Read 'em and weep. Or rage. Or laugh. Or question my sanity. Whatever, just keep it clean and remember, if I didn't pick your team to win, don't take it personally, it's just an opinion, and as the great Toe Blake once said, "predictions are for gypsies". I look forward to your responses, but please, if you disagree, keep it clean, and let's just have some fun, ok?

I'll have the Eastern Conference preview and predictions on Tuesday, April 8th.

Detroit Red Wings vs Nashville Predators: Wings won the season series 5-3. Detroit was the top team in the NHL this season, while the Predators barely scraped into the post-season on the last week of this season. The Predators are well coached and possess good goaltending, a solid defensive system and a dangerous first line centered by Jason Arnott, but have yet to win a playoff series and were barely above .500 down the stretch.  Red Wings are deeper in talent and experience and have proven capable of adjusting to a more physical post-season style. Questions have arisen of late regarding their aging goaltending tandem of Hasek and Osgood and injuries have dogged them in the second half. This could be a closer series than expected but ultimately Detroit’s depth will see them through.  RED WINGS IN SIX.

San Jose Sharks vs Calgary Flames: Flames won the season series 3-1, but down the stretch the Flames were merely a .500 club whilst the Sharks were red-hot, losing only once in regulation in their last 22 games. The Sharks received Vezina-worthy goaltending from Evgeni Nabokov and possess a good defense corps buoyed by recently acquired Brian Campbell. Their offense has significantly improved in the second half, led by Joe Thornton who’ll once again try to answer his critics with a strong post-season. The Flames playoff hopes will once again rest with captain Jarome Iginla, goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and blueliner Dion Phaneuf. However, Kiprusoff has had an average season, Phaneuf has yet to step it up in the post-season and concerns over their offensive depth should once again hold them back.  SHARKS IN SIX.

Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche: Wild won the season series 5-2-1 and clinched the Northwest Division, while the Avs battled through injuries to finish sixth overall. Minnesota is one of the best defensive teams in the league so expect them to aggressively check the Avs and make the most of their offensive opportunities, led by offensive star Marian Gaborik. There is however concern over their lack of depth at center, and if the Avalanche can match their physical play the Wild could find it rough going. The Avs have experienced leadership in Sakic, Forsberg, Smyth, Foote and Hejduk, rising young players like Paul Statsny and solid netminding in Jose Theodore. Still, most of their key players are long in the tooth and it remains to be seen if they have enough in the tank for a long playoff grind. WILD IN SIX. 

Anaheim Ducks vs Dallas Stars: Stars won the season series 5-3, but down the stretch these were two teams going in different directions, with the Stars floundering and the Ducks surging. Anaheim is the defending Stanley Cup champion, possess a proven playoff goalie in JS Giguere, the deepest blueline corps in the league and can wear down opponents with their physical play. The Stars enter this series with too many questions. Can Marty Turco win big in the playoffs? Can they recover from the loss of Sergei Zubov to injury? Can Brad Richards find his scoring groove in the post-season? Can they physically match up against a driven Ducks team?  DUCKS IN FIVE.