I finally get to start using my Conference Finals category, I am very excited.

This series has some decent plots to it, but I think my favorite is the fact that all the Norris finalists are in it. I don’t care too much about past series because how many players are really left over from 2003? Hell Mike Babcock is the other teams coach, so it really doesn’t mean anything. This is going to be one amazing playoff series, but would have been better if the Sharks could have pulled their heads out of their asses and shown some heart. I don’t think the more talented team came out from the San Jose-Detroit series, but the more deserving did. Now I sound like Darren McCarty after the Ducks swept Detroit in 2003, nevermind, lets just move forward before someone gets hurt.

Scott Burnside picked against the Ducks, citing the heroic efforts of Detroit in the last 3 games of their war with San Jose. Or…San Jose is a bunch of softies and let the series go. Detroit is no doubt a very good team, but don’t expect Anaheim to just let them back in games, this isn’t the regular season against Columbus. Detroit is injured, Anaheim gets back Todd Marchant and probably Ric Jackman. Lidstrom is awesome, but he isn’t that awesome, he can only play so many shift. The loss of Mathieu Schneider for 5-on-5 and power play situations will hurt. He was second behind Lidstrom for power play time, I bet that puts a damper in to the effectiveness with a man advantage.

With Marchant coming back, that means you have a fourth line of Marchant, May and probably Thornton. Scoring threat? Maybe one goal in the entire series. Defensive liability? I guess you could argue that, Thornton isn’t the greatest skater, but he hasn’t been a huge liability this year, he has been here most of the season. If Jackman comes back, you could even scratch someone like Thornton and have the extra defensemen, then throw any of the other nine forwards in that other slot to get them more ice time. You could also bench Huskins, who has looked a little uneasy at times, then dress Jackman. Adding those two players really gives Randy Carlyle a couple good options to juggle between each game.

For Detroit to become a real threat in this series, one guy has to show up for them, Todd Bertuzzi. Four points is not enough for a man his size and skill level. He HAS to have a big series, he has to be a whore in front of the net and he has to be nasty. Can he do all of this with his back? Who knows, Pronger leaning on him or Sean O’Donnell throwing those love taps on his hip, it will add up over time. One guy who we know wont have a problem being in that position, Holmstrom, will be himself. I really hate Detroit, but I absolutely love Tomas Holmstrom.

Further breakdown will come in the next day, I have to find something to do until Friday, but my lunch break isn’t enough time to research. Another food for thought moment, how about how Anaheim can roll two real scoring lines and two checking lines that have an OK chance of scoring? Sammy is a +4, playing against the best line almost every shift. That alone could sum up the series, but I will waste more time when I get home. Don’t worry, I wont be a total homer, I will try to write some good about Detroit.