MEGA 2012 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview
Defense: There’s no shortage of star power on the blue line in this series. ForDetroit, it obviously starts with Nicklas Lidstrom. He’ll turn 42 years old over the course of this series, but continues to play like he’s in his early 30s. Niklas Kronwall will be circling the ice looking for any Predator with his head down and look to make his physical presence known. Ian White has proven to be one of the best under the radar free agent pickups this season as he’s helped ease the blow of Brian Rafalski’s retirement more than anyone could’ve anticipated. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has experimented with different defensive pairings toward the end of the season and it’s not yet known how he’ll put his pairings for Game 1. It starts and ends with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter for the Predators. They’re arguably the best defensive pairing in the NHL and both will be needed to shut downDetroit’s top offensive threats. Both were in the top ten in scoring for defensemen during the regular season, so it’s not all about defending for these two. They’re both playmakers and triggermen forNashville. The Predators added depth on defense at the trade deadline getting Hal Gill from Montreal, whose playoff experience will be valuable in this series.
Edge: Even
Special Teams: Detroit’s special teams have been a mixed bag all season, especially their power play. The unit ranked 22nd in the regular season, near the bottom amongst the 16 playoff teams. It’s an issue that’s baffled the Wings and pretty much everyone across the NHL. Their penalty kill ranked 18th in the NHL this year but started rounding into form over the last handful of games in the regular season. In their final seven games, the Wings have killed off their last 25 penalties. It will need to be great against Nashville’s top ranked power play led by Weber and Suter as the triggermen. This matchup very well could be the deciding factor in this series. Both teams need to stay out of the penalty box, since both power play units are certainly capable of lighting up the scoreboard. The Predators penalty kill is no joke either, ranking 10th in the regular season. The Wings’ inconsistent power play will need to find it’s footing in this series and makeNashville pay for any bad penalty they take.
Edge: Predators
Goaltending: Everyone knows about Roberto Luongo, Henrik Lundqvist, and Marc Andre Fleury. This series could be the national coming out party for two of the more underrated goalies in the NHL in Jimmy Howard and Pekka Rinne. Howard led the league in wins through the first four months of the season until injuries sidelined him throughout February and March and took him out of his rhythm. But he’s found his groove again heading into the playoffs posting a 1.92 GAA and a .927 save percentage over his last five games. Pekka Rinne signed a seven year extension worth 49 million dollars earlier this season and has been worth every penny for the Predators. He led the league in wins with 43 and ranked in the top ten in save percentage posting a .923 mark during the regular season. Rinne played in 73 of the team’s 82 games, for a 6’5 goaltender even if he’s 29 years old, that’s a heavy workload. If the Red Wings throw a lot of shots at Rinne and put traffic in front of the net, the possibility exists that he could wear down if this series goes the distance.
Edge: Even
Prediction: This series will probably be the best in Western Conference to start the playoffs. Both teams are evenly matched and capable of going on a long playoff run. Nashville made a lot of moves at the trade deadline to bolster their lineup and send a message to their fans and the league that they’re not satisfied by just being a playoff team every year. There’s high expectations in Nashville for the first time in their history and some wonder if they face adversity against Detroit, will they crack under the weight of the heightened pressure. For the Red Wings, 2008 continues to get further away in the rear view mirror and the sense of urgency to make a run this year is high. Detroit knows how to handle expectations and prosperity, I question if Nashville knows how to. I think the Red Wings have just enough to get by a very tough first round opponent. Red Wings in 7.