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Chat Reel: Michael Farber

Odds on upsets are long, but there are some sleepers

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CNNSI Host: Welcome to our Stanley Cup playoff chat with Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber. Thanks for joining us, Michael.
Farber: At last, the playoffs ... Like the first robin.

From Guest: Do you think the Kings have any chance of upsetting the Red Wings? I've heard that Kings goalie Felix Potvin has Detroit's number in the playoffs.
Farber: I absolutely do think L.A. has a shot at the upset. I'm not sure it's because of Potvin, who plays very deep in his crease and doesn't have a real active glove hand, considering that most of Detroit's snipers like to go top shelf. However, Potvin has played well in L.A., and it's an explosive offense that can expose Detroit's defense. If Aaron Miller, who was picked up by L.A. in the Rob Blake trade, can play well despite a sprained wrist, I would say the Kings have a puncher's chance at upsetting Detroit.

From Dave: How big an impact will injuries have on Ottawa's playoff performance? Specifically, I refer to Radek Bonk, who will be unable to start the first round.
Farber: Mike Sillinger has done a magnificent job on that line. Clearly you'd like Bonk, but Ottawa has a good faceoff man in Sillinger, who is a smart player and someone who can help ease the loss of Bonk from one of hockey's most dynamic lines. Injuries are always a factor, but I think Ottawa can overcome this one.

From John: Edmonton over Dallas? You have to be kidding. Please explain what's going on in your head.
Farber: I have no idea what's going on in my head, but on the ice you might see a faster and more physical Oilers team play the Stars into the ice in a seven-game series. I'm going out on a limb with Tommy Salo, who is 1-8 in playoff games against the Stars. But when the series moves to the good ice in Edmonton, I suspect you'll see some of the best hockey in the first round. I'm backing a longshot and not backing the chalk. Isn't it fun to pick an upset now and then?

From Adrian: I was hoping you could shed some light on the Jaromir Jagr situation in Pittsburgh. First of all, do you really think the Penguins will trade him? And can the Penguins expect to get a decent return in any deal they make for Jagr?
Farber: Jagr might simply have priced himself out of the Pittsburgh market at $10 million for next season. Clearly, Lemieux would like to keep Jagr and at least twice this year turned down Jagr's request for a trade. But the economics of the situation suggest otherwise. Remember, that great players alone don't make Stanley Cup teams, or even great pairs.Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk in Phoenix, and Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya in Anaheim come to mind. Jagr should bring in a healthy return from a team willing to take on his contract. The Islanders might take the plunge, hoping that a star puts people back in the seats of the Nassau Memorial Mausoleum. Players you may see in return include Tim Connolly and a defenseman like, Kenny Johnsson and some other goodies.

From JT Taylor in San Jose: Which Sharks team will show up in the playoffs, the one that went winless in 13 games, or the one that led the Pacific for half the year?
Farber: Excellent question. The return of Vincent Damphousse makes the Sharks a better team. But they will need more than they got from some players in the second half; among them, Evgeni Nabokov, who at his best is poised and Velcro on rebounds. The Sharks are difficult to play against because they don't go away. I expect that series to go the distance. Roman Turek will have to keep his wits about him better than he did last year for the Blues to pull this one out.

From Bluesman: Hi, Michael. What do you think will be the difference in the Blues-Sharks series? Does St. Louis have a goaltending problem?
Farber: St. Louis might certainly have a goaltending problem. If Turek falters, coach Joel Quenneville will move to Brent Johnson, who had a great first half before backsliding. I think Tkachuk's presence gives St. Louis that puck grit that the Blues lacked in the past. And if he can keep his legendary temper under control and stay out of the penalty box, I think the Blues will ultimately prevail.

From DB: Do the Hurricanes have a shot at winning one or two games against New Jersey? Arturs Irbe rarely gets mentioned as one of the top netminders in the game, yet he's almost single-handedly brought Carolina to the playoffs.
Farber: Irbe had a great playoff moment in 1994 with San Jose, but the Hurricanes are up against too much with the Devils, who have it all. Irbe is capable of stealing a game, but so is Martin Brodeur at the other end. The Hurricanes will need something more from the suddenly revived Sandis Ozolinsh, who played like a zombie most of the year. This one should be relatively short and sweet, but I would love to see Carolina push it at least six, because I think fans will turn out if the Hurricanes can push the Devils. And that would be nice to see after so many empty seats in Raleigh.

From Bluesman: Has the NHL looked into trimming the postseason schedule at all? Does it matter to the league office that the playoffs won't be over for another two months?
Farber: The NHL loves the fact that hockey won't be over, and, in fact, they've condensed it ever so slightly. The league takes the biggest hit when it delays series at the behest of television. Three days off tend to dampen enthusiasm. Getting it over before Flag Day is in everybody's best interest. In a perfect world it would be done by June 1, but no one is perfect in this world other than Mario Lemieux.

From Guest: Does the Philadelphia-Buffalo series basically come down to Dominik Hasek's play?
Farber: No. Goaltending is always a big factor, and this is the most interesting matchup of the first round with Hasek and his understudy from the Czech Olympic team, Roman Cechmanek. At the beginning of the season when he was coach of the Flyers, Craig Ramsay wasn't even sure he wanted Cechmanek as a backup. Now he’s the clear No. 1. Some other keys, though, to this series involve the ability to overcome the loss of Keith Primeau. John LeClair, coming back from his back injury, looked good in the final weekend, but he'll really have to produce. Look for a lot of close, low-scoring games here.

From Guest: Can you give me one player in each conference that you consider to be the most important to their team’s playoff run?
Farber: Any time you talk about the most important players, you tend to include goaltenders. And Patrick Roy and Brodeur fit that. But if you're looking for players who must play very well for his team to have a chance, think of Trevor Linden, who will have to be checking center where there are lots of big, good centers. In the Western Conference, I would look at a guy like Sergei Fedorov, who hasn't scored since March 13. This might be Detroit's last gasp, and if the Wings are going to get by the second round they will need Fedorov, who seems to have receded, despite leading the team in goal scoring.

From HabsFan: How will the free agent scene play out?
Farber: A lot of what happens in the playoffs will determine the free-agent market. Pierre Turgeon has to have a good playoff season for the Blues to have interest in re-signing him. Another side of the playoffs is that they will serve as a tryout for the Canadian Olympic team. Wayne Gretzky says he wants to see players who perform under pressure and this will be the only pressure between now and December when the teams are announced.

From JT Taylor in San Jose: Which teams from the lower seeds from each conference do you think have the best chance of making the Cup finals? Do any of them have a legitimate shot?
Farber: The only team seeded between No. 5 and No. 8 that I think has a shot is the Buffalo Sabres. Hasek is always the wild card. He can beat anybody on a given day. Now, he'll have to beat teams four times, but the Sabres improved at the deadline and are playing well. That said, New Jersey is the class of the conference. Pittsburgh is intriguing, but I don't think Johan Hedberg is going to hold up through three rounds.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining us, Michael.
Farber: Thanks everyone.

 

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