NHL Playoffs 2011: Hab Confessions, Chara Shrinkage and the SJ Salary Swap

The 2011 National Hockey League playoffs are in full swing and some things have become quite apparent as a fan through my perspective. Overall, the hockey has been pretty solid and entertaining, although I wish we could go to a game without someone, somewhere, whining and questioning this hit and that hit.

Let's give that a rest for a bit. It's not as bad as it all seems. Hockey players are big, grown men who know the perils and should be aware of them at all times on the ice. Especially with the silver mug on the line.

With that, here are some inaccurate, but odd team and player observations in my eyes halfway through the first round of the playoffs.

An Ugly Confession

Carey Price has me a believer through the first few games of the playoffs.

This is a hard, ugly personal confession. I am a life-long, bleed blue Toronto Maple Leaf fan all of my life and I am cheering for the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs.

Is it because they are another Canadian team representing and trying to bring it home to our soil this year?

No.

Is it the beautiful frenzy of the Montreal fans as they go further and further as they did last year?

No.

It is simply the fact that the Canadiens are a team of smallish, high-skill, high hockey IQ, big-heart players who get counted out time and time again in the "big" NHL. I love the underdog, and that is the small player in the NHL. Oh, and did I mention that I always need a team to cheer for this time of year because I am a Leafs fan?

I digress.

I was rolling my eyes once again when everyone was saying that Chara, Lucic and the bruisers from Boston would run the Canadiens small, weak forwards out of the series, when time and time again we see differently when the dust settles at the end of series. Montreal has a system. Leaders who have done it and won it in the playoffs.

They also have a back stopper to believe in with Carey Price and I am cheering for a 2010 like run from them yet again. 

Chara Suffers from Shrinkage

Chara seems to be on the wrong side of things a lot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

There is a trend with Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara that I think is becoming etched in the stone that is my head. The behemoth 6'9", top 10 defenseman in the regular season seems to shrivel up a bit when the playoffs roll around. I used to observe it in his younger years with the Ottawa Senators in heated Battle of Ontario series vs. Toronto.

He seems to tense up a bit under the pressure that is the playoffs, and then that doubt seeps into his game all over the ice. He is less assertive out there and sometimes becomes an easy target for quick and shifty players.

There is no questioning his sheer skill, power and dominating ability out there in every situation on the ice, but it is inside a bit where Chara is sometimes smaller than his frame. He needs to overcome this. He needs to shake whatever illness came on him early in these playoffs and lead his team past the first-round demon of last year.

Bruins fans, are you holding your breath?

The San Jose Salary Swap

A hunger for the net has served Setoguchi and the Sharks youngsters well.

Once again it seems you never know what you are gonna get from the Sharks during the early Stanley Cup playoffs 2011 edition. I say this with them sitting up three games to one in their series against a young and game, but not quite deep enough Los Angeles Kings team.

If San Jose goes on to close it out, and also goes on to make more noise in this years playoffs, say, get to a Conference Final match up vs. Detroit or another top dog, then watch closely as the salary structure in San Jose will be further thrown for a loop.

How is it that year after year during the playoffs in San Jose, the big name and big salary players (we will leave Boyle out of this) play only good or average and coast on the backs of lesser name, lower-paid players. Players such as Couture, Clowe, Setoguchi and Pavelski continue to deliver the mail at the most crucial times for the Sharks. What they aren't getting in the mail are the hefty checks that their teammates are getting.

And the first thing I'd be saying on the road if I were them is, "Hey Big Joe, where we off to for dinner this evening?"

And yes, I would expect him to be flipping the bill.

It Is True the Hawks Have Gotten in to the Canucks Heads Once Again

Jonathon Toews held firm in his belief despite low times early in the series.

Those of you who underestimate the mental side of professional sports need not look now at the series between the Canucks and the Hawks now sitting at three games to two. How can you go from an NHL leading three-game advantage to a shaky, reeling, doubtful group in a matter of two games?

You don't lose your size, strength or physical ability, you lose your mental edge and confidence.

Whether it be from Jonathon Toews holding firm and defiant in not giving the Canucks their due after going down three in the series, to the distraction of the Torres-Seabrook hit, to the return of super villain extraordinaire David "The Joker" Bolland, the Canucks have seriously handed their mojo to the Hawks, and they must get it back and quick.

The Hawks beat the Canucks out two years ago because they got in their heads, they beat them last year because they were a far superior team and they got in their heads and they might beat them this year because they are in their heads. Snap out of it Canucks.

You will have the longest, most miserable summer if you don't.

Totally and Utterly Completely Up for Grabs

The Caps have looked good but not great as the front runner in the East

One thing is for certain in this years edition of the Stanley Cup playoffs, like never before, the holy grail is utterly and completely up for grabs. The absolute front-runner favorite team this season is reeling from a couple heavy statements from the No. 8 seed, and the front-runner on the other side has needed a couple of overtime gifts to gain power in their series.

The Canucks burst out of the gate against Chicago and looked to solidify as the clear-cut favorite to roll and win the cup, but now it is unclear if they can get back on track going into tomorrow night. In my opinion, they were the only clear favorite going in. The No. 1 seed in the East, Washington Capitals are not a clear-cut No. 2 in my eyes and have always cast doubt that they can deliver throughout the spring.

All the teams are flip flopping between themselves this year and showing brilliance and vulnerability all in the same series. No one is on a clear roll except maybe one team. Is old perennial Detroit the new team to beat heading into the stretch of round one? 

I can't wait to find out