The West

1. Detroit vs 8. Nashville.  On paper, this is a mismatch.  Detroit features the game's deepest defense corps, and their execution of their system is perfect all of the time.  They have good but not overwhelming goalie play.  The Predators are a team that has fought and fought and fought to get into the playoffs, so the fatigue factor here is a huge issue.  Plus, Nashville is playing a team that is loaded on talent.  Is it possible for Nashville to forge an upset here?  Anything's possible.  But it's just not all that likely.  The Wings have insurmountable advantages all over the place, and no matter how tough and gritty the Preds are, they don't have the weapons. 

2. San Jose vs. 7. Calgary.  San Jose literally rolled into the playoffs.  They have a diverse offense and menacing defense, plus their defensemen can score.  The Flames are a mirror image of their coach - tough and menacing.  These two teams will play ultra-physical hockey from the drop of the puck in game one until someone finally beats the other.  The goalie matchup here is highly entertaining - both goalies have Vezina like stats and have been known to shut down other teams.   While the Sharks feature Thorton on offense, the Flames have Deon Phaneuf - a monster defenseman.  Can he will the Flames to a win on his own?  No - the Sharks are too balanced and too good, plus the Flames don't have a second line that can put some fear into the Sharks.  San Jose erases some recent playoff failures with this series win.

3.  Minnesota vs 6. Colorado.  You get Jacques Lamaire's picture perfect system, a stellar goalie and timely scoring versus Colorado's offensive firepower.  Does anyone remember that Jose Theodore won the Vezina once?  Backstrom for Minnesota is equally good, and there won't be a lot of scoring in this contest.  Division foes usually start out in a bad mood when they have to play each other, and then things go down hill from here.  This will be a long, drawn-out battle likely going all 7 games.  Because Minny has home ice, they'll take it.

4. Anaheim vs 5. Dallas.  Many people figured the Ducks would return to the Stanely Cup finals considering they returned most of their big guns.  It took Neidermayer a while to get things rolling, but now that he's back along with Chris Pronger, Anaheim's defense is as tough, mean and menacing as it gets.  The Ducks are not good on offense, but when you have that great of a defense and Giggy in goal, who need offense?  For the Stars, the playoffs are starting at a bad time, with key injuries really hurting them, and a late-season swoon isn't helping matters either.  Dallas has the talent to be go deep in the playoffs, but this draw hurts them, especially when they're already hurting.  For that reason, I think that Anaheim goes onto the next round.

The East

1.  Montreal vs 8. Boston.  YIKES!  Montreal only went 8-0 against the Bruins in the regular season, and if anything this renewal of a very old rivalry ought to make this an interesting series right from the start.  While the regular season means nothing in the playoffs, the way that Boston lost - in every fashion conceivable - suggests that the Bruins got a very bad draw here.  They don't match up well against Montreal.  The Habs are balanced offensively, gifted on the special teams and play solid defense.  Yes, their goalie play is a question, but if there's any team that can ride a rookie goalie all the way to the cup it's Montreal.  No, Price isn't Roy, but there's history there.  Finally, Boston just doesn't have enough scoring depth to be a real challenge to Montreal.  They might win one, maybe two, but they don't have enough to win four against the Habs.

2. Pittsburgh vs 7. Ottawa.  Not only did the Pens lose all four to the Sens this year, they gave away a couple of games when they seemed to have the Sens back on their heels.  Plus, the Sens whipped the Pens last year in the playoffs.  Oh, what a difference a year makes.  The Pens aren't exactly playoff-tested, but their key group of players went through it last year, so they'll be more ready.  Plus, the Pens roll 2 stellar scoring lines, and their 3rd and 4th generate offense as well, and the Senators defense has been flagging at best lately.  This is a very bad draw for the Senators - the Penguins want to show the world they're ready for the big time, and if they go through Ottawa on their way to doing that, so much the better.  This will be a really entertaining series, although Pittsburgh should win it based upon their better talent.

3. Washington vs 6. Philadelphia.  Another YIKES!  But this one comes by Washington's late-season surge - at one point this year they were the worst team in the NHL.  Ovechkin will be chomping at the bit to get this series rolling, and I think that the physical brand of hockey Philly prefers only works to irritate Ovechkin all the more.  The man's big, strong and willing to do anything that it takes to win - and he's going to have to.  These two teams are plain old nasty, and this series will reflect that.  But Washington has more guns, and better momentum.  They'll win.  It'll take all seven, but they'll win.

4.  NY Rangers vs 5. New Jersey.  The Devils by all accounts had little reason to hope they'd make the playoffs, and yet they did.  But they fared very poorly against a very strong Rangers squad this year, and right now there's little reason to doubt the Rangers.  They are skilled, have great goalie play, are nearly unbeatable at home, and roll lines at you all night long.  The Devils are defensive-minded and have Brodeur, which ought to scare anyone.  If there's any one goalie in this entire playoffs that can steal a series all on his own, it's Brodeur.