That said, I filled out a playoff "bracket", assuming that was the pool they were running this time, but no, turns out it's a player-focused fantasy hockey thing, so you'll win on the basis of individual, not team performances. If you win, that is. So there I sat with my carefully-considered bracket, not really knowing what to do with it. Suddenly I knew what to do. Share it on The Hedonist Jive. My 30 readers love ice hockey!!
Western Conference - 1st Round
Dallas Stars over Anaheim Ducks (!)
San Jose Sharks over Los Angeles Kings
Colorado Avalanche over Minnesota Wild
St. Louis Blues over Chicago Blackhawks
Eastern Conference - 1st Round
Boston Bruins over Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadians over Tampa Bay Lightning
Pittsburgh Penguins over Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Rangers over Philadephia Flyers
Semifinals
San Jose Sharks over Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues over Colorado Avalanche
Boston Bruins over Montreal Canadians
New York Rangers over Pittsburgh Penguins
Conference Finals
San Jose Sharks over St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins over New York Rangers
Stanley Cup Finals
Boston Bruins over San Jose Sharks
I have found, like many hockey pundits, that many of these series are the proverbial "too close to call". Do I believe that my San Jose Sharks are the best team in the Western Conference? I don't know, do I? Or is it just kind of their turn? I know that I believe that Anaheim and Pittsburgh are paper tigers, and that the Blackhawks' time is probably done. Boston is likely unstoppable - who's better than they are in goal, defense and Top 4 line balance? - and that's why I'm picking them to take it all, again, three years after the last time they did it. Unlike in Vancouver in 2010, there will be no riots on the streets of San Jose when it's done. Maybe some spontaneous Javascript, or some awful funk-punk music, but no riots, I promise.
