2014 Playoffs Round 1 Predictions

Yes, the most wonderful time of the year is here, The Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 60 Day War for Lord Stanley’s Cup. I think the Cup is up for grabs this year more than any year since the Lockout. Last year I picked correctly picked the winner in every series except the Finals. This year I can only guarantee won one series, so let’s begin there.

The East-

 Pittsburgh vs Columbus- If the Penguins don’t win this series, the planet better be hit with a meteor because life as we know it will end in Pittsburgh. The Pens will have everybody healthy except Pascal Dupuis. Geno Malkin was flying before his injury and Kris Letang is rounding into shape. The Blue Jackets will be missing their only playoff tested guys in Nathan Horton , R J Umberger and Nick Foligno. I’m not picking Pens in 4 because I’m old school and that means revenge.

PENS in 5

Boston vs Detroit- The Bruins had a great regular season and did not deserve the Red Wings in round 1. Boston is the best team in the East and has the best goaltending but Detroit is fast and skilled. Detroit Mike Babcock will know how to make Zdeno Chara’s life hell but I think the B’s have too much size and depth up front to wear out the smaller Wings. If Wings Nyquist, Tatar and the old witch Datsyuk steal one in Beantown it could get interesting.

Bruins in 6

New York vs Philadelphia – This will be an absolute war. The Flyers have scoring depth up front but the Rangers have the advantage on defense. The Rangers big tough defensemen will not let the Flyers pull their usual bullshit around the crease and King Henry is the difference in this series

Rangers in 7

Tampa vs Montreal – Tampa has had a swell year over coming tons of drama but they will not overcome losing their goaltender Ben Bishop. Montreal has too much tradition and scoring for a back up to handle.

Montreal in 6

This leaves us with an amazing second round. Bruins vs Canadiens is hockey’s Jews vs Arabs and the Penguins would face one of their two biggest New York or Philly. In Pittsburgh losing to New York is equal to your fish dying, losing to Philly is your dog dying but we will save these predictions for the next round, onto the West.

The West -

Anaheim vs Dallas- I love the Stars. Lindy Ruff is a great coach and the power duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are exciting but the Ducks duo if Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have a better supporting cast. BBQ Bruce Boudreau will get exposed in the playoffs but not in round one.

Ducks in 5

Los Angeles vs San Jose – Both of these teams could be picked to win the Stanley Cup for a variety of reasons. Both teams have four lines of big, nasty men who can score, a sound defense and Cup winning goalies, so who do you take? I’ll take the Kings because of the goalies. Quick has been sharper than Niemi this year, plus Drew Doughty is just a beast on the Kings blue line.

Kings in 7

Chicago vs St Louis- Chicago was looking like a lock to win the West then their two superstars got hurt but now Toews and Kane are back so lookout West. Chicago DOES have the ability to turn it on and they will this series. St Louis is limping into the playoffs and always has trouble scoring in the playoffs. Ryan Miller is not enough to save their fate.

Blackhawks in 5

Colorado vs Minnesota- Colorado is missing scoring machine Matt Duchene but they still have enough to beat a goal tender that either belong in a hospital (Harding) or a mental institution (Bryzgalov) . The Avs kids came on strong and earned the right to take on the Wild. Roy won’t let them waste that good fortune.

Avs in 6

If you live in the East, stay up a watch LA vs SJ it could be the best series of the entire playoffs.

Crosby is the Best - MVP

Sidney Crosby is the best player in hockey. He is the NHL’s MVP and hockey fans and Sid haters just have to accept it. Sidney Crosby has almost lived up to all the hype bestowed on him at the age of thirteen by Wayne Gretzky no less when Wayne called him the Next Great One. Sid for the most part has lived up to that hype. The other MEGA stars who have are Jordan and Tiger. Sid never quit hockey to play baseball or has had a whore expose his life in US magazine. Sid has been not only the face of a team but the face of a league. Sid has only won one Stanley Cup, and there are many reasons why but that is another column and my personal hell. Sid has won two Olympic gold medals. Sid leads the league in scoring by over twenty points. It’s the first year Sid has been healthy in awhile and he’s tearing up the league. In Sid’s nine years in the league he’s led the league in points per game five times and never finished lower than sixth.

Now why do so many people HATE Crosby. It can’t be all jealousy and it’s not just people from Philadelphia. Haters say Sid is a baby. Sid did whine a lot his first year in the league, but he cut most of it out. Sid wears the C , so he is allowed and supposed to speak to officials.

 Sid plays a tough, grinding game and lives in areas most top scorers rarely find themselves in. Sid takes a beating , has no bodyguard and has never been called for a dive. Something Pierre McGuire’s blow up doll Claude Giroux can’t say.

 Sid’s reputation for whining came from caveman coach Ken Hitchcock in Philly AFTER Sid took a Derian Hatcher stick to the face , lost teeth THEN scored the game winning goal.

 Sid also got a bad rap for talking a second too long to shake hands with the Red Wings after winning the Stanley Cup. The criticism was not from Wings Captain and legend Nick Lindstrom but from 4^th liner Kris Draper. Sid should have raced to shake Draper’s hand because when Draper was a healthy scratch Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader was killing the Penguins. Draper comes back in game six and seven and the Penguins win the Cup.

There are many great players in the league. Stamkos, Tavares and the dynamic duos of Kane & Toews and Getzlaf & Perry. Sid’s Batman, Evgeni Malkin has missed plenty of games this season and as a team the Penguins have almost 500 man games lost and Crosby still led the Penguins to a Metro division title.

Go ahead and hate Sid out of jealousy, but never downplay his skill, heart or leadership and be grateful he’s the face of the NHL. Enjoy watching him because they haven’t found the Next Next one yet. Sid’s a humble man, who rarely talks about himself . He’s the Anti Lebron. If you hate Sid think how awful it would be if he had King James ego.