Why? Why not? NHL playoff teams (Western Confernce)

It's April 8th. The season ends on Easter Sunday, and the playoff picture still isn't entirely clear. Ahhh yes, hockey.

But for the teams that are in the playoffs, here is a list of reasons why you'd want to play them in the first round, and why you wouldn't.

WESTERN CONFERENCE


WHY: It's hard to find a reason why anybody would want to play the Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. But historically, the Sharks are the definition of choke artists in the playoffs. With a team this talented, the pressure to perform and get past the second round has only increased from seasons past.

WHY NOT: Why avoid the Sharks? Easy. They're the front-runner for the President's Trophy (given to the team with the most points at the end of the season) with 117 as of now, which means home-ice throughout their entire playoff lives. They're 34-2-2 at home and arguably the most overall talented team in hockey. Scary stuff for the 8th seed.



WHY: Goaltending is absolutely critical to any run at Lord Stanley's Cup. And goaltending just so happens to be a weak spot for Detroit, a team with very little of those. Chris Osgood will get the nod to start come playoff time. He won the Cup last year as Detroit's starter, but has been abysmal this season. He is 26-8-7 thus far with a 3.10 GAA and a .887 SV%. He even took time off earlier in season to overcome a "Cup hangover." It doesn't really seem like he's over it yet.

WHY NOT: Because they're Detroit. They're the defending Stanley Cup champions and they've won four of the past 11 Stanely Cups... so experience isn't an issue. As for this season, it's all about their power-play. The importance of special teams is intensified tenfold in the playoffs, and the Wings have the number one power-play in the NHL. This is a team nobody wants to play, regardless of what round it is.



WHY: On Tuesday night, Calgary had a chance to clinch the division and secure home-ice in the first two rounds of the playoffs. On the road in Vancouver, it was arguably the biggest game of their season and they lost; getting pounded 4-1. The loss meant Vancouver moved into a tie for first in the division. Talk about not showing up. If Vancouver overtakes Calgary for first in the Northwest division, they'll open the playoffs as the fifth seed in the West, on the road. They're 19-19-2 away from Calgary, and they'll be playing Chicago (who swept them during the regular season).

WHY NOT: Calgary is known for their physical style in the playoffs. They pushed the eventual champion Red Wings to six games in the first round last year. Even if they lose the series, the physical punishment during the opening round could be costly for their opponents. If they hang on and win the Northwest division though, they'll get home ice advantage and Calgary is a frightening place for visitors. Lastly, Miikka Kiprusoff is a solid, playoff-tested goaltender who leads the league in wins with 45.

WHY: They're young. They're the youngest team in the NHL. They still have several players with playoff experience and Stanley Cup rings on their fingers, but an abundance youth can hurt more than help in the playoffs. Their physical play has picked up over the past two months, but they still lack a serious physical presence. The powerplay has also been awful as of late, going 0-22 in the last five games.


WHY NOT: At this moment, the Blackhawks are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games amd one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference. Netminder Nikolai Khabibulin, "The Bulin-Wall," is having a career year and has recently been called by hockey pundits a "money goalie," in the playoffs. The Blackhawks are deep and consistent, with the second best offense (3.16 goals per game avg.) and the third best defense (2.58 goals against avg.) in the West.


WHY: Just a week ago, Vancouver looked like the scariest team to play in the first round...now, not so much. They picked up a big win against Calgary on Tuesday with the division title on the line, but are 5-4-1 in their last 10 and have a tough time winning on the road.

WHY NOT: There is no doubt about it, this is a dangerous team that could definitely make a deep run in the playoffs. The Sedin twins are a handful for any defense and seem to score every time they touch the ice. But the main reason nobody wants to see Vancouver is team captain and goaltender Roberto Luongo. With the division title on the line Tuesday night, Luongo made 46 saves and gave up only one goal against the Flames. One of the top goalies in the playoffs, Luongo has the ability to put this team on his back and take them to the promised land.

Check back tomorrow for a breakdown of Eastern Conference playoff-bound teams.