B/R NHL Community Leaders: Second Round Picks

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Boston in six.

Reason: Purely irrational writer's favoritism. Boston in three lines deep, four lines tough, and has a defenseman that has lights on his helmet so low-flying planes don't hit him, plus a goalie with a nick-name of "Tank."

Carolina has two deep lines, four defenseman with funny names, a goalie that has a ring and a nice, short, easily pronounceable name.

Washington in seven.

Reason: The Brashear factor—Pittsburgh has put the lights-out NHL wet-dream young talent at forward, offensive-first defense and a pretty good goalie.  Washington has conservative and sublime offense, stalwart defense, and a goalie whose name no one can remember.

Western Conference

Chicago in six.

Reason: Cool uniforms that don't have what looks like a '60s era television with a hockey stick in it. Vancouver has a great goalie in Roberto Luongo, a pair of identical and productive first line forwards in the Sedin twins, Mats Sundin rounds out the cast and has been much more productive since he hasn't been made to have to decide things.

Chicago has a vast stockpile of talented youth, a fanbase that recently re-discovered that there is a hockey team in Illinois, and one of the coolest uniforms in all of sports.

Detroit in seven.

Reason: I don't claim to be smarter than everyone as far as they know.  Anaheim has benefited from being real big, somewhat mean, and not having to extend them too hard in slapping the Sharks around.

Detroit is a threat because everyone says so, and when is the last time everyone has been wrong?

Matt Eichel (Montreal Canadiens CL)

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