WIM makes its Stanley Cup picks

by Christy on May 30, 2009 1:24 PM CDT in Opinion

So we've made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and it's time for the WIM staff to predict the outcome of the final round. Here's what we are thinking and please chime in with your thoughts in the poll and comment section below.

Casey: I know it sounds crazy but I’ve got Wings in 5. If the Wings offense shows up in full force, there’s no reason for the Cup to leave Hockeytown, despite who’s on the other side of the puck. I know the Penguins have played good defense in the playoffs but have really only been tested by teams that have 3-4 consistent scorers max where as the Wings have anywhere from 6-8. Add in Osgood turning in another performance of a lifetime and the defense playing solid, the Penguins will have trouble creating plays in the offensive zone.

Christy: This is a tough one. My prediction is based off of the assumption that captain Nicklas Lidstrom and defenseman Jonathan Ericsson will miss no more than one game in the series and Pavel Datsyuk returns at some point. If Lidstrom, in particular, misses more my prediction goes out the window. I believe the Wings will take it in seven games. Why? The team only got better from last year's Stanley Cup squad with the addition of Marian Hossa and some young guns (Darren Helm and Ericsson) have really stepped up this postseason. It's going to be a very close series and it could honestly go either way. I'm just hoping to make it back-to-back wins for Detroit.

Joe: Wings in 6: I like how everyone and their mother seems to think that just because the Wings are banged up, that gives the Penguins an advantage. But what people don't know is that Pittsburgh is just as banged up, but they haven't been publicizing it. For example, Sergei Conchar gave up his kidney during the Flyers. During the Caps series, Sergei Gonchar was brushed by a GMC Suburban directing traffic after coming upon a fender-bender near Heinz Field. And Sydney Crosby was
knocked unconscious during a bar fight over the best British Prime Minister. The Wings have the depth, the maturity, and the intelligence. Sorry, Pittsburgh.

Chris: Wings in six.

Poll

Honestly putting aside all bias you may have, how will the 2009 Stanley Cup Final conclude?

Red Wings sweep the Pens

34 votes

Red Wings in 5

246 votes

Red Wings in 6

386 votes

Red Wings in 7

93 votes

Pens sweep the Red Wings

10 votes

Penguins in 5

8 votes

Penguins in 6

76 votes

Penguins in 7

42 votes

895 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Congratulations to the victors...

I’ll start by saying we were beat by the better team and it absolutely kills me to say that but just as the Hawks did at the end of Game 5 (What a Game!) I will too offer my congratulatory handshake.
The positive: the rivalry is reborn with the Hawks seemingly the only team good enough in the future to dethrone the Wing Dynasty.
The negative: the young Hawks aren’t good enough yet and the Wings at times (like game 4) took them to school and need a lot of improvement in certain areas in order to beat the champs (Let’s make it official back-2-back).
Even with Lidstrom and Datsyuk out, the Wings depth is phenominal with their team physical toughness vastly underrated. The Hawks knew they were mentally tough with their experience but weren’t perpared, it seemed, for their physical toughness.
Next year is next year and I can’t wait!!!
But for the Wings it’s another parade with the Cup as I predicted at SCH that the Wings will win in 5…and it kills but to be the best the Hawks are going to have to beat the best!
To ahtrap and the rest of the Wings faithful a Labatt’s Blue Light cheers to you guys your still the best but not for much longer the Hawks are closing in quickly.
For those who live in Detroit, may the best of the best happen to all and hopefully the economy will recover and replace the sorrow of today with the graceness of tomorrow put an end to everyone’s heartbreak. The economic downturn is bad here in Canada I can only imagine how bad it is in Detroit right now.
Congratulations Wings!!!

by hawks61 on May 30, 2009 2:57 PM CDT reply actions

thanks 61, right classy of ya…

seeya around the SBN…

by ahtrap on May 30, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions

bravo sir

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on May 30, 2009 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Going with Wings in 6. Thinking that the series may follow the pattern I predicted for Det-Chicago, splits at both the Joe and at the Igloo before Detroit takes care of business at home and hoists the trophy at the Mellon Arena for the second straight year. Threw up a rambling, “any fool with a keyboard” style take on the situation at Pensburgh, if you care, you can take a peek here.

The title is very much tongue in cheek, I’ve been hanging out with the folks at that site the whole year, so…I’ve become a Pens fan this year, I’ll call ‘em my eastern conf. team….but home is always where the heart is, and there’s no doubt where my loyalties lay. And if you don’t believe me, ask the Red Wings hat on my head or the 2008 cup championship car flag adorning my vehicle….not nearly as many of those over here in Wisconsin as you see back home…

by ahtrap on May 30, 2009 4:02 PM CDT reply actions