If the playoffs started today…

By Bethany | February 18, 2007

If they playofffs started today for the Eastern Conference you would have:

1. Buffalo
2. New Jersey
3. Tampa Bay
4. Pittsburgh
5. Ottawa
6. Atlanta
7. Carolina
8. Toronto *yeah the Leafs….weird*

And, for the Western Conference:

1. Detroit
2. Anaheim
3. Vancouver
4. Nashville
5. San Jose
6. Dallas
7. Minnesota
8. Calgary

Ok so I don’t really know what to write about but I figure I will just talk about the teams in my opinion what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are. So that should be fun eh?!

Buffalo…strengths…well I believe they are very good offensively and with the start they got this season they have themselves in a very good position being number 1 in the East. I think their weakness is their goalie situation. I know Ryan Miller was an all star (which doesn’t mean anything) but I just don’t think he’s that good.

Detroit…strengths…very good defensively minded team. Also, a lot of the players on their team have playoff experience. This next thing I am going to say is a strength and a weakness…Hasek…yes he is an amazing goalie but at the same time you worry about his health. If he goes down I don’t know that Osgood will be able to pull off a decent playoff run…but only time will tell.

New Jersey…strengths…Martin Brodeur and that crazy good defense they have…and they are amazing when it comes down to those 1 goal games. Weaknesses…sometimes their offense struggles…but then again…if they can get 1 or 2 goals Marty can do the rest.

Anaheim…strengths…talent…every single one of the guys on that team has talent oozing from them. They are a very complete team. Weaknesses I think sometimes they get too confident…and they lose sight of what they need to do.

Tampa Bay…strengths…offense…St. Louis…Lecavalier…Richards…but then their weakness is that’s about all they have. Their goalie situation is far from ideal and their defense struggles.

Vancouver…strengths they are a great team with an amazing regular season goalie…but then a weakness pops up because you have no idea what Luongo is capable of doing in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh…strengths…Crosby and Malkin these kids are great talents to have on the ice and hard to catch. Weaknesses hardly any playoff experience.

Nashville…strengths 2 solid goal tenders…another very complete team. Weaknesses…again confidence and not a whole lot of playoff experience.

Ottawa…strengths…holy cow…Dany Heatley…Jason Spezza…have you seen these guys play?! Weaknesses Emery is a great goalie but I think he can get a little too confident sometimes…then there is Gerber…who I think has become a big flub.

San Jose…strengths…goalies…offense. Their goalies are amazing and their offense is wonderful…with a guy like Thornton on your team anything can happen. Weakness they seem to slump pretty easily. I don’t know why…but confidence is not a problem for this team.

Atlanta…strengths offense…weakness…goalies. I honestly don’t know much about this team so I just went with what I knew….so there ya have it haha.

Dallas…strengths…great regular season team…solid team. Weakness Turco is not a playoff goalie…but this Smith could could do it for them…he’s great.

Carolina…strengths…well hell they won the Stanley Cup last year how’s that for confidence? Weakness Cam Ward has proved this season that he is kind of a flop…I mean…he’s good and he did win the Stanley Cup last year but was that a fluke?! I don’t know I could be way off…they do have quite a bit of talent on this team though.

Minnesota…strengths great team very fun to watch…and they have an amazing coach. (Probably my favorite other than Hitch) Weakness…their goalie is injured right now…and well he has a knee injury so who knows how he is going to come back…although they did beat the Nashville Preds tonight.

Toronto…I don’t even want to talk about this team…haven’t won the cup in 40 years…probably won’t for another 40…sorry for all you people who like the Leafs.

Calgary…strengths…great goalie in Kipper…great defense…hell great offense…aside from the San Jose Sharks probably one of the most complete teams out there. Weakness….Calgary has a weakness? Who knew…haha…I honestly can’t think of anything…

IN OTHER NEWS!!!!!!!

Marty Brodeur got his 11th shutout of the season!!!! Atta boy Marty!!!!