[CHICAGO, IL] -- With the playoffs
set to begin tomorrow, focus shouldn't draw too far away from possible
movement during the off-season. Here's a list of things to look out
for over the coming months:
Bob Gainey, Canadiens. The head coach
was fired already. If the Hab-not's makes a hasty exit at the hands of
the despised Bruins in round one, the GM may want to update his
resume.
John Stevens, Flyers. His head coach job appears to be safe at the
moment, but that could change if the Flyboys lay an egg in round one
after home-ice advantage was squandered on the final day of the
regular season.
Dale Tallon, Blackhawks. This is his coach and these are his players.
If they fail to live up to the hype in his fourth season, then a
change of leadership could be in order here.
Players on the Hot Seat
Marian Hossa, Red Wings. He turned down a generous offer from the
Penguins to play for a team that he considered to have better chance
to win it all. We'll see if he can evaluate talent as well as he can
score goals.
Alexander Ovechkin, Capitals. The Big O is the best pure goal-scorer
to come around in years, but he has yet to win a playoff series in his
career. Is the guy a one-trick pony or a horse who can carry his team
when the stakes are highest?
Tim Thomas, Bruins. T'n'T was dynamite in the regular season, when he
led the league in goals-against average. Now the 34-year-old has to
prove he can do it in postseason, where he has never won a series in
his life.
Players to Watch
Sidney Crosby, Penguins. Now that The Kid has proven veterans Bill
Guerin and Chris Kunitz to ride shotgun, he could be primed for a
serious Conn Smythe Trophy run.
Patrick Marleau, Sharks. This team needs someone to lead the way, and
there's no better candidate than its born-again captain, who had 38
goals and a plus-16 rating in the regular season.
Jose Theodore, Capitals. For the O-minded Capitals to have any chance
to advance, the veteran goaltender has to pack his A game in the
postseason.
Darkhorse Teams to Watch
Blackhawks. Talk about red-carpet treatment -- a crippled Flames team
in round one, most likely followed by a Red Wings team with goaltender
issues in round two.
Hurricanes. Goaltender Cam Ward looks like the guy who won the Conn
Smythe Trophy again. And if you're the road team, the RBC Center
stands for Really Big Challenge.
Penguins. A change of head coaches has done wonders for a young team
that thrives in an up-tempo style. The question is, how much will
Flyers pound out of them in round one?
Possible Upsets in Round One
Hurricanes over Devils. There was none finer than Carolina in the
stretch drive. If Ward gets the best of Martin Brodeur between the
pipes, the 'Canes will be good to go.
Blues over Canucks. The rejuvenated Blues have more firepower than the
Canucks, who desperately need Mats Sundin to turn back the clock for
awhile.
Rangers over Capitals. In Henrik Lundqvist, the Blueshirts have the
edge in goal. They also have the penalty-kill unit that can neutralize
Ovechkin and company in a best-of-seven series.
Most Likely to Hoist the Stanley Cup
Bruins. The B's appear to have what it takes to win it all -- depth,
goaltender and home-ice advantage. After 36 years without one, this
franchise is overdue, ya think?
Penguins. Their talented young nucleus has been to the Stanley Cup
Finals before. It doesn't hurt to have Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and
Marc-Andre Fleury on their side, either.
Sharks. This team is known for its postseason failures, but with head
coach Todd McLellan at the controls, its talent and chemistry levels
appear to be in sync for a change.
Based in
Chicago,
Paul
Ladewski is
a Columnist with TheFourthPeriod.com, covering the NHL.
