Continuing our NHL first round playoff coverage, esteemed commenter HawkEye19 is back with a preview of the Western Conference.

1. San Jose Sharks vs. 8. Anaheim Ducks
The West starts with an inter-divisional match up. San Jose won the President’s Trophy with 117 points, led by Joe Thorton, Evgeni Nabokov, and older veterans Rob Blake and Jeremy Roenick. The Anaheim Ducks tore it up the last months of the season, and still have the core of their 2007 Stanley Cup winning team with the Brothers Niedermayer, Chris Pronger (Boo!) and Teemu Selanne, as well as youngsters like Ryan Getzlaf. This match-up has all the hallmarks of a long, drawn out fight with the Sharks managing to win it.

Sharks in 7

2. Detroit Red Wings vs. 7. Columbus Blue Jackets
An 11-time Stanley Cup champion (including 4 in the last 12 years) against a Blue Jackets team that’s in the postseason for the first time in their existence. The Wings are….the Wings. They have Zetterberg, Datsuyk, Nick Lindstrom, and, just because they didn’t have enough offense, Marian Hossa. Problem is, they also have Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin between the pipes. The Blue Jackets have Rick Nash and a bunch of youngsters. The average age of this team is about 26, with a 35 year-old Michael Peca being the “old man”. Young team + first playoff series = early exit

Wings in 4

3. Vancouver Canucks vs. 6. St. Louis Blues
Up next, two of the hottest teams in the NHL over the second half of the year. Vancouver went 23-7-2, and the Blues went 21-7-6. The Canucks are led by goalie Roberto Luongo and the Sendin Twins, along with former Leaf Mats Sundin. The Blues have a couple of old men in Tkachuk and Kariya, and a mess of young kids like TJ Oshie. It’s going to be a rough series for the Blues. Luongo and the rest will be just too strong to beat.

Canucks in 5

4. Chicago Blackhawks vs 5. Calgary Flames
A month ago, this was a very good first round matchup. The Blackhawks return to the playoffs for the first time in 7 years with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Martin Havlat up front. They’re pretty well set with both Nikolai Khabibulin and Christobal Huet. The Flames are a very good team…on paper. They were pretty good with just Jarome Ingala, Daymond Langkow and Mikka Kiprusoff. Then they added Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold at the trade deadline. After all that, the Flames laid an egg. I don’t expect them the suddenly snap out of it.

‘Hawks in 5

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