ESPN NHL Playoffs 2008

With the Stanley Cup playoffs kicking off Wednesday, our experts took some time to ponder what lies ahead. ESPN.com's Scott Burnside, ESPN The Magazine's E.J. Hradek and ESPN analyst Barry Melrose answer these 10 burning questions:

1. Which player do you think will be one of the out-of-nowhere role players who surprises everyone in the playoffs?

Scott Burnside: I would keep an eye on Tom Poti. The veteran in Washington has put some injuries behind him and moves the puck well. He plays in the shadow of Mike Green now, but that's not a bad thing.

E.J. Hradek: I think Capitals forward Brooks Laich and Red Wings forward Johan Franzen could be two under-the-radar type players who can be surprisingly big contributors in the coming weeks.

Barry Melrose: That's a good question. I think you'll see players like Mike Grier of San Jose as well as a fan and team favorite like Ian Laperriere of Colorado step up, players who play a hard style that's perfect for the playoffs. Steve Ott of Dallas is another one; he gets under people's skin. In the East, look for Scott Hartnell (Flyers), Matt Cooke (Capitals) and Nigel Dawes (Rangers) to score big, timely goals.

2. Which team is most likely to pull off the first-round upset and why?

Burnside: It's not an upset in terms of seeds, but I like the Dallas Stars to upend the defending Stanley Cup champs given their depth down the middle and better overall offensive depth.

Hradek Upset? I don't know if there are upsets any more. All these teams are pretty closely matched. If you're looking at the seeds, though, I'd keep an eye on the Sharks-Flames series. Calgary matches up pretty well against San Jose. The two teams open with back-to-back games in the Shark Tank. If the Flames can steal one of the first two games (the Sharks haven't been unbeatable at home this season), this could be a very interesting series.

Melrose: I don't think we can truly call these upsets, since the teams are mostly evenly matched, but I think No. 6 Philadelphia, No. 6 Colorado and No. 7 Calgary are all capable of ousting the higher seeds. The Flames, especially, even though San Jose's my Cup pick, because of the solid goaltending from Miikka Kiprusoff and the shut-down playoff-style hockey Calgary plays. The Flames score ugly goals; those are the kinds of goals that win playoff series.

3. Who are you picking in the matchup of master goalies -- Henrik Lundqvist or Martin Brodeur?

Burnside: Henrik Lundqvist. This is his playoff coming-out party.

Hradek: While I never -- ever -- like to pick against the great Martin Brodeur, I don't think he'll get enough offensive support from his teammates. So I have to pick Henrik Lundqvist to advance. In this case, I'd be happy to be wrong.

Melrose: I have to pick Brodeur. You can't ignore history and he's had a great season. He's shown no weakness. Until you dethrone the king, he's still the king.

4. Will Brad Richards be able to come alive in the playoffs against Anaheim?

Burnside: I think Richards' role will be both offensive (he can score, remember?) and defensive. He's an all-situations kind of player that the Stars have lacked in previous playoff seasons.

Hradek: Over his career, Brad Richards has been a big-game player. He's been able to rise to the occasion. In this case, though, he has quite a challenge. After dishing out five assists in his first game in Dallas, Richards managed just two goals and four assists (six points) in his next 11 games. He didn't have a point in a pair of games against his club's first-round opponent, Anaheim. The Ducks' stingy D will make it very tough for Richards to get on track in the first round.

Melrose: I don't think so. I think Anaheim's defense is too dominant, too big and too strong, and the unit sports one of the best blueliners of all time in Scott Niedermayer. Remember, no one was able to get past them last season. Plus, Brad hasn't had a strong finish to the season; it hasn't been a great time for him in Dallas (outside of his debut game).

Dave Sandford/Getty ImagesOctopi in Hockeytown ... a playoff tradition.

5. Which arena will have the most electricity in the first round?

Burnside: It's hard to believe I'm writing this, but the Verizon Center in Washington.

Hradek: The Bell Centre just ain't the Forum, but the place will be nuts when the Habs take the ice to face the Bruins. The atmosphere will be nuclear! The Verizon Center in D.C. should be jumping, too.

Melrose: The Shark Tank. It's the loudest building in the NHL. All of the first-round arenas will be great; Washington will be unbelievable. But with all of the optimism and the team's strong finish to the regular season, San Jose will be rockin'.

6. Who will go further in the postseason -- Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?

Burnside: Tough one since they may meet in the second round, but I'll say Crosby.

Hradek: I see Crosby and Ovechkin facing off against one another in the second round. Commissioner Gary Bettman is wisely praying for such a matchup! In that scenario, I'd have to give Crosby's team a slight edge. In the past, his teams have always managed to beat AO's clubs. If it happens, it will be a much-watch series that could go either way.

Melrose: Crosby. The Pens have the better team and more weapons, and the team made great deadline deals with Marian Hossa and Hal Gill.

7. Which pairing will be more fruitful -- Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk or Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa?

Burnside: I think this spring is Hossa's time to shine. Crosby-Hossa.

Hradek: In 2008, I'd have to take the Crosby-Hossa duo over the Forsberg-Hejduk pairing. Five years ago, this would be more of a contest. Of course, Crosby was just 15 then. For the record, Caps veteran Sergei Fedorov has found a nice chemistry with young sniper Alexander Semin.

Melrose: Crosby and Hossa. Forsberg is playing hard, but he's not the offensive force he once was. I really think Hossa is going to put a lot of those past criticisms to rest. He's going to have a strong postseason.

8. If you're the Bruins, do you bring back Patrice Bergeron?

Burnside: No. For four or five games, six at the outside, is the risk worth it? No.

Hradek: If I'm running the Bruins, I'd be very careful with Patrice Bergeron. I'd have to have several long chats with the doctors who have treated him during his long absence. I'd be very quick to err on the side of caution. I would have to be convinced beyond any doubt before letting him back into the lineup.

Melrose: No. I don't think it's worth it. What is he going to add to a team that he hasn't played on in months? The intensity level in the playoffs is different. Why play him four or five games? Give him the summer to rest. I don't think the risk is worth it.

9. Which player is your early Conn Smythe Trophy pick?

Burnside: Joe Thornton. It's about time, don't you think?

Hradek: If I have to pick a Conn Smythe Trophy winner so early (a seemingly impossible task), I'll take Sidney Crosby. After missing some time with a bum ankle, he's rested and ready for a blowout spring.

Melrose: The Conn Smythe Trophy is a goalie's trophy unless you have an outstanding performance from another position. If I am looking at teams that I think will go a long way, I think you have to consider Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose) or Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Anaheim) or Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit); if the Wings have any success, it will be because of him. Brodeur in New Jersey is another. Maybe Lundqvist if the Rangers go a long way.

10. Which playoff "toss" item will be making a comeback this spring (a la the octopi in Detroit)?
Burnside: A silicon chip or old desktop computer in San Jose.

Hradek: I think they'll be tossing octopi again in Hockeytown. I can see them making a long run in the postseason. Wings fans better stock up!

Melrose: You know, I loved the rats. I am sorry the NHL came down on the rats, but I know why they had to. Little sharks would be nice -- not real ones, of course. Little devils in New Jersey. I am not a real creative guy, but I'd like to see fans get creative and have fun. The Duck Call was great. Bring that back! Just not the ThunderStix; it doesn't take a lot of creativity to smash two things together.