The Shark's NHL Western Conference Playoff Preview

Here it is fans, some of the most exciting weeks in all of professional sports are the NHL playoffs. Starting Wednesday and ending, well sometime this summer (seems like August) the fast-paced frenzy of ice skates and pucks will run until we will find out who carries home Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The NHL Western Conference has some new teams in the hunt this year, while the NHL Eastern Conference has some old dogs up to the usual tricks. So, who has what it takes this year? Well hop on board as I break down all eight first round match-ups. Strap on the skates and lets go!

Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks vs 8. Colorado Avalanche. Is it finally the year of “The Shark”? Well not just this Shark, but the guys from San Jose. After multiple playoff failures with very good teams, many in San Jose think this is the year. Adding players with fire and passion like Dany Heatley this off-season and adding more size as well as speed have the Sharks looking very good heading into the post season. The Colorado Avalanche have a very young squad, and are learning on the go. As good has they have played for what was expected from them, they are outmatched here. Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov is one of those net minders that you see nightly on ESPN during the playoffs making the huge saves, and carrying his squad far. We do not expect much trouble for the 1 seed here, this is not your fathers Sharks nor his Avs. Prediction: Sharks in 5

2. Chicago Blackhawks vs 7. Nashville Predators. Lots of good stuff happening here for a red hot Chicago Blackhawks team that ended the regular season 6-0-1. All-Star defense man Brian Campbell will be ready to return from injury and Olympic star Patrick Kane is turning into one of the best overall players in the league. Oh and did I mention that Marian Hossa is a Blackhawk? He has been to the last two NHL Stanley Cup finals, so maybe some luck spills Chicago’s way as well. The Nashville Predators play good defense and can be stingy, but in the four seasons they have made the playoffs they have yet to win a single road playoff game.

Read more about it on CamelClutchBlog.com.