NHL Playoff Predictions: Surprises Abound in the Eastern and Western Conferences

College basketball's yearly foray into the sporting landscape commands the attention of a frenzied nation, with the passionate and casual fan captivated equally. But ask any hockey enthusiast and they'll tell you that March excites for another reason.

With most NHL team schedules dwindled down to just 15 (or so) contests remaining, the NHL playoff push is alive, as every point gains in value and seeding becomes paramount.

In St. Louis, Ken Hitchcock awakes this morning with 93 points, the most in the NHL, and the surprising position as the Western Conference's No. 1 seed. The Blues may not be surprised at their own success, but from an outside perspective, it requires a double-take.

Meanwhile, two California teams take their morning skate today surprised for a different reason altogether. Todd McLellan's Sharks (75 points) and Darryl Sutter's Kings (74 points) are battling for the eight spot in the Western Conference and ultimately, both are clinging to postseason life.

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi was particularly busy in the offseason and recently at the trade deadline, acquiring ex-Flyer stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter to augment a team thought to be on the verge of true contention.

Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley's Bay Area departure signaled to the hockey world the Sharks' willingness to change culture and team structure as a result of several overwhelmingly successful regular seasons followed by bitter disappointment in the playoffs.

The Kings and Sharks are pitted against each other and other aspiring eighth-seeders in the Colorado Avalanche (74 points) and Calgary Flames (72 points). With 76 points, the Phoenix Coyotes sit just one point ahead of the Sharks in the seventh hole, making another rung on playoff ladder attainable.

The way the Western Conference playoff push is shaping up. There will be several talented teams holding lower seeds, making the likes of Vancouver and St. Louis sweating their fate.

In the East, under John Tortorella, the New York Rangers are feeling pretty good about their own playoff position with less than a quarter of the season remaining. After back-to-back 4-1 losses at the hands of the New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators, the Blueshirts might feel a little uneasy about things, but the fact remains that the Rangers are six points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Eastern Conference lead with 16 to go.

This kind of success at 34th street still has some shaking their heads, but not as much as the folks located in Washington D.C.'s Chinatown area where the Capitals play their home games. Look in the dictionary for "enigma" and you'll see Alexander Ovechkin's toothless grin.

Similar to the Kings and Sharks, the Capitals are loaded with talent but rife with underachievement. At 80 points, the Ottawa Senators, a great surprise in their own right, are in firm grasp of the seventh seed in the East—leaving the Capitals scrumming for every possible point against the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Jets and Caps have the same number of points (72), but Washington holds the tiebreaker over their Southeastern (er, Midwestern Canadian) rival.

Tampa is no stranger to disappointment, either. With 69 points, the Lightning have not lived up to expectations and will be forced to climb over a few teams if they wish to be included in the postseason dance.

The same holds true for the Buffalo (70 points) and Toronto (67 points)—two teams heading in polar opposite directions. The Sabres were surprisingly bad, while the Maple Leafs were booming in the early going. Now it's a role reversal and the Sabres are playing some of the best hockey across the league, winners of seven or their last 10 outings.

The closer the races and the more teams involved for the eighth seed in both conferences means one thing: playoff hockey before the playoffs actually begin.

And while you're talking to that hockey fan, ask them if there is any better playoff excitement in any sport.

Have your say! What is the biggest surprise in the NHL as we head toward the playoffs? Comment below!