By Kevin Rosenthal

It’s been a compelling season of the NHL and now it’s time for the always exciting NHL playoffs to begin.  This year, teams such as the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and Colorado Avalanche shocked many.  After having a terrible 2012-2013 season, all these teams rebounded to make the playoffs this year.  Teams like the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Anaheim Ducks, had another phenomenal season in 2013-2014, and are some of the favorites to win the Cup. In 2012, an 8 seed won the Stanley Cup.  Last year, a 1 seed won the Stanley Cup.  What does this mean?  Anything can happen in the NHL playoffs….

Round One

Eastern Conference

#8 Detroit Red Wings vs #1 Boston Bruins

Detroit is 3-1 this season against this Boston, which is very impressive.  It is hard to imagine, however, that the President’s Trophy winning Bruins would lose in the first round to an 8 seed.  The Red Wings will go down fighting as they always do, but they will go down.

Bruins over Red Wings 4-3

#7 Columbus Blue Jackets vs #2 Pittsburgh Penguins

I was very impressed by Columbus this year, as they proved that their ninth place finish in last year’s shortened season was not just a fluke.  The Jackets will win their first franchise playoff game but will fall well short of defeating the mighty Penguins

Penguins over Blue Jackets 4-1

#6 Philadelphia Flyers vs #3 New York Rangers

I love the Flyers.  They are always good in the playoffs.  Period.  The Rangers, on the other hand, have shown extreme promise in the regular season recently, but have failed to produce almost every year in the playoffs for the last decade.  The Flyers surprised many by making the playoffs this year after a tumultuous 2012-2013 season, and they will surprise many by dominating the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.

Flyers over Rangers 4-1

#5 Montreal Canadiens vs #4 Tampa Bay Lightning

This is such a great series.  There is nothing like seeing two evenly matched teams face-off in a best of seven series in any sport.  I would feel much more compelled to take Tampa in this series if I knew the status of the Lightning’s goalie, Ben Bishop.  Since his injury length is unknown, I must make my pick solely based off of the roster and playoff experience,  so I think the Habs will just barely edge out Tampa.

Canadiens over Lightning 4-3

Western Conference

#8 Dallas Stars vs #1 Anaheim Ducks

I’m going to shock some people with this pick.  I’m taking Dallas.  I give the Anaheim Ducks tons of credit for a great regular season, but a great regular season does not always translate into a great job in the playoffs.  Just two years ago, the LA Kings upset the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, even though Vancouver had the best record of any team that year in the regular season.  The Stars have a solid team with superior goaltending than the Ducks, and I think Dallas will pull off the upset.

Stars over Ducks 4-1

#7 Minnesota Wild vs #2 Colorado Avalanche

I am going with the upset again in the Minnesota Wild.  Major props to Patrick Roy for an incredible year in his first season as head coach of the Avs.  Colorado had a very impressive season, but, as crazy as this may sound, I actually believe the Wild have a more talented team than the Avs.  Many players on the Wild have tons of playoff experience, and I think that will be the main edge Minnesota has on Colorado.

Wild over Avalanche 4-2

#6  Chicago Blackhawks vs #3 St. Louis Blues

Even though the Blues horribly collapsed at the end of the season, I have to take them to win!  There are two main factors for how the Blues can knock off the defending champion Blackhawks in the first round.

1. The injured players on St. Louis must recover in time for the playoffs.

2.  Ryan Miller must step up his game in net.

If these two things happen, the Blues can knock off the Hawks and return to their winning ways they had for the majority of the season.

Blues over Blackhawks 4-3

#5  Los Angeles Kings vs #4 San Jose Sharks

Another phenomenal first round match between the two California rivals.  Last year when these teams played, every game was very close, and the home team won every time, as the series went to seven games.  A year later, these teams are still very even, but I think the Sharks will get revenge and knock off the Kings who narrowly defeated them last season.

Sharks over Kings 4-2

Round Two

Eastern Conference 

#5 Montreal Canadiens vs #1 Boston Bruins

The Canadiens are the one team, I think, that actually can knock off the Bruins.  Boston had an incredible season, but the Canadiens have given them a tough time over the last couple years.  I love this Canadiens team, and I think they intimidate Boston more than just about any other team.  Canadiens vs Bruins is always an exciting matchup, and this should be a thrilling series with Montreal ultimately upsetting the team who won the President’s Trophy.

Canadiens over Bruins 4-3

#6 Philadelphia Flyers vs #2 Pittsburgh Penguins

Whenever the two teams from Pennsylvania face-off, they are evenly matched.  Pittsburgh is nearly always the favorite to win, but Philly often comes out on top.  The Penguins have choked the last couple years in the playoffs, and I think the Flyers veteran presence will lead them to an upset against their foes.

Flyers over Penguins 4-2

Western Conference

#8 Dallas Stars vs #5 San Jose Sharks 

This is a bold pick I am making in taking the Stars, but after thinking about it for a long time, I’m doing it.  All year, I’ve had it in my head that I thought the Sharks would make the Stanley Cup, but if you look at the last five years, the Sharks have always made the playoffs, always had a very good team, but have consistently been eliminated in the playoffs, sometimes by a team that isn’t even as good as them.  The Stars are not as good as the Sharks, but after thinking about it for a while, I think the pattern will continue, and San Jose will make another early exit, despite having a very good team.  The 8 seed will advance to the Conference Finals

Stars over Sharks 4-3

#7 Minnesota Wild vs #3 St. Louis Blues

There is no playoff opponent the Blues would want more than the Minnesota Wild.  The Blues have won 9 of the last 10 games against Minnesota, and the one time they lost to the Wild, which was last week, Backes was out and Oshie was out of most of the game.  The hardest part for the Blues will be knocking off the Blackhawks in the first round, but if they are able to do that, they will cruise through the second round of the playoffs.

Blues over Wild 4-1

Eastern Conference Finals

#6 Philadelphia Flyers vs #5 Montreal Canadiens

Many times over the past few years, the Flyers have had nice playoff runs but have fallen short of the playoffs.  The Canadiens, however, have won more Stanley Cups than any other hockey team, and when the Habs go on playoff runs, they go deep.  I think Montreal’s momentum after winning two game sevens and knocking off the best team in hockey, will be too much for Philly, who will have another good playoff run, but fall short of the cup.

Canadiens over Flyers 4-2

Western Conference Finals

#8 Dallas Stars vs #3 St. Louis Blues

Call me biased for taking my home team to make the Stanley Cup, but I really believe this is the year the Blues return to the Stanley Cup, if they are not riddled by injuries and if Ryan Miller is solid in goal.  The Stars have won three straight against the Blues, but I just really do not see a team like the Stars, who have not made the playoffs in six years, and who are an 8 seed, to beat the Blues once St. Louis gets hot.

Blues over Stars in 6

STANLEY CUP

Montreal Canadiens vs St. Louis Blues

The funny thing is, these are two teams who could easily be eliminated in round one.  But these are also two teams that when hot, are nearly unstoppable.  There seems to be a curse on the Blues.  They entered the NHL in 1967, and have not one a Stanley Cup game in the history of their franchise, despite making three appearances in the finals.  I think the Blues will win their first Stanley Cup game, but not the series.  The Canadiens will come out on top, returning to their dominance as the best team in the history of hockey.

Canadiens over Blues 4-2