It's playoff time in the NHL.  For NHL fans, it's an awesome time of the year - especially the quarterfinals, because there are about 2-4 games a night for the first week or two.  Plenty of hockey to watch on TV! :)

Looking back at the predictions I made in October, I only had one team wrong for the West's eight playoff spots.  I predicted Vancouver would make it in, but they didn't.  Detroit, San Jose, Minnesota, Calgary, Dallas, Anaheim, Nashville, and Colorado are in.  I was disappointed to find that I didn't predict a conference winner, so I can't reflect on that at all.  Both Detroit and San Jose ran away with the Western conference this year and they are are the obvious favorites. 

In the East, I didn't predict much more than Ottawa and the Rangers facing off in the Eastern finals, and that the Rangers would come out ahead.  Both Ottawa and NY are in contention this year.

My predictions for the West:  Detroit and San Jose will easily with their series' against Nashville and Calgary, respectively.  Minnesota will beat Colorado because I'm a Minnesota fan boy.  Anaheim will beat Dallas in their series - Anaheim has a better record and finished the season very strong.  Minnesota will lose to San Jose in the semis because we can never beat them.  Detroit will win their series.  San Jose vs. Detroit is a tough call in the finals...  I'll go with San Jose because today is a day that ends in Y.

For the East... I never have a clue about the East: Montreal will beat Boston by default because of the 1st vs. 8th seed matchup.  Pittsburgh will beat Ottawa because Pittsburgh is finally a legit team that cannot be stopped.  I hate admitting that.  Washington will lose to Philadelphia because Washington is an over-rated 3rd seed.  Washington's SouthWest division is weak and they're only the 3rd seed because they won their division.  New Jersey vs. Rangers...  I'll go with the Rangers because I predicted them last year.  Rangers will beat Montreal, and Pittsburgh will beat Philadelphia in an epic Pennsylvania battle.  We'll see the Pens and Rangers in the final and the Rangers will win because they are more experienced. 

San Jose beats the Rangers and wins the Stanley Cup.  San Jose and the entire West is more defense oriented and defense wins in the NHL. 

We'll see in June how wrong I am about all this :)  Last year my playoff predictions were pretty much all wrong.