The Western Conference playoff race was hotly contested and filled with surprises. Some teams like the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild fell drastically short of expectations and failed to qualify for the NHL's second season despite doing so in the past three and two years, respectively. The Chicago Blackhawks are back in the post-season for the first time in seven years, while the Columbus Blue Jackets will be making their first appearance. The Northwest Division is well represented by the third-seeded Vancouver Canucks and the 5th seeded Calgary Flames. The Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues made the playoffs late in the stretch with their inspired play. Familiar faces include the powerhouses of the conference; the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings, who are the favorites to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Here are the match-ups:
San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8)
Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7)
Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6)
Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5)
As is the case every year there is potential for upsets, but the top four teams in the West may be too good for their opponents to defeat in the opening round.
The full playoff schedule can be found here:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=418004
Listed below are the probable line combinations, but they could change shift-to-shift, game-to-game or series-to-series. They also include some injured players who may or may not be back.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Devin Setoguchi
Milan Michalek – Joe Pavelski – Ryane Clowe
Jonathan Cheechoo – Marcel Goc – Mike Grier
Travis Moen – Jeremy Roenick – Jody Shelley
Tomas Plihal – Claude Lemieux – Brad Staubitz
Jamie McGinn - Torrey Mitchell
Rob Blake – Dan Boyle
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Christian Ehrhoff
Doug Murray – Alexei Semenov
Brad Lukowich – Kent Huskins
Evgeni Nabokov
Brian Boucher
WHO'S HOT
The Sharks' top two lines have been great all season, led by the resurgent Patrick Marleau and the ever reliable Joe Thornton. Marleau led the team with 38 goals, while Thornton posted a team-high 86 points. Setoguchi played the majority of the season as their winger on the first line and enjoyed plenty of success there with 31 goals and 65 points. San Jose was bolstered on the blueline in the off-season with the acquisitions of Dan Boyle and Rob Blake. Boyle averaged 24:46 of ice time this campaign, while producing 16 goals and 41 helpers.
WHO'S NOT
Jonathan Cheechoo's fall from fantasy grace has been well documented. After scoring 37 goals in 2006-07, he responded with 23 goals last year and just 12 this year. He should open the playoffs on the Sharks' third unit after sitting out the last two games of the year with an undisclosed injury. He could be moved up, though, as he has played with Thornton for parts of this season. Number one goalie Evgeni Nabokov enters the post-season very cold, winning just once in the past four contests. He will be counted on to lead the Sharks in the playoffs if they want to represent the West in the Cup finals and he should rebound.
NOTES
For the first time, the San Jose Sharks won the Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season, after posting a franchise best mark of 117. The Sharks will look to put their home-ice advantage to full use as they held the league's top record in their own barn at 32-5-4.
Torrey Mitchell will not be available to return until at least the second round. He did not play a single game this year due to a broken leg suffered in September. Kent Huskins is expected to be back at some point in the playoffs.
The Sharks look poised to finally exorcise their playoff demons in 2008-09 and advance deep into the tournament. They have a strong penalty kill (fifth in league at 83.3%) and a terrific power play (third in the league at 24.2%). San Jose should beat the Ducks in the first round, but it will not be easy. This will be a tough and physical series that could take its toll on the team. Sharks will win in 6.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Tomas Holmstrom – Pavel Datsyuk – Marian Hossa
Johan Franzen – Henrik Zetterberg – Daniel Cleary
Jiri Hudler – Valtteri Filppula – Mikael Samuelsson
Tomas Kopecky – Kris Draper – Kirk Maltby
Darren Helm
Nicklas Lidstrom – Brian Rafalski
Niklas Kronwall – Brad Stuart
Jonathan Ericsson – Brett Lebda
Derek Meech – Chris Chelios
Andreas Lilja
Chris Osgood
Ty Conklin
WHO'S HOT
Despite falling short of earning 100 points, Pavel Datsyuk ended the regular season with a team-leading 97 and a plus-34 rating. He failed to record a point in the final three games, but there should be no cause for alarm. Marian Hossa was arguably the best free agent signing last summer, as he netted a team-high 40 goals. Zetterberg concluded the year with six points in the last seven contests.
WHO'S NOT
Chris Osgood enters the playoffs as the Wings' major question mark. He had a fairly substandard season, posting a 3.09 goals-against average and an .887 save percentage, the worst totals of his career. Conklin may be seeing some action before the end of these playoffs, so have him ready in your back pocket in case Osgood falters.
NOTES
The Wings are heavy favorites in several circles to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. They have the same roster that won the Cup in 2007-08, but now they also have Hossa in the mix. Detroit's power play was first in the league, clicking at 25.5%. However, their penalty kill was uncharacteristically dreadful--25th in the NHL. The good news on that front is that the Red Wings were the second least penalized club in the league this campaign.
Hossa (minor groin) and Draper (upper body) are expected to be fine for the start of the playoffs after sitting out some of the final games of the year. Defender Andreas Lilja is still out indefinitely, though. It was recently discovered he has a bleeding vein in his head, which is causing headaches.
The winged wheel will host the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, but their experience and talent will likely be too much for the Jackets to handle. Wings will win in 5.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Alex Burrows
Pavol Demitra – Mats Sundin – Ryan Kesler
Mason Raymond – Kyle Wellwood – Steve Bernier
Rick Rypien – Ryan Johnson – Darcy Hordichuk
Taylor Pyatt – Jannik Hansen
Willie Mitchell – Mattias Ohlund
Kevin Bieksa – Sami Salo
Alexander Edler – Shane O'Brien
Ossi Vaananen – Rob Davison
Roberto Luongo
Jason LaBarbera
WHO'S HOT
The Canucks have two strong lines since the arrival of Mats Sundin to the roster in February. The Sedin twins have had great chemistry with Alex Burrows. The pair have transformed him into an excellent offensive threat. Ryan Kesler has also had a breakout year playing on the second line with Sundin. Kesler has developed into a solid two-way player for Vancouver. Roberto Luongo was his usual unbeatable self between the pipes, notching 33 wins, nine shutouts, a .920 save percentage and a 2.34 GAA. He closed out the regular season with two straight shutouts.
WHO'S NOT
Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier sleepwalked through the majority of the season. Wellwood started the year well enough, but fizzled out shortly afterwards, finishing with 18 goals and 27 points. Bernier was used on the top two lines before being relegated to third-line duty. He never seemed to find his niche with the Canucks, potting just 15 goals and 32 points in 81 games.
NOTES
The Canucks were one of the league's hottest teams after the All-Star break, producing a 23-8-3 record as of the end of January. Their mid-campaign surge helped them capture the division title, overcoming a huge deficit in the process.
Taylor Pyatt was given an indefinite leave of absence from the team after the tragic death of his fiancée. It is unclear if and when he will return in the playoffs, but he will likely be back soon. Bieksa missed the last game of the year with the flu bug, but should be ready to go for the post-season.
Vancouver and St. Louis meet in the first round and it has all the makings of a long series. Both teams are molten hot, but the Canucks get the edge due to Luongo. Vancouver will win in 7.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Patrick Kane – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Sharp
Kris Versteeg – Troy Brouwer – Martin Havlat
Dustin Byfuglien- Samuel Pahlsson – Andrew Ladd
Ben Eager – Dave Bolland – Adam Burish
Colin Fraser
Duncan Keith – Brian Campbell
Brent Seabrook – Cam Barker
Niklas Hjalmarsson – Matt Walker
Aaron Johnson – Jordan Hendry
Brent Sopel
Nikolai Khabibulin
Cristobal Huet
WHO'S HOT
Khabibulin has been lights out for Chicago lately, earning an 8-3-2 record since March. The "Bulin Wall" owns a 2.33 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage this campaign, including three shutouts. He will be counted on in the Blackhawks' crease to shoulder the load over Huet. Martin Havlat played in a career-high 81 contests, registering 29 goals and personal bests in assists (48) and points (77). He ended the regular season with nine points in seven games in April. Super sophomores Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews followed up their first years with exceptional offensive seasons. Blueliner Duncan Keith led the team with an impressive plus-33 rating (fourth in the league).
WHO'S NOT
Rookie Kris Versteeg began the season firing on all cylinders, but his pace slowed after the All-Star break. He finished the year in second place among first-year point-producers with 53 points. Versteeg generated just four points in his past 14 games.
NOTES
Chicago is expected to have Patrick Sharp back in the lineup for the beginning of the post-season after he sat out the past five games with a leg injury. Brent Sopel was placed on long-term injured reserve on Dec. 30 and is still recovering from elbow surgery. His status is unclear at this time, but do not expect him to be back in the opening round.
The Blackhawks are appearing in the playoffs for the first in seven years and will be put to the test against the Calgary Flames. However, they should continue their dominance over the Flames. Chicago will win in 6.
CALGARY FLAMES
Rene Bourque – Olli Jokinen – Jarome Iginla
Michael Cammalleri – Daymond Langkow – Todd Bertuzzi
Eric Nystrom – Craig Conroy – David Moss
Warren Peters – Dustin Boyd - Jamie Lundmark
Curtis Glencross - David Van der Gulik – Andre Roy
Brett Sutter – Wayne Primeau – Kyle Greentree
Dion Phaneuf – Jordan Leopold
Adrian Aucoin – Jim Vandermeer
Adam Pardy – Matt Pelech
John Negrin
Robyn Regehr – Cory Sarich
Mark Giordano – Rhett Warrener
Miikka Kiprusoff
Curtis McElhinney
WHO'S HOT
Michael Cammalleri proved to be an outstanding off-season acquisition for the Flames. He led the team with 39 markers, marking the first time that a player other than Iginla potted the most goals on the team since Valeri Bure did it in 1999-2000. Number one goalie Miikka Kiprusoff led the NHL with 45 victories and 76 games played.
WHO'S NOT
Olli Jokinen joined the Flames on an absolute tear with eight goals and two assists in his first six contests, but he has not fared as well since then. He is currently riding a 13-game goalless skid and has only five helpers over that span. This will be Jokinen's first taste of playoff hockey in his career after waiting 799 games to make his extra season debut.
NOTES
The Calgary Flames enter the 2008-09 post-season without much fanfare. Their colossal late year collapse, mixed with the Canucks' hot play, cost them the division crown. The Flames' power play has gone completely south, 0-for-43 in the final 10 games of the year. Calgary also has several injury concerns going into their opening round with the Blackhawks. You'll need a road map to determine their roster for game one.
Defenseman Dion Phaneuf is probable for the opener, but the status of fellow rearguards Regehr and Sarich is uncertain; they are both day-to-day at this time. Giordano (shoulder), Warrener (shoulder) and Primeau (broken foot) are all out indefinitely, while forward Curtis Glencross is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The only good news on the walking wounded front is that Rene Bourque and Andre Roy are back skating and should be ready for the start of the playoffs.
The Flames have to get healthy, and fast, and their power play needs to show up or this will be very short series. They come in as major underdogs and are hoping to use that to their advantage, but the young and relatively healthy Hawks should win.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
Andy McDonald – David Backes – Brad Boyes
David Perron – Patrik Berglund – T.J. Oshie
Alexander Steen – Jay McClement – B.J. Crombeen
Brad Winchester – Keith Tkachuk – Dan Hinote
Paul Kariya – Cam Janssen
Barret Jackman – Mike Weaver
Carlo Colaiacovo – Jay McKee
Roman Polak – Jeff Woywitka
Tyson Strachan
Eric Brewer – Erik Johnson
Chris Mason
Ben Bishop
WHO'S HOT
Chris Mason has been tremendous for the Blues since taking over as the team's starting goalie in early February. He went 21-8-6 after the All-Star break and posted a mark of 9-1-1 down the stretch. St. Louis generated a breakthrough fantasy year for rugged scorer David Backes. He tallied 31 goals, 54 points and 165 penalty minutes. Boyes finished first on the team with 33 markers and 72 points.
WHO'S NOT
Rookie Patrik Berglund was held without a point in the final six games of the year. Paul Kariya is hoping to return for the playoffs after being sidelined since Nov. 5 with a hip injury.
NOTES
The Blues have been a marvelous story this campaign. They were anticipated to be one of the worst teams in the NHL and in the draft lottery, but they qualified for the post-season on the strength of a superb second half.
St. Louis has been without defenseman Erik Johnson (knee surgery) for the entire year, and fellow blueliner Eric Brewer since Dec. 11 because of a back injury. Neither are expected back any time soon. Kariya is awaiting medical clearance to resume playing.
The Blues' appearance in the playoffs is a shocker and they will push Vancouver to the limit in their first round series. However, due to experience and one of the best goaltenders in the league (Roberto Luongo), the Canucks will probably emerge victorious.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Kristian Huselius – Manny Malhotra – Rick Nash
R.J. Umberger – Antoine Vermette – Jason Williams
Raffi Torres – Michael Peca – Jakub Voracek
Jason Chimera –Jiri Novotny – Jared Boll
Derek Dorsett – Chris Gratton – Nikita Filatov
Andrew Murray – Alexandre Picard – Fredrik Modin
Derick Brassard
Jan Hejda – Mike Commodore
Fedor Tyutin – Rostislav Klesla
Marc Methot – Kris Russell
Christian Backman – Aaron Rome
Steve Mason
Wade Dubielewicz
WHO'S HOT
Steve Mason has been the league's best rookie this season and is virtually a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top first-year player. Mason produced a league-best 10 shutouts and a stellar 2.29 goals-against average (second in the league). Nash completed the regular season with a club-high 40 goals and 79 points. Huselius produced 56 points in 74 contests.
WHO'S NOT
Umberger has just five goals over the past 20 games, while rookie Jakub Voracek has not found the back of the net for 18 straight contests.
NOTES
Columbus will have to improve their power play if they stand any chance of knocking off the Red Wings. They were the worst man advantage team in the NHL this season, clicking at a paltry 12.7% success rate.
Huselius is expected to return to the lineup for Game 1 after being out since April 4 due to concussion-like symptoms. Forward Andrew Murray will miss at least the first two games of the series with a lower-body injury, while there is no timetable set for Modin's return. He has been sidelined since March 5 because of a sprained knee. Rookie center Derick Brassard is scheduled to be ready by May 1 after undergoing shoulder surgery in December.
The Blue Jackets are making their first appearance in the playoffs. Their climb up the standings has been a great story this campaign, but they will likely not get past Detroit. Mason will have to stand on his head if they are to have any chance of an upset.
ANAHEIM DUCKS
Bobby Ryan – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry
Erik Christensen – Andrew Ebbett – Teemu Selanne
Drew Miller – Todd Marchant – Rob Niedermayer
Mike Brown – Petteri Nokelainen – George Parros
Ryan Carter – Troy Brodie
Scott Niedermayer – Chris Pronger
Ryan Whitney – Francois Beauchemin
James Wisniewski – Sheldon Brookbank
Bret Hedican – Brendan Mikkelson
Jonas Hiller
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
WHO'S HOT
The Ducks' top line of Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan has been sensational. Getzlaf led the team with 91 points, Perry led the team in goals with 32, and Ryan led all rookies in scoring with 31 goals and 57 points. Anaheim also got an amazing year from veteran Scott Niedermayer. The smooth-skating defender notched 14 goals and 59 points and closed out the year with 10 points and a plus-4 rating in the club's last six games. Jonas Hiller became the Ducks' starting goalie late in the year and will look to keep the ball rolling in the playoffs. He sported a 9-2-0 record down the stretch to help Anaheim secure a post-season birth.
WHO'S NOT
Netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere has struggled this season, posting a 19-18-6 record with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. Hiller is expected to shoulder the load for the Ducks in the playoffs.
NOTES
The Ducks finished the year strong and qualified for the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. They had a deadly power play down the stretch, tallying 20 goals on 48 opportunities, for a jaw-dropping 41.7% proficiency rating in the last 13 contests.
Defenseman Bret Hedican is out indefinitely with a back injury that has kept him on the shelf since Feb. 26.
Anaheim's series against the Sharks will be physical and hard fought, as these division rivals do not like each other. The Ducks are more than capable of pulling off an upset if they can stay somewhat disciplined and their power play continues to soar.
Good luck in your pools and enjoy the playoffs!