The Goods: Western Conference Final Preview

05/13/2010 11:11 AM -  Ian Gooding

SAN JOSE SHARKS (1) vs. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (2)

San Jose

Players to add/start: Joe Pavelski (15 points leads Sharks in playoff scoring), Joe Thornton (six-game point streak), Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Ryane Clowe (10 points in 11 playoff games), Devin Setoguchi (8 points in 11 playoff games), Dan Boyle, Evgeni Nabokov

Possible sleepers: Logan Couture (possible top-6 forward if any injuries), Rob Blake, Jason Demers

Players to avoid/drop: Manny Malhotra (valuable for faceoffs and penalty kills but only one point in 11 games), Scott Nichol (lots of grit but just two points in 11 games), Torrey Mitchell, Jamie McGinn, Douglas Murray (only one assist in five games against Detroit), Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Kent Huskins, Niclas Wallin, Thomas Greiss

Chicago

Players to add/start: Jonathan Toews (12 points in six Round 2 games), Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, Antti Niemi

Possible sleepers: Kris Versteeg, Dave Bolland, Dustin Byfuglien (could play on the Toews/Kane line again), Brian Campbell, Brent Seabrook

Players to avoid/drop: Troy Brouwer (healthy scratch during Round 2), Andrew Ladd, John Madden, Tomas Kopecky, Brian Bickell, Ben Eager, Adam Burish, Brent Sopel, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jordan Hendry, Cristobal Huet

Storyline: These teams have taken a similar path to the Western Conference Finals, having gotten off to slow starts in the first round, yet rebounding when the games mattered most. Both teams have displayed the requisite amount of sandpaper needed to make it this far, as the Sharks and Blackhawks appeared to dominate the Red Wings and Canucks, respectively, in the physical department in Round 2. Dustin Byfuglien had his way with the Canucks in Round 2, but he will likely be up against 240-pound Douglas Murray if he is to stay on the Hawks’ top line. At the other end of the ice, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will give the Sharks’ top line (Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley) all they can handle. Red-hot Joe Pavelski will need to continue his fine play if the Sharks are to overcome the line matchup game.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 7. I don’t have anything against the Sharks, also not having picked them in Round 2. However, this is a young, confident Blackhawks team that hasn’t shown any inexperience as of yet. These teams are very closely matched and were separated by a single point in the standings this season. In fact, given the recent fall of the projected favorites in the Eastern Conference, I’m willing to conclude that the winner of this series will win the Stanley Cup. Neither team has a clear advantage in goal, and I’m even willing to give the Sharks a slight edge on the forward lines. However, Keith and Seabrook could minimize the Thornton line, just like they were able to contain the Sedin line in the second round. As well, the Hawks have demonstrated the ability to win on the road, winning all three games at GM Place in Vancouver and winning both their matches at the Shark Tank this season (the Hawks won three of four regular-season matches with San Jose). I’m splitting hairs by picking a winner here, but I get the feeling that this series will go Chicago’s way.

See also Eastern Conference Final Preview

Fantasyhockey.com Fantasy Postseason league update

It has definitely been Jubatime in this year’s postseason league, as Eastern Conference expert Matt Juba is running away with the lead in this league. I certainly thought the league would be a lot more competitive after the exciting live draft that all seven league members were present for. Matt has zoomed to the top of the league standings, thanks to playoff scoring leader Jonathan Toews, Antti Niemi, Nicklas Backstrom, and goal-scoring sleeper Mikael Samuelsson.

The most interesting battle in this league might be for whoever doesn’t finish in last place. Yours truly currently resides there, thanks to a rash of injuries (Andrei Markov, David Krejci) and the up-and-down play of Roberto Luongo throughout the playoffs. Proving that I hold absolutely no grudges over players that were responsible for eliminating my favorite NHL team (the Canucks), I added Dustin Byfuglien, as well as Marc-Andre Bergeron.

You can check out the league results here. (Thanks again to our friends at Fantasy Postseason.)

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Compliments? Ideas? Email Ian at ian@fantasyhockey.com. Or follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.