2011 NHL Playoffs: Which Team Would Canucks Rather Face, Red Wings or Sharks?

It's official—the Vancouver Canucks are through to the next round.  

They barely escaped a scary Nashville Predators team and many hometown faithfuls were sweating out the final seconds of Game 6 on Monday night.

However, the past is the past. Championship teams only look ahead to the next game.

The only problem: Which team will it be?

A few short days ago the San Jose Sharks looked like the team everybody expected to see this year. They shot out of a cannon to a convincing 3-0 series lead against the aging Detroit Red Wings. At the time, people were wondering if a beat up and battered Canucks team would be able to contend with a rested and confident Sharks team.

That was until players such as Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Lidstrom and Jimmy Howard stood up and seemed to collectively say, "Not so fast, my friend."

Suddenly, we have a series and no one has any clue how it will play out.

Roberto Luongo was interviewed immediately after their Game 6 win and when they asked him who he would rather play he said it didn't matter, as long as it goes seven games.

And that really is a mediating factor in all of this.

Regardless of how Vancouver matches up with either of them, if Detroit goes on to win Game 6, it will give the President's Trophy winners a leg up in the fatigue factor. Many teams hit the proverbial wall in Round 3 and it's a long and grueling season. 

Players need all the rest they can get.

Looking at the season series between the teams, the Canucks won three out of the four games versus the Sharks this season and Luongo had a sparkling .975 save percentage in his two starts. They lost the fourth game in overtime.

At the same time, the Canucks split the season series with the Red Wings, but both of their losses came in overtime as well.

Both Sedins had dominating numbers against both clubs this year.

But does any of this really matter?

By the time the third round of the NHL playoffs kicks off, regular season games played in December and January mean very little.

Both Detroit and San Jose have considerably more offensive depth than the Nashville Predators. Guys like Clowe, Thornton and Couture are playing great hockey right now. Much like the Sedins, Heatley and Marleau are struggling. Yet, snipers like this do not stay off the score sheet for long.

Sooner or later, the big guns come to play.

Zetterberg might not be his usual self, but if he gets the opportunity to play another round it's quite possible he regains his health in time to put his team into the finals. Datsyuk is a threat anywhere on the ice, and players like Helm, Eaves and Abdelkader all have two-way ability.

There aren't many holes on the blueline or in net on either of these teams either.

Serious questions surrounded Jimmy Howard coming into the playoffs, but he's answered the bell in a big, big way. Antti Niemi is also showing why he won the Stanley Cup last season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

At first glance, the Canucks would probably want to play Detroit because it would mean they went the distance in a hard-fought seven-game series with the Sharks. The Red Wings are the oldest team remaining in the playoffs and they might not have enough left to take on a rested Vancouver team.

A closer look might reveal that the Sharks would be the better opponent.

They have always had trouble in the playoffs and if they need seven games to take out Detroit, their confidence might be shaken once again. A mentally fragile Sharks team might be the perfect fit for the Canucks.

No matter which way you slice it, it appears as if the Canucks are going to have the advantage either way.

What say you?