NHL Playoff Previews (East)

For the Western Conference picks click here

Be sure to check out JMG's 1st round predictions as well, for the East, and the West.



Eastern (Wales) Conference

1- Washington Capitals vs. 8- New York Rangers
Quick Summary: The Capitals have been a great team since the trade deadline and vaulted to the top of the Conference standings. Their offensive superstars have been reined in this year and they have shown a much greater attention to defensive details. The Rangers have alot of gritty forwards who aren't afraid to mix it up, a young talented defensive core, and a solid goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers are the only team they Capitals have beaten in a playoff series in the “Ovechkin Era."

Capitals Assets vs. Liabilities:
Assets: Ovechkin, Much More rounded overall game, More Focus
Liabilities: Ghosts of previous early round exits, Will new found structure maintain itself under playoff pressures?, injuries to Green, Wideman, and Poti leave blueline a bit thin

Rangers Assets vs. Liabilities:
Assets: Lundqvist, Defense, Tortorella's crazy like a fox attitude and forwards who will go to battle with him
Liabilities: The bad side of crazy is undisciplined play, Lack of firepower, Ryan Callahan being out leaves a lot on Marian Gaborik's plate offensively.

Prediction: Caps in 5

2- Philadelphia Flyers vs. 7- Buffalo Sabres
Quick Summary: The Flyers come off a Stanley Cup run that fell short in the finals last year, they looked like world beaters in February, but have fallen off their game since then. The Sabres are back in the playoffs for the second year in a row behind the stellar goaltending of Ryan Miller. They have been quite hot down the stretch, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

Flyers Assets vs. Liabilities:
Assets: If Pronger is healthy they have the best blueline in hockey, Great scoring depth through some very talented forward lines, fantastic mix of toughness and skill among their skaters
Liabilities: Goaltending, Goaltending, Goaltending

Sabres Assets vs. Liabilities
Assets: Ryan Miller, A bunch of hardworking guys, Lindsay Ruff always gets alot out of his sometimes limited talent.
Liabilities: Lack of firepower to match offensive tallies, no real superstars outside of Miller, the tormented hopes of generations of Buffalonians weighs heavy upon them.

Prediction: Sabres in 6

3- Boston Bruins vs. 6- Montreal Canadiens
Quick Summary:
Two of the most storied franchises in the NHL meet up for yet another knockdown, drag out playoff battle. New fuel has been added to the rivalry this season, with Zdeno Chara's brutal hit on Max Pacioretty and games featuring linebrawls between the clubs.

Boston Assets vs. Liabilities
Assets: Best Defensive goals against in the Conference behind Tim Thomas, Chara is a force on the blueline, Everyone pulls their weight in their balanced offensive system
Liabilities: Thomas unorthodox style will be exposed once again in a playoff series, lack of a game breaking forward up front, Long history of losing against the Habs in the playoffs.

Canadiens Assets vs. Liabilities
Assets: Habs Mystique, Same core group of skaters from last year’s giant slaying squad, the 'win this one for Max' card
Liabilities: No Jaroslav Halak, Carey Price's past big game meltdowns, undersized and slightly underskilled squad

Prediction: Canadiens in 7


4- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5- Tampa Bay Lightning
Quick Summary: The Penguins managed to overcome injuries to their two all world superstar forwards, Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin, and secured homeice for the first round playoff series with solid defense and all around contributions from the 'bottom half' of their roster. The Tampa Bay Lightning are a rejuvenated bunch with quite an impressive collection of offensively gifted forwards up front.

Penguins Assets vs. Liabilities
Assets: Marc-Andre Fleury is a proven playoff goalie, Great team effort in the face of adversity, very solid blueline and top ranked penalty kill
Liabilities: Power Play is punchless, lack of top notch scoring with Crosby and Malkin out, Injuries

Lightning Assets vs. Liabilities
Assets: Firepower and lots of it, St. Louis and Stamkos, Great power play
Liabilities: Blueline is a little suspect, is Roloson going to carry this team at 41, where is Vinny's head

Prediction: Lightning in 6


Western (Campbell) Conference
1- Vancouver Canucks vs. 8- Chicago Blackhawks
2- San Jose Sharks vs. 7- Los Angeles Kings
3- Detroit Redwings vs. 6- Phoenix Coyotes
4- Anaheim Ducks vs. 5- Nashville Predators