2014 NHL Playoff Predictions

By Zach Nekoroski

On April 8, 2014

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In about two weeks there will be huge hits, tremendous saves, tape-to-tape passes, spectacular goals, sacrifices and of course heroics. There is no sport that compares to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The crowd is louder, there are bigger hits and the action doesn't stop until the final whistle. Couldn't even imagine what it must be like for a player to play in the playoffs but for a fan it's Christmas morning the day you wake up and your team is playing in the playoffs.

This year in the NHL the standings format is a little different. First off, in 2011 the Winnipeg Jets came back as a hockey tem moving from Atlanta. Then this past year the Detroit Redwings and Columbus Blue Jackets moved to the East. Also instead of 6 divisions in 2 conferences there is only 4. How the playoff structure works is the 3 top teams for each division will make the playoffs. Then for each conference there are 2 wild card teams that will play the 2 top teams in the divisions. Other than that change there are still 8 teams in each conference that make the playoffs, and every team is fighting for the greatest trophy in the world, The Stanley cup.

If the playoffs started today, April 1^st this is how t would look.

East

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Columbus Blue Jackets

#2 Pittsburg Penguins vs. #7 Detroit Red Wings

#3 Montreal Canadiens vs. #6 Philadelphia Flyers

#4 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #5 New York Rangers

West

#1 St. Louise Blues vs. #8 Phoenix Coyotes

#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #7 Minnesota Wild

#3 San Jose Sharks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings

#4 Colorado Avalanche vs. #5 Chicago Blackhawks

Starting with the Bruins vs. the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets have never been in the playoffs in team history so this year could be the first. Ryan Johansen leads the team in points with 55 points, 30 goals and looks real good. Compared to the Bruins the team doesn't look strong enough to go far in the playoffs but they got the first the step done by just making the playoffs. The one thing is the Bruins should go into the series not taking them easy and play as tough as they usually do. The Bruins have won there last 15 out of 16 games. They have 4 great lines that can all score. Jerome Iginla leads the bruins with 30 goals and David Krejci leads the team in points with 63. Bruins are one of the most difficult teams to play because of their hard work, skill and toughness. Be scared Columbus, very scared. Bruins win the series 4 games to 1.

Next series is the Pittsburg Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins are another powerhouse like the Bruins. Obviously there is Sidney Crosby who leads the league with 99 points. Also there is Evgeni Malkin with 72 points who is injured now but will probably be back before the playoffs. It's been a tough season for the Red Wings with their 2 top players being hurt at different parts of the year. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are those two top players and that is a reason why they finished so far back in the standings. They have made the playoffs every year for the past 22 years so missing it this year would be unusual in Detroit. The season series is tied for both of these teams each winning a game and there final game against each other is April 9^th. Pittsburg wins series 4 games to 3.

Then there is the Montreal Canadiens against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers started off this season very poorly. Out of there first 15 games they lost 11. Philly bounced back as the year went on and looked like the old Broad Street bullies. Claude Giroux has been on fire lately with 78 points. The Montreal Canadiens are a very strong team this year. Thomas Vanek is the newest member on the team, which is huge to have him. Even if they didn't get him at the trade deadline they would be in good shape. Philadelphia won the season series 2 games to 1. Maybe if Montreal dives enough they could go far in the playoffs but they don't look like cup material. With that said Montreal wins series 4 games to 3.

The Rangers vs the Lightning is the 4^th series in the Eastern conference. At the trade deadline the Lightning made a huge deal with the Rangers trading Ryan Callahan to Tampa Bay in return for Martin St. Louis. Both great players with great skill who could both help lead their teams to a good playoff run. Ryan Callahan has helped the lightning a lot more with 9 points and St. Louis only having 3 points. The Lightning won the season series 2 to 1 but in the playoffs the Rangers will win the series 4 games to 2.

Moving to the west, there is the Blues vs the Coyotes. The Blues made a huge trade at the deadline, trading Jaroslav Halak for Ryan Miller. Miller being one of the best goalies in the league is huge for them considering they weren't strong at that position. Only problem they got now is the center position but they are definitely a cup contending team. They got a strong offense with Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie leading the team with 60 points. The Coyotes are not that scary team to play especially in there own stadium where they get the worst average amount of fans. Good luck to them because Keitth Yandal might be the only one doing anything. The Blues won that season series 2 games to 1 and will beat them in the playoffs 4 games to 0.

Anaheim Ducks vs the Minnesota Wild is the next series. The Ducks are very hard team to play especially there own building. With one of the best records at home Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry lead the team in points. Getzlaf with 83 and Perry with 75. Out of all of the California teams they are the best. People might not hear about the Wild being a good team but they got some big names. Those names are right at the top of the stats sheet at least for the team. Jason Pominville, Zach Parise, Miko Koivu and Ryan Sutter. With those names surprisingly there not better than they should be. Anaheim takes the season series 2 to 1 games. In the playoffs they will also take the series 4 games to 2.

One of the best matchups in the playoffs could be the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose sharks. There are so many big names and great players on the sharks that it might not be fair to point one out. They are good at every position from forward to defense to goalie. Their 2 top centers Joe Pevelski and Joe Thornton are like magic combining for 145 points. That doesn't take anything away from the Kings who also are strong at every position. Another great team in there own building. Anze Kopitar leads the team with 63 points. A huge pickup they got was Marion Gaborik from the Islanders and with him they add more talent. The Kings are winning the season series 3 games to 1 with one more to be played on April 3^rd between these two. San Jose takes the series 4 games to 3 and why not play overtime in that game 7.

The 4^th series for the West is the Colorado Avalanche vs Chicago Blackhawks. The Avalanche took a huge step forward making Patrick Roy the head coach at the start of the season. They still have a small problem on defense and a lot of young players so this year might not be there year but they're in the making. Matt Duchene leads the team with 70 points. Then there are the Blackhawks. The 2013 Stanley Cup champions and tell me a hockey fan who doesn't know anything about Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marion Hossa or Patrick Sharp. Their team is packed with all stars and they are a team that will go very far once again this year. Right now Kane is hurt but is probable for the start of the playoffs. Sharp leads the team with 73 points. Out of the 5 games these team have played each other, Colorado has won 4 of them. Still, Chicago will win this series 4 games to 3.

The Stanley Cup playoffs is the most exciting time of the year. It is so unpredictable and players will do anything they can to get that cup. All players who have won it can't put into words, the feeling they get when they win it. There are 82 games and 2 months of war, no sport does what they do in hockey. The Stanley cup finals will be the Boston Bruins vs San Jose Sharks.