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Stanley Cup playoff preview

A preview of the 2007 NHL playoffs.

By TOM JONES
Published April 11, 2007

Sabres (1) vs. Islanders (8)

Season series: Sabres 3-1

The skinny: The Sabres don't rely on one player. They had seven 20-goal scorers and four 30-goal scorers. And Tim Connolly, who scored 16 goals in 63 games last season, returns after missing most of this season with post-concussion symptoms. The Islanders are missing stud goalie Rick DiPietro and need 28-year-old rookie Wade Dubielewicz to keep rubbing his rabbit's foot. They are big and physical and will look to hit the finesse Sabres on every shift.

TJ's prediction: Islanders have been a great Cinderella story, but it's about to strike midnight. Sabres in five.

Devils (2) vs. Lightning (7)

Season series: Lightning 3-1

The skinny: The Devils don't score much but don't need to with All-Planet goalie Martin Brodeur, who set an NHL record with 48 victories. The Lightning's duo of Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis combined for 210 points, but the Bolts need others (Brad Richards, Ruslan Fedotenko, Vinny Prospal) to chip in and take away the Devils' huge advantage in goaltending. The Devils, plagued by injuries during the season, are getting healthy at the right time.

TJ's prediction: The only way the Lightning wins is if goalie Johan Holmqvist outplays Brodeur. Don't see that happening. Devils in six.

Thrashers (3) vs. Rangers (6)

Season series: Thrashers 3-1

The skinny: Special teams are critical in the playoffs, and the Thrashers finished 26th in the NHL in penalty kill and have the worst power play of any team in the playoffs. Good news for the Rangers: Vets Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan are playing their best hockey in years, and the team found another gear with the acquisition of disturber Sean Avery. Don't underestimate the Thrashers' grizzled experience of Bobby Holik, Slava Kozlov, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Mellanby.

TJ's prediction: Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is just a shade better than Atlanta's Kari Lehtonen. Rangers in six.

Senators (4) vs. Penguins (5)

Season series: Penguins 3-1

The skinny: Look for the Senators to abuse Pens star Sidney Crosby. Stop him, and you go a long way in stopping the upstart Penguins, who have 15 players who have never played a postseason game. The Senators are the classic choke-in-the-playoffs team, but they seem more balanced than in the past. Plus, Dany Heatley (50 goals), Jason Spezza (87 points) and Daniel Alfredsson (87 points) play big in big games. Ottawa's major edge is on the blue line, where the Penguins are (mostly) young and unproven.

TJ's prediction: With stars climbing over both benches, this will be the best and most entertaining series. Penguins in seven.

Red Wings (1) vs. Flames (8)

Season series: Tied 2-2

The skinny: If recent acquisition Todd Bertuzzi returns to old form, the Red Wings become the team to beat for the Cup. But Detroit's power play (21st in the NHL) must get going. The Flames backed into the playoffs, but their goalie (Miikka Kiprusoff) might be as good as any goalie in the business. He is one of the few goalies who could outplay Detroit's Dominik Hasek. Both teams are extremely difficult to beat on home ice.

TJ's prediction: Not your typical 1 vs. 8 matchup. Detroit survives. Barely. Red Wings in seven.

Ducks (2) vs. Wild (7)

Season series: Tied 2-2

The skinny: Scott Niedermayer (second in the NHL in ice time) and Chris Pronger (fourth) alone give Anaheim the best defense corps in the NHL. It's rare when one or the other is not on the ice. Still, Anaheim won just three of its final 10 games in regulation. If the Wild's Marian Gaborik (57 points in 48 games) had been healthy all season, his name would be among the MVP candidates. The Wild's rookie goalie, Niklas Backstrom, had the league's best goals-against average (1.97) and save percentage (.929).

TJ's prediction: This could be a boring series. But it will be close. Upset special: Wild in six.

Canucks (3) vs. Stars (6)

Season series: Tied 2-2

The skinny: The Canucks are in simply because of two words: Roberto Luongo. He made more saves than any goalie in the league and might be the best stopper in the game today. But he has never played a playoff game. Dallas is hot: just two regulation losses in its past 16 games. Goalie Marty Turco has been great in the regular season but only 8-19 in the playoffs. How close are these teams? Every meeting this season was a 2-1 game.

TJ's prediction: If Vancouver had a little more scoring punch than the Sedin twins, I'd feel better about its chances. Of course, Luongo might not give up a goal. Stars in six.

Predators (4) vs. Sharks (5)

Season series: Predators 3-1

The skinny: The Predators are the best team you have never heard of despite having Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya. And goalie Tomas Vokoun is healthy again. Key stat: The Sharks had the second-best power play in the NHL. San Jose, led by top-five NHL player Joe Thornton, went 13-1-2 in its final 15 games. The Predators need a healthy Forsberg, who still shows flashes of being one of the game's elite players.

TJ's prediction: Flip a coin. It's that close. Let's see, heads ... that means Predators in seven.

How will Sidney Crosby, Roberto Luongo and the Atlanta Thrashers perform in their first postseason?

Crosby and Luongo will be just fine. The Thrashers? The guess is more shaky than Jell-O.

Will Dallas goalie Marty Turco and the Ottawa Senators choke again?

Something tells me Turco will snap out of it, but the Senators will check out again in the first round.

Is the Lightning goaltending good enough to go deep into the playoffs?

Both goalies have shown flashes, but neither has proved he can go on a red-hot two-month tear against elite teams.

Who is ripe to be upset?

Over the past three postseasons, the Red Wings have been knocked out in the first round twice and the second round once. In the East, Ottawa has made the postseason 10 straight seasons now but advanced to the conference championship only once - and it lost.

Who will win it all?

There are, maybe, 10 teams with a legitimate chance - the most wide open run for the Cup in recent memory. And that doesn't include a team or two capable of getting hot. (After all, who would've guessed Edmonton in last year's final?) With so many contenders, picking a winner is like plucking a name out of a hat. But for now, the pick is Buffalo in the East and the Predators in the West with the Sabres winning it all.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The big five

Five players who will have the biggest impact:

Goalie Robert Luongo, Canucks

Center Sidney Crosby, Penguins

Center Daniel Briere, Sabres

Center Pavel Datsyuk, Wings

Center Peter Forsberg, Predators

The best and worst of the playoffs

Best goalie: Martin Brodeur, Devils

Worst goalie: Wade Dubielewicz, Islanders

Best offense: Sabres (308 goals)

Worst offense: Devils (216 goals)

Best defense: Wild (191 goals allowed)

Worst defense: Lightning (261 goals allowed)

Best coach: Jacques Lemaire, Wild (57-44, Stanley Cup, won at least one round in six of seven postseasons)

Worst coach: Bryan Murray, Senators (39-49, no Cups, knocked out in the first round in six of 11 postseasons)

Five burning questions (and the answers)

[Last modified April 10, 2007, 23:10:14]