2014-2015 NHL Predictions: Christmas is Finally Here!

With the NHL season just a COUPLE HOURS AWAY, it’s time to lay down some predictions for the 2014-2015 NHL season. As usual there have been many changes since Alec Martinez put the puck past Hank Lundqvist to crown the Kings, but have there been enough changes to see them dethroned? Here are my 2014-2015 predictions for conference standings, legit Cup contenders, my Cup winner and season end award winners.

Western Conference Standings:
1. St. Louis (Central Division Winner)
2. Anaheim (Pacific Division Winner)
3. Chicago
4. Los Angeles
5. Colorado
6. Dallas
7. Minnesota
8. San Jose
9. Vancouver
10. Arizona
11. Nashville
12. Winnipeg
13. Calgary
14. Edmonton

Eastern Conference Standings:
1. Boston (Atlantic Division Winner)
2. Pittsburgh (Metropolitan Division Winner)
3. New York Rangers
4. Montreal
5. Tampa Bay
6. Columbus
7. Philadelphia
8. New York Islanders
9. Toronto
10. Ottawa
11. Detroit
12. New Jersey
13. Washington
14. Florida
15. Carolina
16. Buffalo

Only three teams who really have a chance in the West: Chicago, Los Angeles, and St.Louis

The East is WIDE OPEN and any of: Pittsburgh, Boston, Montreal, New York Rangers and Tampa Bay have a shot at making the CUP Finals.

The finals: Chicago vs. Pittsburgh

The Cup Champion: Chicago Blackhawks

Art Ross winner: Crosby
Rocket Richard winner: Stamkos
Hart Trophy winner: Tavares
Norris Trophy winner: Pietrangelo
Vezina Trophy winner: Carey Price
Jack Adams winner: Jack Capuano
Calder Trophy winner: John Gibson

First Coached fired: Dallas Eakins
First Coach hired: Dan Bylsma

Those are my thoughts! What are yours? Lets get er goin!!!!!

@poleary19

#BecauseItsTheCUP Finals Preview

Ok, so my predictions for round three did not go so well. I took the Habs and Hawks and obviously neither of those teams are playing anymore this season. My excuses are a) I was banking on Montreal having a healthy Carey Price and b) The Hawks/Kings series could have gone either way! With that said, I’ll attempt to finish on a strong note with my Cup Final prediction!

All year long, pretty much everyone; including myself, have felt the Western Conference was the stronger of the two conferences. Both the Kings and Rangers have overcome some very stiff competition this postseason but coming out of the West in my opinion was the tougher task.

Up front I give the Kings a pretty big edge because they have such a balanced attack from almost line one through four and on any given night either line can come through for them. However, they will need Anze Kopitar to step it up offensively after going the entire series against Chicago without a goal. No doubt, he brings more to the ice than offence but his name on the score sheet will surely help increase the Kings chances of winning the Cup. The depth the Kings have at center should be the major difference in this series with Kopitar, Carter, Stoll and Richards all down the middle. Watch for Stoll to be one of the key players in this series with his great faceoff prowess, defensive smarts and ability to chip in offensively. The Rangers will rely heavily on Brad Richards, Marty St.Louis and Rick Nash to produce for them and if all three of these guys can’t provide this offense for the Rangers it won’t fold well. A key player for the Rangers will be Dominic Moore, similar to Stoll he is relied upon in multiple key situations.

On the backend, again the Kings have to get the edge. Over the past three years the Kings have been one of the top defensive teams in the NHL. It has more to do with team defense than individuals but one must acknowledge Drew Doughty who in my opinion may be the best blue liner in the NHL. He logs huge minutes shutting down the opponents top players and still finds a way to chip in with huge plays on the offense. The bigger the game the better the Doughty! The rest of the defense core is made up of warriors like Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene, and a soon to be returning Robyn Regehr. Amazingly, the Kings do not have one regular defenseman with a minus rating after three rounds of playoff hockey! On the other side, the Rangers have a great big three in McDonagh, Staal and Girardi but I feel that over the course of this series the Kings forwards will wear the Rangers 6 defenseman down and expose them. The Kings forwards will hit the Rangers backend with a physicality that they haven’t seen to this point in the playoffs and it will lead to New York turnovers.

Not much to say about the Goalies, both are great! Quick can be better and will need to be better. Lundqvist has been great and he will need to be great in order for the Rangers to have a chance here. The King will have to live up to his name to be crowned with hockey’s Holy Grail.

In the end, I believe the Kings will simply be too much for the Rangers to handle over the course of a 7 game series. The Kings will lean on New York physically and the Rangers will not find a way to match the balanced attack. For the Rangers to have any chance of winning this series they will need to use their speed as much as possible, play almost error free hockey because the Kings are very opportunistic and as said before Lundqvist will have to be at his best!
 

  KINGS IN 6!!! Conn Smythe Drew Doughty

@poleary19

Eastern Conference Finals Breakdown: New York Rangers at Montreal Canadiens

 

In the words of broadcasting legend Robert Cole, ‘Ohh Babyyyy,’ what a playoffs these have been so far! We’ve pretty much seen it all through the first two rounds and we still have one game left before we move on to the Conference Finals. The quick turnaround from round one to round two prevented me from blogging my second round picks but here is an update on how I’ve done so far.
Round 1: 5 correct (Bruins, Habs, Rangers, Blackhawks, Ducks)
Round 2: 2 correct (Rangers, Blackhawks) *Have the Kings over the Ducks

Total: 7 right, 3 wrong, one to be determined and one no pick (AVS/WILD)

In a postseason this unpredictable, I’ll take that! Especially if the Kings can get the win at the pond tonight! That one should be a dandy! However, I’m going to jump ahead with a little breakdown of les Canadiens/Rangers series set to start Saturday at the Bell Centre! Lots of opinions out there on this one and here is mine:

First things first, aside from the fact the Canadiens have home ice, forget the regular season! It’s the Eastern Conference Finals and everything is on the table here. Make no mistake about it though, that home ice advantage is huge. The old saying goes ‘you’re not in trouble until you lose a game on home ice.’ If Montreal doesn’t lose on home ice in this series, they’ll be playing for the Stanley Cup. Home ice advantage means a little more to Montreal in the playoffs; maybe it’s the crowd, maybe it’s the amazing pregame festivities or maybe it’s the magical history of one of North America’s most storied franchises, there’s just something about playoff hockey in Montreal. No doubt Madison Square Garden is in a league of its own in terms of sporting venues but for hockey the Bell Centre reigns supreme. The Rangers will need to maintain their ability to win on the road and find a way to do it in a very hostile environment to have a chance here.

When you look at the two teams up front the biggest similarity thus far in these playoffs is a balanced attack. The Rangers have 11 forwards with at least one goal this postseason and the Canadiens have 10. On paper the Blue Shirts have more star power with St.Louis, Nash and Richards but each player has struggled with offensive consistency at times. In 7 games against oft criticized Penguins keeper Marc Andre Fleury the Rangers scored just 15 goals while the Canadiens scored 20 against Vezina candidate Tuuka Rask. Both teams are similarly gritty on the third and fourth lines and it will be interesting to see how each adjust coming out of series where they were the underdog. I suspect from top to bottom the compete level will be there for both teams but for either to win, certain players will need to shine through. For the Rangers, Marty St. Louis has become the inspirational leader and will need to continue to lead and contribute if the Rangers want to win. Also, the Rangers will not win this series if Rick Nash doesn’t find the net. He hasn’t showed up in the playoffs since entering the league and it is beginning to cast a shadow on his career. One good series here could leave the past in the past for Nash. For Montreal, Max Pacioretty will need to find a way to come up big as he did in games 6 and 7 of the Bruins series. The man who scored 39 goals in the regular season will need to find similar consistency in the playoffs for Montreal to take the next step. Likewise, the Habs will need Thomas Vanek to be more consistent in this series. He was brought in at the deadline to produce and while he has scored some big goals, the Habs would like to see it happen over a larger stretch. This series will be tight and if a player as offensively gifted as Vanek can produce consistently it may be the difference.

On the backend the Habs have the biggest game breaker in this series. PK Subban has been a force in these playoffs and is easily the most offensively gifted blue liner in the series. The Rangers will need to get in his head and minimize his time and space or he will make them pay. In their own end the Canadiens defense showed both toughness and durability against the Bruins and really didn’t wear down as the Bruins had hoped by the time it was all said and done. Guys like Josh Georges and Mike Weaver have been warriors and will lay it all on the line to come out on top. The Rangers have a great young top 3 in Staal, Mcdonagh, and Girardi. Though there have been some struggles for the latter two in these playoffs, they have eaten minutes against top tier players. Staal did a great job against Pittsburgh while Anton Stralman and Kevin Klein were both also logging near 20 minutes of quality hockey per game.

On the special teams the Habs seem to be at a distinct advantage! With Subban quarterbacking the PP the Habs are clicking at just over 26%. Beyond Subban, their power play has a good mixture of skill and grit which has been leading to power play goals at critical times. On the other side, the Rangers power play has not been good and one would have to assume Coach Vigneault will have spent time on that this week. Neither penalty kill has been great in these playoffs but based on Power play threat, the Habs should have the easier time here as well.

Between the pipes we have two world class goalies that will be very difficult to beat. Both will give their team the chance to win and will come up with big save after big save. It will be a series of garbage goals, whichever team works hardest to create traffic and get pucks through to the net will come out on top here. I give Price a slight, slight edge because he seems to be mentally zoned in right now and has that ‘championship swagger’.

When it comes to intangibles, there are a few they may impact the final result. You have to think about the St.Louis factor. His team has rallied around him since the sudden passing of his mother and sometimes that’s the sort of thing that can will a team to new heights. The emotion that this tragedy has captured in the New York dressing room may translate to more on ice success. You also have to wonder how Montreal will look coming off an emotional series with the Bruins. When the Habs and Bruins play it’s just different. Can the Habs channel that same emotion? That same hatred? That same demand for respect? It can be difficult to maintain that high following a win over a rival and the tempo hard to match. After taking down their biggest rivals they will need to focus on the task at hand, they must look at the Rangers the same way they looked at Boston and have that same chip on their shoulder. Another factor will of course be coaching. Which coach will be quickest to act and react? Both men have lost in game 7 of the Cup finals, both have since been fired and both have gained much experience. It’ll be interesting to see who makes the more appropriate adjustments. It is important to also factor in the Habs round one sweep of the Lightening because it gave them some extra time off. The Rangers have played in two series that went the distance so far and other than the couple of extra days before game one Saturday, they’ve had no down time since the regular season. Will that take a toll as this series drags on?

In the end, it’s a really tough series to call and I could see it going either way but I have to lean towards Montreal. Home ice is a huge factor here, as is the Hab’s far superior power play. There’s no room for offensive struggles in a series against Carey Price and I’m not convinced the Rangers will score enough goals to win. If the Canadiens can keep their compete level up against New York as they did against Boston, they’ll be heading to the Cup Finals.

Canadiens in 6!

 

@poleary19

2014 Stanley Cup Playoff Round One Picks:

 

 

It’s been a while since my last post but what better way to get back into it than with my first round picks? Under the new bracket style playoff format it will be perhaps even more difficult to win the Stanley Cup! However, the new format will surely provide some great entertainment for fans as evidenced by round one matchups involving Blackhawks/Blues, Sharks/Kings, Rangers/Flyers, etc. So without drawing this out any further, here are my expert (lol) predictions for round one:

 

Eastern Conference:

Detroit at Boston: Honestly, coming into this season I thought the Bruins were on the decline. I felt the trading of Seguin was a mistake (may still prove to be as time goes on) and the losses of Peverley, Horton and Ference would also hurt. They’ve really proved me wrong this season and I won’t bet against them in round one. Jarome Iginla is motivated, Patrice Bergeron is almost as good as it gets in the postseason, Tuuka Rask is a Vezina candidate (shouldn’t win though) and Big Z is still a monster. The Red Wings have gotten healthier but still not healthy enough in my book. Coach Babcock is good and if he can get strong goaltending he’ll push the Bruins to the limit, but similar to last year against Chicago, it won’t be enough. BRUINS IN 6  

Player to watch: Reilly Smith

 

Montreal at Tampa Bay: Very difficult series to call so I really had to break it down into components. I think the Habs get the edge in goaltending (esp. with Bishop out), special teams, total offense, and defense. I give the Lightening the edge in grit and having the bigger game breaker in Stamkos. Add in that playoff “magic” that Montreal teams tend to find each spring and I think they win this series. With that said, the Lightening have the tools to win especially if Bishop can return early on. It’ll be interesting to see which deadline acquisition plays the bigger part in this series, Callahan or Vanek? That may go a long way in determining who moves on. Also, it’s important to mention that Carey Price has one playoff series win in his career and it was in his rookie season. If he‘s going to be considered an elite goaltender in this league, he needs to win in the spring. I think he does here! HABS IN 6
Player to watch: Max Pacioretty

 

Columbus at Pittsburgh: The new playoff set up seems to shield teams from the old 2 vs. 7 upset special! How many times over the years has a number 7 seed taken out a number 2 seed? It has happened more often than you’d expect and though the setup is a little different in 2014, the Penguins are technically the number 2 seed in the east and I think they will fall! The Jackets play a team game and have a lot of players built for postseason hockey. If Bobrovsky is on top of his game, the Penguins could be in trouble. You can never be sure on the health of certain players or which Marc-Andre Fleury will be between the pipes! Don’t be surprised if this is Bylsma’s last time behind a Pittsburgh bench. JACKETS IN 7
Player to watch: Brandon Dubinsky

 

Philadelphia at New York: Another very difficult series to call which needs to be broken down into components. Rangers get the edge in goaltending and defense, Flyers get the edge in offense and having the bigger game breaker in Claude Giroux, while special teams and grit looks to be pretty even. That just shows this series should be a dandy! My money has to go on the team with the better defense and a King in net. I also believe that Marty St.Louis will make a statement in these playoffs and help the Rangers turn some heads as they make a deep run. RANGERS IN 6
Player to watch: Martin St. Louis

 

Western Conference:

Chicago at St.Louis: The Blues have fallen from a top Cup contender to a huge question mark in just two weeks. With a 6 game losing streaking, too many injuries to list and Kenny Hitchcock seemingly melting down; are the wheels off the Blues bus? The Blackhawks have to be feeling pretty good with their two top guns likely back in the lineup for game one and well rested for the stretch run at that. The couple days between the regular season and game one are crucial for the Blues to put it all behind them and reenergize. They’ll need to get great goaltending from Miller, play the ‘wear em down’ game and get some consistent offence in order to win this series. I don’t think they’ll be able to do it though. HAWKS IN 6
Player to watch: Patrick Sharp

 

Dallas at Anaheim: In 2001 the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the LA Kings in 7 games to advance to the Conference finals. Near the 2001 trade deadline the Kings shipped Rob Blake to those Avalanche and following the series that spring, many Kings players said they wished they played that series with Blake on their side. Fast forward to 2014, the Dallas Stars will play against Anaheim in round one, the team they traded defenseman Stephane Robidas to in March. When this series is over; like the Kings in ‘01, the Stars will wish they had Robidas on their side. I’m not sold on the Ducks as a team that will go all the way but I do believe they handle Dallas despite a solid effort from Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Secondary scoring will be crucial for the Ducks as they move forward.  DUCKS IN 6
Player to watch: Andrew Cogliano

 

Los Angeles at San Jose: Over the years I’ve always expected the San Jose Sharks to choke! Like a coach named Torts, I’ve always felt Joe Thornton has never won anything in this league and I could say the same for Patty Marleau. In saying that, those guys are not the main focal points in San Jose anymore. Yes, those guys still produce but they also have some great young talent in Couture, Pavelski, Vlasic, Burns, Hertl, etc. On the other side, over the last few years I’ve had high expectations of the LA Kings. They are a team built for the playoffs with grit, timely scoring and world class goaltending. Based on the above, you’d think my pick here is obvious but actually I think the Sharks are going to make a splash (pun not intended). The Sharks’ energy and hunger (pun not intended) will be difficult for the Kings to match this time around and I think the Kings will need a refresh after having 6 guys play in Sochi and two long playoff runs in 2012 and 2013. SHARKS IN 6
Player to watch: Joe Pavelski

 

Minnesota at Colorado: As the Avs came from behind and stole the Central Division from the St. Louis Blues, I couldn’t help but think back to 2003 when they snuck up on the Vancouver Canucks and took the North West Division in the final week of the season. Winning the division back then resulted in a first round series with the Wild and a ‘mile high upset.’ Will history repeat itself in 2014? You never know! While the Avalanche did finish the season with the second best record in the West, they are still a very young team with little playoff experience and a couple of injuries. Despite an incredible season, I don’t think the Avs have earned much respect yet and most teams feel they can beat them in a 7 game series. The Wild have guys like Parise and Pominville who have taken long runs in the playoffs and stud blueliner Ryan Suter who will log some serious minutes. The big question mark will be Ilya Bryzgalov and whether he will be focused on the game or the universe. With a 7-0-3 record in his last 10 games he helped the Wild finish strong and if he can continue that play, the Wild will have a chance at the upset. Similarly, the Avalanche will need Varlamov to continue to be his Vezina self and get a balanced contribution from their forwards, especially with Duchene out. Fearing the risk of a jinx, no prediction on this one. GO AVS!

Player to watch: Ryan O’Reilly

 

@poleary19

The Cup Contenders for 2013-2014

 

With the new season quickly approaching (just two more days!!!!!); here are my thoughts on the three teams most likely to reach the Cup Finals from each conference.

   Western Conference:

Chicago Blackhawks:

  Honestly, it’s difficult to count out the defending champions. They still have Toews, Kane, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, Crawford, etc. and therefore are still a cup contender! They will miss guys like Bolland and Frolik but they have enough depth to overcome the losses. There was much less turnover this time around as opposed to their 2010 championship team; that should keep them among the league’s elite.

Los Angeles Kings:

  Much like the Blackhawks; the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions are a strong threat in the Western Conference. They are a team built with strong goaltending, great team defense and forwards that know what it takes to win in the playoffs. Not a great deal of change in La La land and for that reason they will be playing late in the spring! Their regular season may not be extraordinary, but Sutter and company save their best for the playoffs.

St.Louis Blues:

  Perhaps a surprise choice but I believe the St.Louis Blues are also a team likely to contend for the cup this season! Another team that is built for the post season, they have one of the best blueliners in the league and a strong goaltending duo (or even trio). Last year they gave the Kings all they could handle in the first round and a more fortuitous matchup could have resulted in a longer playoff run for the Blues. They’ll be a tough team to play in the spring of 2014.

 

  Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh Penguins:

  Despite a couple of concerns, the Penguins still have to be considered a top contender. Obviously, goaltending is a question mark but last season it was a question mark and they were still top 2 in the east. It’s too hard to go against Crosby, Malkin, Letang and a strong list of support characters. Even if Fleury is unable to find his game, Vokoun should be able to give strong enough goaltending to make them a contender.

Detroit Red Wings:

   New to the east but not new to being a cup contender, the Detroit Red Wings will be tough to take down this year. A team that was one shot away from taking down the eventual cup champions in 2013, add a Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss to the fold. The Wings window of opportunity may slowly be closing as Datsyuk and Zetterberg get older but they have gone all in this year. With a great combination of talented and role playing forwards, solid team defense, reliable goaltending and a coaching genius, the wings will be a force to be reckoned with.

New York Rangers:

  Just like the Pens and Wings; the New York Rangers have a good chance at taking a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2014. In my opinion, the Rangers have the best goaltender in the league, which is a large reason why they make the list. They also have a well rounded group of forwards and a new coach whose style may suit the players a little better (especially offensively). Vigneault may show a more balanced approach than Torts; giving players more of a chance to be creative and thus increase scoring which was a bit of an issue last year. That combined with a strong, healthy blueline should fold well for New York.

  If I had to choose today who would play for the Stanley cup, my choices would be Los Angeles and Detroit. The Kings are a team built for the postseason; proven by 6 series wins over the past 2 playoffs. Over a seven game series they have the ability to wear you down and have a goaltender who can make all the big saves. I choose Detroit because a) they have made two big additions to an already solid team and b) I honestly think the red wings style of play will be difficult for the eastern conference teams to adjust to. The wings come from a western conference where things were more of a grind and battle as opposed to the north-south eastern conference style. Mike Babcock will take advantage of this and with solid goaltending from Howard, the Wings will be very tough over the course of 7 games. I do believe it will be the Kings taking the Cup however, in 6 games!

The Final Series is set: 2013 Stanley Cup Final Preview

Go back to December and most of us are not even sure if this show will get off the ground; 6 months later and here we are painfully waiting for the puck to drop on the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. Surprisingly, this is the first Stanley Cup final meeting between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins and the first original six match-up since 1979. In most hockey circles this is considered a heavyweight matchup with two evenly matched teams that know what it takes to win hockey’s greatest prize; the Blackhawks won it all back in 2010 and the Bruins claimed the championship in 2011. In a league with 30 teams, 82 regular season games (normally) and a grueling 4 round playoff, 2 trips to the dance in 4 years or less is not to be taken lightly. That being said; neither of these teams will be satisfied with just being here, they want to hoist the Cup. Below is a brief breakdown of different facets of this series, followed by a prediction of how I think things will go.

  A quick glance at the forwards on these two teams and you would likely give Chicago a significant edge. With the likes of Toews, Kane, Sharp and Hossa filling 4 of the top 6 forward positions for the Blackhawks, the assumption is offense will not be a problem. However, looking further into their stats you would see that Toews has just one goal in these Stanley Cup playoffs and prior to game 4 against the Kings, Patrick Kane had just 2 goals in his previous 15 games. In fact, so far through these playoffs the Blackhawks do not have a point per game player. One thing to concern the Bruins would be the fact Kane has 4 goals in his last two games and Toews might just be due for a breakout. A wildcard player for the Blackhawks could be Dave Bolland who has just 1 assist thus far in these playoffs. Bolland is a solid all around player but his greatest contribution in this series could be his ability to get under the skin of his opponent.  On the Bruins side, while there may not be as much star power, there is a balanced attack from lines 1 through 4. David Krejci has 21 points so far in these playoffs, tops in the league. Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic round out perhaps the top line in this postseason. Factor in the highly valuable Patrice Bergeron and the ultimate agitator Brad Marchand and the Bruins have a little bit of everything. Like Toews, Tyler Seguin has struggled with just one goal in these playoffs and will look to finally break through to give his team an edge. The Bruins have a 41 year old wildcard who has yet to rip the twine in these playoffs. Jaromir Jagr; playing in his first Cup final in 21 years, has just 7 assists in these playoffs but one would have to assume that he saved his best for the grandest stage. If I were to give an edge, it would be towards the Blackhawks strictly due to the potential speed. The Toronto Maple Leafs had the Bruins on the brink of elimination due to the fact the Bruins appeared to have trouble dealing with their speed, the Blackhawks have the chance to exploit them there as well.

  On the backend each team has their star power and depth blueliners which round out two solid defense corps. The Blackhawks are led by smooth skating Duncan Keith and physical Brent Seabrook. Beyond the top 2, they’ve received great play from Johnny Oduya and Nick Hjalmarsson and solid play from youngster Nick Leddy and veteran Michal Rozsival. A key component of the Blackhawks game is their transition and puck movement from the backend; this will have to be the case to be effective against the Bruins, especially in the face of a tough Bruin fore-check. The Bruins blueline; which is coming off a series where they surrendered just two goals in four games to the mighty Penguins, is anchored by 6’9 Zdeno Chara. Chara will log a lot of ice time and will likely be matched up against the Toews line. The biggest concern for the Bruins blueline would have to be inexperience in the 5^th and 6^th positions with Mcquaid and Krug; however both have looked pretty good so far. What may come as a surprise is the fact that the Bruins blueline has scored 15 goals in these playoffs, to the Blackhawks 6 goals. If the Blackhawks don’t pay attention to the point in this series, it may pose problems. Because of the monster factor, I give the edge on defense to Boston.

  Not much needs to be said about the goaltending between these two teams. Cory Crawford and Tuukka Rask have been phenomenal and give their teams a chance to win every night. Both are 1 and 2 in playoff GAA and Sv%. I believe that Rask is the better of the two but fully expect both will be solid and the difference between the two will not be large enough to be a deciding factor in the series.

  In every game or series, special teams is always a make or break component. Much like all other comparisons between the two, neither team gives up much to the other here either. While both Chicago and Boston had a great penalty kill (PK) in the regular season (ranking 3^rd and 4^th respectively), neither team’s power play (PP) was strong coming in at 19^th and 26^th respectively. In the playoffs, the Blackhawks PK has been even better, though the PP has been a little worse. The Bruins PK has been equal to that of the regular season while the PP has been just slightly better. Overall, I’ll give the special team edge to Chicago mainly due to their brilliant PK and the fact the Bruins will miss key penalty killer Greg Campbell.

  Some other factors that could affect this series include: Home ice, composure and coaching. In this series, the Blackhawks will have home ice advantage. They are a strong 9 and 1 at the United Center in these playoffs while the Bruins are an impressive 5 and 2 on the road. The series will shift to the TD North Garden for games 3 and 4 where the Bruins are 7 and 2 this postseason, while the Blackhawks are 3 and 4 on the road. A split after the first two games could really mean advantage Boston. Both of these teams can play with a confident swagger, have players that can really agitate and that can become quite frustrated. Whichever team is the first to show frustration in response to the other teams antics could find themselves in trouble in this series. Joel Quennville and Claude Julien are both fantastic coaches who have been here before and have faced tough circumstances in these playoffs only to find a way to succeed. I imagine both will be well prepared for each other and perhaps it will be the coach with the quickest reaction time who comes out on top.

  With all that said, I guess I’ll have to make a Stanley Cup prediction! I’ll take the Bruins in 6 for four main reasons: Zdeno Chara, the ability of the Bruins to take opponents off their game (see 2011 Vancouver Canucks and 2013 Pittsburgh Penguins), the Blackhawks susceptibility to fall for such tactics (see 2013 second round series vs. Detroit), and the supporting cast players like Kelly, Peverley and Thornton. Anyway you shake it, this is an evenly matched series which could go either way and arguments can be made in favor of either team in each of the above categories. The only thing for certain is that we are in for a good series so sit back and enjoy because there’s a long time between the end of this series and the beginning of the next one.

Penguin Problems: What went wrong in Pittsburgh?

  As Tuuka Rask caught the final point shot from Jarome Iginla, signaling the Boston Bruins sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night; the hockey world immediately began to ask the question “What went wrong?” Fans, media, and experts have pointed to things such as lack of production from star players, goaltending instability, and coaching. While all three are possible, the underlying issue likely stems from decisions made in the first week of April.

  In the days leading up to the trade deadline; like most General Managers who’s teams are Cup contenders, Ray Shero wanted to improve his team. He brought in rugged blueliner Douglas Murray along with ringless veterans Jarome Iginla and Brendan Morrow. All three are guys that teams would like to add for the stretch drive but there is a price to pay that goes beyond the players, prospects and picks that were exchanged.

  One of the most underrated components of a Stanley Cup winning team is the bond between the guys on the roster. For the most part everyone comes together at the start of training camp with the common goal of hoisting hockey’s holy grail. Night in and night out for up to 9 months you go to battle with each other; going through the wins, losses, injuries, etc. as a group. While rental players are often used, they need to be used wisely. No matter who you bring in, with less than a month to go in the regular season they will replace someone who has been part of the battle from the start.

  In the case of the Penguins; they added three new players and thus subtracted three guys who were there since training camp. Iginla, Morrow and Murray are all valuable assets; however, the team dimension in Pittsburgh was shaken by the moves. Although the issue wasn’t quite as evident in round 1 or 2, mainly because the Penguins didn’t have to be at their best to beat Ottawa or New York, the Bruins were a different animal who showed their resiliency against the Maple Leafs and have yet to look back. To overcome a 4-1 deficit with 11 minutes to go in an elimination game, you have to be on the same page as a team and the Bruins have shown how together they truly are since that moment. In the conference finals, we saw a group playing together and a group playing as individuals. Even in game 3; Pittsburgh’s best of the series, most efforts from the star players were of the individual variety.

  Likewise, a lack of leadership seemed to surface as the conference finals went on and you would have to assume that this also stems from the deadline moves. Original leaders like Crosby, Adams and Orpik are capable and have been there before but they had to have a different feeling with Iginla and Morrow in the dressing room too. Meanwhile the latter; late additions to the team, didn’t want to step on any toes. The end result appeared to be a message lost in translation.

 Rental players are a big part of hockey but it is very important to satisfy specific needs. One player might be just what you need to get over the top; however, multiple changes to an already solid lineup may be more of a hindrance than an improvement. I believe the answer to the question “What went wrong?” has more to do with the deadline roster shake up than it does any other proposed theory and is even a contributor to some of those theories.

  So what do the Penguins do moving forward? I would suggest very little! If the deadline acquisitions want to comeback, bring them back for another shot. This time they’ll be there from the start and perhaps be rewarded with they’re desired finish. Let’s not forget that Ray Bourque and the Avalanche didn’t win the Cup the year he was acquired at the deadline. He resigned in the summer and the following year in training camp the team outlined their mission and at the end of that season, Mission 16W was accomplished.