I'll start off my first ever post with hockey, the greatest sport that no one ever watches, talks about, or even gives a rat's ass about unless it involves some idiot giving a slash to the throat or another one of Sean Avery's displays of utter foolishness (who, by the way, won't help the Rangers at much as they'd hope).
The push for the playoffs is in full swing and there are plenty of compelling story lines. How about the air-tight Western Conference with only the true bottom-feeders like the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche truly out of it. I'll tell you right now that a really scary team right now is Los Angeles. They remind me of the Washington Capitals of a year ago: a bunch of impressive young talent that really hasn't been able to find their groove. Their core with Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick has the potential to really make a splash by the end of the year and into next year. However, the logjam for the final four playoff spots won't really matter because of the powerhouses at the top of the conference. Detroit, San Jose, Calgary, and Chicago are really the cream of the crop when it comes to the real contenders for the Clarence Campbell trophy. The Calgary Flames are the most intriguing of the group, and I absolutely love the moves they made at the trading deadline. Bringing back defenseman Jordan Leopold who was with the Flames in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals the year before the lockout, as well as forward Olli Jokinen from the Phoenix Coyotes really improves the guys surrounding star players like Jarome Iginla, Mike Cammalleri, and Dion Phaneuf. If I were in the Western Conference, I would want no part of Calgary for as long as possible.
The Eastern Conference has seen a flurry of hot teams start to break into the playoff picture, most notably commissioner Gary Bettman's darling Pittsburgh Penguins streaking their way into the sixth spot as well as the Carolina Hurricanes' offensive clinics that they've been putting on, especially the nine goal dr
ubbing they put on Tampa Bay following a five goal effort against Alex Ovechkin's recently struggling Capitals. *Here's where my homerism comes out* The Capitals are really starting to worry me. The win last night in Nashville was gritty and showed signs of a team back to the way they've been playing for the majority of the season. However, they seem to play down to their competition much too often. During their four game losing streak, they seemed to do nothing right outside of Alexander Semin's occasional visits to the red light district. The goaltending is another problematic area for the team. As much as I support Jose Theodore, I really don't think he's enough to take this team far in the playoffs or beat a team like Philadelphia or New Jersey in a best-of-seven series. The Caps' young goaltenders in Simeon Varlamov and Michael Neuvirth are a few years off from being top-of-the-line NHL net minders, so Theo will have to do for now. As a Washington sports fan, I desperately want a to see a championship, and I think out of the Caps, Redskins, Wizards, and Nationals, the Caps are the only DC organization has a team that will be a contender for the next few years. Again, though their chances look good, I still think that the Caps are a goalie and a big, mean, goonish defenseman away from being great. Oh and to take a page from the Bono's book, Sidney Crosby is a wanker. *Okay, homer-rant over* When it comes down to it, I think the Bruins have the perfect balance on their roster to win the conference, they will eventually lift the Prince of Wales Trophy.
ubbing they put on Tampa Bay following a five goal effort against Alex Ovechkin's recently struggling Capitals. *Here's where my homerism comes out* The Capitals are really starting to worry me. The win last night in Nashville was gritty and showed signs of a team back to the way they've been playing for the majority of the season. However, they seem to play down to their competition much too often. During their four game losing streak, they seemed to do nothing right outside of Alexander Semin's occasional visits to the red light district. The goaltending is another problematic area for the team. As much as I support Jose Theodore, I really don't think he's enough to take this team far in the playoffs or beat a team like Philadelphia or New Jersey in a best-of-seven series. The Caps' young goaltenders in Simeon Varlamov and Michael Neuvirth are a few years off from being top-of-the-line NHL net minders, so Theo will have to do for now. As a Washington sports fan, I desperately want a to see a championship, and I think out of the Caps, Redskins, Wizards, and Nationals, the Caps are the only DC organization has a team that will be a contender for the next few years. Again, though their chances look good, I still think that the Caps are a goalie and a big, mean, goonish defenseman away from being great. Oh and to take a page from the Bono's book, Sidney Crosby is a wanker. *Okay, homer-rant over* When it comes down to it, I think the Bruins have the perfect balance on their roster to win the conference, they will eventually lift the Prince of Wales Trophy.-You've just entered the Schumatrix
