With the NHL playoffs nearing the halfway point, it's time to examine the teams that have currently made the Conference Finals and the two teams still battling it out for that last and final spot in the final (er. frozen) four.

Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.

(I am envisioning many right now staring at the screen with eyebrows raised, head cocked to one side not unlike dogs when you make funny noises at them, mouth open and muttering to themselves "who?")

Allow me to repeat that:  Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.

Yes, folks, this is the NEW NHL.

Perennial contenders such as Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa have all been tossed aside during the first half of the playoffs like the parsley you always have to remove off your meat or vegetables at a restuarant.

Detroit:  1st round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.  Dallas:  Practically swept aside at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in round 1.  Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa:  victims of TEAM play in round 2.

 And yet many beat writers and columnists that have been assigned to cover various different playoff series (those columnists and other writers who are not necessarily in the NHL know) seem to think that the remaining teams are all Cinderella stories in the making, that these teams have suddenly come from nowhere and are taking down the giants as if they were merely orange and white roadblocks on the freeway that you can get out of the car and move yourself.

 While I realize that many in the United States don't even realize that hockey even exists in some of those cities, I find it very ignorant of many of these columnists in the media to all of a sudden grace the public's presence and alert them that there are many Cinderella stories in the making, giving the reader a false sense of reality that is the new NHL, and making those of us who follow hockey on a regular basis here in the US, as well as our neighbors to the north, irritated and bitter.

 For example, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators on Sunday in overtime with a short-handed goal to take the series 4 and 1.  Many of the so-called experts picked Ottawa to win their series, claiming their talent would wear out the non-playoff battled young Sabres.  Granted, many of these "experts" believed it would be a 6 or 7 game series, not the 5 that it actually was.  (Editor's note:  This series could easily have been a sweep for the Sabres, if not for the little amount of heart and desparation the Sens showed in game 4.)  Little known to most of the general public, those which follow hockey only during playoff season, was not aware of the fact that these same Sabres only finished 4th in the Eastern Conference because of the way the NHL seeds the division, with the top 3 spots going to the respective division leaders.  Truth of the matter is, Buffalo finished a mere 3 points behind Ottawa, those 3 points because of OT losses.  That was it.  3 points.  Not exactly a Cinderella story there, I would think.  Many in hockey circles, and the die-hard fans in Buffalo, were aware of just how many weapons the Sabres have: speed, skill, size, toughness, and a team mentality which states we win and die as a team.  So in reality, this should really not come as a shock.

 Similar story down south in Carolina.  After finishing the season 2nd in the conference, and 1 point behind Ottawa for the division lead, Carolina was favored to win their first round series vs. the Montreal Canadiens.  After losing the first 2 games, the first by a 5 goal differential, many "experts" were pinning Carolina as an overachieving team in the regular season without the depth or necessary experience for a long playoff run.  HUH?  Picking up Doug Weight and Mark Recchi has proved invaluable in the leadership department, Rod Brind'amour is the heart and soul of the team, and Eric Staal is emerging as a force to be reckoned with for years to come.  Carolina did come back to take that series with a "4 game sweep" of the Canadiens, only to learn they would be playing the New Jersey Devils in round 2.  And once again, as is the norm during playoff time, the big name (not to mention 3 Stanley Cups in the past 11 years) began leading the way as the eventual winners of the series.  True, the Devils had won 11 regular season games in a row and dispatched the NY Rangers in a sweep.  Yes, 15 games is momentum.  But the Devils sweeping the Rangers didn't really come as a shock to many with Jaromir Jagr hurt in that first game on a freak play coupled with a defensive corps that struggled with injuries and inexperience.  So what real test were they given in the first round?  The answer is slim to none.  So Carolina putting the Devils on the ropes after 3 games really came as no shock. 

Also with regard to Carolina is the fact that just 4 years ago, Carolina made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Red Winged Machine overpowered them in 5 games.  But that was when Carolina finished 7th in the conference that year.  That is a classic case of Cinderella.

 Speaking of the true definition of Cinderella, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim followed suit during the 2002-2003 season.  After starting the first part of the season wallowing in mediocrity, the team put together quite a few winning streaks, and rode a hot goaltender in JS Giguere all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in Game 7 to the, ahem, Devils.  This version of the Ducks have been compared to that team time and time again during these playoffs, what with beating the reigning Western Conference Champion Calgary Flames in 7 games (a series they were not favored in) to melting down the Colorado Avalanche in 4 games.  Ilja Bryzgalov replaced Giguere in net, only to have 3 back to back to back shutouts and set a new rookie record for time between allowing goals (not unlike Giguere during the '03 playoffs).  Although favored to beat the Avs, nobody could have predicted a 4 game sweep.

However, the similarity between those two teams end there.  While both versions of this team have defensive prowess, the newer, younger version of the Ducks play with grit, heart, speed and skill.  Any one of the 4 lines can score at any given time on any given night.  While Giguere had to stand on his head during the '03 run (which rightfully awarded him the Conn Smythe Trophy), Bryzgalov has enjoyed a collapsing defensive around his net, teammates willing to block shots, and the benefit of a team that scores goals.  What many in the media don't realize is that while starting off poorly this year, and GM Brian Burke dumping salary, is that since January, the team went 25-11-5.  That would be second best in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings.  And where are THEY now?  Oh, right, on a golf course someplace.  Those in the hockey world are not terribly shocked at the Ducks run, so why is the media?

San Jose's story is similar to that of the Ducks, with one major acception:  Joe Thornton.  Like Anaheim, this team was mired in mediocrity at the beginning of the season, losing 8 straight in November (not dissimilar to the Ducks), until the Trade of the Year (I still question what was going on inside the heads of Boston management on that one).  Since that time, the Sharks have been on a tear, but that may have caught up to them in their series against the Edmonton Oilers.  San Jose's propensity for sitting on a lead has cost them dearly in this series, not to mention the high level of physical play exhibited by both teams in this series, and the failure of the 3rd and 4th lines to score consistantly.  Though favored to win against a depleted and less physical Nashville Predators, it appears as though the Sharks have met their match with the gritty Oilers. Should they survive this series, they still might be favored over the non-recognized Ducks, but may still be considered that Cinderella story by national media because of they way they (might) overtake Edmonton.

 Which finally brings me to the Oilers.  Yes, the 8th seed in the Western Conference.  Yes, a team that was fighting for the last 2 months of the season just to make the playoffs.  (Editors note:  Other than Detroit and Dallas, and the lowly sisters of the Central Division, who wasn't fighting for a playoff spot the last 2 months of the season?).  Yes, a team with a 3 headed goalie situation until the acquisition of Dwayne Roloson.  HOWEVER, this team during the entire year showed what it was made of:  heart, determination, and grit (is anyone else seeing a trend among the remaining playoff teams?).  Kevin Lowe moved and shuffled puzzle pieces all year long to get to where the Oilers are at now, and that is, as of today, one win away from making the Western Conference Finals, something they haven't done in what, 14, 15 years?  So they beat the heavily favored Red Wings in 6 games.  To me, and many a hockey observer, it seemed obvious the Oilers would win that series, and not because of Manny Legace that so many tend to point to.  Uh-uh.  The reason I picked the Oilers is because of Detroits inflated record after beating up on the Central Division, the toughness that is the Northwest Division, and tenacity.  So while the 8th seed gives the illusion of a Cinderella story, in reality, its just a matter of those overtime and shootout games (re:  Dallas' inflated record- 12 shootout wins=12 extra points, giving them a huge lead in the Pacific Division.  Without that, they would have been fighting for a playoff spot too).

So the bottom line is this.  Of the 5 teams remaining in the NHL playoff picture, not one of them should be viewed as a Cinderella story. Should one want a Cinderella story, go check out the Detroit Pistons vs. the Cavs in the NBA.  Or better yet, just go watch the Disney movie.  Just try not to think of the Ducks in the process.