NHL Playoffs 2011: Your Team Didn't Make It? Pick "Your" Playoff Team

So your NHL team failed to make the playoffs this year or possibly for the last five years.

Maybe you've got the Blues. Maybe an Avalanche has befallen your team for the last several years. Your beloved Panthers didn't make it for the 10th straight season. Your youngest child was born since the last Maple Leafs appearance. After living on the high horse for the early 2000's, you're staring three straight years of regular season failures in the face as a Dallas Stars fan.

Regardless of the source of your disappointment, you may not be seeing the 2011 playoffs as something to be excited about.

No worries, with this guide, you can find a team to root for this postseason by following a few simple rules.

Rule No. 1: "Your" Playoff Team Cannot Be in the Same Division as Your Favorite.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 02: Alex Goligoski #33 of the Dallas Stars looks on prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on April 2, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Just in case you need a reference here are this season's final standings:

2010-11 NHL Regular Season Standings   2010-11 Season2010-11 Preseason2009-10 Season2009-10 Preseason2008-09 Season2007-08 Season2006-07 Season2005-06 Season2003-04 Season2002-03 Season  Eastern Conference Standings  Atlantic GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    y-Philadelphia 82 47 23 12 106 259 223 22-12-7 25-11-5 3-4-3    x-Pittsburgh 82 49 25 8 106 238 199 25-14-2 24-11-6 8-2-0    x-NY Rangers 82 44 33 5 93 233 198 20-17-4 24-16-1 6-3-1    New Jersey 82 38 39 5 81 174 209 22-16-3 16-23-2 4-5-1    NY Islanders 82 30 39 13 73 229 264 17-18-6 13-21-7 3-6-1      Northeast GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    y-Boston 82 46 25 11 103 246 195 22-13-6 24-12-5 6-3-1    x-Montreal 82 44 30 8 96 216 209 24-11-6 20-19-2 5-4-1    x-Buffalo 82 43 29 10 96 245 229 21-16-4 22-13-6 8-1-1    Toronto 82 37 34 11 85 218 251 18-15-8 19-19-3 6-3-1    Ottawa 82 32 40 10 74 192 250 16-20-5 16-20-5 5-4-1      Southeast GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    z-Washington 82 48 23 11 107 224 197 25-8-8 23-15-3 7-2-1    x-Tampa Bay 82 46 25 11 103 247 240 25-11-5 21-14-6 7-3-0    Carolina 82 40 31 11 91 236 239 22-14-5 18-17-6 7-2-1    Atlanta 82 34 36 12 80 223 269 17-17-7 17-19-5 4-6-0    Florida 82 30 40 12 72 195 229 16-17-8 14-23-4 1-7-2      Western Conference Standings  Central GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    y-Detroit 82 47 25 10 104 261 241 21-14-6 26-11-4 4-4-2    x-Nashville 82 44 27 11 99 219 194 24-9-8 20-18-3 7-2-1    x-Chicago 82 44 29 9 97 258 225 24-17-0 20-12-9 5-4-1    St. Louis 82 38 33 11 87 240 234 23-13-5 15-20-6 6-2-2    Columbus 82 34 35 13 81 215 258 17-19-5 17-16-8 1-6-3      Northwest GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    z-Vancouver 82 54 19 9 117 262 185 27-9-5 27-10-4 7-3-0    Calgary 82 41 29 12 94 250 237 23-13-5 18-16-7 5-2-3    Minnesota 82 39 35 8 86 206 233 19-17-5 20-18-3 4-6-0    Colorado 82 30 44 8 68 227 288 16-21-4 14-23-4 2-8-0    Edmonton 82 25 45 12 62 193 269 13-22-6 12-23-6 2-6-2      Pacific GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Home Road L10    y-San Jose 82 48 25 9 105 248 213 25-11-5 23-14-4 7-2-1    x-Anaheim 82 47 30 5 99 239 235 26-13-2 21-17-3 7-3-0    x-Phoenix 82 43 26 13 99 231 226 21-13-7 22-13-6 5-3-2    x-Los Angeles 82 46 30 6 98 219 198 25-13-3 21-17-3 6-4-0    Dallas 82 42 29 11 95 227 233 22-11-8 20-18-3 4-4-2

Rule No. 2: If You Like Fighting, Pick the Highest Team on This List.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 09: Teemu Selanne #8 of the Anaheim Ducks and Brad Richardson #15 of the Los Angeles Kings fight in the third period at Staples Center on April 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. The Ducks defeated the Kings 3-1. (Photo by Jeff

Rank	Team	Fight Totals
1	St. Louis Blues	78
2	Boston Bruins	71
3	Pittsburgh Penguins	71
4	New York Islanders	68
5	Anaheim Ducks	67
6	New York Rangers	62
7	Edmonton Oilers	55
8	Columbus Blue Jackets	54
9	Dallas Stars	51
10	Toronto Maple Leafs	50
11	Los Angeles Kings	49
12	San Jose Sharks	48
13	Philadelphia Flyers	47
14	Ottawa Senators	46
15	Washington Capitals	45
16	Colorado Avalanche	43
17	New Jersey Devils	37
18	Calgary Flames	35
19	Atlanta Thrashers	33
20	Minnesota Wild	32
21	Montreal Canadiens	32
22	Buffalo Sabres	30
23	Vancouver Canucks	29
24	Chicago Blackhawks	28
25	Carolina Hurricanes	25
26	Florida Panthers	24
27	Phoenix Coyotes	23
28	Tampa Bay Lightning	20
29	Nashville Predators	18
30	Detroit Red Wings	13

Rule No. 3: If You Like Goalie Masks, Watch a Few Games, and Pick Your Favorite.

Norman Y. Lono/Getty Images

VOORHEES, NJ - AUGUST 26: A detailed view of the mask of goaltender Ray Emery in the locker room at the Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone training facility on August 26, 2009 in Voorhees, New Jersey. An image of Bernard Hopkins is painted on the left side

A hockey mask that has boxers on it? Double awesome!

Rule No. 4: Don't Pick the Red Wings.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 10: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings moves to the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on April 10, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 4-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty

If you aren't completely up on your NHL, picking the Red Wings are like picking the Yankees as your favorite team.

Rule No. 5: It's Okay to Pick the Penguins/Capitals Solely Based on Star Power.

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 12: Alex Goligoski #3 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his third period goal with team mate Evgeni Malkin #71 during the NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on January 12, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, C

Friend No. 1: I can't believe you are rooting for the Penguins.

You: I mainly like them because Sidney and Evgeni are so good.

Friend No. 1: Well that's definitely true.

Aaaaaand SAVE!

Rule No. 6: Still Can't Pick One? Pick the Coolest Mascot or Jersey.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DENVER, CO - MARCH 31: Goalie Pekka Rinne #35 of the Nashville Predators warms up prior to facing the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on March 31, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Rinne had 27 saves as the Nashville Predators defeated the Colorado Avalan

Nashville, San Jose and Anaheim are sure to lead the pack.

Rule No. 7: You Can Always Fall Back on Your Love of "The Mighty Ducks."

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 16: Goalie Ray Emery #29 of the Anaheim Ducks skates on the ice in the game withthe St. Louis Blues at Honda Center on March 16, 2011 in Anaheim, California. Anaheim won 2-1. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

You probably won't see a flying V, but you're still going to have someone to root for; as the No. 4 seed in a tough Western Conference, you certainly could do worse than the Anaheim "Mighty" Ducks.

For an added bonus, I'll tell you that Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan are part of the best line in hockey, so you don't look like a total idiot calling them the "Mighty" Ducks.