The playoff matchups are finally decided, so I have to make my picks, so that all of you can run out and place your bets on the teams that I don’t pick.

Western Conference

(1) vs. (8) - Nashville is overmatched here, but by an aging team. Detroit was knocked out of the playoffs early last year, and I expect them to come out of the corner swinging. This might be the only series that doesn’t go 6 or 7 games. My pick: Detroit

(2) vs. (7) - San Jose gets no respect. I don’t know why that is, but for whatever reason, St. Louis is picked by a lot of people, mainly those who haven’t seen San Jose play a single period this year. St. Louis had to come on strong to make the playoffs, so they’re on a bit of a roll, but I’m still picking San Jose

(3) vs. (6) - Here’s my first upset. Vancouver has been playing well in the past few games, while Calgary has stumbled. Playoffs are a different beast than the regular season though, and I’ll take a hard nosed, hard working team with a hot goalie over a team that was expected to run away with it, missing a star player, with a playoff question mark in net. Calgary will win this battle of Western Canada.

(4) vs. (5) - Another upset in the making. Mike Modano had an awful start to the season, but he’s been coming on strong since the all star break. Dallas is a tough team to beat, and Colorado isn’t so much a team, as a collection of vast amounts of talent. Goaltending will always be a question mark, until Colorado’s Swiss stopper proves himself. Patrick Roy’s pads are some big ones to try and fill (in more ways than one) I expect Mr. Aebisher will have a rough go of it this year, though that’s not to say he’ll never be a playoff goaltender. My pick is still Dallas

Eastern Conference

(1) vs. (8) - Again, Tampa gets no respect, people have said to me that the Habs would have been better off falling to 8th, so they could play Tampa, rather than play Toronto, Boston, or Ottawa. I think it’s a mistake to discount any team that can rack up that many points, despite the fact they’re playing in a weaker division. I’m picking Tampa Bay

(2) vs (7) - This will be an interesting series to watch. Special teams might very well be the difference, and Boston’s pickup of Sergei Gonchar at the trade deadline have made their powerplay look a lot better. I think that Theodore will outduel Raycroft, who’s playing in his first post-season. Montreal Did you really think I’d pick Boston?

(3) vs. (6) - in what promises to be a low scoring series, I’m hitching my wagon to future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur. I think Philly is still a goaltender short, so I’m picking New Jersey.

(4) vs. (5) - This will be a hard fought, physical, intense, close, clutchy, grabby, hack, slash, lie, cheat, steal, sell your own grandmother’s false teeth to win, kind of series. I think it’s too bad that one of these teams has to go home after the first round. I’d like to see Ottawa win, but I think Toronto has the edge in net, and in confidence, after the drubbing the Senators received from the Leafs on Saturday. As much as it pains me, I’m picking Toronto.

So, get your picks in, and I’ll add you to the pool. I hope to have more participation again this year, so if you haven’t put your name in before, give it a go this year. You can hardly do worse than I have.