2011 NHL Playoff Predictions: Final Round

Well, I didn't have a good third round, barely failing with Tampa Bay and being let down by San Jose. But I hope to make up for it this round. I'll have my usual three sections, players whose careers are in trouble because of their performance in this round, the fate of the losing teams and then the prediction about who will win the Stanley Cup.

Players Who May Be Traded

Dan Heatley

Usually by the time the third round occurs, nobody gets mentioned in this category because everyone has pulled their weight to get this far. Patrick Marleau, who was being openly criticized earlier, saved himself from being placed in this group by finally producing against Vancouver. 

The same can't be said of Dan Heatley (much to the delight of Ottawa fans) who had been demoted to third-line duty midway through the series. Actually, the Sharks never got much from Heatley in any playoff round. He was a major reason why the team got eliminated so easily. 

The Sharks aren't getting much for the large contract they are paying him and probably won't miss him if they trade him. The real problem is that nobody except a team that wants a "star" "name" player (Florida? Dallas? Columbus?) won't want to spend that kind of money for that kind of player.

The Fate of the Losing Teams

San Jose Sharks

Every year the Sharks get eliminated, the same questions about character and chemistry get asked and it is the same again this year. Dan Heatley, the up-front person in this category this year, has been detailed above. 

But what has to be disappointing is that Joe Pavelski and Devon Setoguchi, two character players who led the team last year and were prominent in the first two rounds this year, had a bad series against Vancouver.

It seemed that when San Jose eliminated Detroit in Round 2, proving that last year wasn't a fluke, they were ready to finally go all the way.  But except for Games 3 and 5, they played horribly against Vancouver.

In the last two third-round series against Vancouver and Chicago, they are 1-8, proving how far they really are from the Stanley Cup. Two of the usual culprits—bad goaltending and Joe Thornton—can't be blamed this time.  Thornton was, in fact, one of the better Sharks in this series.

Management has consistently refused to make major changes to the chemistry of this team, but time might be finally running out on the Sharks as they get older.

Typically, one has to look at performance of their opponent. The Sharks were the easiest opponent the Canucks played, something not expected from a third-round opponent. Nashville and Chicago humiliated the Sedins, turned them into defensive liabilities, and made everyone wonder if they were clutch Stanley Cup caliber players at all. 

In contrast, against the Sharks, the Sedins piled up the points. A repaired, stronger Chicago,Nashville with a much improved attack, Anaheim with a healthy Jonas Hiller and possibly one or two other rising teams will be able to prevent the Sharks from reaching the third round next year. And considering the anti-climatic 1-8 third-round record, the sooner, the better.

Tampa Bay Lightning 

There are mostly good things to be said about the performance of the Lightning, who finally reappeared in the playoffs after a long absence. They played well in most games in every series, with the curious exception of Game 7 against Boston, switching to a defensive type of game instead of trusting in the attacking style of play that had been their bread and butter. 

The only clouds on the horizon are the ages of St. Louis, Lecavalier and goalie Dwayne Roloson.  Goaltending is still a potential pitfall for this team. Pittsburgh will be back next year and there is still Boston to get by. But with another astute draft, this team will be a contender for several years.

Stanley Cup Final

Vancouver Canucks vs Boston Bruins

Despite getting this far, neither team has been very impressive (as say Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit in previous years). The goaltending has been mediocre (true for every team this year except Nashville), and at times, the stars haven't played like stars. 

The champions of the previous three years could take both of these teams—perhaps easily. In many ways, these two are here by default; stronger teams from previous years have been weakened by age (Detroit), injuries (Pittsburgh) and the salary cap (Chicago), and the new teams on the block (Nashville and Tampa Bay) still aren't strong enough yet.

The only thing that is similar to last year's final is that both teams have been waiting for ages to win the Stanley Cup. One has never won it and has been waiting 40 years, and the other has been struggling in vain for 38 since the glory days of Orr and Esposito. Like Philadelphia last year, the loser will go home bitterly disappointed, while the winner will have a nightmare lifted from its shoulders.

Neither team is invincible at home. The key to this series is how Boston handles the Sedins.  Play like Chicago and Nashville, and they disappear and become liabilities; play like San Jose and they pile up the points. The more physical this series is, the better it is for Boston. 

There is no goaltending edge at all. Both Thomas and Luongo can be made to look bad. Vancouver has a talent edge and possibly a huge advantage in special teams play. Boston won't be able to handle the Sedins.

The Stanley Cup will return from exile to Canada. Vancouver in five games.