BT's 2011 NHL Western Conference Playoff Preview

Now that the Eastern Conference picks out of the way, it’s time to make our way to the Western Conference.

With the parity we saw this year in the Western Conference teams kept their playoffs hopes alive until the very end, it’s possible that all of these series go seven games and a few upsets will happen. Well, upsets in terms of seeding.

The defending Stanley Cup champs are taking on the President’s Trophy winners, the rebounding Sharks take on a limping Kings team that still has championship dreams, Phoenix earns themselves a re-match with a veteran-laden Detroit club, and the Rocket Richard winner along with his offensively inclined teammates take on a Nashville team that always finds themselves playing spring hockey.

Western Conference:

1. Vancouver Canucks vs. 8. Chicago Blackhawks

What Vancouver has going for them: Like you need to hear about all of this, but here it goes. Two of the best players in the league who just happen to be twins (makes sense), a deep team with a few rallying points (proving the President’s Curse wrong; the Manny Malhotra injury), and one of the most talented goalies in the world who needs to add a Stanley Cup championship to his resume.

What Chicago has going for them: There’s a lot of hunger on the Chicago side, which is surprising for a team that won it all just a year ago. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and the core of last year’s team want to prove that it was no fluke and they conquered the league. This year’s supporting cast wants to prove they can win it all too, and rookie Corey Crawford is yearning to prove he’s the real deal after plenty of time spent maturing in the minors.

Who wins: Vancouver does, but it’s not easy. Neither team is in an enviable position because whoever loses has plenty of critics to face, which is almost unfair based on the talent on both benches in the first round alone. Roberto Luongo stands on his head and the offense goes shot-for-shot on either side.

Vancouver wins 4-3.

What Chicago needs to prove me wrong: A little luck. It sounds clichéd, but this matchup will be determined by who gets the bounces because both teams are hardworking and talented.

What’s not so great about the playoffs: Overblown first round exits are the worst. There’s bound to be an upset based off of standings in the West, and these are always overblown. In this series alone, Chicago fans will be shocked and shout for improvements on a team that may just need to get a little older as there’s a lot of youth to go along with that depth. If Vancouver loses, the sky is falling, but what do you change? You can’t get rid of the Sedins, Luongo, or Kesler, and this team is the deepest it’s ever been. Sometimes a loss is just a loss and it’s better for a group to stomach it and learn from it instead of blowing things up.

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 7. Los Angeles Kings

What San Jose has going for them: For once, the Sharks are free from the public eye of scrutiny. Well…sort of. While there are still going to be critics of the Sharks during the playoffs, many of them will be busy concerning themselves in the East with Washington, or the Boston/Montreal series, or even Vancouver and Chicago. The Sharks have a goalie who’s been a champion before, an experience which may help ground the team.

What Los Angeles has going for them: One of the most under-rated leaders in the game in Dustin Brown is a force that can wreak havoc on a defense with his forecheck over seven games. While a lot of the talent on this team is hurt (Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams, although Williams could be back for this series), a forgotten part of this team is its grit with Wayne Simmonds, Jarret Stoll, and Rob Scuderi to name a few.

Who wins: The Sharks are missing a bit of their grit with Scott Nichol and Kent Huskins out but their key players are still their key players even if they’re putting up with down years. Seven players with 20+ goals will be a handful for LA to contend with. LA’s offense won’t go down quietly, this one goes the distance too.

San Jose wins 4-3.

What L.A. needs to prove me wrong: A concentrated effort from their depth forwards and timely scoring. Bang and crash on the forecheck and wear out San Jose’s defense to force the forwards to take more responsibility on the backcheck to compensate. The Kings can grind down the Sharks, which will help them to a positive result.

What’s great about the playoffs: The atmosphere. You get a market that cares, and the noise and fervor you experience is spine-tingling. Simply put, there’s no crowds that are just ‘going through the motions’ and the same can be said for the teams, or else their run will be over quick. People care about these two teams and it should be a rocking series.

3. Detroit Red Wings vs. 6. Phoenix Coyotes

What Detroit has going for them: Outside of Chris Osgood, Detroit has started to get healthy, meaning that their regulars are getting closer to returning. Adding (or re-adding) top-end talent like Nik Kronwall and (later) Henrik Zetterberg to the lineup makes an already potent lineup dangerously deep. Oh, and they’re experienced and, instead of rushing youngsters, any “fresh blood” at the NHL level for the Wings is mature age-wise.

What Phoenix has going for them: While no one on Phoenix’s roster will blow you away offensively (just one 20-goal scorer and one player with 60 points—both from Captain Shane Doan), they have players who understand their roles and their systems and can get the job done. With all of the attention paid to the other goalies in the league, Ilya Bryzgalov logged a quiet 36 wins and forms a formidable opponent for Jimmy Howard.

Who wins: Like last year, this one is going the distance. Like last year, Detroit comes out on top. The Coyotes have depth and experience, but so do the Wings, and their scoring is a burden to contend with. Detroit always seems to adapt to their opponent as well, and the Coyotes may not have the balanced scoring necessary to combat that (See: Blackhawks, Chicago. 200910).

Detroit wins 4-3.

What Phoenix needs to prove me wrong: The addition of Ed Jovanovski to the lineup may energize this team and give them the attitude that they can overcome Detroit. Don’t overlook that fact that the ‘Yotes took the Wings to seven games last year, giving them confidence against the class of the West.

What’s not so great about the playoffs: Anthem singers that don’t get it are the worst. Don’t get me wrong: I love Canada, and America you make a pretty good neighbour, but if you don’t know how to sing it for a playoff game, get out. It needs energy, passion and drive. Sorry, I know you worked really hard for that musical theatre degree, but centre ice isn’t the place to audition for La Bohem.

And yes, that’s probably the first time that opera title made it into an article about hockey ever.

4. Anaheim Ducks vs. 5. Nashville Predators

What Anaheim has going for them: That pain in the neck Corey Perry and, you know, a few other guys like Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, Teemu Selanne, and even Lubomir Visnovsky and Cam Fowler on the blueline. All of those weapons will murder you if you take careless penalties too. They had the third-best power play in the league this year, which is a big coup for a team that takes pride in getting under your skin.

What Nashville has going for them: It’s the battle of the best because the Preds had the fifth-best penalty kill in the regular season. They have arguably the best all-around defensemen in the league in Shea Weber, while Ryan Suter isn’t too bad either, and if Phoenix is a team that takes care of all their assignments, they’re patterned after the Preds. For the second year in a row the Preds didn’t have a 55+ point scorer yet they were still one of the best in the West and one of the hottest down the stretch.

Who wins: With the question marks in net because of Ray Emery’s creakiness and Jonas Hiller’s vertigo, the Ducks are going with Dan Ellis against Pekka Rinne. The advantage goes to the Preds in that category. Offensively the Ducks are explosive, but the Preds can figure it out. The finally make it out of the first round.

Nashville wins 4-2.

What Nashville needs to do to prove me wrong: Dan Ellis needs to stand on his head, either for the entire playoffs, or until Jonas Hiller is ready. Anaheim needs to win the battle of frustrations, meaning that they can’t afford to get frustrated and careless, but need to throw the Preds for a loop. Either that, or Corey Perry scores 30 goals in the series.

What’s great about the playoffs: The hair. Mullets, beards, Mohawks, weird colours….you’ve got to love it.