2012 NHL Playoff Predictor

Prediction - Who will win: _______Rangers__________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

They should win because they are the more talented team. Their top end players should out match Ottawa's top guys.

Brad Richards could be the X factor if he can catch fire, also Dubinsky might be turning it around at the right time.

Been consistent all season long and finished tied in first in NHL in team points.

Phenomenal goalie, who has been rested all season.

Fairly healthy

Top four D are much better

11th in GF

5th in PK

3rd in GA

Why they might lose:

Haven’t  match up well all season against the Sens. They have used Biron in their losses, Lundquist doesn’t have much playoff experience and if he can't shake off playoff ghosts.

Sens are a faster skating team. If NYR lose home ice advantage, Sens could win the series.

History of folding in the playoffs.

Haven't been playing well lately (6-4-0) and lost last two

23rd in PP

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Sens have handled the Rangers all year. It was a blessing for them to finish eighth and not have to play the big bad Bruins. Eric Karlsson is the key and Alfredsson’s leadership.

Spezza is over-due and could finally break out in the playoffs.

Alfy has inspiration in what could be last season

Match up well against the Rangers

May have toughness on their side with a few of their players but they'll need to win the battles in the trenches.

Healthy.

11th in PP

4th in GF

Why they might lose:

Sens predicted to be last place before season began.

If Craig Anderson doesn’t play well.

Have been playing poorly and falling down the standings (4-6-0) and lost last three

Very young team: youth and inexperience could cost them the series.

Neal's health has a huge impact on the series.

24th in GA

19th in PK

Prediction - Who will win: ____Boston_______________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

The Bruins are too tough and have too much depth for Washington.

Once the playoffs start the Bruins will turn it up a notch and start firing on all cylinders.

They are mean and have 3 great lines, not to mention the towering Zdeno.

They'll try to bully the Caps with their physical play.

Experienced after last season's Cup.

Playing well lately (7-2-0)

Players have bought in to system

11th in PK

6th in GA

2nd in GF

Why they might lose:

May be tired after a long year and haven't been playing great hockey lately

May find it tough to contain the Caps' stars if they get on fire

Hurting a bit with Horton, Savard, Rask, and Boychuk out

Tim Thomas falters, Rask is hurt and Khdobuin is unproven. Fans may go after Thomas hard in Washington after he snubbed the Whitehouse and could cause a distraction.

15th in PP

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Have been playing 'playoff hockey' for the past month just to get in (6-2-2)

Have star power that may be ready to explode. Backstrom is back in the lineup and can put a game on his shoulders.

Fans might try to get on Tim Thomas after the White House scandal where he balked on an invite

Ovechkin would have to find his old form.

Holtby would have to pull a Ken Dryden.

Stranger things have happened but not this year.

Why they might lose:

They've underachieved all season and barely scraped into the playoffs

Goaltending injuries and Holtby might get lit up.

Allow 30+ shots per game.

Lack of depth scoring.

Mike Green has been dormant since coming back from injury (needs to break out)

Huge dissension in the dressing room (rumours that Ovechkin won't listen to Hunter)

Players won't dump in the zone… always try to carry it in

This team is dysfunctional, high energy, high powered explosive squad which tries to play a defensive game.

This system is ruining Mike Green, Ovechkin , Semin. Time to go back to run & gun which won't happen under Hunter.

14th in GF

21st in GA

21st in PK

18th in PP

Prediction - Who will win: _____Florida______________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

Underdog/surprise team and have nothing to lose (weren't expected to even make the playoffs) after Tallon dismantled the roster.

Leadership on back end with Jovanovski, Campbell and fairly decent defensive core.

If Fleishmann, Weiss and Versteeg could find their first half magic along

with Campbell and Garrison need to step it up.

Have kept a fairly consistent pace all year.

Theodore could be the X factor and win the series.

Coming in on a high by returning to the playoffs.

 Youthful enthusiasm.

7th in PP            

12th in GA

Why they might lose:

This team isn’t scoring enough as of late. If it weren’t for Samuelsson, Goc and Bergenheim there wouldn’t be any scoring. Devils have too much depth compared to the Panthers.

Many didn't predict they'd make the playoffs to start the season

Haven't been playing well and almost let the third seed slip away (2-3-5). When other teams were ramping it up and playing playoff hockey, they weren't able to hold their pace.

Golatending: Theodore lost his last 5.

24th in PK

27th in GF

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Brodeur needs to get rejuvenated in the playoffs.

Kovalchuk, Elias and Parise have been playing great lately.

The Zidlicky deal could prove to be massive to add offensive depth on their back end, something they haven't had for quite some time.

This team has scoring and a lot of depth.

On fire lately (7-2-1) and have won six straight

Have much better top players

1st in PK

8th in GA

Why they might lose:

Brodeur has been bad lately in playoffs and if he falters would they go with Hedberg who has had solid stints in the NHL playoffs.

Their bottom six needs to provide some scoring and that hasn't happened all year.

14th in PP

15th in GF

Prediction - Who will win: ______Philadelphia_____________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

Finally healthy and have huge star power: Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Dupuis and Cooke are on fire. If they can stay healthy they should win.

Will try to stay disciplined against the Broad street bullies

Play a very sound defensive system

5th in PP

3rd in PK

3rd in GF

Why they might lose:

Might get sucked in to Philly rough stuff.

Fleury ended season poorly and will need to bounce back to shut down a highly offensive team.

Any injuries to their top players which isn't imaginable considering the style Philadelphia plays and how many injuries they've succumbed to all season.

15th in GA

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

May try to physically intimidate the Pens and it might work

Look to have all their players back.

Four solid lines that they can run with.

Their special teams needs to be huge.

If Bryzgalov can find his form he could single-handedly steal this series (is hurting with bone chip in foot).

6th in PP

3rd in GF

Why they might lose:

Goaltending has been inconsistent all season and they handled goalies poorly last year in playoffs. If the cosmonaut Bryzgalov can get his head out of the stars and play like he did in the month of March he will give the Flyers a chance. He is not afraid of anything, maybe bear, bear in forest.

Injuries, going into this series banged up will have a big impact: , Briere, Giroux, Timmonen, Grossman are all hurting not to mention Pronger and JVR.

Very young and inexperienced core.

15th in PK        

20th in GA

Prediction - Who will win: ______Vancouver_____________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

Canucks will be hoping Sedin is back and healthy to have a chance. If the Canucks want to win they should run with Schnieder, the teams seems to play much better with him in goal.

Are bigger and tougher than last year

Are experienced after last year's run to the final.

Are the top team in the NHL for a reason.

Vigneault won't be afraid to run with Schneider if Luongo has typical bad stretches.

(8-1-1) in last ten

4th in PP

6th in PK

5th in GF

4th in GA

Why they might lose:

If the Canucks blueline can't stay healthy and don't produce points they won't win.  Facing Quick goals will be few and far between and they will have to rely on the D scoring to win the series.

Goaltending has been suffering and fans have turned on Luongo at times

Daniel Sedin out for any period could cause problems.

If goaltending falters and the twins don’t score. Don’t see either of these happening.

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Kings will win this series because of goaltending. Quick has been lights out this year and with the team starting to put the puck in the net and with the return of Jeff Carter I believe they will upset the Canucks in a long series.

All of their high end talent starts producing together.

Kopitar, Brown & Williams. Carter, Richards, King, Stoll and what if Penner and Doughty got it going.

Quick is the X factor, he could carry this series on his shoulders.

Might get an offensive boost with Carter finally getting comfortable

Play solid defensive hockey

(5-2-3) in last ten

4th in PK

2nd in GA

Why they might lose:

Quick has faltered in the playoffs after playing too many games in the regular season.

If they don't score they will lose plain and simple.  They can't rely on winning every game by only scoring 1 goal.

The Kings have a great team but have no chemistry.

Kings can’t score especially when they face top goaltending

This team barely squeaked into the show.

17th in PP

29th in GF

Prediction - Who will win: _______San Jose____________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

They Blues could win this series if they are able to get San Jose to play their style. Goaltending and the veterans must play their best and Hitchcock must keep feeding the team the same potion  he has been all year. If goaltending falters they have a fantastic go-to guy.

Blues have owned the Sharks during the regular season.

Goaltending is so much better than the Sharks.

Coaching and defensive team play make the Blues the better bet.

7th in PK

1st in GA

Why they might lose:

St.Louis hasn't been a favourite in a series in a long time and expectations are high. There only downfall is that San Jose had a brutal year and they have to play a solid experienced team.

A bit inexperienced and have a lot of pressure to carry regular season success into the playoffs. Can they carry the surge?

Although PK is good it has been bad recently

19th in PP

21st in GF

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Have a lot to prove, so many players will be motivated to shed choker label. Finally no pressure on them.

Why they might lose:

If Niemi doesn't play well they will be in tough against a solid team that is coming off a great season. Havlat, Couture and the streaky Marleau can't get cold now or it will be same old same old in San Jose.

Thornton has a history of disappearing in the playoffs.

Perennial chokers in the playoffs and barely squeaked in.

No consistency. Sqeaked into the playoffs. Niemi isn’t good enough to carry this team through the playoffs.

13th in GF

27th in PK

Prediction - Who will win: _______Chicago__________

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

If the desert dogs have any chance at all it lies with Mike Smith. He is on and incredible run right now and if he can keep it going the Coyotes have a chance.

Coyotes match up well against the Hawks. I think Chicago has more depth but their goaltending is suspect. Hanzal, Vrbata and Whitney. If they can produce Phoenix will be fine.

Emergence of OEL and Yandle on the back end could give offensive burst.

(7-1-2) in last ten and have won five straight

Struggled last  year with controversy over possible move (maybe Quebec next year?)

8th in PK

5th in GA

Why they might lose:

With limited and scattered scoring they will rely on Smith too heavily and they won't be able to keep up with the Hawks star power.

Can their defense hold off the Hawks stars?

Scoring depth is lacking.

29th in PP

18th in GF

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

Toews should be back and would infuse the lineup big time.

Hawks seem like they match up well against the Coyotes.

(6-1-3) in last ten and have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL

Crawford hasn't been great at times, but Emery is a proven backup (Senators Stanley Cup run)

Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Keith, Leddy and Seabrook.

Lots of talent, role players but they lack consistency between the pipes. Can Emery or Crawford get hot

5th in GF

Why they might lose:

One of the worst defensive teams in the West. Not much depth on the blueline.

Have had stretches where they've stunk this year

Toews is still a question mark and they will need his leadership

The blueline has been wildly inconsistent this year.

26th in PP

26th in PK

22nd in GA

Prediction - Who will win: _____Nashville_____

Higher Seed

Why they'll win:

Loaded up specifically for a run this year.

Goaltending is better.

Finally have a playoff series win under their belt.

Very talented all around defensive core.

Scoring scattered throughout offensive lines.

Suter and Weber will be hard to beat. Radulov was bad news for Mo-Town. This should be a great playoff round.

This will be nasty series similar to the Pens, Flyers. Winner will be beaten up

1st in PP

13th in PK

8th in GF

8th in GA

Why they might lose:

Don't have nearly the offensive talent as Detroit

Rhinne doesn’t play up to par.

This is going to be a great series, goes to the home team

Lower Seed

Why they'll win:

More experienced.

Play a very sound defensive system.

Datyszuk and Zetterberg get into a grove.

Lidstrom plays like a 30 year old.

Howard gets hot. The wings have alot of depth Filipula,

Franzen, Holmstrom, Huddler, White and Quincey all

Could be difference makers. Helm might be back from

Injury. Babcock is a good coach and gets the most out of his players.

7th in GF

7th in GA

Why they might lose:

Goaltending could falter and is often injured

Nashville is a good team with lots of depth and they have a great coach in Barry Trotz. Nashville fans have caught playoff  fever, last seven games have been sellouts.

Best place to tailgate: thats got to be worth a win.

22nd in PP

22nd in PK