Stanley Cup Playoffs 2010

The time has finally come. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. The next two months will showcase the best form of hockey there is. The NHL's elite teams will be playing every night for two solid months, producing exciting, action-packed, highlight-reel plays for us to enjoy. Welcome to spring, my favorite time of the year.

Bringing you his predictions is none other than the guru himself, who is generously displaying his picks for you to see. After studying the NHL landscape for months on his way to capturing yet another fantasy hockey title, the guru is turning his observations into prophecy.

Let's start in the East, where the winners of the President Trophy are set to take on the NHL's proudest franchise, the Montreal Canadiens. Washington, by far the league's most offensively talented team, appear to have an easy matchup against the Montreal, one of just two playoff teams to post a negative goal differential. As all fans know, Carey Price has struggled in the playoffs before. Montreal fans have not been shy in voicing their displeasure with their goaltender before, prompting coach Jacques Martin to start Jaroslav Halak. While Halak has performed admirably down the stretch (9-2-1 record with two shutouts from March 6th to April 3rd), he has appeared in just 45 games this season, and for good reason. He is not a goalie to pin your hopes on in the playoffs, especially against a team like Washington. The Capitals have too much firepower for a goaltender of Halak's ability to stifle for a seven game series. Washington wins in five because of sheer offensive power.

Next up is a matchup between Atlantic Division rivals New Jersey and Philadelphia. A lot of people had high expectations for the Flyers after the acquisition of Chris Pronger, but their injury issues in goal have negated the effects of the bolstered defense. Philadelphia has the skaters to make a long playoff run, but their goaltending is far too suspect. While Sebastien Caron may be a great guy (After being identified by a coach while staying at a hotel in the offseason, Caron graciously played knee hockey with me and the rest of my squirt team, creating great memories for all involved. He is a class act. Why is he playing for the Flyers?) and Brian Boucher may be the owner of an unbelievable record, neither are capable of winning a playoff series. New Jersey wins in six because of someone named Martin Brodeur.

Another inter-divisional rivalry gets renewed in the playoffs as the Northeast's Buffalo Sabres battle the Boston Bruins. This series is headlined by Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller, who was honored as the starter of the Fantasy Guru 37 Eastern Conference All Star Team. (I will finish those rosters soon. I promise.) The Sabres should be concerned with the health of Tim Connolly, who led the squad with 48 assists in the regular season. Should he be unable to play in this series, the Bruins will possess a major advantage. Goals will be of great value in this matchup, both teams are amongst the league leaders in the goals against category. Look for the play of rookie and Calder Trophy contender Tyler Myers to put the Sabres over the top. Buffalo wins in six because of Miller's dominance.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to face the Ottawa Senators in the opening round once again, marking the third time in four years these teams have clashed in the quarterfinals. No team besides these two has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals since 2006, but don't count on it again. This time around, the Penguins have more questions surrounding their team (Can Marc-Andre Fleury fix his sloppy play? Do they have the depth on defense?) and Senators are without Alex Kovalev, a key contributor to their success this season. The Penguins have appeared rough as of late, which may be attributed to the absence of Evgeni Malkin. Regardless, expect them to get by the Senators, who have questions in respect to their offensive depth. Pittsburgh wins in six because of their playoff experience and superstar players.

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Looking west, top-seeded San Jose has the misfortune of drawing a dangerous Colorado team. The Sharks are known for their disappointing past playoff performances, a tendency that is prompting many analysts to predict the upset. While the Avs have played well since the Trade Deadline, the guru doesn't see them getting past San Jose. The Sharks have too much depth offensively paired with a fantastic defensive corps for the Avalanche to overcome. San Jose holds off the upset in six because of their myriad of skilled skaters.

Chicago's late-season "collapse" gives them the opportunity to play Nashville, the Western Conference's worst playoff team. Chicago's skill runs deep throughout their team. They boast one of the youngest, most talented teams in the league. While they do have questions in goal, the Blackhawks are much too skilled for their division rivals to overcome. Pekka Rinne gives Nashville fans hope between the pipes. He will need to be unreal for the Predators to advance. Chicago wins in four because of their overpowering talent.

As the only Canadian team to make the playoffs in the West, the Vancouver Canucks have the pride of all Canadians west of Ontario resting on their shoulders. In the past, goaltender Roberto Luongo has failed miserably with just the weight of a single city. (With the Canucks a near lock to make the playoffs, that commercial was filmed and aired. To the producer's disgrace, Luongo tanked in the final five games and Vancouver failed to qualify for the postseason.) Since then, with the weight of an entire country upon him, Luongo successfully brought home Olympic Gold, in, of all places, Vancouver. Fortunately for him, the Canucks have enough scoring ability upfront (the Sedin twins) to washout his potentially shaky play. Vancouver wins in five because of their great offense, and maybe because of Luongo's brilliance.

If only fate could have brought us a Phoenix-Colorado matchup. The two teams that made late-season swaps with each other have exploded since the Trade Deadline. As noted by the guru, both Phoenix and Detroit saved their seasons with glorious Trade Deadline deals. The guru expects this series to be the most exciting of all the opening round matchups. The Coyotes and Red Wings will square off in what will be a very evenly-matched series. Detroit brings to the table playoff experience. This marks the first season the Red Wings have not had home-ice advantage in the opening round since 1990-91. In contrast, the Coyotes are making their first postseason appearance since 2002. Both teams are happy to be where they are. ("Relieved" may best describe the Red Wings.) Both teams have strong, young goaltenders and talented forwards. Here is the key stat: Detroit finished the season 17-3-2. They are riding the confidence that comes with finally having a healthy roster.