Canucks the Team to Beat in NHL Western Conference

Frank Doyle looks at the NHL Western Playoffs, where the Canucks look set to sweep down from British Columbia and conquer all before them.

Vancouver is the best team in the league. From back to front, the Canucks are solid as a rock. Roberto Luongo in goal, a solid blue line and the forked terrors of the Sedin brothers, Daniel and Henrik, on offense. Vancouver is an even money NHL betting favorite to the win the West and that price is generous, if anything.

Vancouver opens its campaign against Chicago tomorrow night, as Al has previewed here, and the Canucks will surely exorcise some ghosts and put the Stanley Cup holders out of their misery. The Blackhawks still enjoy the explosive scoring talents of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane on offense but Chicago is thin on defense since the summer when the ‘Hawks traded away all their tough guys. Chicago has made Vancouver’s playoff lives short and miserable for the past two years; this year, the Canucks claim revenge.

Vancouver isn’t alone in ill-fated playoffs appearances. The Canucks’ biggest rival for the Western title, San Jose, has consistently failed in the playoffs in the past five years, despite winning the Pacific division four times and coming second once in that time.

The Sharks should be better than they are, and look good to get past the Kings in the first round. But they got to the Conference Finals last year too, before getting swept by Chicago. It’s hard to trust the Sharks as a betting proposition.

The most dangerous team from Vancouver’s point of view is Detroit. Hockeytown. One of the Original Six. Eleven Stanley Cups. Twenty consecutive playoff appearances, and counting. You don’t underestimate that.

Detroit has issues on every line, but that level of achievement breeds confidence in the team and fear in their opponents. The Red Wings are currently without Henrik Zetterberg, but he’ll improve the team a lot when he returns and the longer they stay in the playoffs, the more dangerous the Rd Wings will become. Detroit, available at +500 to win the West, is Vancouver’s biggest obstacle on the way to the Stanley Cup finals.

First Round:

Canucks over Blackhawks

Ducks over Predators

Red Wings over Coyotes

Sharks over Kings

Semi-Finals:

Canucks over Ducks

Red Wings over Sharks

Finals:

Canucks over Red Wings