Editor's Note: Scott Rickenbach leads our NHL handicappers at plus-1650 for the season. Get in on his Stanley Cup Playoff winners by clicking here!
Early April is a time for bold predictions as MLB gets underway and spring brings hope eternal. In the NHL it can be seen much the same way as there will soon be 16 teams battling it out and all believing that they are the ones destined to hoist the Cup. That said, it's time to jump right into the predictions!
Look for the San Jose Sharks to win it all this season and look for their goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov, to win the Conn Smythe trophy as he leads the way for them! What the Sharks did on the road this season was simply amazing (27-8-4 with two games remaining).
The Sharks’ ability to win on the road is critical to a team being able to advance deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not only is Nabokov a fantastic goalie but the San Jose system limits the number of shots on goal. Of all the teams in the league, only Detroit allowed less shots on goal than San Jose did this past season.
San Jose is also one of the top penalty killing teams in the league and its power play efficiency is also solid. The Sharks are also a disciplined team as their penalty minutes ranks them as one of the lesser penalized teams in the league. Jonathan Cheechoo has come on strong late in the season as he was recovering from off season double hernia surgery earlier in the year. The pick-up of defenseman Brian Campbell from Buffalo has also proven to be a big addition. The Sharks are 16-0-1 with him in the lineup.
Overall, the Sharks are on a 19 game points streak (18-0-1) heading into their final two games of the season. This amazing run is indicative of how strong this team can be! They also have a good mix of young talent and solid veteran leadership and with one of the best goalies in the game, this team has it all.
Look for Montreal to come out of the Eastern Conference and challenge the Sharks in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals before falling short. Yes, Carey Price is a 20-year old goalie but we've seen other young goalies come in and lead their teams on surprising postseason runs. Again, they will fall short of winning it all but the Habs can definitely get to the Finals this season.
Price posted a 7-3-0 record with one shutout, a 2.67 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage during the month of March. He could have folded under the pressure but, instead, Price has taken the full-time starter's job in stride after the Montreal let Cristobal Huet go to the Capitals.
The Canadiens are the highest scoring team in the league and their power play efficiency ranks them at the top of the league as well. Defensively and on the penalty kill they may only rank in the middle of the pack but between Price and a stellar offense this team can make a run all the way to the Finals.
Just as with San Jose, the stellar road play of the Habs will also play a role in their advancement through the playoffs. Montreal's 25-12-4 record on the road this season was tops in the Eastern Conference and, in terms of the entire league, the Canadiens road record was second only to the Sharks. They will meet San Jose in the finals and the Sharks will win it with Nabokov taking home the Conn Smythe. Much can change that can impact this over the next few months but as of very early April, this is one viewpoint of how things could quite possibly play out in the Quest for the Cup!
