2013 Stanley Cup Predictions: Top Seeds Destined to Disappoint in Postseason

Which team is going to be this season's Vancouver Canucks? Well, it could turn out to be the Canucks again.

Last year in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Canucks were beaten in the first round in five games by the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings. Granted, the Kings went on to lift the Stanley Cup, but anytime a top seed is taken out in the first round, it's a major disappointment.

Despite winning their division for the third straight season, the third-seeded Canucks have been far from convincing.

Coming into the postseason, the team has lost its last two games and only has a goal differential of plus-six.

Don't be shocked if the Canucks are bounced in the first round again, this time at the hands of the San Jose Sharks.

Of course, Vancouver won't be alone wallowing in its postseason disappointment. These three higher seeds could be in major trouble in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are no strangers to playoff disappointment. For the last five seasons, the Caps have failed to make it past the conference semifinals. Washington always looks great going into the postseason, only to fall apart when it counts the most.

Goals have never been a problem for Washington. When you've got a scorer like Alex Ovechkin, you're guaranteed to have the attack necessary.

The problem is defense. The Capitals are 18th in the NHL in goals allowed (2.71 GAA). Teams tend to clamp down defensively in the playoffs, and Washington doesn't stack up well in that regard.

The New York Rangers are a very good defensive team. Some pegged the Rangers as Stanley Cup favorites before the season, and although New York's campaign hasn't gone to plan, the team is starting to play much better going into the postseason.

St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues will be toast in the first round. They were hard done by the fact that division winners get the top-three playoff seeds. St. Louis has one more point than the Northwest Division champion Vancouver Canucks. Its reward? A matchup with the Los Angeles Kings in the first round.

The Kings have the Blues' number this season, winning all three of their matchups by two goals each.

Los Angeles is a team nobody will want to face in the playoffs. Coming off a Stanley Cup win last year, the Kings know what it takes to win in the postseason. The Staples Center has also become a very difficult venue for any road team.

When you add that all up, you've got a doomed Blues team.

Anaheim Ducks

Much like the Blues, the Anaheim Ducks are hurt by having a very tricky first-round matchup. The Detroit Red Wings are in a rebuilding mode, but they still have veteran attackers like Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Detroit won two of its three games against Anaheim in the regular season and is riding a three-game winning streak.

The Red Wings also have a very good defense; they're only surrendering 2.29 goals a game, fifth in the league.

In the end, Anaheim will likely dispatch Detroit. But after that, things will get difficult. Any matchup in the conference semifinals is going to be unkind.

The Ducks are a good team, but they're not good enough to warrant Stanley Cup consideration.