Brad Leeb
NHL Expert
Ajay Baines
Terry Ryan
David Ling
Jimmy Waite

 

Brad Leeb

The Match-Up

Picking a Stanley Cup winner is never an easy thing to do. Especially when you are predicting the winner at the beginning of the season. Many teams have made changes from the previous year with big free agent signings, and young rookies looking to contribute.

Expectations are high and everyone feels that they have filled the holes in their roster. Players have healed injuries and trained hard and are excited to get the season going.

However, even if there are favored teams with high expectations, there are a lot of intangibles throughout the regular season and playoffs. Things that influence a season are injuries, hot and cold streaks, trades, travel, scheduling, camaraderie, personal issues, experience to deal with it all.

The truth is a lot of things have to go your way to have that magical season that ends with hoisting hockey’s holy grail.

There are many teams that have the possibility to win this year’s Stanley Cup. I have already changed my mind a few times trying to come up with a winner. Here are my thoughts.

My top teams in the West are the Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.

Vancouver Canucks - Vancouver has one of their best rosters in recent memory. This team that is easily among the top in the Western Conference and the entire NHL. With a healthy full season from both of the Sedin’s, a focused captain-less Luongo, and a grittier supporting cast this may be the Canucks year.

San Jose Sharks - Another year with high expectations for the Sharks. Thornton, Heatley and Marleau make up one of the strongest offensive groups in the league. San Jose was 4th in the NHL in goals-for/game last season, and they may improve on that number. With a solid duo in net, Niemi and Nittymaki could be the final tipping point to take this team to glory.

Detroit Red Wings - Detroit always seems to be a contender. Solid management and coaching have installed winning habits that are needed in the post season. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom will be solid. A healthy Franzen will be a force. Rafalski is a powerplay specialist. Modano will be as excited as a new rookie. Howard has shown to be solid in net, with 3 time Stanley Cup winner Osgood on the bench. This team knows how to win.

Chicago Blackhawks - The odds may be stacked against the Blackhawks because of all the departed contributors, and the dreaded ‘Cup Hangover’. However, you cannot discount a young talented group that still has Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Keith and Seabrook in the lineup. Now that these guys know what it takes to win, there is no reason to believe that they cannot do it again this year.

My top teams in the East are the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Washington Capitals - Lead by the offensive powerhouses of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Semin, the Capitals are always dangerous. Ovechkin is determined to become a winner and is even quoted as saying “I am not great until I win the Stanley Cup.” That is determination, enough said.

New Jersey Devils - The Devils have quietly put together another solid lineup with top snipers Kovalchuk and Parise, and secondary scoring with Arnott and Elias. The defense is improved with the addition of Volchenkov and Tallinder. New Jersey also has one of the best goalies in NHL history in Brodeur.

Buffalo Sabres - Anything is possible when the Buffalo Sabres have Miller in goal. If he gets hot at the right times, he can put the entire team on his back and go deep into the playoffs. We all saw what happened last year when teams had hot goalies.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Sid The Kid will be back this year hungry and more rested than last year. A Stanley Cup final, followed by a Stanley Cup championship, followed by a pressure filled Olympic year. That is a lot of hockey to be played. Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury have been there before and know what it takes to get back to The Dance.

These are the best teams in NHL, and they will provide some great competition for Lord Stanley’s Cup. However there will only be one Stanley Cup Champion.

The 2011 Stanley Cup Champion will be the Vancouver Canucks.

The Stanley Cup will be back in Canada for the first time since 1993. From the Canadians to the Canucks.

The Bet

VANCOUVER CANUCKS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

NHL Expert

The Match-Up

East Conference Champion

Pittsburgh Penguins

West Conference Champion

Vancouver Canucks

The Bet

VANCOUVER CANUCKS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

Ajay Baines

The Match-Up

I think the cup is up for grabs this year, and there are a bunch of teams that can get it.  Looking at the East, you have your top dogs in the Caps, Flyers and Pens.  Dont count Boston out either, but without Savard, they will be in tough.  I think Philly has to be the deepest team in the NHL, and they got better this summer, which is scary.  But once again, they still have issues between the pipes.  Are they ever gonna figure it out?  We'll see what the Caps are made of this year. They will be contenders again, but it only matters what they do come April.  Ovechikin is a competitor and he is hungry.  Backstrom is my pick for the Art Ross this year.  The Pens are intriguing.  Ya they have the deepest center ice in the entire league with Sid, Gino and Staal.  But looking at their lineup, they do not have much depth up front.  Its hard to believe how much Sid scores with the people they have playing with him.  Fleury will have to be instrumental, but u know Sid always rises up when people doubt him.

The west is is gonna be wild.  Seven of the eight teams last year that made the playoffs had over 100 points.  That's how hard it is just to get in.  The champs definitely lost some of their character this summer due to the cap, but with their core of Keith, Seabrook, Toews and Kane back, they will be fine.  I think they upgraded in goal too, with Turco, who is cheaper as well.  People are counting these guys out, and that is embarrassing.  Their top two lines are as good as any in the league.  The Canucks seem to be the unanimous choice for the cup this year.  I think they are better, but we'll see how they play.  Pressure is on Luongo and the Orca bay boys to get past that second round.  The Sharks and the Wings are my other two horses.  The Wings, my favorite team growing up, are well rested and hungry for one last run together,and the Sharks will be in the mix again, as I think they upgraded in goal with Niemi over Nabokov, which will help them.  Los Angeles and St. Louis will have solid years and could make some noise come April....

So who is my winner u ask?  Hmmm, it could very well be a rematch of last year with the Hawks and Flyers dancing again, or it could be the third chapter of the Red Wings vs Penguins rivalry.  People are predicting a mouth watering Capitals vs Canucks final as well.  I will say that any of these are possibilities and anything can happen.  I'd love to see the Wings win one last one, but my prediction...will be Pittsburgh over Vancouver in 6 games.

The Bet

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

Terry Ryan

The Match-Up

My Pick For 2011 Stanley Cup Champs:

There are a few teams who look promising to me heading into this season, but if I had to pick just one team, I would go with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Pens are well rested this year, after being knocked from the playoffs  by the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference semi final last season.  The previous 2 years, they played in the Cup finals which extended well into June.  In 2010, the Pens also had numerous players taking part in the Olympic games while most NHL players were resting. So, in essence, the Pens played as more games than any other team in the NHL before being ousted by the Habs last May. This year look for a fresh start from Sidney and company, especially given the fact they are moving into a brand new building and would love to christen it with the Stanley Cup.

This being said, don't count out the Washington Capitals.  The 2010 President's Trophy winners were upset last season by the Habs as well and until that point loooked like the odds on team to take home Lord Stanley's hardware.  Alexander the Great has a point to prove as arch rival Sid the Kid has won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold within the past 2 seasons. Ovechkin won't get the true respect that comes with being a champion until he leads his team to the promised land. Both Washington and Pittsburgh also have some great spare parts to go along with a nucleus that was strong already.

My third pick? Well, I guess I will give some respect to the defending champs, the Chicago Blackhawks. The high-flying Hawks brought home a long-awaited championship last season and looked fantastic in the process, but have lost a lot of the players which were vital to their success.  In my opinion guys like Byfuglien, Versteeg, and Ladd (to name a few) were as important to the team's Cup victory in 2009-2010 as anyone. I don't think these guys can be easily replaced.  Of the new faces on the Chi-town roster, look for the aging Marty Turco to have a big year.  He knows he is in the twilight of his career and has a point to prove...

So, my picks are the Pens, the Caps, and the Hawks, in that order.  Good luck!  

The Bet

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

David Ling

The Match-Up

The Philadelphia Flyers and hungry from the taste they got last year, and any team with Mike Richards, Chris Pronger and my good buddy Jody Shelley have to be the favorites.

The Bet

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

Jimmy Waite

The Match-Up

My Cup Winner is Detroit. The reason I pick the Red Wings is because of their experience and they know how to win! They kept their main players and still have a great offence. In Goal, Howard gain a lot of experience last season and he is ready to take over.

The Bet

DETROIT RED WINGS TO WIN STANLEY CUP.

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