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| WRITER |
PLAYOFFS |
CONF. CHAMPS |
THE CUP |
ROSS |
HART |
VEZINA |
NORRIS |
CALDER |
 FARBER |
Flyers, Habs, Penguins, Capitals, Devils, Rangers, Senators, Bruins
Wings, Ducks, Stars, Sharks, Hawks, Wild, Flames, Oilers |
FLYERS. Young talent emerges, see: Norris candidate Coburn.
WINGS. Cure hangover -- Babcock couldn't when his Ducks played Game 7 of '03 Cup final -- and Wings should roll. |
WINGS. More talent than last season, plus cap room to make deal at trade deadline if necessary. |
Sidney Crosby |
Alex Ovechkin |
Henrik Lundqvist |
Dion Phaneuf |
Kyle Turris |
 MUIR |
Habs, Flyers, Canes, Penguins, Devils, Capitals, Bruins, Senators
Wings, Stars, Flames, Sharks, Ducks, Hawks, Coyotes, Oilers |
CANADIENS. Hockey gods have sense of history; offense is fast, creative and deep, goalie Price ready to move on from playoff disaster.
WINGS. Once past first round, not to be taken for granted given their recent history, experience and coaching propel them to finals. |
WINGS. Difference: unmatchable depth. Wings are like shark's dentition: one knocked out, another snaps into place with little drop in execution. NHL's perfect winning machine. |
Sidney Crosby |
Sidney Crosby |
Marty Turco |
Dion Phaneuf |
Kyle Turris |
 ELIOT |
Habs, Penguins, Caps, Rangers, Senators, Flyers, Sabres, Thrashers
Wings, Sharks, Stars, Wild, Oilers, Flames, Hawks, Ducks |
CANADIENS. Speed, skill and history to boot.
STARS. It's Turco's time. |
STARS. Goaltending, mobile defense, committed veterans in the mix and an abundance of abrasiveness adds up to a second Cup in Big D. |
Sidney Crosby |
Sidney Crosby |
Henrik Lundqvist |
N/A |
Patrik Berglund |
 KELLEY |
Flyers, Habs, Capitals, Penguins, Devils, Rangers, Sabres, Bruins
Wings, Stars, Wild, Ducks, Sharks, Oilers, Flames, Preds |
FLYERS. Young talent, vets stay healthy.
SHARKS. Shock world with McLellan behind bench as Wings stumble. |
SHARKS. Boyle bombs away with long shot that eludes Biron to give them Cup in six. |
Alex Ovechkin |
Alex Ovechkin |
Tomas Vokoun |
Zdeno Chara |
Claude Giroux |
 WRAIGHT |
Habs, Rangers, Penguins, Capitals, Flyers, Sabres, Bruins, Devils
Wings, Stars, Ducks, Sharks, Flames, Hawks, Wild, Coyotes |
CANADIENS. Much pressure on Price, who proves he's Top 10 goalie and right man to lead Habs to Cup final.
STARS. New parts and last year's playoff showing by Turco mean more confidence for goalie in Detroit during West finals. |
STARS. Top netminding, grit, speed, perfect mix of youth and experience. Richards for full season is huge. If long-toothed backends Zubov, Boucher, Norstrom stay healthy, Modano lifts Cup for likely last time. |
Alex Ovechkin |
Sidney Crosby |
Evgeni Nabokov |
Dion Phaneuf |
Kyle Turris |
 KWAK |
Habs, Penguins, Capitals, Flyers, Devils, Bruins, Rangers, Senators
Wings, Sharks, Wild, Stars, Hawks, Ducks, Oilers, Flames |
CANADIENS. Anything shy of conference title in centennial season will be disappointment; Price redeems himself.
RED WINGS. Rich got richer -- ironic since Hossa left $80 million on table to join reigning champs. |
WINGS. First repeat since, well, the Wings. With three of game's best forwards, NHL's top defenseman and solid goaltending, Cup is theirs to lose. |
Sidney Crosby |
Sidney Crosby |
Martin Brodeur |
Dion Phaneuf |
Steven Stamkos |
 KENNEDY |
Penguins, Flyers, Habs, Capitals, Devils, Rangers, Senators, Bruins
Wings, Stars, Ducks, Sharks, Wild, Hawks, Flames, Oilers |
PENGUINS. Conference's best core -- Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury -- still well-supported; experience makes whole team better than a year ago.
WINGS. Leaders won't allow dropoff in intensity; nor will coach. Deeply talented, deeply determined. |
WINGS. Smooth ride through West should keep legs fresh to pull out another gripping final. |
Sidney Crosby |
Sidney Crosby |
Evgeni Nabokov |
Chris Pronger |
Bobby Ryan |
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