Official, Unofficial Copper and Blue Playoff Predictions for Round 1

The playoffs. Words that have little meaning to Oiler fans these days, and because of that, we have to find other ways to make things interesting. So we join pools, playoff brackets and other such things to give us something to cheer for… aside from the roof collapsing in one of the Canuck – Flames games.

The writers here at Copper and Blue got together… well those of us who hadn’t drowned another season of sorrows in a pitcher of vodka and paint thinner (and one who did), and put our playoff predictions down for the world to mock us (we’re Oiler fans, this is routine).

Our crack staff of predictors consists of Derek Zona, Ryan Batty, Derek Blasutti and Ken Price, who just grunted at us and sent his nine year old son. By the way, thanks Ken. Aunties Candy and Raven were expensive baby sitters.

For the Official Unofficial Copper and Blue Prediction, it adds the number of wins for one team, divided by the total number of wins for both teams, prorated over 7 games (rounding down to 4 for the winner, 3 for the loser).

Example:

Derek Z – Team A 4 – Team B 2

Ryan Batty – Team B 4 – Team A 2

Derek B – Team A 4 – Team B 1

Young Price – Team A 4 – Team B 0

Team A has 14 wins out of 21 games = 4

Team B has 7 wins in 21 games = 2

Team A wins Series in 6.

In case of a tie, I told my dog Jesse to speak, if he barks, the highest seeded team wins the tie breaker. If he rolls over, the lowest seeded team wins. He’s a lab, so he’s adorable but dumb, he’s 50-50 for doing either.

Western Conference:

Central Division

(1) St. Louis Blues vs (WC) Minnesota Wild

Derek Zona - Everyone has to root for the Wild here, if only to have a chance to see the Vezina and Hart Trophy winner win the Conn Smythe as well.

Wild in 5.

Ryan Batty - Love Dubnyk and the story, but the Blues are just a better team. The only way the Wild wins this is if Dubnyk does it himself and I don't see that happening.

Blues in 5

Derek Blasutti – The Blues have a very balanced attack and a deep blueline. The Wild have a hot goalie. We might see nothing but 2-1 games, but I think the Blues do enough to win.

Blues in 6

Young Price - Pfft. Never heard of Minnesota Wild. St. Louis because they sound like they’re from LA and LA takes a lot of things seriously.

Blues in 5

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Blues in 7

(2) Nashville Predators vs (3) Chicago Blackhawks

Derek Zona - I harbor no ill will towards either team, but I do appreciate that Nashville thrives on depth at centre and on the blueline, a lesson that the Oilers might learn in 2025.

Nashville in 7

Ryan Batty - This is the hardest series to pick, but someone has to win and that could be Nashville.

Nashville in 6

Derek Blasutti – Kane is back, but he’s missed forever. The Preds have a tonne of depth at C and D will stretch the series, but the Hawks take it.

Chicago in 6

Young Price - Chicago Blackhawks have been doing pretty good for the league.

Chicago in 7

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Preds in 7 (Jesse barked).

Pacific Division

(1) Anaheim Ducks vs (WC) Winnipeg Jets

Derek Zona - There are more reasons to root against these two teams than there are reasons to root for them, but the Ducks have Andrew Cogliano, incredibly successful NHL winger, whereas the Oilers have the rememberance of a guy that once scored three straight OT winners, but think there was a problem with his something something had to be traded because cheese hands didn't like his sideburns.

Ducks in 5

Ryan Batty - Good fancy stats and (I can't believe this) and the better goalie will add up to the first playoff series win for the Jets since 1987.

Jets in 6

Derek Blasutti – The coin will keep flipping heads for the Ducks in 1 goal games this series.

Ducks in 6

Young Price - I really like Jets but Ducks are magical.

Ducks in 5

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Ducks in 6

(2) Vancouver Canucks vs (3) Calgary Flames

Derek Zona - Hey guys!  Do you want to root for famine and death or pestilence and war?  I'll go with Vancouver just to avoid the asinine stories about how the Flames managed to win and none of them will involve the word "luck".

Canucks in 6

Ryan Batty - Best case scenario the building collapses and both teams are eliminated. Second best outcome the Flames lose.

Canucks in 5

Derek Blasutti – The Canucks have the most likable players in the series (The Sedins) and also the least likable one (Kassian). The Flames win this series, only so I can point to the average player size of their roster the next time someone says the Oilers need more size.

Flames in 6

Young Price - Calgary Flames. The reason is, I’ve seen their games on and they are like the comeback kings. So even if Vancouver gets in front, Calgary will give them a punch in the back.

Flames in 4

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Flames in 7

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs (WC) Ottawa Senators

Derek Zona - No one wants to see the Canadiens win.  Anything.  Ever.  However, Tom Gilbert and Jeff Petry deserve a Stanley Cup because they were great players on remarkably bad teams and were blamed for the lack of players around them.  I do not like the Canadiens in any way, but Ottawa is as interesting as Milquetoast, so, at least for one round the Canadiens get my support.  *shudders* Jeff Petry has 8 points in 6 games.

Canadiens in 6

Ryan Batty - Picking against Price (and the lovely Jeff Petry) seems like a bad idea but the Sens have been playing great hockey and I think they've got a real chance.

Senators in 7

Derek Blasutti – It’s tough to bet against Price, and I’m not doing it here. Plus there’s an Oilers connection in Petry and Gilbert, who I’ve been told are too soft, so a long playoff run would give me some "I told you so" ammo. Always need more of that.

Canadiens in 6

Young Price - Montreal Canadiens because the Senators just got a bunch of flukes the other games and their goalie gets like two or five flukes per game.

Candiens in 6

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Canadiens in 7

(2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (3) Detroit Red Wings

Derek Zona - I don't care, I mean really, who even roots for these teams?  Is Teemu Pulkkinen on the playoff roster?  If so, Red Wings 4-3.  If not, Tampa Bay 4-2.

Pulkkinen is on the Roster, so Wings in 7

Ryan Batty – It’s close but the Lightning just have too many weapons. With home ice they can control the matchups and should roll through the Wings.

Lightning in 5

Derek Blasutti – The Wings were supposed to fall off the map years ago, but they keep putting out quality teams. I don’t think they can hang with the Lightning though. The best player on either team plays for Tampa and the Lightning have just too much secondary scoring.

Lighting in 6

Young Price - Detroit because in Tampa Bay they don’t have snow, like Costa Rica. So Detroit has snow and ice and can have better practice.

Wings in 7

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Lightning in 7

Metropolitan Division

(1) New York Rangers vs (WC) Pittsburgh Penguins

Derek Zona - Carl Hagelin is god and the Penguins deserve to be punished for firing a good coach.  And the Penguin fans that cheered Bylsma's firing deserve to suffer. Hagelin gets the series MVP.

Rangers in 5

Ryan Batty - Just too many players dealing with injuries for the Penguins to come out on top here.

Rangers in 5

Derek Blasutti – "We’d like to congratulate the NY Rangers for finishing 1st overall. Your reward? A 1st round playoff series against 2 of the best players in the league!" If it weren’t for renowned nice guy Doan taking out Letang, the Pens would have a shot here. The Rangers are too much.

Rangers in 6

Young Price - Depends. Rangers have good defensemen, I think, and lots of people know they have a good goalie, right? But it’s an even match because a good goalie with a novice team is better than a novice goalie and extreme players.

Rangers in 5

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Rangers in 5

(2) Washington Capitals vs (3) New York Islanders

Derek Zona - While Garth Snow is the trophy wife that Oilers fans stare at through the window while they move down the couch to avoid the sweaty, cheese-smelling hands of Kevin Lowe, Ovechkin winning a cup would be a Krakatoan-like release of schadenfreude for those of us that don't like beat writers and panelists.  Ovechkin winning the cup while winning the Conn Smythe would be Christmas in June.

Capitals in 6

Ryan Batty - Ovechkin is a ton of fun to watch.

Capitals in 6

Derek Blasutti – Ovechkin likes scoring in practice, could you imagine the fireworks explosion on his face if he scored a cup winning OT goal? That smile could light the East Coast for a decade.

Capitals in 7

Young Price - To tell you the truth, I’m going to tell you the Islanders because the Capitals might think the Islanders are overpowered but the Islanders will train extra.

Islanders in 6

Official Unofficial Copper and Blue prediction:

Capitals in 7