Throw the seedings out the window because they don't seem to matter in the NHL playoffs. In all my years of watching different sports tournaments and playoffs, I can't remember one as wide open as this appears to be. It seems like anybody can win. Parity at it's finest, or worst, depending on one's point of view.
The Vancouver Canucks have won the President's Trophy for having the best regular season record -- and this year they were bounced in the first round by the LA Kings -- who barely made the playoffs as an 8 seed. The good people in British Columbia are probably scratching their heads wondering what happened. Perhaps it never occurred to them that the President's Trophy is all wrong in the first place for any Canadian team. Canada doesn't even have a President. Maybe if it was the Prime Minister's Trophy, they'd still be playing. Who knows?
Wars are going on in the near east. Philly/New Jersey, and NY Rangers/Washington Caps. They're playing at such a high level, including speed, skill, and being physical, it's almost a shame to see somebody lose. It's a pretty safe bet to say hockey fans in all those cities couldn't care less about original seedings right about now. It's about survival. Jersey hasn't bit on the Flyers' agitation tactics, are leading 3-1, and might well close them out in the next game. But ya never know. Even though the Rangers lead the Caps 3-2, that series is still a coin flip.
Yet, out in the wild west, something strange happened. The Phoenix Coyotes were hosting the Nashville Predators. Yes, those same dastardly Preds that sent the Red Wings packing in the first round.
As the home team, the Coyotes were wearing red uniforms, while the Predators wore the vistors' whites. Thing is, everybody in the crowd in Phoenix was dressed in white. Seems to me another team used to do that once -- the Quebec Nordiques -- I think. Kinda spooky looking. But you'd think if the home team was running some sort of fan promotion gimmick, they could at least get the color right.
I guess it could have been worse. If all those fans dressed in white were also wearing tall pointy white hats, that would have went beyond spooky into the realm of scary. If you think the New Orleans Saints' "bounty" affair drew a lot of attention -- imagine THAT scenario. Maybe NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman would suspend all the Coyote season ticket holders for a year. He's done dumber things.
Yet, when all the dust clears, I suppose I have to pick a winner. I'm going with the NJ Devils, for two reasons. First, they're as good as anybody else and have a great playoff-tested goalie in Martin Brodeur. More important, they need to do it this year because of their Governor in that state. Chris Christie has already said good riddance to the NJ Nets of the NBA as they are about to move to Brooklyn. Perhaps the Devils will be the next to relocate. And then the Giants and the Jets of the NFL, their new stadium notwithstanding. Why? Because if Christie gets much bigger, there won't be enough room in New Jersey for anybody but him.
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