yeah, looks like the pens and chi-hawks have their tickets bought, bags packed, and are just applying the sun-block while they wait for the taxis to take them to the finals. But stuff can and does happen, eh?
Look out for darkhorse teams that could get hot and go all the way. Both NJ and LA did that last year. This year, Washington started like an old engine on a cold winter morning. Not at all. Last dozen games or so, Ovie got white hot and lifted the team. The rest of that team is rounding into form, they could be the ones to surprise everyone. Ottawa, while they performed like heros with so many key players injured, simply don't have enough gas in the tank to goose it now. Otherwise, I don't see anyone in the east stopping Pitt. The rest just don't have the jam.
I don't know the west as well, but after Chicago it looks like a big dog fight. Which means that anyone could get to the western conference finals. I like Vancouver, although they've always been just a bit brittle, and look even more so now. Come to think of it, I also like SJ, and the winner of that pairing SJ-Van could well go to the western conference final. And either of those two could just knock Chicago out, both have all the pieces. But in the west, several teams have the jam but not all the pieces. Does Vancouver have the jam?
Oh yeah, Toronto and Boston. I hate to say it, but Bruins in 6. No doubt, the Leafs have matured considerably since last year's wreck; but they're still pretenders, not contenders. They still need a first line centreman, and they need Leo Komorov to develop into the second coming of Darcy Tucker. Maybe then.