Saturday, April 7, 2007
First Round Predictions: Western Conference
(1) Detroit vs. (8) Calgary
This is a bad matchup for Detroit. Nothing against Calgary, but I would have liked to have seen a 1-8 Detroit/Colorado series. There really aren't many playoff rivalries of that quality anymore. I think Calgary will grind down Detroit's older core. Calgary in 7.
(2) Anaheim vs. (7) Minnesota.
The Ducks have shown some inability to close the deal, yet they have always ended up being just good enough. And that's been because they are just better. If they truly play to their level, they won't meet their equal in the first two rounds. This series will not be reminiscent of the 2003 conference finals--there will be more scoring and there is less at stake--but the result will be similar. Minnesota is a good team, but they aren't that good. Anaheim in 5.
(3) Vancouver vs. (6) Dallas.
This is a matchup of the two lowest scoring western conference playoff teams. Luongo hasn't been playoff tested, but Marty Turco has, and the results have not been good. I like Vancouver in 6.
(4) Nashville vs. (5) San Jose.
This is going to be the marquee matchup of the entire first round. It may have come down to who had more home ice, it's that close. The end result is that someone's trade deadline deal of a high pick or picks and a prospect or prospects is going to be totally meaningless. People only think Nashville is deeper because they know the names: Forsberg, Kariya, Arnott--but it's not the case. The are evenly matched. I've put San Jose into my final four all year, so I'm taking San Jose in 7.
POST-SEASON UPDATE: I think most of this analysis turned out to be correct, except for my document weak spot for Detroit that took two rounds longer than I thought to be vindicated.
This is a bad matchup for Detroit. Nothing against Calgary, but I would have liked to have seen a 1-8 Detroit/Colorado series. There really aren't many playoff rivalries of that quality anymore. I think Calgary will grind down Detroit's older core. Calgary in 7.
(2) Anaheim vs. (7) Minnesota.
The Ducks have shown some inability to close the deal, yet they have always ended up being just good enough. And that's been because they are just better. If they truly play to their level, they won't meet their equal in the first two rounds. This series will not be reminiscent of the 2003 conference finals--there will be more scoring and there is less at stake--but the result will be similar. Minnesota is a good team, but they aren't that good. Anaheim in 5.
(3) Vancouver vs. (6) Dallas.
This is a matchup of the two lowest scoring western conference playoff teams. Luongo hasn't been playoff tested, but Marty Turco has, and the results have not been good. I like Vancouver in 6.
(4) Nashville vs. (5) San Jose.
This is going to be the marquee matchup of the entire first round. It may have come down to who had more home ice, it's that close. The end result is that someone's trade deadline deal of a high pick or picks and a prospect or prospects is going to be totally meaningless. People only think Nashville is deeper because they know the names: Forsberg, Kariya, Arnott--but it's not the case. The are evenly matched. I've put San Jose into my final four all year, so I'm taking San Jose in 7.
POST-SEASON UPDATE: I think most of this analysis turned out to be correct, except for my document weak spot for Detroit that took two rounds longer than I thought to be vindicated.
Labels: playoffs
// posted by Rick @ 9:20 PM 
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]