
Vancouver
Northwest Division Champions 54-19-9 117 pts.
*Presidents Trophy
The Canucks really put together a solid team in the off-season and it showed this year. There really hasn't been a weakness for this team. They've survived injuries on the blue line, have the best scoring duo in the league with the Sedin twins and certainly have a top goalie in Luongo. Vancouver has never been able to put it all together in the playoffs, but this year it seems they are destined to make it to the cup. A first round rematch with Chicago may actually be there toughest test.
Player to Watch: Christian Ehroff
The only Canuck Defenseman to play more than 70 games this year. He posted solid numbers and was their leading scorer. Of course a lot of attention will be on the Sedins and Kessler in the playoffs, but Ehroff will have a tough task against Hossa, Kane, Toews and Sharp in the first round.
San Jose Sharks
Pacific Division Champs 48-25-9 105 Pts.
Another Western team who just hasn't been able to put it together in the Spring. they have been one of the best teams down the stretch in the West and won the very crowded Pacific division. Not an easy task after putting 4/5 teams in the playoffs. They made headlines in the offseason going with goalie Anti Niemi to lead them to the Finals. He hasn't disappointed with a 2.38 GAA and .920 Sv %. He knows what it takes after the Hawks Run last year in Chicago.
Player to Watch: Logun Couture
Calder Cup finalist and 30 goal scorer has made a big impact on a team that used to dominate offensively. Thornton and Heatley had down years. If Couture can score in the playoffs like the regular season it will be a huge boost in San Jose.
Detroit Redwings
Central Division Champs 47-25-10 104 Pts.
Another division championship, another playoff appearance.... another cup finals? They're not really getting any younger, but still boast some of the best talent in the world. Jimmy Howard was a Calder runner up last year, but look more like a fading vet posting a 2.79 GAA and .908 Sv %. A 4-4-2 record during the last ten games of the season may have some worried in Motown, but this is a playoff built team who always turns it on when it counts.
Player to Watch: Henrick Zetterberg
Zetterberg, who missed the last two games of the regular season because of a knee injury, won't be ready for the start of the playoffs. He was the team's leading scorer and really anchors the offense. He has to be healthy to advance farther than the first round.
Anaheim Ducks
| 47-30-5 99 pts. After the top three teams, the west really gets crowded. Anaheim was pretty awful the first half of the season. They looked destined to miss the playoffs just three years after winning it all. The Ducks have some heavy star power at the forward position with Ryan Getzlaf and Rocket Richard trophy winner Corey Perry. Stopping goals is another story, they have the worst goal differential in the conference at +4. Winning three games to end the season was huge for them and ended up with home ice advantage for the first round. Player to Watch: Johnas Hiller Though Hiller (vertigo) has served as a backup the past two games, he is still not 100 percent for the playoffs. Ray Emery 2.28 and Dan Ellis 2.77 have stepped in nicely. They wont have a problem scoring goals, but whoever of the three goalies in net is has to a better job stopping them. Nashville Predators 44-27-11 99 pts. Boring team, boring players, boring coach. This teams is, well, really really boring. They've never won a playoff series in their short history. They play a defensive style, neutral zone game that can put anyone to sleep. There leading scorer, Martin Erat 50 points. They had two guys score 20 goals and their leader is Sergei Kostitsyn had 23. Player to Watch: Pekka Rinne Maybe the most watch worthy player on the roster. A solid goalie, who will most likely be a Vezina finalists. Would he be that good in another system though? Phoenix Coyotes 43-26-13 99 Pts. There isn't a team in the league who gets less fan support than the Coyotes. On the brink of bankruptcy last year they make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They follow it up with another playoff appearance and still no one in Phoenix cares. What do these guys even play for at this point. There's not really a whole lot to talk about with this team. They just get the job done and put up wins. Player to Watch: Keith Yandle One of the best D-men in the West and the league. He put up 48 Assists this year to go along with a career high 59 pts. He'll need to play solid defense as well if Phoenix has any chance of getting past the 1st round. Los Angeles Kings 46-30-6 98 pts. Two losses to Anaheim saw the Kings slide from 4th to seventh with a first round date with San Jose. No other playoff team suffered such a crushing blow like the Kings, when Anze Kopitar went down with a season ending injury earlier in the season. No other player meant more to their team offensively than Kopitar. Golaie Jonathan Quick has kept them in it in the meantime. Player to Watch: Justin Williams Williams' (shoulder) status for Game 1 against San Jose will likely be determined after Tuesday's practice. Williams, the teams second leading scorer behind Kopitar, needs top be healthy for LA to generate any offense. Chicago Blackhawks 44-29-9 97 pts. The defensing cup champs, definitely have not been the same team. They had to ship off many parts last offseason and they don't quite have the same whatever it was they had last year. new goalies have been the biggest weakness this year along with some injuries in the middle of the season. They still are a dangerous team with Kane, Toews, Hossa and Sharp. They may be over matched in Vancouver, but it will be an exciting series for sure. Player to Watch: Brent Seabrook The leading scorer on Defense, really has to show up in the first round. Not only on defense shutting down the Sedin twins, but on special teams as well. The hawks will have to take advantage of every opportunity they get and he is there big guy on the point to lead them. |
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