Indeed I have left many fields unplowed. I did not even mention the Penguins’ brilliant pickup of Kunitz at the deadline. But wow, I must have missed those 8-0 and 8-2 drubbings. I blame the media. Blue Bonnets! Damn, in my rush to come up with “Morning Jackets” I overlooked that one. Also Columbus Blue Danubes and Columbus Blue Bossas. And yes, I knew there was a team in Nashville because of their Very Scary Animal logo. But I did not realize a team could be 47th in the PK! That puts them right behind the Gwinnett Gladiators (and no, until I checked the ECHL website I did not know there was a team in Gwinnett).

Michael, since it’s threatening to snow up here tomorrow, I don’t know if it’ll ever be warm enough for human habitation.

Real Feel® in State College when I left: 30. Let’s get those glaciers a-melting, people! Lace up the logging boots and stomp hard! We want to leave a nice deep carbon footprint!

The Toronto hockey fan’s annual line: the Leafs would have been a lock to win the Cup if only they’d made the playoffs.

Yes. And now comes the point in the thread when I say “remember 1993, when they lost to Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings in the semis? In seven? With the prospect of meeting the Canadiens in the finals? Hahahahahahahahaha.” I’m nasty that way.

The ice cubes are in cocktails being sipped by Citizens of the North who found a way to get paid to be snowbirds in their younger days in hopes they won’t have to endure it as retirees. Referring to them as “polar bears” goes beyond cute to being downright complimentary.

The Sharks will do as well as Nabakov and no better. One of these years that will add up to a Stanley Cup, but the last month makes it feel like this is not the year.

Bruins in 5, Pens in 6, Devils in 5, Rangers in 6, Hawks in 6, ‘Nucks in 5, Sharks in 4, and Wings in 4.

D

Not at all! When Florida is underwater and the polar bears are balancing on ice cubes, northern Canada will finally be warm enough for human habitation.

Udder heads and rubber gloves. I see flashes of Derek in Philly.

Terrifying, awesome …. whatevs. Although they have had some “interesting” moments on defense of late (4 goals in 3rd period to Tampa Bay for instance).

Since picking the results of individual series is for the little people, I’ll stick to the my executive overview—which, in fact, is pretty similar to yours. In the East I rate it as Boston, Pittsburgh or Washington (possibly Carolina) and in the West, Detroit or San Jose (surely both will not fold). From my parochial Pittsburgh perspective, I think the East is theirs to be won assuming their defense tightens up like it did last year (barring some Eastern goalie turning into Martin Brodeur—Martin Brodeur himself for instance). But I cannot see Detroit or San Jose* not beating the Eastern winner (perhaps I am still in shock from last year’s series).

*My guess is San Jose would put aside all of their playoff troubles and be great in the Finals if they got there. Just like the mid ‘80s Browns were in the Superbowl, and the early ‘90s Pirates were in the World Series.

From a displaced Ohioan in Detroit

Would they have dared to go with the “Hockey Players Eat Their Dead” promotional opportunity?