Western Conference
#4 Minnesota Wild vs. #3 Chicago Blackhawks
The series goes with my rule of going against the post 1998 teams (sans the Jets), and going for the big market teams. So it should be obvious who pick here. I used the same rule for the Nashville-Chicago series and Chicago pulled that out. I don’t know how big of an upset the Wild beating the Blues was.
Something worries me though. Could Nashville have won the series? If Nashville had won, my head would have exploded having to pick between them and Minnesota. Two games went to multiple overtimes between Chicago and Nashville, meaning Nashville could have easily won this series as well. The Wild meanwhile were tied 2-2 and won crucial Game 5 on the road before closing it out in Game 6. I’m starting to scare myself into picking them! Go big markets!
Chicago in 7.
#3 Calgary Flames vs. #1 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
I guess the Sedin Twins weren’t a factor. Anywho, something else I don’t really like about the Flames: their name is the Flames. Wouldn’t that be a detriment in ice hockey?
Sadly the Jets rolled over just like the Atlanta Thrashers would have (note: I have no idea if that’s true, I just wanted to take another shot at the Thrashers). Perhaps I underestimated the Ducks. Afterall, this is a team once owned by Disney! And Disney has a big movie coming out soon. Age of Ultron? Age of the Ducks is more like it?
In somewhat seriousness, I’ll just assume the #1 seed who got a 1st round sweep is actually pretty good.
Ducks in 4.
Eastern Conference
#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #1 Montreal Canadiens
This sounds like to me that this is the top player (Stamkos) against the historical top team (24 Cups for Montreal).
Let’s look at each team’s 1st round quickly. Montreal won the first three games of the series, all by one goal (two in overtime). A glancing look makes me feel like Montreal took care of business, but had some luck on their side.
Tampa Bay just won a tough seven game series where they were actually shut out twice by Detroit 3-0 and 4-0.
Plus Montreal has Carey Price!
Montreal in 5.
#2 Washington Capitals vs. #1 New York Rangers
It’s Alexander the Great against the defending Eastern Conference Champs who just throttled the big star power Penguins. Sounds just like the type of series the Capitals have always lost. Plus I’m not going against a New York team here.
Rangers in 5.