NHL Playoffs 2011: Could the Nashville Predators Be the Team to Beat out West?

Put that title atop the list of sentences I definitely never thought I'd be writing.

For one, Nashville isn't anywhere near the West Coast, or even the mid-west.

Second, as much regular season success as the Predators have had, they had never managed to win a playoff series until this year.

Not to mention, until recently, the Predators hadn't ever been a complete team.  Now they are absolutely complete from top to bottom.

But now that Nashville has managed to get over the hump of winning a playoff series, and you look at the make up of their team, it isn't really that outlandish of a thought to say that the Predators could win the Western Conference.

The Predators have one of the best goalies in the league in Pekka Rinne.

Rinne had an amazing regular season this year.  He was second to Tim Thomas in almost every major goaltending category.

He's big, fast, acrobatic, can make the big save when his team needs it, and can win a game completely by himself.

Rinne is really one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle that Nashville had been missing. 

Another piece that has really come to the forefront in the past couple of seasons is their captain, Shea Weber.

Aside from having the most impressive beard in the NHL playoffs, Weber is also one of the most complete defenders.

He led Nashville in scoring for most of the regular season, and is also out on the ice for the biggest defensive situations. 

He leads by example, and plays the game with a really nasty edge that makes everybody take notice when he steps out on the ice.

The Predators have never been a team that has had major goal scorers, but their team is able to pitch in from all sides. 

The Predators leading scorers only had 50 points, but their defense always helped keep them in the game.

They've managed to do a lot of scoring in the playoffs, though.  The Predators are tied for first in goals scored, and tied for second in assists and points.  They are fourth in +/- and in power play goals scored.

What team is this that we are seeing?  Winning with offense instead of defense? 

The Predators may be playing the best team in the NHL for this playoff series, but the Preds are far from an easy out. 

The Canucks will not be able to intimidate Nashville, who plays one of the most physically punishing games in the NHL.

Vancouver's pure skill level can't be matched, but Nashville's ability to stay in games and get contributions from their whole roster will keep this series incredibly close.

True, Vancouver has to be the favorite in this series, but don't be surprised if the Preds do manage to oust the number one team in the NHL this year.  And if they do, then you would have a hard time saying that the Preds aren't the favorites to win the Western Conference.