OTTAWA AND VANCOUVER? No way. Both way too soft, and Ottawa is obviously not getting out of the first round. Their goaltending has been shaky all year. Vancouver has one scoring line that you can shut down with some judicious line matching and I have no confidence in Cloutier in net.

Toronto - Detroit, baby!

Yeah, I'm full of it. I think they put something in the water up here.

Vancouver has one scoring line? Are you kidding? Do they even broadcast Vancouver games in Toronto?

Actually, they don't - the media here is very careful not to show us anything that might upset our illusory world wherein the Leafs are the team of destiny.

That said, I don't think the Sedins can compensate if the Naslund/Morrison/Sanderson(?) line is effectively contained. And Calgary is on a tear, I think they can take the Canucks.

I'm in agreement with Frank (I already made this prediction on someone elses blog.)

Toronto and Detroit.

If these two make it to the finals, then I think Toronto may have an edge in goal IF Mr. Eddie "Pretty Feet" Belfour can maintain his sanity/health.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas go far. Maybe even to the finals.

Honestly, I haven't watched enough/kept up with things enough to be making a completely "educated" guess here. I'm just going with my gut.

*sigh*.... I don't really care, I'm just ready for some sweet, sweet hockey.

I'd love to see Calgary (or my home team, the Predators) make a run, but I'm realistic. I see Boston and Tampa Bay as likely first round upset candidates, along with Philly now that Desjardins is out for the playoffs.

I'd be greatly surprised to see the Stars go past round one. Too much dissension in the locker room, and management has made some horrible personnel decisions (Pierre Turgeon, case number one). Plus, Mikey M. is still worried about his finances.

This has been an odd hockey watching year for me, I've seen about as many games in person as I have on television (twenty, thank god for business trips). The teams that impressed me most were the Red Wings and the Leafs, so realistically, I see the Red Wings and Leafs, but stubborny I'm sticking with my season-opening prediction (of course, I hoped that Vancouver would get a netminder before the trade deadline, and that Bertuzzi would be playing this time of year). My wife, of course, is rooting for her boyfriend's team, Colorado (she's in love with Paul Kariya).

Like you, Kelly, I'm excited just watching playoff hockey. We have tickets to all three Predators first-round games. This truly is a great time of year.

Tell Linda I'm sorry her boyfriend is injured. My boyfriend - Mr. Richard Matvichuk - is perfectly healthy (otherwise he might've had to hurt Kariya.)

Have fun at the Preds games. There's nothing quite like watching a playoff game in person. I'll always be thankful that I got to see as many as I did, and I'm hopeful that I'll get to see more soon. (Have I mentioned the fact that I've kissed Lord Stanley's Cup? Yeah. I probably have.)

p.s. I don't really factor Mikey Mo into the Stars lately. There are other players I've got more faith in. Here's a slightly sad fact. A lot of the guys are listening to Toby Keith to get pumped up in the locker room. Whatever works, I guess... :-/

p.s. Say hello to my other (a-hem "imaginary") boyfriend for me. Mr. Brendan Shanahan.

I have to respect a woman who has a soft spot for power forwards. Personally, my hockey boyfriends are gritty, too, like Peter Forsberg and my ex-boyfriend, Todd Bertuzzi.

Tickets to see the Preds in their first foray into the post season? Colour me jealous. That will be awesome. Hopefully they can win one in front of their home fans.