WESTERN CONFERENCE
ROUND 1

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PREVIEW

DET: 54-21-7-115

NSH: 41-32-9-91

Head to Head:  5-3 DET (3-3-2 NSH)

DETROIT:

Everyone tuned the Wings out a long time ago.  Only problem is, they dominated en route to the President’s Trophy regardless whether the spotlight shined in their direction or not. 

Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper and Mikael Samuelsson are notable injuries, and Tomas Holmstrom and Valteri Filppula are shaking off their own.  Nick Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski were dinged during the regular season, too.  Got to wonder whether the Wings are stumbling into the postseason?

That considered, the numbers don’t lie.  254 goals for was good for first in the Western Conference and second overall.  184 goals against was first overall.  That’s a formidable assemblage.

Look out for Darren McCarty.  Seriously.  The hard-charger, who battled alcohol, financial and gambling problems in recent years is just the heart-and-soul player the Wings need, and has potted some big playoff goals in his time.

NASHVILLE:

Jason Arnott, just eight short years ago, scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the 1999-2000 New Jersey Devils.  Now, quietly, he’s proven to be one of the better acquisitions in his club’s history, scoring 28 goals for 72 points with 13 power play tallies.  One of the game’s true “power forwards,” yet almost unrecognized.  It may be time for Arnott to sneak up on the Wings.

Depth, however is the Preds’ real wild card.  While J-P Dumont was solid with 29 goals, and Alex Radulov one of the best values in the NHL, depth charges like Vernon Fiddler (11 goals), Jan Hlavac (12) and Jordin Tootoo (11) who “keep the opposition honest,” as Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said regarding this year’s Preds.

Something is telling us at Hockeytalk that Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis (44GP; 2.34 GAA, .921SV%) could be the surprise story of the opening round.

PREDICTION:

Upset!  Nashville in six tough ones.

PREVIEW

SJS: 49-23-10-108

CGY: 42-30-10-94

Head to Head:  3-1 CGY (1-1-2 SJS)

SAN JOSE:

Call it the year of the puck-moving defenseman.  Teppo Numminen and Brian Campbell left Buffalo, and the club sank like a rock.  Scott Niedermayer missed the first 34 games of the season, and the Ducks looked less than stellar.  Sergei Zubov out of Dallas?  Dallas is a question mark.

Now, the Sharks feature Brian Campbell, and the club has never looked so good since joining the league in 1991.  Campbell has done wonders breaking down well-structured clubs during his brief tenure in Silicon Valley (3-16-19 +9). 

With Patrick Marleau and Jon Cheechoo coming on strong, and Jeremy Roenick smelling Stanley silver, these Sharks and their top-flight goalie, Evgeni Nabokov (2.14GAA, 3^rd in NHL) could be ready to take advantage of home ice, and take a long playoff ride.

CALGARY FLAMES:

Dion Phaneuf will be challenged to stay out of the penalty box and if he does, he will have done his talented and tough club a big favor, because last season’s rough-and-tumble series loss to the Wings was a colossal waste, and hopefully a learning experience for the Flames.

Now led by Mike Keenan, the club finished 9^th at home and 14^th on the road, an improvement after last season, when the Flames were awful away from home.  Keenan went through the regular season without a player revolt, and with good relations with Iginla. 

The Calgary defense is a tough one, with Robyn Regehr becoming a battering ram in 2007-08.  Mikka Kiprusoff finished with 39 wins after a tough start, but his goals against (2.69) is average.

PREDICTION:

San Jose takes full advantage of home ice, finishes Flames in a tough five games.

PREVIEW

MNW: 44-28-10-98

COL: 44-31-7-95

Head to Head:  5-2-1 MNW (3-5 COL)

MINNESOTA:

Marian Gaborik, with 42 goals, and Brian Rolston with 31 were the only two Wild players who managed more than 20. 

Pavol Demitra had a down year (15 goals) and Mark Parrish (16) represented a club with a serious problem with secondary scoring, a trend in the modern NHL.

Nick Schultz underwent an emergency appendectomy and will likely miss the series.  It’s a big blow to a very good defense.  Kurtis Foster broke his leg late in the season as well.  Brent Burns is a big bright spot defensively, with 15 goals, good for fifth amongst defensemen. 

In net, Nick Backstrom (.920SV%; 33 wins, 13 losses) was an excellent choice by the team last season, over Manny Fernandez.

COLORADO AVALANCHE:

Good health to ya, Peter Forsberg, but this club is going to topple the Northwest’s most consistent club, the Wild, whether your feet like it or not.

Ryan Smyth was limited to 55 games, but he managed 168 shots on net and 14 goals.  Joe Sakic got 40 points in 44 games played.  For a banged up bunch, the Avs look ripe at the right time, on the eve of round one.  Andrew Brunette will likely be a key playoff performer, with his penchant for playing in front of the opposition’s net.

Coach Joel Quenneville could easily be a Jack Adams nominee considering the patchwork success he had during the lean times, when the Avs had Smyth, Paul Stastny and Joe Sakic out of the lineup at the same time.

Scott Hannan appeared in all 82 games and anchored a good, not great, defense.  Jose Theodore looks as good now as he has at any time in his career.

Avs ready for the rough stuff: Scott Parker, if he plays, will have to go with Derek Boogard, Chris Simon, or both.

PREDICTION:

With a healthy Avalanche club, the Wild are up against a more formidable foe than the one they faced in the regular season.  Another top-four upset. 

Avs in seven.

PREVIEW

ANA: 47-27-8-100

DAL: 45-30-7-97

Head to Head:  5-2-1 DAL (3-5 ANA)

ANAHEIM:

Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Sean O’Donnell, Kent Huskins and Matheiu Schneider comprise what could be the best defensive corps in the league since late-70s Canadiens. 

Scoring?  No dice.  One top line, then a gaping problem at second line center where Doug Weight (6-8-14 in 38 games with the Ducks) is in danger of being replaced by rookie Ryan Carter.  Teemu Selanne, though, has been amazing, and the club is 20-5-1 since his return.  He’ll work with Ryan Getzlaf.  Corey Perry will miss most of this series, and rookie Bobby Ryan will be under pressure to produce.  The offense is shaky.

In goal, J-S Giguere had perhaps his best pro season, and is the team’s true star amidst a star-studded lineup.

DALLAS:

Five players with over 20 goals, including 27 by Niklas Hagman, the least-talked-about 27 goal scorer in recent memory.

Weird times in Big D, though, as the club struggles to incorporate $7.8M worth of Brad Richards, who started his Stars campaign with a bang, registering five assists in his first tilt, but only six points since.  Coach Dave Tippett could surprise us and pair Richards with Mike Modano when the playoffs start.  Brendan Morrow and Mike Ribiero are the club’s offensive engine. 

The loss of Sergei Zubov, especially in special teams situations, cannot be underestimated.  He’ll likely miss the series, although there is talk of a recovery from a slew of ailments.  On a positive note, Trevor Daley gets better all the time, and is a budding physical force.  Mattias Norstrom provides veteran leadership. 

PREDICTION:

Marty Turco vs. J-S Giguere?  Go with Giguere.

Ducks in five tight ones.

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