NHL Hits

This couldn’t have happened at a better time. Finally, a reprieve from the dour economic news, and the horrifyingly boring election cycle.

Finally, large men with sticks will once again beat the crap out of each other. That’s right, hockey’s back!

The season is technically already underway, with the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning squaring off in Prague and the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators venturing into SM-Liiga territory and playing a double-dip in Sweden.

The league saw a few changes over the off-season. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings made the biggest splash signing winger Marian Hossa. The Western Conference is stacked once again, and the East looks like a finesse league with Sid “The Kid” Crosby and Alexander “The Human Highlight Film” Ovechkin.

As far as the hometown Atlanta Thrashers… well, don’t expect much. They made few moves in the off-season, and only one move at last year’s trade deadline. And yet, GM Don Waddell still has a job. Oh well. Another year, another missed playoff.

So now, in true Right Wing fashion, we though we’d take a shot at predicting both Conferences in order of finish for the Playoffs, and then give you an off-the-cuff prediction on the Stanley Cup Champion.

Eastern Conference
1. Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes
3. New Jersey Devils
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Buffalo Sabers
6. Ottawa Senators
7. Washington Capitals
8. Philadelphia Flyers

Western Conference
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Anaheim Ducks
5. Colorado Avalanche
6. Calgary Flames
7. Nashville Predators
8. Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup Finals: Montreal Canadiens vs Detroit Red Wings
Champion: Montreal Canadiens