Western Conference champion: Detroit Red Wings

 

 

Western Conference champion: Vancouver

• This could easily be Chicago, Detroit or San Jose, but the way the Sedins have been playing, Vancouver becomes the pick. Henrik Sedin is the first Canuck to win a scoring title, and Daniel Sedin had a career year, despite missing 18 games with a foot injury and one other with a back ailment. Six Vancouver players had at least 20 goals. The big question is whether Roberto Luongo turns into his usual stellar self, rather than the goaltender that appeared to wilt late in the season and in previous postseason action. This is the year Vancouver finally proves itself as a playoff team.

 

 

Eastern Conference champion: Washington

• Too much offense – Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble combined for 406 regular-season points – can offset a shaky defense and suspect goaltending, although Jose Theodore has had a good second half. Good size. Might be the freshest team heading into the postseason after easily securing the league's best record. Just one regulation loss in the team's final 14 games.

 

 

Stanley Cup champion: Washington

 

• Expect a lot of scores in the 5-4 range, but depth will allow the Capitals to outlast the Canucks in seven games.

 

 

Eastern Conference champion: Washington Capitals.

• I was having a tough time, to be honest, picking between the Capitals and the Devils in the East, but the playoffs are all about the team that can get the hottest – and the Capitals can certainly get hot. There is a large question about whether or not their offense can flourish in the tighter-checking playoffs, but with additions like Eric Belanger and Jason Chimera, I think that the Caps could be set up for success.

 

Stanley Cup champion: Detroit Red Wings.
• A Detroit/Washington final could be even more entertaining than last season’s Finals but, through it all, this Detroit team is set up to win it. Injuries torpedoed their regular season, but now that everyone is healthy the Wings are clicking big time. The part about this Detroit team that will give the Capitals fits is its ability to match talent versus talent against the Caps' offense, and still not give up anything defensively. Red Wings in 7.

  

Conn Smythe winner: Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings.

• The one constant throughout the entire season for the Red Wings, in the midst of all of their injuries, has been Jimmy Howard. Their rookie netminder has backstopped the team marvelously all season long and was the main reason why the Wings were still in contention even after all of their injuries cycled through. Howard’s been huge in big situations for the Wings and will continue to do so in the playoffs.

  

Eastern Conference champion: Washington Capitals.

• It has been suggested that the Pittsburgh Penguins are the 21st-century version of the dynastic Edmonton Oilers. Perhaps the Washington Capitals are closer to the linage of the Gretzky-era Oilers. Washington finished the 2009-10 season with a franchise-high 121 points and the first Presidents’ Trophy in organizational history. In fact, the 121 points are third-highest since the Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded at the conclusion of the 1985-86 season. The 1995-96 Red Wings (131) and 2005-06 Red Wings (124) are the only Presidents’ Trophy winning teams to finish a season with more points than the 2009-10 Capitals. Those Red Wings teams, however, did not win the Cup.

 

Western Conference champions: Detroit Red Wings.

• The Red Wings finished the regular season impressively by winning eight of 10. Detroit finished 2009-10 with a record of 44-24-14 for 102 points and fifth position in the West. For most of the year, the Wings were carried by rookie netminder Jimmy Howard. Howard replaced Chris Osgood as the No. 1 goaltender and compiled a record of 37-15 with a 2.26 GAA and .924 save percentage.

  

Stanley Cup champion: Washington Capitals.

  

Conn Smythe winner: Alex Ovechkin.

• The best player in the world ended the year tied for second in the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophy races. That followed a shorter-than-anticipated stay in the Men’s Olympic Hockey Tournament for his native Russia. The belief here is that Ovechkin will use those disappointments as fuel during the Caps’ playoff run.

 

Western Conference champion: Chicago Blackhawks.

• Antti Niemi comes out of nowhere to become this year’s Olaf Kolzig/Jean-Sebastien Giguere/Cam Ward, and Marian Hossa finds himself in a familiar setting.

 

Eastern Conference champion: Washington Capitals.

• What more do the Caps have to prove? A year ago, they were eliminated in seven games by the eventual champions. This year, they dominated the NHL in the regular season. Now they take the next step.

 

Stanley Cup champion: Washington.

 

Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Ovechkin.

• He’ll have a passenger for his next Zamboni ride through Manhattan.

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