Eastern Conference Playoff Preview
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8. New York Rangers
This should turn out to be a good series, despite the dominance of Eisenbraun’s Devils during the regular season. Kim Gernak and the Rangers are sure in a tough spot though. They’ll have to pull some crazy shit to beat the devils who only lost 19 times during the regular season. Look for Martin Brodeur and Patrick Elias to be the deciding factor for the Devils in this one. Despite the scoring prowess of Petr Nedved during the regular, look for the Devils to take this one in 6 games.
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7. Florida Panthers
This series looks a little one sided right off the bat, it has young goalie Roberto Luongo, going head to head with Flyers superstar Roman Cechmanek. The difference between Luongo and Cechmanek is not held to the position of goaltender. Flyers GM Jason Feebs is also dominant at RW, LW, C, and D, with players such as Paul Kariya, Mark Recchi, Keith Primeau, Brendan Shanahan, Jeremy Roenick, John Leclair, Theo Fleury, Teppo Numminen, and Eric Dejardins. If Florida GM Ted Dallaire is going to have any hope of beating this talented Flyers team he is going to have to see above average play form key guys like Donald Audette, Viktor Kozlov, and Robert Svehla. This will have to be backed the stellar play of Luongo if the Panthers are to have any chance of winning. I personally think that Luongo cannot hold off this intense Flyers team, Flyers in 5.
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6. Washington Capitals
The Leafs vs Caps series is yet another good one in this tough Eastern Conference. Look for the big difference in this series to be the Experience and Leadership that Phil Matchet has been collecting since day one of the season. The goaltending is equal, the players all fairly close to equal, but the experience that this Toronto team has, should be enough to carry them past Errickson’s Capital team. Leafs in 6 games.
4.Ottawa Senators
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5.Montreal Canadians
This series is bound to be a good one, as it faces GM Hockin’s aging Senators up against GM Rehm’s surprisingly good Canadians, of course in comparison to what he started with. This one should be a battle of goaltenders as it has the young Jose Theodore up against the overlooked Patrick Lalime. Let’s hope Lalime is well rested after playing the most minutes in the regular season. If Theodore and Niniimaa can hold Lemieux, Sakic, and Blake, to few points, they should be able to make a game of it, if not who knows, all hell might break loose. Due to a Senators team looking to be healthy for a while anyway, I’m taking the Sens in 7 games.
Western Conference Playoff Preview
1. Colorado Avalanche
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8. Anaheim Mighty Ducks
I don’t think I should do a review on my own series! That would be wrong!!!!
The Pittsburgh GM Brian McNaughton has offered to do this one for me.
Thanks Brian!!!
2. St. Louis Blues
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7. Edmonton Oilers
This should be a good series; despite the poor ranking of the Oilers this year it should defiantly be a close one. This series all comes down to three key people, Domenik Hasek, Pavel Bure, and Doug Weight. If these three guys are on the top of their game for the Oil, then there are not too many people who can stop them, especially Freddy Brathwaite. Despite the lopsided goaltending in this series, it should still be a close one, due to the amazing depth that Blues GM Klompas has amassed at the deadline. If Klompas’s bottom three lines are on their game they should make this series very interesting, providing Cairns’s big three are on hot streaks. This is a tough one to call, but I’m going Oilers in 7, because I’m a hometown fan, and I like the looks of Hasek in the Playoffs.
3. Dallas Stars
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6. Columbus Blue Jackets
From just looking the names of the teams, you’d think, Scott why are you even explaining this one just slap down the Stars in 4 and get it done with? But with the great moves that Justin Price has been making so far, that bastard is making me write another whole thing out J. Just Kidding Man. While Price has made some excellent changes this season, one can only do so much with the Columbus Blue Jackets. As you can see he has an excellent forward core, but his defense is lacking what it takes to get past the first round. Although Tugnutt is a great goalie, he will need a little help against the stars offence. The experience of the stars offence is enough to see the Jackets eliminated in the first round. Stars in 6.
4. Detroit Red Wings
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5. Calgary Flames
This series looks as though it could go either way, due to a major shake up by Wings GM Galen Murray. At the start of the season Murray decided he needed to get a bit young in the dressing room, and no he does not like little boys, I am not implying that. I thought I’d better make that clear to some of you after reading a few of the messages on the board. Anyway Murray picked up some young guys, such as Scott Gomez, Jeff O’Neill, and Mattias Ohlund, and started a new generation in Detroit. This series looks to be interesting as Calgary who hasn’t made many moves this season, also has a fairly young talented team as well. Look for the difference in this one to be the slight edge Detroit has in depth over Flames. I say Wings in 7.
By Scott Usher (assistant commish)