Eastern Confrence Quaterfinals
1. Buffalo vs 8. NY Islanders
2. NJ Devils vs 7. Tampa Bay
3. Atlanta vs 6. NY Rangers
4. Ottawa vs 5. Pittsburgh
Buffalo sweeps the Islanders, nuff said. If it was Toronto, this would of been a five to six game series. Devils will beat Tampa, because of the fact that its Marty, and its time for him to show his worth, in five games. Or maybe Clemmenson will get some games in. Atlanta does NOT deserve to be the three seed, as I figure them to be the weakest team in the Eastern Confrence, this will go five or six. Ottawa has the experience, and the edge in net to beat Pittsburg in six.
Western Confrence Quaterfinals
1. Detroit vs 8. Calgary
2. Anaheim vs 7. Minnesota
3. Vancouver vs 6. Dallas
4. Nashville vs 5. San Jose
Detroit finally is able to get out of the first round, because of a healthy Dominic Hasek, and Calgary just stops scoring, in six games. The Ducks start their quest towards the Cup, and Minnesota will be a tough task, but in the end the Ducks will win this in five, since this is a different J.S. Gigure than last year. Vancouver wins thanks to Turco remembering this is the playoffs, and Luongo, in five. San Jose Nashville will be an interesting match up in the first round, I think that they're going to exchange wins the first few games, but in the end San Jose wins in seven.
Eastern Confrence Semifinals
1. Buffalo vs 6. NY Rangers
2. NJ Devils vs 4. Ottawa
The Rangers will have a tough task facing a fast pace Buffalo team, but I do think that this will be a lot closer than everyone thinks because this isn't the same Ranger team that Buffalo faced in the beginning of the season, so Buffalo in five. As for New Jersey, all good things must end. Yeah, even the Devils season, so Ottawa in seven.
Western Confrence Semifinals
1. Detroit vs 5. San Jose
2. Anaheim vs 3. Vancouver
Detroit and San Jose will be an interesting series, but Cheechoo and Thornton, and Billy Guerin (The Comeback Player of the Year, BOOK IT) will be too much for Hasek and the Wings. As we go on to the other series, we will see Luongo get over matched because Vancouver does not seem to put enough puck in the net, so in this series it will be Anaheim in five.
Eastern Confrence Finals
1. Buffalo vs 4. Ottawa
So we go to the most heated rivalry in the sport right now, we all remember the brawl of doom at Buffalo in Jan/Feb this year. Drury, Briere, Afinagenov, Miller versus Alfredsson, Heatly, Spezza and Emery. It comes down to the better goaltender, and I really think its Ryan Miller, because he made the greatest save of the year (here). Buffalo in seven.
Western Confrence Finals
2. Anaheim vs 5. San Jose
Another interesting match up, as these two teams had a strong showing at the end of the year, and San Jose getting its scoring touch back with Cheechoo and Thornton going on respective scoring tears in their own right, but in the end its going to come down to the better goaltending, and with Gigure being the set goaltender for the Ducks, and as we are still possibly figuring out that Vesa Tolaksa should be the goaltender for the Sharks, no Nabokov, we will sit here and realize, we don't coach the Sharks, and they will fail miserbly, in six.
Stanley Cup Finals
EC: Buffalo vs WC: Anaheim
So, this is what it comes down to Ryan Miller versus JS Gigure. Danny Briere versus Teemu Selanne. Or better yet, Chris Pronger versus someone who plays defense on the Sabres. Speed versus finesse. And the winner will be the Sabres, in a six game series, where JS Gigure will get outshown again by another goaltender, but THIS time, he won't win the Conn Symthe. BOOK IT. This was my pick from the beginning of the season, and I am going to stick with it, and then we go onto next year.
Awards
Jack Adams (best coach): Lindsay Ruff - Buffalo. Best team in the league, and the best coach will win this for the second straight year.
Calder (top rookie): Evgeni Malkin - Pittsburgh. So, if he wasn't in the league it would of been Kopizar from LA, but he decided to play this year, and with having Crosby, and Staal along side with him, it made his rookie season even sweeter.
King Clancy (sportsmanship): Chris Simon - New York Islanders... Brendan Shanahan - New York Rangers. He was the true captain on this team, being the most vocal, and the big leader on this team.
Hart (most valuable player): Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins. He turned around this entire team, and started to make this franchise fun again, hence them making the playoffs, and them living the dream.
William M. Jennings (least goals against): Manny Fernandez and Niklas Backstrom - Minnesota Wild. Gave up the least goals in the entire league (191). 'Nuff said.
Masterton (deadication): Everyone. They're all dedicated.
James Norris (top defensemen): Scott Neidermayer - Anaheim Ducks. So while people out there think that Souray deserves to get this because he had 26 goals, Neids had a better overall year, leading defensemen in points with 69 points, and had a plus 6.
Pearson (most outstanding player): Roberto Luongo - Vancouver Cannucks. He did it all for this team. And pretty much was the team for the entire season for the Cannucks. He deserves it.
Selke (offensive defensemen): Jordan Staal - Pittsburgh Penguins. Was probably the teams best Penalty Killer, and was an offensive threat in on the PK. Lead with seven PK goals. Going to be a good player no doubt.
Conn Smythe (top player in playoffs): Daniel Briere - Buffalo Sabres. He is the heart and soul of this team, its going to be hard to sign him, after a career year this year. But I do feel he will be going back to the Sabres as he is the franchise player.
Vezina (top goaltender): Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo - New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Cannucks. These two broke the record held by Perent for wins in a season with 48 and 47 repsectfully. But we know why Luongo deserve it, Brodeur deserves this for his 12 shut outs, and his continued dominace in the league.
Yeah I was bored, and decided to do this deal.