NHL Playoff Picks 2012: Opening-Round Upsets Sure to Happen

Get your playoff beard ready, because the 2012 NHL playoffs are ready to begin. The NHL postseason is by far the greatest postseason in sports.

Every team in the field has an opportunity to hoist the Stanley Cup in June regardless of seeding. The opening round of this year's playoffs is a perfect example of lower seeds advancing in the tournament.

Here are are three upsets sure to happen in the opening round.

No. 5 Detroit Red Wings over No. 4 Nashville Predators

Detroit vs. Nashville is your basic four-five matchup in every sense. They are as even as you can get, with both teams winning three games against the other in 2011-12.

The Red Wings deserve the edge, however, because of experience.

One of Detroit's biggest downfalls this year has been special teams. The Red Wings are 22nd on the power play and 18th on the penalty kill.

If they can shore up that area, Detroit is capable of making another deep run in the NHL playoffs. Things will tighten up in the postseason and their slate of statistics will recycle, so expect those numbers to be low like Detroit expects.

Detroit still has unbelievable talent led by Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Nicklas Lidstrom. These four guys, mixed with a bunch of role players, have the talent necessary to not only compete in the playoffs, but to win a Stanley Cup.

Prediction: Detroit wins in seven games.

Detroit's championship experience proves to be too much for Nashville.

No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks over No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes

Phoenix won the season series 3-1, but they have only played twice since December 5. Both teams have improved, but I have to give the edge to the Blackhawks because of their championship experience.

Five Blackhawks scored 20 or more goals this season, four scored 57 or more points and Patrick Sharp is a plus-28 on the season—he's playing some of the best hockey of his career.

Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith are bound for great playoff series.

I like this team's chances of making a deep run in the postseason.

Prediction: Chicago wins in seven games.

Depending on Jonathan Toews' concussion, I think the Blackhawks could win this series in six games, but seven sounds right.

No. 6 New Jersey Devils over No. 3 Florida Panthers

New Jersey vs. Florida may be one of the worst series in terms of people caring on the national landscape. The series, however, should be a tightly contested affair because they split the regular season, 2-2.

Florida made the NHL postseason for the second time this century. Will they be happy just to have ended their playoff drought?

Most likely.

New Jersey, on the other hand, have been a constant fixture in the postseason since the turn of the century. Simply making the field isn't good enough for the Devils—they plan on making a deep run.

Martin Brodeur isn't having the type of season we are accustomed to, but I wouldn't bet against one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game.

Goalies can steal series if they stand on their head. Brodeur is plenty capable of playing extremely well in the cage against a team that may be just happy to be in the situation.

Prediction: New Jerseys wins in six games.

Brodeur steals Game 1 and Game 5 on the road in Florida to set New Jersey up perfectly for a series-ending Game 6 at home.