ESPN NHL Playoffs 2008

NHL Insiders Look At The Stanley Cup Playoffs

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NHL Insiders Look At The Stanley Cup Playoffs

With the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs kicking off Thursday, 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. Who will have the bigger series versus the Rangers, Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin?

Scott Burnside: Crosby. As the playoffs move along, Crosby gets better and better. And this is an issue of degrees of greatness because Malkin seems to get the whole playoff thing, too.

E.J. Hradek: I'll take Crosby because he might be a little fresher after missing some time during the second half of the season with that high ankle sprain. He looked pretty healthy against the sorry Senators in the first round. Also, I have Crosby in my playoff pool. I've got to stick with my guys!

Barry Melrose: I think Malkin will have more points. The Rangers' top defensive unit will focus on Crosby, so that will open up more opportunity for Malkin.

2. How much leeway will Red Wings coach Mike Babcock give Chris Osgood before he pulls another goalie switch?

Burnside: In terms of minutes? Five minutes. Maybe less.

Hradek: Osgood will stay in the net as long as he's playing well. That means if he plays well in a loss, I expect he'll get another chance. Osgood's run will be determined by how Babcock and his staff feel about his level of goaltending. I don't think we've seen the last of Dominik Hasek, though.

Melrose: One game. If Osgood struggles in one game, Hasek will go in. But if Hasek struggles, then Babcock will turn back to Osgood. Either way, both goalies will be on a short leash.

3. Who will self-destruct first, Sean Avery or Georges Laraque?

Burnside: Avery. That's an easy one. Both players understand their roles, but Avery has to play closer to the edge than Laraque.

Hradek: Avery has a better chance to self-destruct because he'll get more ice time than Mr. Laraque. Avery is an important part of the Rangers' attack. As such, he gets 15-20 minutes per game. Laraque is a fourth-liner who sees very limited minutes. The Pens' best pest is Jarkko Ruutu. He could out-Avery Avery.

Melrose: I say Avery. I see Pittsburgh being very much in control on the ice. They know what to expect from Avery because they've played the Rangers so much this season. Plus, the Pens have a pest of their own in Ruutu, so...

4. We've seen one round. Who's your Conn Smythe front-runner?

Burnside: At the start of this round? Jose Theodore. It will be different when the smoke clears at the end of Round 2.

Hradek: Jaromir Jagr. He had a great first round. And, if he wins the Conn Smythe, he'll trigger the $8.36 million contract option for the 2008-09 season. In case you're wondering, select members of the hockey media will vote for the Smythe. In other words, the press might have a hand in keeping Jagr in New York next season.

Melrose: Colorado's Theodore. He's been the best goalie in the playoffs so far. And, nine out of 10 times, the Conn Smythe should go to the goaltender.

5. Which remaining playoff goalie would you want in overtime of a Game 7?

Burnside: Right now? Jose Theodore. Go figure.

Hradek: Martin Biron is 2-0 in first-round overtimes against Alexander Ovechkin and Co. That's impressive. Still, I might take my chances with cool kid Carey Price in Montreal.

Melrose: Marty Turco. I like him. I think he's a real warrior, and he's been through some tough battles. He also has the most experience out of all the goalies left, minus the boys in Detroit.

6. The Stars-Sharks series pairs two top American-born players in Mike Modano and Jeremy Roenick. Who will win out in this matchup?

Burnside: Another in the "hard to figure" category, but Roenick brings some extra jam to an already interesting Sharks lineup. And Modano is playing behind Mike Ribeiro and Brad Richards in Dallas -- the perfect spot for him, but still a less prominent role.

Hradek: J.R. seems to have the good karma going right now. Really, it's great to see these two American hockey icons going head-to-head for perhaps the last time. It's hard to believe both Modano and Roenick managed to become great players without the benefit of the U.S. National Development Program. Well, maybe it isn't so hard to believe.

Melrose: I think Roenick will have more points. Modano doesn't get as many points anymore because his role with the Stars is different. Modano is a good two-way player, but he's not the go-to guy. When you're looking for that big goal, you don't look at Modano anymore. He's still a very good player, just not the offensive juggernaut he once was.

7. Which second-round series will definitely go seven games?

Burnside: Detroit-Colorado because the Wings' goaltending issue is in a state of flux.

Hradek: Penguins-Rangers. At least, I hope it will. Actually, I hope all four series go a full seven. That would be some serious hockey!

Melrose: Penguins-Rangers. They are very similar in their strengths, and both goalies are playing well. The Rangers' defense will be able to control some games; others, they won't. That leads to a better chance of a seven-game series.

8. Orange Crush (Philly fans) or the Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge (Habs fans)?

Burnside: No question, the rioting fans in Montreal. Who burns cars after the first round?

Hradek: For better or worse (mostly better), there are no hockey fans like those in Montreal.

Melrose: They're not even in the same universe. Both sets of fans are loud, but both go to the games for different reasons. They are both great sets of fans and I'd want either of them on my side. If the going is good, I pick Flyers fans; if the going is bad, I pick Canadiens fans because if you're struggling, Flyers fans will boo the heck out of you. Habs fans will try to rally behind you if you're struggling.

9. Who will have more of an impact for the Avs, their youth (Paul Stastny et al) or their vets (Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote)?

Burnside: Good question. The Avs' rest means the graybeards will have a bigger impact -- at least until their pension checks arrive.

Hradek: I say the Avalanche vets will have more impact. I love those kids, but I just don't go against Sakic, Forsberg, Foote, etc.

Melrose: The younger guys. Colorado's younger players, guys like Paul Stastny and Wojtek Wolski, are taking over now. The veterans will play a role, but the younger players are poised. Plus, although Stastny struggled in the first round on the stat sheet, he had his chances. These kids play a ton of minutes, important minutes, and I see them having an impact.

10. What's the one dream scenario you would want to see from one of the second-round series?

Burnside: Sean Avery trying to distract Marc-Andre Fleury while the Penguins score the series-clinching goal at the other end of the ice.

Hradek: I'll go with an earlier answer. How about four Game 7s in Round 2? Better yet, how about four Game 7 overtimes? While we're at it, let's let Alex Ovechkin and Jarome Iginla back into the playoffs. I miss them already!

Melrose: A Game 7, third-period penalty shot, Sidney Crosby vs. Henrik Lundqvist.