411's NHL Playoff Roundtable - 1st Round

Posted by Ken Schmidt on 04.10.2008

411's biggest hockey fans gather to make their predictions for the first round of 2008's NHL playoffs.

It is playoff time and that means playoff roundtables are back, well due to hockey dying out in popularity, it is more of an NHL squaretable. Here to join the Sports Kid to talk a little NHL are several of 411's elite. Let's meet the staff that will break down the NHL playoffs.



The Players

My older brother may not be an official 411 writer but I am trying to break him in, he might as well since I can always tell when it is him anonymously making a clever comment on the comments board. He popped his 411 cherry in Fact of Fiction, it's the older, even more cynical version of myself; Dan Schmidt

The man who loves hockey, loves Canada, and loves the Habs. You know him from the movies zone where he writes The Casting Call but he also did some work covering hockey this year; Jason Chamberlain

He's new but he writes From the Bowery which I guess means he's a Raven fan which cancels out how much I hate him for being a Pittsburgh fan, quote Robert Leighty Jr. nevermore.

You know him, you read his columns way to often and who knows maybe you are one of the three people out there listening to the Coast 2 Coast Sports Report, its your host, the Sports Kid himself, Ken Schmidt

Eastern Conference:

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Dan Schmidt Montreal in five- Boston making the playoffs is nothing short of unbelievable. Not only were they not that great to begin with, but the injuries this team suffered throughout the season were devastating. Congrats on over-achieving, but Boston's run ends here. The Habs are WAY too stacked for the Bruins at 100%, let alone the state they enter the playoffs in. The Habs won all 8 match-ups vs. Boston in the regular season. Boston will win one at home, but Montreal will roll.

Jason Chamberlain Montreal in five- One thing you will learn about me as I unveil my picks is that generally speaking, I pick with my heart, not my head! I'm a sports reporter by trade so I exhaust all my ‘serious, prognosticating' muscles in that role. When I watch the NHL, I pick my favourites and Montreal IS my team so there's no way I'm picking against them. But it's not all heart. Aside from being the teams I want to see win, all my picks are also the teams I THINK will win. And in this match up, I don't think my Habs will have too much trouble booting the Bruins to the sidelines. For one, momentum is on our side with eleven straight wins against the Bruins. Now the flip side of that coin is that they're due to beat us, but I think the momentum will simply be too much of a factor here. A season series sweep is no accident and indicates that the Habs have Boston all figured out. Both teams have some injury troubles and it will be a physical series no doubt, but the Habs firepower will bowl Tim Thomas over while Carey Price puts up a wall!

Robert S. Leighty Jr Montreal in four- The Bruins will possibly steal one at home, but I can't see them getting anymore against Montreal. The Canadians appear to be Canada's best chance at regaining the cup, and I don't see many problems for them in the 1st round. Besides, with the Patriots blowing the Super Bowl, I think the "Boston Wins Everything" days are done.

Ken Schmidt Montreal in four- That is right I am calling for a sweep. The Bruins are better odds in Vegas to win the Stanley Cup than the Flyers? The Bruins who allowed 10 more goals this season than they scored? The Bruins team that doesn't have a single 30-goal scorer and have Tim Thomas in goal? What a joke, they won't win a game.

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Dan Schmidt Pittsburgh in six- Be careful what you wish for. This was the match-up Pittsburgh wanted for the postseason. The Senators have been free-falling, one of their best offensive threats is out, and nearly EVERYONE is picking against them… sounds like the recipe for an upset (You could easily replace ‘Senators' with ‘2007 NY Giants' in the previous sentence). If one team brings out the best in the Ottawa Senators, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ottawa won the season series with a 3-0-1 record. These two teams met in the playoffs last season with pretty much the same rosters. Ottawa swept. This year is different, but the Senators will NOT go quietly.

Jason Chamberlain Pittsburgh in five- Okay, the Senators? Yes they're a Canadian team, but they are so dysfunctional right now, it's sad. Who even knows what's going on with this team? One thing I can tell you is that unlike last year, it doesn't look like the Sens have the horses to get to the finals. It starts in net, and neither Gerber nor Emery have proven themselves to be the man. And ‘the man' is just what you need in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, the Penguins are far from rock solid in net themselves, but you've got Crosby, Malkin, et al itching to avenge last season's first round exit and go deeper. Since I'm expecting a Habs/Pens conference final, I clearly pick the Pens here.

Robert S. Leighty Jr Pittsburgh in four- My Pens want revenge for last season, and I say we get it in grand fashion. Part of me is happy to be playing the Sens in the 1st round instead of the Flyers, because the Sens seem to be in a tailspin. Of course, one hot goalie in the playoffs can carry anybody, but I can't see anyone from Ottawa getting hot against Crosby, Malkin, and Hossa. My Pens get by this series and it can open the flood gates for a great run this season and in seasons to come.

Ken Schmidt Pittsburgh in four- I hate the Pens more than any other team in hockey right now and I love to see Sidney get beat around. The Senators are just like the Bruins, a team that is weak and doesn't deserve to get in the playoffs the way they are playing. The Florida Panthers have a better shot in this series than the Senators.


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Dan Schmidt Philadelphia in six- The sentimental favorite vs. the Evil Empire. Or at least, that's what the media would have you believe. While the NHL is creaming themselves over the thoughts of an "Ovechkin vs. Crosby" 2nd round match-up, the Flyers will make that a moot point. Washington went on a ferocious run to make the postseason. Although during that run, many of the victories were against NHL bottom-dwellers like Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Florida. The Flyers are one of the deepest teams in the league, featuring seven 20-goal scorers. The big question mark for the Flyers lies between the pipes. Which Marty Biron is showing up in the playoffs, the guy who allows the back-breaking soft goal, or the guy who posted 2 straight shut-outs to end the regular season? If Biron is solid, Ovechkin will need out-do Keith Primeau's 2004 playoff performance to win this series. The Capitals just don't have the depth for a grueling, intense playoff series, which is exactly what this is going to be.

Jason Chamberlain Washington in five- I was excited to see the underdog Capitals make their charge into the playoffs. With former Hab Cristobal Huet stopping all the pucks and Alexander the Great showing why he is one of the best if not the best in the game, it was great to watch and I was happy to see them win the division. I'm also happy they drew the Flyers because it's a team I don't like at the best of times. The way I see it, the Capitals are just too hot to lose in the first round, and I don't see the Flyers being able to slow number eight down.

Robert S. Leighty Jr Philadelphia in seven- Much like Crosby could not get out of the 1st round last season in his 1st go round, I don't see Ovechkin getting past the Flyers. The Flyers played in the loaded Atlantic, and fought through NJ, the Rangers, and Pens to get into the playoffs. The Caps, while extremely hot, had the luxury of playing the likes of Florida, and Tampa bay down the stretch. Assuming, Philly doesn't do what the Philly sports teams do best, and choke, I like the Flyers to be around for round 2.

Ken Schmidt Philadelphia in seven- This series can go either way because it all comes down to special teams and the Flyers staying out of the box. Braydon Coburn will be able to keep Ovechkin quiet in 5 on 5 play but if the Flyers make a trail to the sin bin and let the Caps get to many 5 on 4s than Ovechkin will kill the Flyers in this series. I don't see the Flyers playing that irresponsible in the playoffs but the Flyers usually prove me wrong.

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Dan Schmidt New York in six- If you aren't a fan of either team, uihdsfhudhsfkdjhkjhdsfdsff, Whoops, sorry, I hit my head on the keyboard cause I fell asleep thinking about how boring this playoff series is going to be. Unless you're a REALLY big fan of tight, defensive hockey. I'm expecting a lot of 2-1 games with low shot totals and great goaltending. The Rangers are built for playoff hockey and, as usual, the Devils rode Brodeur too hard and faded down the stretch. The Rangers went 7-1 vs. NJ during the regular season. I see that trend continuing.

Jason Chamberlain New York in six- This is a pretty tough series to call because as is usually the case, these two clubs are really even. I'd generally give the edge to the Devils on account of the Brodeur factor, but there's a new goaltending power rising and his name is Lundqvist. Just as importantly, the Rangers have shown that they have more firepower than the Devils and watch for former Devil Scott Gomez to be a big factor in over throwing his former team. You can be sure when you're picking against Marty, but I just have a feeling these Devils won't go the distance.

Robert S. Leighty Jr New York Rangers in six- The Devils are another team that seem to be sliding. I thought they were save for the Division title, but the offense disappeared down the stretch, and I don't think they can recover. Brodeur is always solid in net, but I just like the Rangers more at this point. This will be a great, physical series, as they 2 teams have a lot of history. I look for the ghost of Messier to haunt the Devils, and the Rangers will advance.

Ken Schmidt New Jersey in seven- People seem to be forgetting it is a bad idea to bet against Marty Brodeur in the playoffs. This will be a very low scoring affair with a lot of 2-1, 3-2 victories and most likely a hand full of overtime games. I see goaltending winning this one and I don't see Marty giving way to the new guard in King Hendrik. I am taking the New Jersey Brodeur's in this one.

Western Conference:

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Dan Schmidt Detroit in five- Nashville is definitely the "Just Happy To Be Here" team of the Western Conference. Their season has to be considered a success when you think about how badly the Flyers raided this team last year. Nashville does have some playoff vets like captain Jason Arnott and former Sabre J.P Dumont, but Detroit is loaded for a run and Nashville will need a miracle here.

Jason Chamberlain Detroit in six- Poor Nashville. On the one hand, yes they did make the playoffs and more power to them. But last year they looked like a bonafide Cup contender and they were bounced in the first round. This year nobody is picking them to go the distance, because they aren't the same team that they were. And to be honest, the best team in the league will be too much for them here. Not sure about the goaltending for the Wings, but there is far too much firepower, experience and leadership on this club to fall this early. Look for the Preds to make a game of it though.

Robert S. Leighty Jr Detroit in five -The Red Wings were the dominant team for the majority of the season, but then had to fend off a hard charging San Jose team for the Presidents Trophy. The Red Wings have had past playoff failures against teams they are vastly superior too, but I don't see the upset here. I think the Preds can steal a game, and possibly even two, but the Wings will survive and advance.

Ken Schmidt Detroit in seven- I really wanted to pull the trigger on the upset in this one but I can't quite give the Preds the nod yet. I will not be 100% surprised if the Predators take this one because I feel the Red Wings really are overrated and undeserving of the President's Cup.

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Dan Schmidt San Jose in six- Calgary probably wasn't San Jose's first choice. The Flames have playoff experience, one of the fiercest goal scorers in the game, and a former Vezina-winning goalie. Calgary is a hard-hitting, gritty team who will make the Sharks work for every shot. San Jose may have preferred Nashville or Vancouver, but Calary will provide a true playoff test for a San Jose team trying to prove it's for real. And prove it they will.

Jason Chamberlain San Jose in six- Alright, here's one case where I will, in fact, pick against my heart. As a good Canadian boy I'd like to back all of our teams, but I just don't see the Flames pulling it out here. The Sharks bring a team fully loaded with scoring, defence and one of the best goalies in the league. The Flames answer back with some quality players of their own, and the Kipper will try to beat out his former team which will make for an interesting storyline. But in the end, it won't be enough.

Robert S. Leighty Jr San Jose in four -The hottest team in hockey, and I don't expect them to have too many problems with the Flames. The crowd in Calgary may be able to get the Flames a game in the series, but I'll still go with the sweep. I fully expect the Sharks to finally break through and make it to the Finals, and it will start with this series against Calgary. They have knocking on the door long enough, and this year they kick it down.

Ken Schmidt San Jose in four- Robert is not the only one calling a sweep in this one. The Sharks are on a level of their own and the Flames will not be able to keep up. This will be very one-sided.

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Dan Schmid Minnesota in seven- This is the hardest series in the West to pick. If Colorado's veteran stars (Forsberg, Sakic, Smyth, Foote, etc) could stay healthy all series, I'd pick Colorado. But they haven't been able to stay healthy all season and I doubt all 4 will be 100% for every postseason game. Minnesota has gotten unbelievable goaltending from Niklas Backstrom and is getting high-powered play from their special teams. This will be a war, but Minnesota eventually put down the Avs.

Jason Chamberlain Colorado in six- If I'm pulling for any team in the West, it's the Avs. The reason being, Jose Theodore. I was a huge fan of Theo when he was with my Habs and I'm glad to see that he has finally gotten his groove back, just in time to make a difference for Colorado in the playoffs. If he is truly the Theo of old, he is capable of winning this series all by himself, but I suspect he won't have to. Look for Sakic and Forsberg to pick up where they left off and be a dominant force in these playoffs.

Robert S. Leighty Jr Minnesota in six - The Wild have made a run before, and I expect them to at least get by Colorado here. I'm just not sold on the Avalanche and their former stars return home strategy. I look for the Wild to shut them down offensively, and win this series with great defense, and timely scoring. Colorado wins 2 games at home, but won't be able to get a win in Minnesota.

Ken Schmidt Colorado in six- I thought the Wild were built for a long playoff run but that is before they got paired up with a red hot Colorado Avalanche equipped with a Peter Forsberg who is playing like a healthy Peter, which is something we haven't seen in awhile.

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Dan Schmidt Anaheim in five- People love to hate Anaheim because they're the Philadelphia Flyers-West, but the fact remains they are built for the postseason and have a Stanley Cup title to defend. Dallas peaked at the wrong time after the Brad Richards trade and struggled down the stretch, going 4-8-2 since March 1st. The Ducks, on the other hand, are 20-8-2 since February 1st. Plus, Marty Turco has always struggled in the postseason, while J.S. Giguere made his name in the playoffs.

Jason Chamberlain Dallas in seven- This is one of those series that could go either way and in either case, a Cup contender will get the boot. I pick Dallas to move on because, frankly, I don't like Anaheim and I want them gone early! But I also see Dallas as being just as lethal a team in these playoffs. The problem here is we have one team with exceptional playoff experience in the defending champion Ducks, against a squad that minus a few players, hasn't gone deep at all. Marty Turco continues to battle his rep as a goalie that collapses in the playoffs and if he wants to get rid of it, eliminating the Ducks would be a great place to start.

Robert S. Leighty Jr Anaheim in seven- This series is a coin flip to me, but instead of flipping a coin, I will just play favorites and go with the team I like more. I grew up watching the Disney movies, and instantly became a Duck fan even if they don't really have Adam Banks, or Coach Bombay on their NHL roster. This could be the best series of the 1st round, and I want some OT games here that last until 2 AM. Should be a lot of fun, and I expect the Ducks to be successful in defending the Cup for at least the 1st round.

Ken Schmidt Anaheim in five- Back to my limping into the playoffs theory, the Stars played poor hockey down the stretch to go from a lock for the 2-seed all the way down to having to travel against the defending Stanley Cup champs. Things aren't looking good for Dallas because Anaheim is playoff proven.