NHL West Playoff Preview: Ready for Battle

It’s been known for awhile which Western Conference teams will face each other when the playoffs begin. Most of the top-seeded teams are expected to win, but expectations and production can change suddenly as games and series grind on in the NHL playoffs; that’s why the Stanley Cup is regarded as one of the toughest trophies to win.

(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (8) Minnesota Wild

There’s not much to be said that hasn’t already been said about the latest President’s Trophy winners. This edition of the Blackhawks set the league record for most consecutive games without a loss in regulation time from the start of a season (24). They did it with a solid core of players led by Captain Serious, Jonathan Toews, along with Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp, who has recently returned to the lineup. Both Corey Crawford and Ray Emery ended up with identical 1.91 goals-against averages and save percentages over .920, and each had three shutouts. Emery, though, and forward Dave Bolland have both been ruled out for Game 1 with lower-body injuries.

Minnesota’s failure to hang on to the Northwest Division lead, and their inability to beat Edmonton when they needed a win to clinch a playoff spot, now has tongues wagging. They have to prove that the ownership made the right moves by acquiring Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and (at the trade deadline) forward Jason Pominville for big money. Niklas Backstrom always seems to be on the verge of injury, and the Wild have given up more goals than they’ve scored (-5). They’ve proven that they’re more of a disappointment than a contender, so it’s just not reasonable to expect an upset here.

Prediction: Blackhawks in five.

(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings

The Ducks had long stretches of success in the shortened season, especially when Viktor Fasth started in net. They also have had some disappointing runs: two four-game losing skids later in the campaign. Meanwhile, the Wings are going into the playoffs on the back of a four-game winning streak, and have just re-signed goaltender Jimmy Howard to a big multi-year deal. They also have Johan Franzen, who seems to excel in the playoffs, and Pavel Datsyuk, who should never be doubted for his ability to carry the team on his back. Henrik Zetterberg has adapted to the captain’s role while still being an offensive force.

However, when compared to Anaheim’s bigger and younger forwards such as Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, Detroit will have a tougher game playing a bigger game. Anaheim has some age and skill with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, and they added depth at the trade deadline with Radek Dvorak, Matt Lombardi and Dave Steckel.

Prediction: Ducks in six.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) San Jose Sharks

Talk about home-ice advantage: the Canucks have it, and not just because of the higher seeding. They also have Ryan Kesler back in the lineup, who provides physical play as well as scoring punch. The Sharks have lost 14 games in regulation on the road, the most of any team in the playoffs. However, they did sweep the Canucks in all three regular-season games, and they also dominated at the HP Pavilion with a 17-2-5 record.

The depth of both teams is somewhat questionable: San Jose only has the fearsome foursome of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture to rely on. They also traded away grit and size when they dealt forward Ryane Clowe and defenceman Douglas Murray at the trade deadline. The Canucks haven’t had a solid third line all season, and it’s unknown just how injured goaltender Cory Schneider actually is. Still, on the whole it seems Vancouver has more depth and more scoring on their side, but it won’t be easy for them to take this series.

Prediction: Canucks in seven.

(4) St. Louis Blues vs. (5) Los Angeles Kings

Here we have the defending champions versus a squad labeled as up-and-comers for the past couple of seasons. The Blues went through a bad patch in February and March as they dealt with injuries and inconsistent play; acquiring Jay Bouwmeester from Calgary at the trade deadline helped stabilize the defense and they started seeing more positive results as players such as Vladimir Tarasenko returned to the lineup.

The Kings also had to deal with injuries as Anze Kopitar missed the first few games, then the back line took two hits as Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell went on the hobble. Eventually the forwards would find their touch, with Kopitar and especially Jeff Carter finding their touch around the net. The 4-versus-5 matchup is always a tough one to call, and this pairing in particular shows why: good offences, solid defences and fine goaltending makes it a difficult choice.

Prediction: Kings in seven.