2013 NHL Playoff Predictions (aka the Pitt and Chicago Show)

2013 NHL Playoff Predictions
By: Christopher Rodman

1^st Round

Western Conference:

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
Chicago has been a force that has been unmatched by any team besides maybe the penguins. The raw talent, mixed with specific roll players make for the blackhawks to be a favorite to make a deep run. Chicago is the fastest paced team in the NHL, when if a game starts to open up and breakdown defensively, Chicago will be all over you for the remainder of the game and you don’t know what just happened. This series won’t take long at all as Chicago is running hot, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Though Minnesota does have Heatley on the roster…so there’s that #50in07. Buuuut we have the hometown kid in Pat Kane.

Chicago in 5

Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings
This series is almost a coin flip. Anaheim with their top 3 of Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan all playing as they should, and rightfully so with their newly signed contracts. When these three are on, the team is definitely an elite group. With this said, the emergence of Fasth in net gives them a 1, 2 punch with Hiller. Also the re-emergence of Beauchemin and Souray this season as top defensemen really balances out the entire lineup. With all of this said, you can never…EVER count out the Detroit Red Wings, a franchise that has not missed the playoffs since 1990. That stat alone says a lot about the team. Though this is probably the weakest Detroit team I have witnessed in a while, with age and lack of replacements for the legendary players such as Lidstrom and Holmstrom would be my reasons for their weakness.

Anaheim in 7


Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks
Another series in which I think it could go either way with these 2 teams. The best word to describe these teams? Streaky. These teams would win 7 in a row and play very well, only to see the team lose 4 straight. Vancouver is a very solid team year in and year out, but can only go as far as their goalie (or goalies) take them. While having shaky goaltending, Vancouver has and have had for a few years, one of the most balanced lineups when healthy, starting first off with the Sedin twins and Ryan Kessler. San Jose is the same way. They always have a solid core of players with Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, and Havlat. Overall though I feel that Vancouver is the faster and more sound defensively (pending goalie implosion) than San Jose and will ultimately be the difference in the series.

Vancouver in 6


St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
This series won’t be as close as everyone believes it will. St. Louis is a team you never really hear a huge deal about, but they are the real deal. With a young core led by the uprising star TJ Oshie, and a solid D core with newly added Jay Boumeester, The Blues may be the surprise this year for the NHL playoffs. LA is still a very good team, led by Brown, Richards, Carter, Doughty, and Kopitar, when healthy and clicking, this team can go on a tear (aka last year’s Stanley Cup run).

St. Louis in 6


Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders
Are they even going to play? Or should I say, why should they? Pittsburgh is the most talented team up and down the lineup that I have ever seen. Their 3^rd line would be a first line for any other team in the league.  Unless Tavares turns into superman for New York, this series is already done. Oh and Sid the Kid is back from a broken jaw just in time for the playoffs…

Pittsburgh in 4


Montreal Canadians vs. Ottawa Senators
This series won’t be a cake walk, led by a goalie battle for the ages, Carey Price with his D-men led by Subban and Markov against Craig Anderson and his D-men of Karlsson and Gonchar. Offensively this series is not going to be very exciting. No real big time stars on the offensive side of the puck besides Spezza, who is injured, and maybe Galchenyuk, a rookie. Still, this series is going to be interesting to see, as it is 2 hardnosed Canadian teams fighting for their lives.

Montreal in 6

Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
This will be the best series to watch. The matchup of Rick Nash against Alexander Ovechkin will be amazing, as both players are on a tear and have come alive for their respective teams. Overall I believe the Rangers have been playing under par until recently, in which they have come alive. With that being said, this series will be decided by defense and goaltending, which New York has a BIG advantage in with a D core including Girardi, Del Zotto, McDonagh, and not to mention the reigning Vezina winner Lundqvist.

New York in 6


Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
 Many people believe the Leafs actually have a chance to win this series. I laugh at them. I’m still trying to figure out how they even made the playoffs. With a mediocre goalie in Reimer, a defense that consists of Phaneuf and no one else worth mentioning, and an offense that has Clarke McArthur on your #1 line, and when Phil Kessel becomes unproductive because he is putting too much pressure on himself, and needs support, I try and rap my head around the idea of them making the playoffs. Boston is a powerhouse, a physical force that if you can’t match it, they will literally destroy you. When a fast paced game is played, Boston is very dangerous. With many weapons on offense, they have just as many on defense. A big factor is the emotion and determination felt throughout Boston and the team since the Boston Marathon incident.

Boston in 5
                                                  2^nd Round

Western Conference

Chicago vs. St. Louis
Chicago in 7

Anaheim vs. Vancouver
Anaheim in 6


Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh vs. New York Rangers
Pitt in 6

Montreal vs. Boston
Montreal in 7


                                                               Conference Finals

Chicago vs. Anaheim
Chicago in 6

Pittsburgh vs. Montreal
Pitt in 5

                                                             Stanley Cup Finals

Chicago vs. Pittsburgh
Chicago in 7

May God Save Us All From The NBC Announcers.

Other outcomes I debated over:
-St. Louis going to conference finals
-Vancouver to conference finals
-Capitals beat Rangers
-Ottawa over Montreal

Matt Salazar's 2013 NFL Mock Draft

Mock Draft 2013

            This may be my only mock draft of the pre-draft season, but I just find earlier mock drafts to be completely pointless. Here is my prediction as to how the first round will shake out next Thursday, obviously not accounting for potential trades that are sure to happen, but are simultaneously impossible to predict. Each player name contains a link to their respective NFL Draft Profile created by nfl.com's Erick Ward (with the exceptions of Keenan Allen and Jonathan Cyprien) for your viewing pleasure.    Enjoy!

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joekel, OT

            Uncertainty about Brandon Albert’s future with the team along with the arrival of Alex Smith at QB makes this pick a no-brainer. Joekel will solidify Smith’s blindside for years to come.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dion Jordan, DE/OLB

            Freakishly athletic pass-rusher would give the Jags an element they haven’t had in quite a while. Could also go Milliner here, but Jordan’s athleticism may be too great to pass up.

3. Oakland Raiders: Sharrif Floyd, DT

            Raiders front-office were the only ones at Floyd’s pro day, so the interest is there. Good penetration skills and playing in the toughest NCAA conference helps justify his selection at #3.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Eric Fisher, OT

            This is a team that needs a lot of help in a lot of areas, none more so than offensive line. It seems as though the Eagles OL is in shambles every year, and they’re not getting any younger. Eric Fisher is athletic and fits the prototypical mold of a LT in Chip Kelly’s system, so the Eagles pull the trigger on Fisher here.

5. Detroit Lions: Lane Johnson, OT

            LT is a glaring need for the Lions with the retirement of Jeff Backus, and keeping Matt Stafford upright should be priority number 1 for a team trying to rebound from a disappointing 2012. High-ceiling tackle that could be essential in opening holes for Reggie Bush in the running game, if Milliner is still available here, it becomes a very difficult decision picking between the two.

6. Cleveland Browns: Geno Smith, QB

            Somebody is going to make the mistake of drafting Smith early on, so why not the Browns and new GM Mike Lombardi, who made it well-known that he does not like Brandon Weeden as his QB of the future? Ezekiel Ansah could also be a good possibility here.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Chance Warmack, OG

            The first offensive guard to go, Warmack may be the highest rated player on this draft board but falls due to position needs. Warmack is a bulldozer in the run game which would bring an added dimension to the Cardinals attack, will bolster a shaky OL, and give Carson Palmer some more time to find Larry Fitzgerald downfield.

8. Buffalo Bills: Matt Barkley, QB

            Ideally, the Bills find a partner to trade down with here and select a QB later in the round while also gaining a couple more picks. Should they keep the pick however, it’s looking more and more likely that they pull the trigger on a QB here with the Jets now possessing two of the next five picks. Buddy Nix really believes there is a franchise quarterback in this draft, and if this is the case, there’s no sense in waiting to select him. The question of which one remains to be seen. In this scenario Geno Smith is gone, although I don’t think he was their pick before. The two QBs that are highest on the Bills list appear to be Matt Barkley and Ryan Nassib. This is where the choice gets interesting as the Bills coaching staff is linked to Nassib for obvious reasons, but Doug Marrone is onrecord discussing his immense love for Barkley at the position. In the end, I believe overall talent and potential trumps familiarity and more immediate success. Barkley possesses great touch and accuracy downfield, something Nassib somewhat struggles with. While Nassib may have a bigger arm, analysts have wildly underrated Barkley’s arm strength during the pre-draft process. In making it seem like Barkley has the arm of a Cliff Pennington, we as fans are being mislead in that his arm at the next level compares more to that of a Matt Schaub or Phillip Rivers (only comparing arm strength here, so relax). Not a cannon arm by any means, but still certainly able to make all the throws, Barkley just appears to be the more polished, NFL ready quarterback despite being the victim of a less than spectacular senior season (or was it…).

9. New York Jets: BarkeviousMingo, DE/OLB

            Should the draft unfold this way, Rex Ryan will be salivating at the prospects of unleashing Mingo on opposing offenses. Kiki has enormous potential, and Ryan would pounce on the chance to help him realize said potential. With the insane speed that Mingo possesses, he could evolve into one of the game’s top pass-rushers once he adds more strength.

10. Tennessee Titans: Jonathan Cooper, OG

            So Chris Johnson wasn’t completely horrible last year, and what better way to help your most talented offensive weapon than solidify your offensive line? While Cooper may not be the run blocker that Warmack is, he is certainly very well-rounded and would be a great all-around guard for the Titans.

11. San Diego Chargers: Xavier Rhodes, CB

            If the Chargers don’t trade up to acquire a top 3 left-tackle, they could certainly trade down here to stockpile picks and get more value at OL later in the round. Not assuming any trades, Rhodes is the pick here because he fits a need at CB and is a solid value in this spot. Physical, press corner that brings up comparisons to a former Chargers corner with a fitting name for the position, Quentin Jammer.

12. Miami Dolphins: Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB

            This is a best-case scenario for the Dolphins, as Ansah falls and presents a perfect fit across from Cameron Wake in their 3-4 scheme. Ziggy Ansah provides another speed-rush threat from the other side that would help the Dolphins wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines.

13. New York Jets (via Tampa Bay) Tavon Austin, WR

            I was tempted to put a QB here, but it looks like the Jets are going down with Sanchez, as is Rex Ryan’s job. If Ryan wants to salvage this seemingly already lost season, he’ll need to get Sanchez all the help he can get. Austin provides a home-run threat every time he touches the ball, but I expect some team to trade up to take him before this pick.

           

14. Carolina Panthers: Star Lotulelei, DT

            The Panthers are most likely going with the best DT available here, and Lotulelei falling to 14 seems unlikely, but the Raiders really like Floyd. Lotulelei can provide the pass-rushing NT the Panthers sorely need, and can also kick outside to a 3-4 DE if need be. Quite possibly the steal of the draft, Star, along with Luke Keuchly, should solidify the middle of the Panthers D for years to come.

15. New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones, OLB

            The Saints grab the first true linebacker of the draft, and assuming the injury concerns aren’t too great, they will be getting a guy that really knows how to pressure the quarterback and be a disruptive force in the backfield. Not as strong in pass coverage, but the Saints most likely just want him for his innate ability to bring pressure.

16. St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR

            With the first of two first round selections, the Rams look to give Sam Bradford some much needed help on the outside by drafting the dynamic Patterson. While he may be a very high-risk player, Jeff Fisher may be the perfect coach to take on said risk and reap the equally high rewards (see Jenkins, Janoris).

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tyler Eifert, TE

            With the Steelers missing out on two valued targets in the previous two picks, I could see them trading down in this scenario. Otherwise, I could see them drafting Eifert here to give them another weapon and add a new dimension to the passing game after losing Mike Wallace.

           

18. Dallas Cowboys: Kenny Vaccaro, S

            When can we officially stop calling Dallas “America’s Team”? They haven’t advanced to the NFC Championship game since the late 90’s, and annually struggle to even make the postseason nowadays. Kenny Vaccaro could help end that streak and provide a big boost to a Cowboys secondary that struggled last season in pass-coverage, but he isn’t shy to step in the box and stuff a running back here and there. The Cowboys would be foolish to pass on this potential Pro Bowl caliber safety.

19. New York Giants: Alec Ogletree, LB

            Ogletree can provide great athleticism at inside or outside linebacker, and if the Giants look past his trouble off the field, they could be getting a top 10 talent at this spot to help solidify a weak linebacking corp. DJ Fluker is also a possibility here, but Tom Coughlin really loves spending first round picks on his defense. Dark horse: DJ Hayden.

20. Chicago Bears: Arthur Brown, MLB

            The need to replace Brian Urlacher is glaring, and Brown can step in on day one and provide sure-tackling in the middle of the defense while developing into a leader later on in his career. Very underrated player that could be a pleasant surprise in this spot that may look like a slight reach at first.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Fluker, OL

            The potential for Andre Smith to leave Cincinnati at some point is very real, so securing his future replacement in this spot would be a smart move. You can never go wrong with a former Alabama player (ok, almost never), and Fluker projects to be a very solid NFL lineman, although he may project better as a guard.

22. St. Louis Rams: Jonathan Cyprien, S

            The Rams have a surprisingly solid defense under Jeff Fisher, but they do have a need at safety, where there could be three possibilities here (Cyprien, Elam, or Reid). I feel that Cyprien could best provide the hard-hitting, attitude setting, turnover machine loved by Fisher.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Manti Te’o, MLB

            We all know about the questions surrounding Te’o, but we also know that the guy simply knows how to play football. A natural leader, Te’o is normally a sure tackler (when he isn’t getting pummeled by the Crimson Tide) but may be a bit slow and undersized. Great instincts in pass coverage, he can provide good value for the Vikes in this spot.

24. Indianapolis Colts: Tank Carradine, DE

            The Colts were the feel good story of the league last year, but their defensive line did nothing to help them. They had the second-worst QB pressure rate in the league, so Carradine could raise that rate a bit, especially following the loss of Dwight Freeney. He is coming off an injury, but tested phenomenally well at his pro day, helping to secure his worth as a first round selection.

25. Minnesota Vikings: Keenan Allen, WR

            Allen may have run a slow 40, but he is coming off of a knee injury. A player in the mold of Anquan Boldin, Allen runs solid routes and aggressively uses his height to attack balls at their highest point. Once healthy, he could turn out to be the best receiver in this class.

26. Green Bay Packers: Eric Reid, S

            Offensive line may be a need as well, but following the loss of Charles Woodson, the Packers desperately need help in the back end of an already shoddy pass defense. Reid can be a day one starter for the Packers and fill in nicely where Woodson left off.

27. Houston Texans: Justin Hunter, WR

            The Texans have a need at OL and WR, but I don’t see another lineman worthy of a first round selection. There is no denying Hunter’s offensive abilities, but its his off-field troubles that have teams worried.  Hopefully some tutelage under Andre Johnson can correct this problem and help Hunter evolve into a solid number 2 receiver.

28. Denver Broncos: Bjoern Werner, DE

            Werner’s draft stock has been in a steady decline since peaking at number 2 in some mocks due to his unspectacular workouts since the evaluation process began. There is no denying his in-game production however, and could provide the Broncos with a solid pass rusher to compliment Von Miller and fill in for the loss of Elvis Dumervil.

29. New England Patriots: Desmond Trufant, CB

            The Patriots could use help at CB, DL, and OL, but Trufant provides great value here as he projects as somewhat of a higher pick that could drop due to some mental lapses and lack of physicality in coverage. He does have potential though to be a high-turnover player that would be a great help to this questionable Patriots secondary.

30. Atlanta Falcons: Zach Ertz, TE

            With the ever-growing importance of having pass catching tight ends in today’s NFL, paired with the fact that this is most likely Tony Gonzalez’s final season, selecting Ertz here would be a wise choice. Gives them yet another offensive weapon and also sets them up for after T-Gon retires. Don’t rule out a patented Falcons trade-up here to make a run at one of the draft’s top CBs.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Margus Hunt, DL

            Hunt is a giant on the defensive line and could be a future replacement for Justin Smith. Very physical player that is surprisingly quick, Hunt has the potential to be a mix of Justin Smith with a J.J. Watt like ability to bat down passes.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Robert Woods, WR

            The Ravens could potentially go S, LB, or DE here, but I think Woods gives them the best chance to succeed this year by complimenting Torrey Smith with a truly great route runner with great hands (sound familiar?).

           

2013 NHL Preview

At long last, the players and the owners have reached an agreement to end the lockout, and while we don't have an 82 game season to look forward to, it is great to have hockey back nonetheless. Starting this weekend, we will have three months of constant hockey, as a 48 game regular season will require teams to play around four games a week. This promises to be an exciting season, and I'm sure everyone is beyond ready for it to get underway. Some of you may have read my NBA previews earlier this year, however, due to the suddenness and uncertainty surrounding the start of the NHL season, there is not enough time to make this one as lengthy. With that said, I will still analyze the situation of every team, and make my playoff predictions. Looking at every team, the parity in the league this year is at a level that no other sport can match, and is even more impressive than I can ever remember in the NHL. Combined with the shortened season, this means that almost anything can happen. It also makes these predictions extremely hard. There are 14 teams that I would not be overly surprised to see hoist the cup, and all but two teams seem to have a realistic shot at the playoffs. Here is my best guess as to how the season will play out:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. New York Rangers

Last year, the Rangers dominated the Eastern Conference in the regular season, but while Henrik Lundqvist was his typical dominant self in goal in the playoffs, the offense stalled severely, resulting in a disappointing exit in the Eastern Conference finals. To address that issue, the Rangers brought in free agent prize Rick Nash to complete a star-studded line of Nash-Richards-Gaborik which will be a nightmare for opposing goaltenders. Meanwhile, in front of arguably the best goalie in the league, New York has a lot of young talent on defense led by Michael Del Zotto, Ryan McDonagh, and Marc Staal. Nash adds to an already well-rounded powerhouse, and should thrive with actual talent around him.

2. Buffalo Sabres

After Milan Lucic put Ryan Miller out for an extended period of time last season, the Sabres' year spiraled until finally making a push at the end of the season but just missing out on the playoffs. To avoid teams viewing the Sabres as a "soft" team this year that they can take cheap shots on without retaliation, Darcy got rid of Derek Roy (good move in itself) for the gritty Steve Ott, and also picked up John Scott, one of the most feared big men in the league. Marcus Foligno, a late season call up who excelled down the stretch last year, will add toughness as well, and newly drafted center Mikhail Grigorenko will add size as well as hopefully some stability down the middle. Also at center, Cody Hodgson needs to show that he can be a top  6 player this year. Pomminville and Vanek will have to be able to provide points, and it would just be an added bonus if Hecht can contribute after a strong stint in Europe alongside Pomminville. Buffalo has a very deep defensive corps, but it is still essential for Tyler Myers to stay healthy. If the Sabres can avoid the injury bug this year, and Miller returns to his usual self, they will surprise many in the league.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

While I do not believe that Carolina will have the third best record in the East, they land here as champions of the Southeast Division. This division promises to be extremely tight this year, and it would not surprise me at all if all 5 teams finish within 15 points of each other. I give the edge to the Canes in this race because they have the most stability between the pipes of all of the teams. Cam Ward, while very experienced, is still just entering his prime, and will continue to provide great goaltending in Carolina for years to come. The reason for excitement surrounding the Canes this season though, comes up front. Young star Jeff Skinner will just continue to develop, while the additions of Alex Semin and Jordan Staal (to play alongside Eric) have Carolina fans the most excited they've been in a while.

4. Boston Bruins

After a disappointing first round playoff exit at the hands of the Caps last spring, the Bruins have largely stayed the course this offseason, without experiencing many large scale arrivals or departures. The major exception to this of course, is Tim Thomas taking his "leave of absence". While Tuukka Rask has shown himself to be great at times, he doesn't have the body of work to be sure that he can sustain Thomas-like play over an entire (if shortened) season. One fear for an inexperienced goalie in a compact season has to be the lack of time to mentally prepare himself for the next game after a poor outing. The Bruins better hope that Rask is strong mentally, and won't let little slip ups spiral out of his control. As far as skaters go, Tyler Seguin will continue to grow into a star as he fuels the offense, while big man Zdeno Chara will again anchor a very solid defense. Due to the minor question mark of Tuukka, I give the Sabres the edge in the division, but assuming Rask doesn't disappoint, the race should be neck-in-neck all the way.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

A healthy Sidney Crosby should mark Pittsburgh's return to the list of perennial contenders. Along with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal, Crosby leads one of the most potent offenses in the league. However, in the playoffs last year, defense and goaltending showed to be a huge liability, losing to Philly in a largely defense-optional series. While Tomas Vokoun has been added to stabilize the situation in the net, not much has changed on defense. The superstars up front will be enough to carry the Pens far, but will the back end be able to come up big when needed? That's anyone's guess.

6. Florida Panthers

One of the biggest surprises in the league last year was the Panthers grabbing the Southeast title over Washington, Tampa, and Carolina. This was largely due to the play of their top line of Weiss, Versteeg, and Fleischmann, who, along with star defenseman Brian Campbell, accounted for much of the team's offense. Between the pipes is Scott Clemmensen, who I have been a fan of ever since his great run in New Jersey a few years back when Marty went down. Not to be forgotten amid recent success is the talented pool of prospects the Panthers have. Led by highly-touted Jonathan Huberdeau, the youngsters will only help this team to build on last year's success.

7. Washington Capitals

Even with their upset of the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs last year, it was widely considered a disappointing season in Washington. Their lackluster regular season performance worried fans, but it was in part due to the extended absences of Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green, two key players. They figure to be good to go this year, but departing the team is talented scorer Alex Semin, to be replaced by Mike Ribeiro. While Ribeiro is a good all-around player, this undoubtedly decreases the Caps' offensive potency. Other players will need to step up and put the puck in the back of the net, because while Holtby and Neuvirth have shown flashes of quality goaltending, they are far from safe bets over the course of an entire season.

8. New Jersey Devils

The defending Eastern Conference champs suffered a huge loss this offseason when Zach Parise signed with the Wild. Though Parise did not put up huge numbers in the playoffs, he is still one of the most talented offensive players in the league as well as an undeniable leader. If the Devils want to contend this year, someone will have to step into that leadership role, Kovalchuk will have to step into the spotlight and put up big numbers, and Brodeur will have to continue to defy age and play like his old self. This seems like a tall task, but I wouldn't want to bet against it.

Non-Playoff Teams

9. Ottawa Senators

It was very difficult for me to keep Ottawa (and Philly and Tampa) out of the playoffs this year, but as I said earlier, the depth and parity in the league this year is crazy. Offensively, mainstays Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza aren't getting any younger, and while Guillaume Latendresse was brought in to help in that department, the departure of Nick Foligno balances it out. Erik Karlsson, the Sens' young stud defenseman, will continue to build off of an absurd 78 point season, and will have to anchor the offense from the point. While Karlsson may not match last season's totals, he will still lead the offense to a good year, but after shouldering a heavy workload last season, Craig Anderson will need to do so again between the pipes, and in a compressed season like this, that may lead him to falter down the stretch as he did a few years back with the Avs.

10. Philadelphia Flyers

While Claude Giroux continues to become one of the best players in the league, the help around him continues to grow thinner. After losing Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, and Ville Leino in recent years without bringing in much (other than Jaromir Jagr) to replace them, the Flyers lost Jagr, Matt Carle, and James van Riemsdyk this year, and failed to replace them with the big names that they were targeting in the free agent market. While Giroux, Scott Hartnell, and Danny Briere will continue to lead the offense, big questions regarding Pronger and Meszaros on the back end give Flyer fans reason for uncertainty, especially playing in front of the talented but wildly inconsistent Ilya Bryzgalov.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa, looking to build on their Eastern Conference Finals appearance  had a very disappointing season, finishing outside of the playoffs last year. This year they look to rebound behind their big three of Stamkos, St. Louis, and Lecavalier. On defense, Victor Hedman will continue to grow into a very good player, while the additions of Sami Salo and Matt Carle will improve the unit as well. Behind them will likely be Anders Lindback, the recently acquired goalie from the Predators. While Lindback is young and talented, he is very unproven, and should he falter, I don't think that Garon will be able to pick up the slack and get the Bolts to the playoffs. If Lindback plays well, they could finish a whole lot higher than 11th.

12. New York Islanders

The young and talented Isles look to take a step forward this year behind young star John Tavares. Along with other young guns like Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner, New York has a solid offensive attack. However, losing PA Parenteau will hurt, and replacing him with Brad Boyes probably won't cut it (trust me). Mark Streit adds a veteran presence to a skilled young defensive corps, and Evgeni Nabakov provides stability between the pipes for the first time in a while. The Isles will make strides this year, but I don't think it will be enough to slip into the playoffs in the deep Eastern Conference this year. 

13. Winnipeg Jets

In their return to Winnipeg, the Jets were in the playoff hunt for much of the year, and enjoyed a substantially better home ice advantage than they had had in Atlanta. The Jets return a very strong offensive team led by the young Evander Kane up front, and Dustin Byfuglien heads an offensively minded group of defensemen. The addition of Olli Jokinen will further boost the offense, but the Jets will struggle due to their defense and goaltending, as Ondrej Pavelec isn't a star goalie, and the players in front of him don't provide much help.

14. Montreal Canadiens

The Habs can only improve after finishing dead last in the conference last year. But while there were large-scale changes in the front office and the coaching staff, the personnel stayed very similar. Carey Price is still a very solid young netminder, and PK Subban and Andre Markov provide an excellent pairing at the top of a relatively thin defense. Offense will likely be the problem for Montreal, because while Pacioretty, Cole, Plekanec, Borque and an aging Gionta are solid players, they are far from overwhelming, and will need to step up big time if the Habs have any chance of making a playoff push.

15. Toronto Maple Leafs

After the sudden firing of Brian Burke, Leafs fans look toward a new chapter with hope that it is better than the last. While it very well may be, it will not happen overnight. Personnel changes were kept to a minimum, other than bringing in JVR to possibly add to the formidable pairing of Kessel and Lupul. However, no move has yet been made for Luongo or anyone else to help the goaltending problem, so until that is addressed, the Leafs will struggle to contend.

Stay tuned as the Western Conference Team Previews will be added one by one, and will be followed by playoff predictions!

NFL Playoffs: AFC/NFC Divisional Round

After an exciting first week of playoffs, we find ourselves in the divisional match ups. I was 4/4 in my picks last week, so luckily I can use my original bracket. Lets see if my bracket holds up this week!

My regular season picks record: 162-94

AFC Divisonal Round

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos 

Peyton Manning

As everyone saw last week, Anquan Boldin should be a high priority on the scouting reports against the Ravens. The man is a gamer and makes some of the toughest catches in key moments. With Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter (if he is active) at cornerbacks, I wouldn't expect this to happen. Denver's defense has a great pass rush and overall makes plays. Match that up with Peyton Manning and the chemistry he has developed in his offense, and I believe this may over power the Ravens and become Ray Lewis' last game. Not to mention Joe Flacco looks rattled when he plays on the road, although he has won a good amount of playoff games. The key for the Ravens is to get the ball to Ray Rice. Of course the Ravens have the experience to win this football game, but I give the Broncos edge especially because Manning has beaten them in his last nine match ups with them. 

Broncos: 31-23

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots 

Rob Gronkowski

Now I realize the Texans got spanked in the last matchup between these teams, but I don't see it turning out that way this time (as bad at least). Tom Brady has run an aggressive pass first offense for many years, but the Patriots have been different this year. They have run the ball very well on top of their elite passing game. As long as the Patriots shut down the dynamic play makers for the Texans again, I see another win for the Pats. However, once again don't let JJ Watt get too involved or things can get ugly quick. 

Patriots: 34-24

NFC Divisional Round

Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons

Russell Wilson

When I picked my original bracket, this was the toughest game for me to pick. I just have a feeling about the Seahawks in this game. Although the Falcons have two big time receivers in Julio Jones and Roddy White, the Seahawks have two big and physical corners Brandon Browner, and Richard Sherman to contain them. Now don't get me wrong, Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback and also has the best tight end in history to throw to, Tony Gonzalez. But Seattle has shown they can beat tough opponents. I am not basing my decision on this, but we all know the Falcons tend to fold under pressure with Matt Ryan in the playoffs. Rookie Russell Wilson comes into this game with more playoffs wins than Ryan. But the Seahawks have proven to have an explosive offense especially when Marshawn Lynch gets productive yards throughout the game. The Falcons have definitely improved in their secondary and can have an explosive offense at anytime as well. I might be in over my head on this one, but I'm taking the Seahawks on the road. 

Seahawks: 27-26

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers 

This was another tough decision. Green Bay and San Francisco put together a good game when they played in the first week with an end result of a 30-22 49ers victory. San Francisco defines an elite defense with players like Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Justin Smith and Aldon Smith. However, Justin Smith has been out with partially torn triceps, which is very crucial to the success Aldon Smith has had this year with 19.5 sacks. Justin is probable for the game but who knows if he will be as much of a threat or cause as many double teams as usual. The Packers are an offensive machine although they really don't have a running game right now. Aaron Rodgers took many sacks this year and still had a very productive season. Not to mention he has the best road quarterback rating in NFL history. I can see the Packers pulling this one out. 

Packers: 28-24

Things to look forward to if these predictions hold up...

Another epic Brady/Manning matchup.

Rematch of the "touchception" with real referees.

My original bracket