HEY BRUINS...DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING...YET

So let me ask you, have you ever had one of those questions that seem to just pop in your head at a time when you’re not even focused on the subject? You know, like when you’re rushing around getting ready for work making sure you have everything you need before you leave (The old … Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch pat down) when out of nowhere you’re blindsided by the instant memory of your crazy uncle pulling the “Hey kid, pull my finger” trick on you when you were five. That kind of question that you just can’t get out of your head after the initial trigger, like “Why is it that my uncle shit his pants and then proceeded to point and laugh at me?” You know what I mean? Or maybe that’s just me. Damn… maybe I should have thought that one through a bit more before putting it down. Somehow I don’t think coffee helps my thought process.

Anyway, that kind of question popped into my head the other day while heading into work. I was minding my own business, thinking about what I was going to face for the next nine and a half hours, when one simple question started to pinball around upstairs. Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster in time for the playoffs? And of course that one simple question nagged at me all night and ended up opening up a slew of other questions that just won’t leave my melon. So now I’m at the point where I have to write about it just to get it out of my head and into yours. Oh, lucky you!

Before we start to tackle the questions (Why is it that there are always questions when it comes to the Bruins? Sorry another question just popped in there for a second.), let’s take a look at just what the Bruins have been doing lately and how they are getting it done during their surge to the top of the East.

The Bruins success can be attributed directly to the fact that they can roll four lines and produce effective puck possession and scoring from each line. The Bruins are the best 5-on-5 team in the league; which allows them the luxury of not having to rely on the power play as their bread and butter. Ranking at #5 the PP isn’t struggling by any means and their PK is holding steady at #8, so special teams for the Bruins are just an added bonus. Coach Julien has his troops committed to the system and the proof is in the pudding (9-1-0 in the last 10 games). Goaltending has been rock solid with both net-minders sporting top 5 spots in both save% and goals against average. Just about every player on the roster is a plus player. What the Bruins bring to the table every night is hard work, discipline, speed, puck possession and firepower topped off with a tough, physical style and that is just too much to handle for opponents.

For the first time in years the Bruins are sitting in the catbird seat and sitting pretty at that. They are so deep at the center position that a player the caliber of Patrice Bergeron sees more time on special teams than anything else and sometimes plays on the wing. Most nights they have a problem getting players like Nokelainen and Sobotka into the lineup. With both goaltenders playing superbly they can afford to let Rask get more playing time in the minors. Injuries, so far, haven’t seemed to hurt the B’s as they haven’t missed a beat since the loss of Ference, Ward and Sturm. In fact with the return of Sturm it poses a question of who do you sit to make room for Sturm? That is a good dilemma to have and the Bruins know it. How many teams would kill to have too much depth?

With all of that said, let’s now get back to the question: Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster for the playoffs? My answer is: for the playoffs yes, but for right now “don’t fix what ain’t broken” is the best approach. Even though they took their foot off the pedal in the 2nd half of the game against Tampa Bay, they still managed to win and Julien and the boys know exactly how to correct that “running around” bit they displayed. Right now they are still on top of their game and if I were them I wouldn’t change a thing. That in no way means that I wouldn’t be on the phone to Atlanta to set up a package for Kovalchuk and looking West for another veteran defenseman offering up one or two roster players the likes of Bergeron, Sturm, Kobasew, Nokelainen, Stuart, Hnidy, Ference or Fernandez.

Some Bruins fans may be swearing at me right now for even suggesting that the B’s trade away some of the names I mentioned, but the reality is that the roster is too inexperienced to go far in the playoffs as is. If all you want to accomplish is a first round win, then I guess go with what you have and ride it till it fails. If you want to make a serious run, then you need to go out and get what will put you over the top. The Bruins are so deep that they can afford to move some of the names I mentioned above. It’s only a matter of what you want to call a successful season, a 2nd round loss or the Stanley Cup Finals. Can you picture the impact a player like Kovalchuk would bring? Adding another playoff tested D-man to solidify the backend too risky? What happens if some of these kids hit a wall or wear down? Don’t you think that with a bit of tinkering this team could go the distance?

Did you see what just happened there? Another friggin’ bunch of questions just invaded the space! I guess the questions surrounding the Bruins won’t go away, but at least now the questions are positive which is a sure sign that finally this franchise is on the way back up to the standards it set for itself from the beginning. Maybe I’m just a big softy when it comes to Original Six teams doing well or maybe that’s just me showing my age, either way all the Bruins really need to do is just keep doing what they’ve been doing and be set up and prepared to pull the trigger on deals that will help them in the post-season. There is no need for any of the playoff questions to be answered right now. The Bruins shouldn’t change a thing yet; there is no need to. Right now life is sweet for the B’s, just “let the good times roll” and stay healthy.

GREGSKY'S FINALS WRAP UP

Well, what started out looking like a dud actually had some pop to it. Granted it didn’t fully live up to the hype, but you have to admit that it came close. At the very least it was one of the more entertaining series in recent history thanks in large part to the triple overtime Game 5. The result was what I expected to see and only now I am able to feel good about picking the Wings to win. I have to admit that I was hoping the Pens would push it to seven just for dramatic effect if not to extend the season just one more game. I hate it when the season ends because I instantly start thinking about next season and now I have to wait. I hate waiting. One thing I do like is that I was able to reach my goal this year of toping my picks record from the previous year. Going 11 – 4 had to have kicked the every living shit out of that stupid freakin’ monkey, which puts a “Grinch-like” smile across my face. I hate that stupid freakin’ monkey.

Anyway, enough about that, what I want to talk about is what I consider to be the defining moment in the series. You remember, when Henrik Zetterberg was able to get a last second stick check on a wide-open Crosby at the goalmouth. If Crosby would have scored there it could have put this series on its ear. And that my friends, is why Zetterberg without a doubt deserved to win the Conn Smythe. It’s funny sometimes how this game boils down to simple plays, but that is the very reason why we teach our kids to focus on making the smart and simple plays because it may just turn out to be the difference between winning and losing. I know, in this age of “tree-hugging” we try to teach our kids that winning isn’t everything, and it’s true winning isn’t everything, but every kid will tell you that losing sucks. When it comes to winning the Stanley Cup all of that “tree-hugging” crap goes out the window. It’s all about winning and doing everything it takes to earn the right to call yourself a champion. It is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports because you have to earn it. The Cup doesn’t care if you are hurt and playing through injuries. It doesn’t care if you are a superstar or a 4th liner. The Cup will turn a deaf ear to your complaints of being tired and bruised. No, the Stanley Cup only recognizes those of strong will and determination. Those who have the heart to go the distance are the only ones who can raise the Cup over their heads and let out a primal scream. Those few are the only ones who get their names etched on this glorious trophy. This year that right belongs to the Red Wings.

Just to show you that I’m not totally against the “tree-hugger” mentality, I will give props to the Penguins for a hard fought battle. They fought hard, even when getting severely out played, and showed the never give up attitude right to the bitter end. Pens fans shouldn’t feel bad for their team in any way, shape or form; this is just the beginning for this club. Even the great Oilers of the 80’s had to lose their first chance at the Cup. This year was nothing more than a stepping-stone and a learning process that will guide them to the Promised Land in the near future.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - STANLEY CUP FINALS

Well folks this is it. It’s down to the finals and I’m down to my last pick. As of now I’m sitting at 10 – 4 and need a win to reach my goal of besting my record from last year. If I end up blowing this now I think I will still be satisfied due to a few factors. One being that a tie at least shows consistency (besides, 10 – 5 really isn’t that bad) another is at least I will have been treated to what should be a whale of a series and finally I was able to get to this point without having to pull any tricks out of my bag to do battle against my primate nemesis Maggie. You don’t know what a relief it is not to have to throw your poop at a spinning wheel just to beat a stupid freakin’ monkey! On the other hand maybe you do. I really shouldn’t judge. Anyway, that’s certainly a discussion for another time right now the finals pick is all that matters and I can’t for the life of me decide a winner in this battle and feel good about it.

DETROIT VS. PITTSBURGH
In my opinion, the two best teams in the league will face off in this beauty of a cup final. There is no David versus Goliath in this one, only two Goliath’s going head to head. Each team posses enough weapons to do the other in and this factor should even things out between them. The biggest question is which team has the most heart and enough gas left in the tank to get the job done? Who will be the one to reach down deeper and find that extra gear that no one else has? As they say, the cream will always rise to the top, only in this series it’s a crapshoot on which superstar will pull it off. Will it be Datsuyk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Franzen or Osgood? Will it be Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal or Fleury? My bet is that each of them will play a factor, but only one of them will be MVP and it won’t be an easy choice to make. No matter how this series ends not since the ’82 – ’83 finals have we had the pleasure of witnessing so much talent at one time fight for the prize and that alone makes this a dream series. The NHL hierarchy must be completely giddy with joy over this, although through strict laws they are not allowed to show any emotion, but on the inside you know they are all pissing themselves. Can you say “Cha-ching”? This match-up has me torn right down the middle as far as picking a winner. My heart says pick the Pens, it is the romantic choice, the kids done good story, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that almost lost their team pick. My head says pick the Wings, it is the money bet, the smart and logical choice, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that desperately needs some sort of good happening pick. Do I go with my head or with my heart? I’ve always been told to follow my heart but not to lose my head in the process, so you can see why I’m having trouble making this pick and have been staring a blinking cursor on this page for quite some time not wanting to make this pick. I know as soon as I do I won’t feel good about it so I guess I better just do it and get it over with. DETROIT IN SEVEN (But I will be rooting for the Pens to take it in six. Don’t try to understand the madness just embrace it!) Enjoy!

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - CONFERENCE FINALS

Well its crunch time now folks. Last round I spent all of the losses I can afford if I have any chance of bettering my record over last season. I’m now at 8 – 4 and have to go perfect the rest of the way. The pressure is now on for me as it is on the teams facing off for the conference titles. Monkey be damned, I’m going to show up and do my best to pick the winners despite the magic and trickery the animal kingdom will undoubtedly be using against me. Last year all I had for a thorn in my side when it came to making picks were the Senators, this year I seem to have two pesky teams (Stars and Flyers) fudging things up. Chances are one of these teams will ultimately screw me out of my goal of going 11 – 4 for the playoffs so it is making my picks a bit harder to make, but since I have to make them; let’s get to it.


PITTSBURGH VS. PHILADELPHIA
The big time players for the Pens came through in route of dispatching the Rangers where as the lesser lights propelled the Flyers past the Habs. Goaltending was superb for both teams and there is no reason to believe that it will be any different going forward. Neither goalie has seen action this deep into the second season so it is hard to gage how they will respond and will most likely wash each other out barring a complete disaster. When looking at the talent of the rosters the Pens have the edge and with the Crosby/Hose combination just starting to click they seem to possess all they need to get past their state rivals. As for the Flyers, they have been living off 2nd and 3rd liners coming up big for them when their top players are put in check. I wonder though just how long they can live off of Umberger, Hartnell and Upshall as go to guys. We all know that the Flyers will try and play physical and stay in the face of the Pens forwards while trying to make them pay for mistakes like they did against their previous opponents. The Pens have shown us this season that they can play any style of game and still come out on top shedding any notion that their defense is suspect in any way. They will have to work for everything they get as the Flyers have no quit in them and make you pay for every inch. They will have to make the Flyers run around with puck movement in the offensive zone and force them into taking penalties. This series should be a good one and I foresee a split after 4 games. PITTSBURGH IN 6


DETROIT VS. DALLAS
The Stars fell a couple of would be giants in route to the Conference Final and in the process made them look big, slow and sloppy. They had outstanding goaltending from Turco and excellent play from the kids on the blue-line as well as hard nosed effort from their leaders. Finding timely scoring is what did them in last year and it looks like they solved that problem this time around. No, that is not their problem any more. Their problem is they are about to face a machine not a hockey team. The Wings systematically dispatch anything in their path rolling 4 lines of pressure when needed and puck possession – time eating dominance when in the lead. There are no holes in this lineup as every line can create offense and defensive pairings are top notch. The one thing that Turco has not really had to deal with so far is someone constantly in his face. Both the Ducks and Sharks failed to keep him from seeing shots, but that will all change facing the Wings. It will be interesting to see how he reacts with Holmstrom in his grill the entire time. The Wings actually lucked out with the Stars beating two very physical teams and drawing the Avs in the 2nd round, they are healthy for the most part and arrive at the final without having been beaten up which was missing from the formula the last couple of seasons. I have to give credit to the Stars for a very nice run, but this is where the run ends. DETROIT IN 5

ROUND 2 WRAP UP : SHARKS/HABS FALL FLAT

Wow, now that was a fast and furious 2nd round of playoff action. Two teams surprised me with wins and even more surprising were two teams that lost. I stayed up until sometime past 3:00am waiting to see if Dallas would close out the Sharks or if that whole “Every 33 years” thing had any merit. I love marathon playoff games, especially ones with the series on the line. I know there are people out there that complain about the length of some of these games and that makes for a great subject to explore, but I’ll save that battle for another day. Today I want to look at why the Sharks and Canadiens are starting their summer early.

SHARKS – I don’t know where to start so I guess the beginning of the series will do. Giving credit to the Stars for having a ton of jump in their game catching the Sharks flatfooted from the drop of the puck. For the first couple of games the Sharks looked big, slow and sloppy and continued that in spurts throughout. Landing in a 0 – 3 hole, Nabokov finally stepped up his game, but it was too little too late at that point. Too many turnovers everywhere and giveaways along the boards made Dallas’ job easier. The Sharks failed to take advantage of a young and inexperienced defense and use their big forwards to get in Turco’s grill. They didn’t show any sense of will until their backs were against the wall. Looking back at the end of the regular season, they reeled off some 20+ wins. At that point I had wondered if they were peaking too early and it seems that might have been the case. Not that that is any excuse for sleepwalking through the first 3 games of a second round series, but they did show signs of this in the first round when at times they looked out of gas. Whatever the reasons the Sharks face some tough questions this summer and need to take a long look in the mirror and see if this combination has enough heart to get them to the promised land or if some house cleaning is in order.


CANADIENS – This one is easier to understand. Of all the teams that made the playoffs this year, the Habs were the most fragile. It was their speed and transition through the neutral zone coupled by what was supposed to be the most potent power play in the league and a rookie goaltender on fire that should have propelled them to the Conference Final. All they had to do was let the horses run and they would breeze their way through destroying anything in its path. Only trouble is they ran into a couple of teams that used their size and toughness to wear the Habs down, zap all the power from their power play and exploit the cocky young net-minder. Absolutely nothing went according to plan. They were supposed to roll right over Boston, just like they did in the just about all of games played against them this year, instead found themselves in a gritty battle. A battle they eventually won but left them punch drunk and about to face another bruising team. They were supposed to regroup and use the same plan against the Flyers except they forgot to regroup. There was doubt from the start and they never gained any momentum as the Flyers flat out took it to them pounding out the wins. Let’s face it, the horses were hobbled and the magic ran out of the man-advantage. Oh yeah, and that rookie goaltender looked like a rookie. Welcome to the playoffs kid. The Habs need to get tougher over the summer to wear down opponents in order to let their speed dominate next year and don’t let the press beat up the kid too much. Show that you have a ton of confidence in him as he has so much upside you don’t want to damage that in any way.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - ROUND 2

Okay, okay so I didn’t get the number of games right (in fact I didn’t get any of them right), but the important part of making picks is picking the winner. Right? Well, at least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself anyway. With that said; I guess I did pretty good going 6 – 2 (I’ll take that gladly as the 1st round is always the hardest). How did that stupid monkey do? I don’t even want to look. Stupid freakin’ monkey. And don’t get me started on that whole “Ekland’s Dog” thing. Sometimes I wonder why my biggest adversaries are pets and if there isn’t something crazy wrong with that considering I blog about hockey. You know, every year I try and come up with something to beat members of the animal kingdom (sometimes beating them at there own game) when it comes to making my picks. This year I’m just not sure I want to stoop to the level of throwing my poop at a spinning wheel to do it. I even shaved my playoff beard and changed my underwear (I know, I know but I’m not superstitious so I never followed the whole underwear thing anyway) so I figure this time I don’t really need to pull out any tricks in order to beat a stupid freakin’ monkey. Okay, enough of this it’s time for my 2nd round picks.

MONTREAL VS. PHILADELPHIA
Neither of these teams played the way I expected them to in the first round so I’m a bit tentative to declare an outright winner, but knowing that I have to I’ll look at a key areas. Goaltending for each team will be crucial, as each has looked shaky in short spurts but managed to regain form. The Habs have speed, strong transition and can light the lamp, but can they withstand another physical series? The Flyers are gritty and physical, will grind out a full 60 minutes and never quit, but if they have to rely on secondary scoring or can’t handle the speed they might be in trouble. The Habs will have to score early and often and hope for a short series avoiding overtime at all costs in order to win. The Flyers will have to slow the pace down and muck out a few ugly wins and hope for overtime games where they can wear down the Habs as well as keep Briere and company free to continue scoring in order to win. MONTREAL IN 6

PITTSBURGH VS. NEW YORK RANGERS
The Pens made short work of their opponent in the first round and have been waiting comfortably for round two. They will have to shake off the rust in Game 1, but I’m sure these horses are ready to run. I don’t see them having much trouble matching up with the Blueshirts and with all of their top players healthy they should exploit the defensive holes on the Rangers. The Rangers will try to play as solid defense as they did against the Devils and I can’t wait to see what that jackass Avery has in store for Fleury. I’m sure he’s already in the kid’s head even if only a tiny amount. The Pens will have to stay out of the penalty box and hope to draw a few calls their way to do real damage, so they will have to be careful not to get goaded into any extra bullshit Avery will create. The Rangers will have to continue to spread the scoring around and hope their top players come through at key moments. The Pens just need to keep up the confidence and keep the machine running on all cylinders and they should be fine. PITTSBURGH IN 6

DETROIT VS. COLORADO
Well this isn’t quite the same series match-up as it was years ago, but it should be entertaining none-the-less. The Wings will try and get an early lead so they can control the pace and the clock with strong puck possession play where as the Avs will try and keep coming in waves in the attacking zone and pepper the Wings with shots. The Wings should be weary of overtime and try to finish games early so as not to give the Avs any extra chances. Each team is loaded with vets with strong youngsters mixed in so this series will be fun to watch. I just don’t know if there will be enough gas left in the tank of some of the Avs’ elder statesmen to get through another round. DETROIT IN 6

SAN JOSE VS. DALLAS
It’s time for both of these teams to prove they belong in the conference final. The Stars have a ton of confidence after eliminating the ex-champs rather easily. Turco looks like his shaky playoff play is far behind him and if they can get their injured stars back in the lineup it will give them an extra boost so they don’t have to rely on a young defense (not that the kids didn’t play super in round one). The Sharks can’t afford to have any lapses in this series like they did against Calgary and will not only have to beat the Stars with physical play but also with speed. They should crash the net and get in Turco’s face every chance they get and keep the puck away from him if they have to play dump and chase. I didn’t think the Stars would be here and I’m hoping they don’t become this year’s version of Ottawa (who killed me last year), so I just can’t pick them in this one. SAN JOSE IN 6

ROUND 1 WRAP UP

Now that the dust has settled and the first round is complete, I want to take a moment and reflect on what was an interesting opening round of the NHL playoffs before jumping into my predications for round two (check in tomorrow for my 2nd round picks). There were some surprises, disappointments and downright head scratching moments that I have just got to share with you. (Oh, lucky you!)

Disappointments

The Ducks – I can’t figure out why a team built for the playoffs was not ready to play come playoff time. Okay, will you please stay retired this time Scotty and Teemu?

The Caps –I’m not disappointed with the run only the result and the vanishing 2nd round match-up with the Pens (that would have been fun).

Marion Gaborik – 1 assist? Enough said.

Surprises

The Bruins –Saved their best hockey of the year for the playoffs. Watched this team all year and never saw them play so sound as they did in games 2 through 6. Finding a “real” goal scorer to play with Savard should be the focus going forward.

The Preds – Here is a team that has been labeled generic by most, but I’d bet if you asked any of the Wings they’d tell you a different story.

Roenick and Nolan – The two oldest guys on the ice were the two best players on the ice in Game 7. A tip of the hat to the old farts, how about that?

The Head Scratching Moments

Sean Avery – What the hell was that all about? You have enough skill to where you don’t have to pull idiot stunts like that and yet you do. I don’t like the idea of the new rule being called the “Sean Avery Rule” that solidifies his name in the history of the sport forever for garbage play. Can’t we just call it the “Don’t Be A Fuckin’ Tool Rule” and try to erase it from our memories.

Jaromir Jagr – I’m not as superstitious as some and yet I understand the whole playoff beard thing, but come on Jags, a Hitler mustache? Really? Is that necessary? I think it’s safe to say that look was forever ruined. Please try and fix your face for round two, okay?

Ovechkin – Let’s see….it’s Game 7….the series on the line….the game is tied….you are the leading goal scorer on your team….the leading goal scorer in the league….the puck is on your stick….in the high slot….the goalie is out of position….AND YOU PASS THE PUCK????….WHAT WERE YOU THINKING MAN????….SHOOT THE PUCK!!!!….YOU SCORE GOALS….THAT’S WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING….have a nice summer.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 2 - WESTERN CONFERENCE

Here we go. It’s time to take on the Western Conference match-ups so welcome to Gregsky’s Playoff Picks. As I stated before, I have a new bag of tricks to guide me through the maze that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but for the first round I will trust in good old-fashioned know-how and a bit of luck (I’m sure to dip into the ol’ bag-o-tricks for the next round. Especially if that freakin’ monkey kicks my ass in the first round!). Remember, I’m shooting for one better than last year which means I will have to go no worse than 11 – 4 (yikes!).

DETROIT VS. NASHVILLE
At the start of the season I tried to tell people that the Preds would sneak into the playoffs despite the salary dumping and ownership issues and that they had a better team than most were willing to give them credit for (not surprisingly, I haven’t heard a peep out of some of the people who laughed at my notion). With that said, I want to extend a hearty Welcome To The Playoffs Preds! Your prize for your accomplishments is a first round date with the Wings. Well…. it was nice knowing you. This series will be merely a tune up for the next round for the Wings. They should roll right over the Preds in a puck possession, time management sort of way fine tuning the machine and making sure they are running on all cylinders. RED WINGS IN 5.

SAN JOSE VS. CALGARY
I can say that the stretch drive for the Sharks was extremely impressive, as they chewed up and spit out nearly every opponent to close out the season, but I wonder if it was a case of peaking too early. Jumbo Joe and the boys seem to be poised to take the Sharks to the promised land, but they still need to prove it. Calgary, on the other hand, limped into the post-season and has pretty much been mediocre all year. They did little in the off season to address the lack of secondary scoring and finding help to spell Kipper so he wouldn’t burn out come playoff time. Granted, bringing in Keenan and his whip cracking style of coaching hasn’t been as bad as I had first thought, but you can only get so much out of a roster that hasn’t been fixed in several years. Sorry Flames fans, but there just isn’t enough here to get excited about. SAN JOSE IN 6.

MINNESOTA VS. COLORADO
This series will be tough to pick. Gaborik is healthy and is out to prove he belongs in the playoffs and Forsberg is out to prove he still belongs in the NHL. The Wild are another year seasoned and most of the roster still feels the sting of last year, which should help them avoid another miserable end. The Avs have been up and down all year and have been bitten by the injury bug in stretches and yet they still managed to stay afloat and erase their own memories of last seasons miserable end. Backed by a resurgent Theodore (who has his own things to prove) the Avs are a veteran team with a few youngsters added in. The question is; are they too old to keep up the pace needed to go deep into the post-season? I’m not so sure they can make a long run, but they should get by the Wild. However, it won’t be easy and just might leave them with an empty tank going forward. COLORADO IN 6.

ANAHEIM VS. DALLAS
Jeez, the Stars just can’t catch a break. For the second year in a row they flew under the radar all season and found themselves a comfortable spot in the post-season only to have to face a tough opponent in the first round. Last year I wanted to pick them as a sleeper until I saw they had to contend with Luongo right off the bat. This year they drew the short straw again having to face the defending champs. Anaheim is a team built for the playoffs and will most definitely flex its muscle and pound down on the Stars. With a slightly banged up roster already the Stars are about to face more punishment. Turco will have to match his effort from last year and Richards will have to light it up if the Stars are to get past the Ducks. Maybe their luck will change next year. ANAHEIM IN 6.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 1 - EASTERN CONFERENCE

Welcome to Gregsky’s annual Playoff Picks. Each year I role the dice, spin the wheel, throw darts at a board, jump up and down (like Maggie) and do whatever it takes to beat the mainstream experts and prognostic members of the animal kingdom. In the past, I have used gypsy magic, gut feelings, magic 8-balls, etc. to carry me through round by round. This year I have a new bag of tricks to help guide me through, so keep coming back to check and see how I do and what I do to arrive at my picks each and every round. For the first round this year, I’m not pulling any punches (or any tricks out of the bag), just plain old-fashioned know-how and hoping for some luck. Last year I went 10 – 5 which was slightly better than the 9 – 6 from the previous year, so this time out I’m shooting for no worse than 11 – 4 which leaves very little room for mistakes. I hope that damn monkey has her game on this year!

MONTREAL VS. BOSTON
Well, no tricks needed for this one. The Habs have outright owned the Bruins all year as this match-up just doesn’t match up. The Bruins work hard, but make too many mistakes in the neutral zone and have a hard time putting the puck in the net. The Canadiens on the other hand fly through the neutral zone and have no trouble with scoring. The B’s will try to play physical against the Habs in the hope to wear them down, but you can’t hit what you can’t catch. Oh yeah, then there is the goalie match-up, which is no contest. The Bruins best friend and best chance in this series is overtime. If there is to be a sweep in the first round this is it, but because of overtime I’ll give the B’s a game. MONTREAL IN 5.

PITTSBURGH VS. OTTAWA
Every year I pick the Sens to fold come playoff time, no offense Ottawa fans, it’s just in the genetic make-up of the team to do so. Last year though, picking against them accounted for 3 of my 5 losses so common sense should tell me to tread lightly. It should, but it’s not. This time out the Sens seemed to run out of gas at the end of the season and the goaltending has been just mediocre all year. I could go on and on about the strengths of the Pens, but see no need to do so this early. Playing in Ottawa is always tough, but the Pens should fast track through this one with the help of a shaky Gerber and the tendency to quit when they are pushed around by the star players. PITTSBURGH IN 6.

WASHINGTON VS. PHILADELPHIA
For the last couple of seasons I have been saying that the Caps are quietly building something special and are worth keeping an eye on. This year, in August, I said they would surprise everyone and become a sleeper pick come playoff time. And here we are. Ovechkin flat tore up the regular season and is about to treat us to his playoff debut. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out because the Flyers work hard for 60 minutes and make you pay the price with their physical play, something the Caps struggled with all year until the last month of the season. Working in the Caps favor is finally getting the solid goaltending they have been lacking and mixing in seasoned vets to compliment their young guns. Neither team is a powerhouse yet, but should give us a damn good series to watch. WASHINGTON IN 6.

NEW JERSEY VS. NEW YORK RANGERS
This one has all the makings of going the distance. This one will get a ton of media hype. This one will give us multiple overtime games and in spurts will give us goaltending battles that will have us all on the edge of our seats. We just might see this series flip flopping back and forth all the way to double overtime in game 7. Marty will steal a game or two for the Devils, but the lack of scoring will lose just as many for them. The Rangers shaky defense will be exposed at points and they will pay for the mistakes, but their leadership and timely scoring will win them a few games to even it out. The second round will be waiting for this one to end. RANGERS IN 7.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK: BUBBLE TEAMS - WHO'S HOT AND WHO'S NOT?

Ahh yes, you can feel it in the air. We are creeping up on playoff hockey time. A time when the upper echelons are fine-tuning their machines for the stretch run and division/conference titles while the bottom feeders are playing for pride, future paychecks and playing the spoiler role. But if you are a team in the middle, a bubble team, well, then this is a time where it comes down to do or die. For these teams the playoffs have already started. All of those close games that got away earlier in the season now come back to haunt you. It is time to put the pedal to the floor, leave everything on the ice from here on out only to be rewarded with a low playoff seed and have to face the tops in the conference. But that’s why you play the game. To earn a ticket to the dance where anything can happen and with any luck you can find yourself dancing with the prettiest girl.

For this installment of the Notebook, I will be looking at these bubble teams to try and determine which teams are poised to make it and which ones are running out of gas. From the looks of things, right now, there are 7 teams battling for 3 spots. With little to no chance of winning the division, each of these teams are solely focused on capturing one of those 3 spots. As of now, the Rangers, Bruins and Flyers are occupying the last three spots with the Sabres, Caps, Panthers and the Leafs on the outside looking in.

So, who’s Hot and who’s Not?

HOT : The Rangers are trying to take a foothold and claim the #6 spot. Going 8 – 0 – 2 in the last ten, they are a team clearly focused on making the playoffs. That #6 spot looks suitable for the Blueshirts as an opening round match up with the Canes would be a fine battle, but the way they have been playing lately could have them climbing up a few spots before it’s over.

NOT : The Bruins are currently taking up spot #7. This is a team that is fragile right now. Injuries have played a factor all year for this team and with little offence they have hung in there so far. But at this time of year hanging in there just isn’t good enough. When it should be time to surge, the B’s are stalling. Going 4 – 4 – 2 over the last ten games is putting them in a precarious position. They have dropped games against teams below them in the standings and if that wasn’t bad enough some of them were blowouts. Looking at the remaining schedule it won’t get any easier for the B’s and if they are not careful could very well be playing themselves out of the playoff picture.

HOT : The Flyers are residing in the 8th and final spot, picking up points in 7 of their last ten games and a chance to leap-frog the Bruins this weekend with a win. They are starting to turn it on at the right time and are playing hard-edged playoff style hockey. If you are going to beat this club you are going to have to pay the price because they refuse to give an inch. Look for them to claim one of the last 3 spots.

NOT : The Sabres are just on the other side of the line. So close, but yet so far away. Here we have a team within a sniff of making the playoffs and they go 2 –5 –3 in their last ten games. Worse yet, they gave points away to the Flyers and Rangers in that stretch. The Sabres, like the Bruins, are stalling at the wrong time. They sure could use Briere, Drury and Campbell now. This team looks like it is about to crash and burn because inconsistency won’t get the job done.

NOT : Speaking of inconsistency, the Caps are a tough team to figure out. Just when you think they are going to go on a roll, they let up on the gas. Just when you think they are done they turn it on. They are in a nice position right now and need to find that extra gear to push their way into the playoffs, but in order to do it they will have to battle for 60 minutes each game, something that has plagued them all year. Time however, is running short and there are a couple of teams breathing down their necks ready to climb over them if they continue to give away points. Look for Ovechkin to carry the load the rest of the way. He’s hungry, but is the rest of the team equally as hungry?

HOT: The Panthers have a bit of a new look since the trade deadline and collecting points in 8 of the last 10 shows that they still have hopes of making the dance. It won’t be easy by any means for the Panthers but the hope still lives and if they can continue the pace they just might climb over a few stumbling teams in front of them. They have had an up and down season, obviously the last 10 games have been an up, the trick is to avoid another down. Despite the current up swing; look for Jokinen to miss the playoffs again, but this time only by a fraction.

HOT : The Maple Leafs have been a team in turmoil all season, but just won’t go away. With all of the distractions and rumors and media pressures pounding them every step of the way, this team refuses to die. They are finding their playoff hopes still alive, but much like the Panthers have to find a way to sustain the current push. Going 7 – 2 – 1 over the last 10, the Leafs are coming together at the right time. The question remains if they have enough left in the tank to keep it going. With both the Bruins and Sabres starting to fold under the pressure there is a backdoor open, only I’m not sure they will go through it.