Intriguing matchups if NHL playoffs began today
The long NHL season is often referred to as a marathon and not a sprint.
Well, guess what? It's an 11-week sprint to the finish line now.
The scramble for playoff positioning in both conferences is only going to get more crazy from now until the end of the regular season on April 12.
The Blackhawks are coming out of the all-star break with a goal to hold on to fourth place in the West, which would give them home ice in the first round. It's certainly not going to be easy, especially considering their next eight games and 12 of 14 will be on the road.
If the playoffs started today, the Hawks would take on the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round. How many of these first-round NHL matchups will hold up? Probably not many, but it's still fun to consider them nevertheless.
Western Conference
No. 1 San Jose vs. No. 8 Anaheim: This is not a first-round series either team would want, particularly the Sharks, who will be trying to forget or bury their past playoff failures.
The Ducks figure to be one of the teams that comes hard after the Hawks in the pursuit of the fourth seed.
No. 2 Detroit vs. No. 7 Vancouver: The Red Wings would like to avoid this matchup in the first round for two reasons - a killer travel schedule and having to face Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo.
The Canucks simply would like to avoid the Red Wings right off the bat, and who wouldn't?
No. 3 Calgary vs. No. 6 Edmonton: Can the Flames hold on and win the Northwest Division? They are looking strong right now.
This would be a first-round series, another battle of Alberta, that the whole hockey world would love to see happen.
No. 4 Blackhawks vs. No. 5 Phoenix: Two of the best young teams in the league found themselves in great spots at the break. Whether they can stay where they are today is debatable on both ends.
The Hawks would love this matchup since they swept the season series 4-0 from the Coyotes, and they would have an edge in so many areas starting with goaltending.
The big question for the financially strapped Coyotes is, will they keep veterans such as Olli Jokinen, Ed Jovanovski and Derek Morris past the trade deadline?
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Boston vs. No. 8 Carolina: The Bruins most certainly are for real, sitting at 33-8-5 coming out of the break. They have great goaltending, the best offense in the East and hulking Zdeno Chara on defense. Nobody would want to play them now in a seven-game series.
No. 2 Washington vs. No. 7 Buffalo: How much would the NHL love to see Alex Ovechkin and his one-of-a-kind personality in the Stanley Cup Finals? Gary Bettman would love it, and it could happen.
Can the Capitals win the Stanley Cup with their goaltending, specifically Jose Theodore? It's a situation worth watching. Think the Caps would love to have Nikolai Khabibulin in goal for the playoffs?
No. 3 New Jersey vs. No. 6 Philadelphia: The Devils under coach Brent Sutter have stayed right in the thick of the chase for first place in the Atlantic Division despite the absence of goalie Martin Brodeur, who should be back from his shoulder injury later in February.
The Flyers have been up and down, but getting a healthy Daniel Briere back should help their chances of winning the Atlantic.
No. 4. Montreal vs. No. 5 New York Rangers: How would this be as a marquee first-round matchup?
The Canadiens probably won't catch Boston in the Northeast Division, so fourth place might be the best they can do. Montreal hopes to add a goal scorer before the deadline and may be targeting Minnesota's Marian Gaborik.