It’s December. That means most NHL teams have played around 25 games and everyone has an identity. The San Jose Sharks are the top team in the league, winning 20 out of 24 games. They were my pre-season Stanley Cup pick and they’re going a long way in proving me right. The other team lighting up the league is the Boston Bruins, who are tied with the Rangers for the most points in the league and are 8-1-1 in their last ten games. I’m sticking with my San Jose vs. Montreal in the Stanley Cup Finals pick because what kind of man would I be if I changed directions now?
Game of the Week: Anaheim Ducks at Detroit Red Wings (12/1)
The Ducks are underachieving a bit this season but they’ve been stronger as of late. The Wings are right where everyone pegged them to be in defense of the title. Although J.S. Giguere hasn’t been the elite netminder that he usually his, he’s still a top 10 goalie and has one of the top defenses in the league playing in front of him. The scoring has to pick up for the Ducks though. To steal a line from Dennis Green, The Wings are what we thought they were. Osgood has been solid, the defense is still tops in the league, and their puck control on the offensive end is amazing. If Giggy and the Anaheim defense shows up, this could be a really good game with some good chances and better saves.
Official Prediction: 3-1 Detroit
Fantasy Player to Watch: Alex Ovechkin
As usual, Ovechkin is always a player to watch but this is another week that he should shine. The Caps have favorable match ups against Florida, The Islanders, Toronto, and Carolina. Florida is the best defensive team on that list but they’re going to have a tough time keeping up with the young and fast caps. Expect everyone on the Capitals to have a big week but Ovechkin will stick out as usual.
It’s Not Looking Good For: New Jersey Devils
Until they get Martin Broduer back, the Devils are going to continue to struggle. The Devils only play twice this week but they’re both road games against capable high scoring teams in Montreal and Philadelphia. The Devils still play their usual stingy defense but the loss of Broduer as really highlighted how key he was to making the defense look better than it might have been.
Lock of the Week (1-2): Minnesota over Colorado (12/1)
It might be smart to just go against the lock at this point but I think I’ll get back on track this week. The Avalanche have struggled on the road this season and they’ve struggled even more to score goals as of late. Minnesota has allowed the fewest goals in the league so don’t expect Colorado to break out of their scoring slump in this one. Minnesota will score just enough to get by. But they’ll get by.
