Ottawa Senators Eastern Conference Underdogs

Last season the Ottawa Senators made a cinderella run to the playoffs, surprising everyone and nearly upsetting the favourite New York Rangers in 7 games. Much like last season at the beginning of this shortened season everyone counted the Senators out but once again they're proving that they shouldn't be taken lightly in the Eastern Conference.

With 14 games to play the Senators are sitting 5th in the Eastern conference nine points up on the 9th New York Islanders, once again a big surprise to most. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Senators strong play is that they've been able to overcome significant injuries to some of their best players.

The Senators were dealt a serious blow when they lost Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowen two of their best defenceman to injuries. On top of that they're without two of their best forwards in Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek. If losing your two best defencemen and forwards isn't bad enough the Senators number one goalie and shoe-in Vezina candidate Craig Anderson also went down with an injury.

For most teams losing a player of Spezza's caliber alone would be enough to end their season, let alone losing five of your best players. But for the Senators losing those players doesn't seem to have slowed them down.

Most expected the Senators to crumble, to count this season as a wash due to key injuries- I mean who would blame them if they packed it in and aimed for a high pick? Instead the Senators that were left standing, lead by captain Daniel Alfredsson and Chris Neil bonded together and have put together arguably the strongest Senators team we've seen in years.

I had the pleasure of watching the Senators absolutely shutdown the New York Rangers last Thursday evening. The Senators were the stronger, better and faster team, the Rangers were unable to generate anything and when they did have a spark Ben Bishop shut the door. I watched in awe at how good the Senators played even without Karlsson and Spezza and Anderson. They had total confidence in themselves and each other, the chemistry was remarkable.

The last key player to be injured for the Senators was goaltender Craig Anderson who had been the backbone of the team after other key players went down. Anderson was 8-4-4 on the season with an .952 Save Percentage and 1.49 Goals Against Average- which still leads the league and he hasn't played since February 21! The Senators were relying on Anderson to come up big every night to win those close one-goal games and he hadn't disappointed allowing only 22 goals against all season.

When he went down there were some serious doubts about whether or not Ben Bishop and Robin Lehner would be able to hold down the fort like Anderson
had been doing. But both netminders have stepped up and given the Senators the goaltending they need. Bishop has held down the fort appearing in 13 games winning 8 and posting a .922 Save Percentage. He's making an argument that he's ready for a full-time gig between the pipes which is great news for the Senators moving forwardIn addition to the goalies stepping up to the plate Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad have both stepped up proving they can handle bigger roles. Turris leads the team in scoring with 8 goals and 22 points, while Zibanejed has begun to find his comfort zone in the NHL putting up 6 goals and 15 points.The rookie Jakob Silfverberg has also made a big splash putting up 8 goals tying him for the team lead in goals and leads the team with 97 shots. The Swedish rookie is turning heads and already drawing comparisons to the Senators legendary captain.

“He can play in all situations. I liken him to Milan Michalek and Alfredsson.” ~ Senators coach Paul MacLean.

Speaking of the captain, Daniel Alfredsson has done a fantastic job keeping the team together. With 8 goals and 20 points he's contributing on the ice. But this year it's his contributions off the ice that mean the most. He's been able to keep the players together and motivated, the Senators fully believe they are a top notch team.

The Senators have had no choice but to rush some of their AHL top prospects into bigger roles in the NHL earlier than expected- but as a result they've answered the call and have helped the Senators to win games. Playing a basic fundamental style of hockey which focuses on defence, blocking shots and being physical allows the younger Senators to adjust and find their games. Lucky for MacLean the players- especially the younger rookies - are buying into his system.

Even without their four best skaters and number one netminder the Senators are still going to make the playoffs. It's remarkable how they've been able to band together to play such a high level of hockey night after night and speaks volumes to the character in that dressing room.

The Senators may not be the best team in the Eastern Conference or have the flashy players that the Pittsburgh Penguins or New York Rangers have but the Senators have had consistent success and are proving they're not to be taken lightly. At the end of the season the Senators are likely to finish between 4th and 7th place in the East and they'll be up against some tough competition. But the way the Senators have been playing and getting production from younger guys there's no telling how far this team can go and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a deep playoff run.

With Anderson coming back soon, Spezza possibly returning in the post-season, Alfredsson leading the way and the young rookies stepping up the Senators are the "wild card" or underdogs in the Eastern Conference this season.

While the odds may be against them they are a team that believes in themselves and as a result are the Eastern Conference underdogs heading into the post-season. Look for the Senators to make a major splash in playoffs.

NHL Realignment Gets The Pass Until 2014-2015

Something rare happened in the NHL on Thursday evening and no it has nothing to do with the Chicago Blackhawks remarkable 21-0-3 record. The NHLPA actually agreed to something the NHL presented! I mean if they did this more often we could have avoided the whole lockout! The NHLPA gave the green light on the NHL's presented realignment which will see the Eastern Conference now hold 16 teams to the Western Conference's 14.

Despite some teams and players being concerned over having 16 teams in the East and some of the added travel, the NHLPA decided to play night and say yes to NHL realignment with the understanding that they will re-visit it after the 2014-2015 NHL season.

Here's a link at the new conferences. (They have yet to be named so for now it's just conference 1,2,3,4)

Conference 1                                                                       [box]

• Carolina Hurricanes


• Columbus Blue Jackets


• New Jersey Devils


• New York Islanders


• New York Rangers


• Philadelphia Flyers


• Pittsburgh Penguins


• Washington Capitals

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Conference 2

[box]

• Boston Bruins


• Buffalo Sabres


• Detroit Red Wings


• Florida Panthers


• Montreal Canadiens


• Ottawa Senators


• Tampa Bay Lightning


• Toronto Maple Leafs

[/box]

Conference 3

[box]

• Chicago Blackhawks


• Colorado Avalanche


• Dallas Stars


• Minnesota Wild


• Nashville Predators


• St. Louis Blues


• Winnipeg Jets

[/box]

Conference 4

[box]

• Anaheim Ducks


• Calgary Flames


• Edmonton Oilers


• Los Angeles Kings


• Phoenix Coyotes


• San Jose Sharks


• Vancouver Canucks

[/box]

Take a long hard look at the new "Divisions," the Eastern Conference just got a lot more difficult as we welcome Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings.

Of course the new format makes the old playoff format null and void, but we will still see a West vs. East Stanley Cup final. Here's how the new playoff format will play out- the top 3 teams from each division will earn a playoff birth, the final 4 spots will be "wild cards" which will go to the teams that weren't the top 3 with the best records from each Conference. The playoff format will then have the 1st place team play the lowest wild card in their division and the 2nd face off against the 3 seed. The playoffs will be based on division and not conference, meaning the Canadiens and Bruins would have to face-off as well as the Flyers and Penguins in either the quarter-finals or the semi-finals.

If you're confused here's an example, the Los Angeles Kings who were the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions would have missed the playoffs last season under the new format despite having more points than the Blackhawks who would have made it. Basically all that matters is your place in your division.

The great thing about the new realignment and playoff format is it will add so more fuel to a lot of rivalries- perhaps the biggest one at the moment Flyers vs. Penguins, who's battles will be even more important under the new format. We're in for some exciting hockey with the new NHL realignment plan, but the Eastern Conference got the a raw deal and if there is no expansion coming soon I can't see it lasting past 2015.

2013 Eastern Conference Preview

Well hockey fans the time has finally come- NHL hockey has returned to us and tonight marks "NHL hockey eve", a night more exciting than Christmas itself for some. Since the 2013 NHL season is set to get underway on Saturday and a 48 game season is set to bring many surprises, it's time to break down how I see the Eastern Conference shaping up.

1. New York Rangers

What's not to like about the Rangers- They have solid goaltending, top notch forwards, shutdown defenceman, a coach who speaks his mind and they went out and acquired a piece to help them become even better. The "Blue Shirts" finished first in the East last season and with the addition of Rick Nash and not losing any key players they are easily the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. With Richards, Gaborik, Staal and Girardi- the Rangers arguably have the most talented roster.

Key Players to watch- Rick Nash was acquired to help get the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals, a goal which they fell just short of last season. Will the acquisition of Nash pay off? Or will Nash crack under the pressure in the big city. Will Henrik Lundqvist be able to match his Vezina winning season and retain his throne as the King? Also keep an eye on how many games the Rangers play Lundqvist in this 48 game sprint, they have a solid back up in Martin Biron who is capable of carrying some of the load and still putting up "W's".

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

Similar to the Rangers, the Penguins have a star studded lineup that is used to winning. With a healthy Sidney Crosby and the emergence of Evgeni Malkin and James Neal look for the Penguins to start off the season hot. They signed Thomas Vokoun which will allow them to rest Marc- Andre Fluery before the playoffs where they will need him to step up after his pitiful performance last year against the Flyers. Just for a minute take in the fact that Crosby may be their 2nd line centre- yeah the Penguins are that good!

Key Players to Watch- This will be Crosby's first full season in 2 years, and because of the lockout will be a shortened season anyways. There are reports that Crosby is in the best shape he's ever been- Crosby is ready to the hit ice to prove he's fine and still a top notch players.

3. Boston Bruins

Depending on how well Tukka Rask adjusts to being the number one goalie without Tim Thomas around- the Bruins could easily win their division which would see them in 3rd in the conference. While the Bruins don't exactly have all the skilled finesse players the Rangers and Penguins have, they have the type of players who are willing to do the dirty work to help the team win. Everyone on the Bruins has a role, from Milan Lucic to Tyler Seguin each player has a role they must fill. Every member of the Bruins have bought into their system and they're as deep a team as you'll see in the Eastern Conference- look for them to come out early and play physical hockey while other teams are still trying adapt.

Key Players to Watch- Rookie defenceman Dougie Hamilton will likely be on the roster opening night and should have an immediate impact on the blue-line. How will Tukka Rask adapt to being the number one goaltender- this team will only be as good as Rask plays, remember they're used to having Thomas  bail them out.

4. Carolina Hurricanes

[caption id="attachment_2062" align="alignright" width="300"] Jordan Staal[/caption]

The Hurricanes made it clear this offseason that they're ready to make another Stanley Cup run. The additions of Jordan Staal and Alex Semin will help add more offencive depth taking the pressure of Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner. The Staal brothers should have instant chemistry and push each other to be better- combine that with the steady play of Cam Ward between the pipes and the Hurricanes have a recipe for success.

Key Players to Watch- Jordan Staal will finally get the opportunity to play top 6 minutes and will be counted on to deliver and help lead the team, how will he adapt to the bigger role?

5. Washington Capitals

I have the Capitals a little lower than most, but I think this is a good spot for them. After losing Alex Semin and head coach Adam Oates moving Alex Ovechkin to wing there's lots of questions that need to be answered. Which Ovechkin is going to show up? Who is this team- is it the high scoring team that would light up opponents but choke in the playoffs or a defence first team that wants to win 2-1 games? With the addition of Mike Ribeiro and Braden Holtby emerging from the shadows the Capitals are set for another solid season that will see them make the playoffs.

Key Players to Watch- After a sub-par season from the Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin will need to find his game again if the Capitals are to have long-term success. After a injury plagued campaign for Mike Green, he is now healthy and will need a big year on the blue-line to prove he's worth the money and hype.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers shouldn't have any trouble putting up points with newly named captain Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Brayden Schenn and Scott Hartnell but will be weak on the blue-line without Chris Pronger and Matt Carle and no one know's what's up with Ilya Bryzgalov. The Flyers will make the playoffs but will have a rocky season.

Key Players to Watch- After being named captain and putting up 93 points last season it will be interesting to see how Claude Giroux adapts to his new role and if he can keep up his production from last season. After being traded from the Leafs, Luke Schenn will have an opportunity to be a key defenceman yet fly under the radar unlike in Toronto- that should help him find his confidence again.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning went out and acquired a new young goaltender in Anders Lindback to become the new starter. With the red hot Steven Stamkos, playmaker Martin St. Louis and captain Vincent Lecavalier leading the way offencively for the Bolts they should be able to break into the playoffs.

Key Players to Watch- After reaching the 60 goal plateau last season it will interesting to see what Steven Stamkos has planned for an encore this year.

8. Buffalo Sabres

It was a disappointing year for the Sabres last season, falling just short of the 8th and final playoff spot- but this year I see them snatching the last playoff spot and returning to the post-season. If the Bruins get off to a rocky start and don't win the division, the Sabres are the next viable option to win the division which would bump them up to the 3rd. Ryan Miller is bound to have a bounce back year, Marcus Foligno is poised for a full season in the NHL and rising star Mikhail Grigorenko will put up his fair share of points- the Sabre should have no problem scoring goals.

Key Players to Watch- Will Ryan Miller be able to bounce back from a slow start and continue the hot streak he was on at the end of last season? Just how good will Marcus Foligno be- good enough to win the Calder?

9. Ottawa Senators

The Senators are an interesting team. They had a surprising year last season when they made the playoffs and excelled, but for them to do that again is highly unlikely. This season everyone know's not to underestimate the Senators and they'll have a tough time with the constant divisional play. Erik Karlsson had a Norris winning season but will be hard-pressed to do the task again, could be a roller coaster year for the Sens.

Key Player to Watch- Can Erik Karlsson prove he's an elite defenceman and last year wasn't a fluke? Daniel Alfredsson is getting older, how will he hold up in the 48 game sprint?

10. Florida Panthers

The Panthers made the playoffs by the skin of their panther teeth- more specifically points earned for lost shootouts. While the shootouts will play a major part in this years shortened season, the chances of the Panthers getting lucky again are slim. They have young stars in Jonathan Huberdeau and Kris Versteeg but their luck will run out.

Key Players to Watch- Will goaltender Scott Clemmensen be able to get the job done?

11. New Jersey Devils

Yes the New Jersey Devils made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and gave the Los Angeles Kings a legitimate run for their money and may deserve to be a bit higher but losing Zach Parise this summer really puts the Devils behind the eight-ball. Adam Henrique will be called upon to help fill the void left by Parise.

Key Players to Watch- Martin Brodeur is another year older and who know's if he'll be able to keep up his all-star type numbers in the extra tough shortened season

12. Winnipeg Jets

There's not a lot to say about the Jets- they were the feel good story of the NHL last season after being moved from Atlanta, but they are still very much the Atlanta Thrashers team that couldn't win. Look for Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd to lead the team but it could be another long hockey season in Winnipeg- good thing fans are just happy to have their team back.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs

Will the Toronto Maple Leafs finally end their playoff drought? Unfortunately for Leaf fans that doesn't seem to be in the cards this season. The Leafs

[caption id="attachment_2065" align="alignright" width="150"] Zazem Kadri will get his chance to prove he can play in the NHL[/caption]

desperately need to add a proven veteran goaltender but are choosing to give James Reimer and Ben Scrivens a chance- there's nothing wrong with that in the long run but it will likely result in the Leafs failing to reach the post-season again.

Key Players to Watch- goaltenders Ben Scrivens and James Reimer as they battle for the starting job. Will be interesting to see how Nazem Kadri will adapt to centering the 3rd line and finally being given a chance to prove himself.

14. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens had a rough season last year and it doesn't look like it will be much better this season. As of right now they have failed to reach an agreement with defenceman P.K Subban and have bought out Scott Gomez. Carey Price will have to come up big night in and night out for them to have much of a chance most nights. Look to see if they keep rookie Alex Galchenyuk all season and how his offence will help the team.

15. New York Islanders

After deciding to cut Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart after training camp, it looks like the Islanders may be going into a re-build in an attempt to get a top pick in the 2013 draft and allow their prospects more time to develop. It will be a long season on the Island, that will likely see them finish last again.

Key Players to Watch- John Tavares should still put up solid numbers despite being on a last place team.

What do you think of my Eastern Conference predictions? What teams would you change and who are you looking to come up big this season?

Eastern Conference Draft Preview

The NHL Entry Draft is just days away and as a follow up to my post from Monday: North East Division Draft Preview, it's time to preview the Eastern Conference for the upcoming draft. Some of the players from teams I wrote about on Monday will change teams, while others will stay the same.

So without further a due my Eastern Conference Draft Preview:

*Please note, I am not mixing trades into this preview. Several teams are considering trading up or down in the draft. So each pick is based on the team drafting a player their team needs at their current draft spot*

Montreal Canadiens- 3rd overall pick will select Alex Galchenyuk

If not for a season plagued by injuries Galchenyuk could have seriously challenged Sarnia Sting teammate Nail Yakupov for the first overall pick. Despite his injuries many are pegging Galchenyuk to be the best long term solution for a team in the draft. He possess all the skill to be a first overall draft choice and could turn out big for the Canadiens who need a much more positive season to save their franchises' image.

New York Islanders- 4th overall pick will select Ryan Murray
Ryan Murray is the best defenseman available in this years draft, yet he may fall out of the top 3 and if that happens the Islanders will be more than happy to give him a jersey and cap on stage in Pittsburgh. Murray has the potential to be a franchise player much like John Tavares and could be ready to step into the NHL as early as next season. He possess leadership and has experience playing against NHLers and which will help his transition to the NHL be as simple as possible. The Islanders need help on the back end which is why, if Murray is available they will draft him.

Toronto Maple Leafs- 5th overall pick will select Filip Forsberg
Brian Burke wants to get his hands on the first overall pick and has been in talks with Edmonton to acquire the pick. Edmonton wants a top notch defenseman, is Burke willing to give up what Edmonton is asking? The answer, probably not. So the Leafs will end up keeping and drafting with the 5th pick. The Leafs biggest need (outside of goaltending) is a number one centre (what team doesn't need one of those?) Forsberg is ranked as arguably the 2nd best forward in the draft behind Yakupov, so he may not be available at 5 but if he is the Leafs should snag him up.  He's a big tall forward who has the ability to play centre and could set up the Leafs for the long term.

Carolina Hurricans- 8th overall pick will select Teuvo Teravainen
Teravainen is a hit or miss player but right now the chance of him teaming up with Eric Staal and or Jeff Skinner is making the risk seem worthwhile to the Hurricanes. He's ranked 2nd out of all European players in the draft and excels on the bigger ice playing surfaces, so it will be interesting to see him adapt to the smaller ice.

Winnipeg Jets- 9th overall pick will select Jacob Trouba
The return of the Jets was a highlight for many hockey fans this season, and right now it doesn't matter what the Jets do they will still have the support of their fans. But if they want to have a better chance of making the playoffs they should select shutdown defenseman Jacob Trouba. But the Jets will have to wait at least 2 years before seeing Trouba in the NHL as he has committed to the University of Michigan. But if Trouba is given time to properly develop he could turn into a very solid player for the Jets.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 10th overall pick will select Griffen Reinhart
Reinhart was a part of the Edmonton Oil Kings who won the WHL Championship and next season he will be an even bigger part of the Oil Kings. He's a big (6'3" 207)tough defenseman who has hockey in his blood. Following in the footsteps of his older brother and father, many are saying Griffen could be the best Reinhart yet and he will likely be drafted highest.

Washington Capitals- 11th overall pick will select Radek Faksa
The Capitals don't need a defenseman, they need a big tall forward and Faksa fits the build. At 6'3" he fits the build of Jaromir Jagr, while he doesn't possess the same skill assets of Jagr, Faksa is still a solid pick. Faksa would fit in perfectly to fill the void as a 2nd line centre for the Caps.

Buffalo Sabres- 12th overall pick will select Cody Ceci

The Sabres are in a tricky place in the draft. On one hand they have 2 picks in the first round and 4 in the first 44, but on the other they sit just outside the top 10 and players they're looking at (Faksa, Reinhart) may be gone by the time Buffalo gets to the mic. Although the Sabres don't necessarily need a defenseman, if Ceci is available at 12 overall he should not be passed up.
Ceci of all players has flown up the draft charts, at the beginning of the season he wasn't even pegged to go in the first round, now he's pegged to go somewhere just outside of the top 10. Ceci would be a perfect fit on the back end matched with Tyler Myers and quarter backing the power play. Best part about Ceci is he could step into the NHL at the start of next season, which is what the Sabres are looking for.

Ottawa Senators- 15th overall pick will select Sebastian Collberg
The Senators have had great success drafting Swedish players, and will likely take another swedish player in Collberg. Many are expecting Collberg to turn into a solid 2nd line scoring threat in the NHL.

Washington Capitals- 16th overall pick will select Derrick Pouliot
Pouliot is one of the most uncertain picks in the draft, some reports have him going inside the top 10 while others have him dropping to 20th-25th. So what better place to pick Pouliot then in the middle. The Capitals don't need a defenseman right now, but they will certainly need one in the future which is why they should select Pouliot who is likely 3 years away from a full time stint in the NHL. With the benefit of 2 picks in the first round the Capitals can use one of the picks to draft for the future or take a risk.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 19th overall pick will select Tom Wilson
Once teams start getting near the top 20 in drafting there is less planing behind the picks and more of a mindset of taking "the best player available". At the 19th pick (the Lightning's 2nd) the best player available may just be the beast Tom Wilson. Wilson comes in at 6'4" 200 pounds and has the size and skill to step right into the NHL, he's not afraid to steamroll over players and drop the mitts when he has too. He excels when he plays alongside top players (like Stamkos). He is being compared to Boston Bruins power forward and heavy hitter Milan Lucic. With his skill, size and grit it wouldn't be a shock to see him go just before the top 20.

Philadelphia Flyers- 20th overall pick will select Hampus Lindholm
Much like Cody Ceci, Lindholm has improved his draft ranking over the past season, he's made quite the push and is now expected to go in the top 20. He's a solid defenseman who has an offensive instinct but will need to "bulk up" before stepping in the NHL. He's a solid pick who should be ready to go in a couple of years.

Buffalo Sabres- 21st overall pick will select Zemgus Girgensons
With their first pick in round 1 the Sabres selected a defenseman so look for them to select a forward with their second pick. Girgensons is the type of player you want on your team, he's got a rock solid work ethic and is a two-way forward with a shot that leaves goalies guessing. Only draw back is his prior commitment to the University of Vermont which will keep him out of the Sabres line up for at least 2 years.

Pittsburgh Penguins- 22nd overall pick will select Colton Sissons

When looking at a first glance picking 22nd out of 30 teams kind of seems like getting the short straw, but when looking back in draft history several solid players (that have turned into household names) were taken with the 22nd pick. Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle and Flyers Claude Giroux are two of the more noteworthy 22nd picks. While the Penguins don't need anymore star players (Crosby, Malkin, Neal) and they don't need any defenseman (drafted 2 last year) they are in need of a solid role player. One of the players who is a boarder line superstar but falls back to a role player on the Penguins is Jordan Staal. But the Penguins are trying to trade Staal, so Sissons could come in and fill his spot.

Florida Panthers- 23rd overall pick will select Brady Skjei
One of the best parts about the draft is the opportunity to stifle an opposing teams draft pick. Teams that are drafting after the Panther really want to get their hands on Skjei, so it would be perfect for the Panther to pick him up and find out why other organisations want him. Skjei is ranked as the best skater in this years draft, put him with another smooth skating player and watch the two of them make some magic.

Boston Bruins- 24th overall pick will select Nicholas Kerdiles
Kerdiles is the wild card pick in the draft, some rankings have him in the top 20 while others don't even have him in the first round. But Kerdiles is a solid face-off man and has the potential to turn into a solid 2nd line player.

New York Rangers- 28th overall pick will select Dalton Thrower
Chances are we're not going to see Thrower in the NHL as a high scoring defenseman, thats just not the way he plays. He's more of a rugged tough player who plays bigger than his size indicates, at only 6 feet tall Thrower is small for a tough defenseman by NHL's standards today so he'll have to rely on his smooth skating and heavy hitting to land him a spot in the NHL.

New Jersey Devils- 29th overall pick will select Malcolm Subban 
Contrary to popular belief the Devils are deciding to keep their 29th pick in this years draft instead of forfeiting it. Subban is the younger brother of Canadiens P.K Subban.
While it is rare for a goalie to be taken in the first round Subban may be worth the pick as he is the best goalie in this years draft. The Devils may be in need of a goaltender in a couple years when the legendary Martin Brodeur retires. Subban will have some big shoes to fill but if he's anything like his brother he'll be up for the challenge.

So there you have it folks my Easter Conference Draft Preview. I don't have any magic potion nor do I profess to know exactly who will be drafted by each team, this is just a guess based on each teams needs and the players that are available. Don't agree with my picks leave a comment below.

Flyers Eliminated

Tuesday night marked the end of the Philadelphia Flyers season, losing 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils who won the best of 7 series 4-1. Not a lot of fans or analysts saw this coming, the Flyers were supposed to clobber the Devils and advance to the next round without any issues. But the Flyers were unable to manipulate the Devils, like they did with the Penguins, the Flyers were the ones taking bad penalties, and losing their cool.


Now Ilya Bryzgalov can't shoulder all the blame for the loss, he didn't play his best but his team wasn't very helpful on most nights. But after watching him this entire series (making routine saves look impossible) it is becoming more clear that the Flyers only survived their series against the Penguins because Marc-Andre Fleury was off his game. Had Fleury been on his game it could have been an entirely different first round match up! Anyways I bring this up to show that the Flyers aren't as dominate as people thought after the first round, those people include the Flyers themselves. The players got a little full of themselves and thought they could beat anyone, they didn't give their opponents the respect they deserved (like what happened out West with Nashville and Phoenix).


So breaking down the series we'll look at 3 reasons the Flyers lost and 3 reasons the Devils won.


Flyers


1. Undisciplined hockey:

This is a big one you're not going to win playoff series' playing undisciplined hockey. Especially when your opponents refuse to stoup to your level, and take bad penalties. The Flyers just took too many bad penalties that put them behind the 8 ball. You have Brayden Schenn, Zach Rinoldo, Scott Harntell and Wayne Simmonds playing with no control and taking very stupid, costly penalties. Then you have the little moment of selfishness from Claude Giroux which earned him as suspension! Not only were these guys all over the place they weren't able to help their team out on the scoresheet; Schenn, Simmonds, Hartnell combined for just 2 goals, a far cry from their production in the first round. A lot of the penalties taken were at horrible times, the Flyers would score a goal and go up 1-0 then moments later they're down a man trying to kill off a 5 on 4 which made it impossible for them to get momentum!


2. Ilya Bryzgalov:
Not all the blame falls squarely on the shoulder of Bryzgalov but he definitely has to should some of the blame. He gave his team a chance to win night in and night out, but what he didn't do was come up with a big save when they needed it! He also let in far too many weak goals that deflated the Flyers team, I'm sure if truth be told the Flyers didn't have a ton of confidence in their 51 million dollar goalie near the end of the playoffs. Bryzgalov didn't play bad but at the same time he didn't play phenomenal and was out duelled by the legend himself Marty Brodeur.
Bryzgalov went 5-6 with a GAA 3.46 and a Save Percentage of .887 not the kind of numbers you need to endure playoff success. To be honest I was very surprised the Flyers left Bryz in a lot of the games as he just wasn't getting the job done, maybe pulling him could have sparked the rest of the team?
Forget Bears in the playoffs he looked like Bryzgalov was afraid of the pucks!
But often times when a teams goalie is struggling the defense isn't too stellar either. The Devils exposed the Flyers poor defencive system and were able to keep them hemmed in their own end with ofter 1 fore checker. The Flyers had a very weak "puck moving defence" the Devils caught onto that and were able to disrupt the breakout and force the forwards to play more in their defensive end!


3. Were too satisfied after the first round:
The way the Flyers and their fans reacted after round one you would have thought they had won the Stanley Cup, instead of just barely squeaking out a first round victory. The Flyers were so amped up and ready to win at all costs against the Penguins, then in round 2 they couldn't get amped up to play the Devils there was no emotion. They only emotion they showed was frustration something you do not want to expose to your opponents, they made it painfully obvious and once that happened the Devils had won the series. It was easy for the Flyers to get amped up against the Pens due to their intense rivalry, but they couldn't get anything out of the Devils. The Devils wouldn't engage in stuff after the whistle, and they played a clean game giving them nothing to get a spark from! 

"They didn't give us anything to be emotional about, they weren't in scrums and it seemed like they really didn't hit us. It wasn't there and that was their mindset and game plan" Scott Hartnell

Devils
1. Martin Brodeur:
If Ilya Bryzgalov is shouldering some of the blame than Brodeur has to be given tons of credit for out battling his opponent. He sure as heck did not look like a 40 year old goaltender contemplating retirement, he looked more like an elite 32 year old with 3 Stanley Cup rings and 16 years of prior playoff success. Brodeur is proving he can still get the job done when it matters most, with his win on Tuesday which eliminated the Flyers he became only the 4th goalie in history to win 8 playoff games at the age of 40! He has shown glimpses of his old self, his Hall of Fame legacy and if the Devils want to win the cup they will need Brodeur to be on the top of his game!
*Random Stat Brodeur becomes the first goalie to play a playoff game in his teens and start a playoff game in his 40's*


2. Everyone chipped in: 
The Flyers relied heavily on Briere and Giroux's production in the playoffs, if those two weren't scoring no-one else would be either. But the Devils were able to rely on multiple goal scorers, in the 5 games in the series they scored 18 goals and had 11 different goal scorers! They were even able to muster up a win without their star Ilya Kovalchuck. Their depth ultimately outplayed Philly's depth, while Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds were busy taking dumb penalties, Adam Henrique and David Clarkson were busy scoring goals! 


3. The forecheck:
Something all teams use some not as well as others, but the Devils brought their "A game" with their forecheck and gave the Flyers a lot of trouble getting out of their end! Besides game 1 the Devils due to their relentless forecheck outshot the Flyers in every game. They were faster to lose pucks, harder on the puck, got more scoring opportunities and capitalized on them. The Devils may be the dark horse of the Eastern Conference!


Well the Flyers are out and the Devils are on to the Eastern Conference Championships something not a lot of people saw coming. The Flyers will now have to sit at home and watch their former teammates Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in the Western Conference Championships who stand a solid chance of going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Ilya Bryzgalov also must watch his former team battle against the Kings in the Western Conference Finals (Phoenix Coyotes). 


The Devils will await their opponent either the Washington Capitals or the New York Rangers, these playoffs have been so unpredictable there is no use predicting the outcome of any series'.