I won the Stanley Cup.

Well, actually, no, I didn't, and considering the filthy mitts (not in a good way) of those pesky Chicago Blackhawks got to touch that glorious silver chalice because of some stupid technicalities like "winning a seven-game series" and "winning four series in a row," I might not even want to touch it in its current state.

I don't need no stinkin' trophy though. I get to write this post! And brag about how smart I am about the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

Out of a possible 404 points, none of us got even half. Just imagine how different these standings and these last two months would have been if the Detroit Red Wings had actually made it past the first round.

Time to pore over everyone's bracket.

wingedoctopus (73/404)

Ouch. The Western Conference does not like winged octopi. Sorry, Caleb, but you know you should never trust the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs. It's ok, I made the mistake of picking them to win against the Minnesota Wild, but surely someone had to intervene when they saw a bracket with the Blues going to the Final, right?

Pacific Division didn't fare much better. That was certainly a bold gamble, picking the Winnipeg Jets in a sweep over the Anaheim Ducks. Go big or go home, I guess. Unfortunately, all us Red Wings fans went home after the first round, which was one of two first-round series Caleb got right.

Christian WIIM (81/404)

Looks like I wasn't the only one to pick the Nashville Predators for the Cup Final. Kudos to you, Christian, for having the same correct Central Division thoughts that I did. Stupid Nashville, losing to Chicago in the first round and failing to hold up their end of the bargain.

Josh Howard and Jeff WIIM (84/404)

Two different brackets got the same score. Josh got the Metropolitan Division bracket all right, while Jeff had the Pacific Division. Honestly not sure which is more impressive: picking the winner of the coin flip that was the Calgary Flames vs. Vancouver Canucks series or resisting the temptation to pick the New York Islanders over the Washington Capitals.

Every rose has its thorn though, and I have to wonder what inspired so much Winnipeg love from Josh, who had them going to the Final. And Jeff, remember what I told Caleb: At most, you can give the Blues one round, but having them make the Conference Final will always leave you singing the blues.

Graham WIIM (148/404)

Oh Graham. You were so close. Going into the Final, it was you and me. You needed the Tampa Bay Lightning to win to get the 100 points you needed to claim to crown. But Steve Yzerman let you down.

I have to say, though, for the total goals in the Final: Nice.

Slapshotgoal (150/404)

I really have to admire the symmetry in Michelle's bracket. Fifty points in the first three rounds, and if the Stanley Cup Final had the chance for 50 points, she probably would have gotten them and won this contest. The symmetry is so beautiful, I actually considered conceding the victory to her just because of how she earned her points. But I like winning, so I'm keeping the victory.

J.J.'s bracket (188/404)

If your BOLD predictions recaps over the last few years are any indication, there's nothing J.J. loves more than being right and shoving it in our faces. But even if he got six out of eight first-round series correct, he only got one with the right number of games. So close, yet so far away, or else you could have been the one writing this. Better yet, maybe lay off the homer picks next time. *polishes off monocle*

At least you gotta love the name. "J.J.'s bracket's bracket."

uvgt2bkdnme (197/404)

The winner and champeen is moi! Now if only the Central Division would have cooperated, I would have taken this one running away. I predicted the entire Eastern Conference correctly, except for picking us to lose in six games instead of seven. I even picked the Lightning to lose in the Cup Final, although like Christian, I made the mistake of thinking the Nashville Predators were any good.

But who cares about them when I'm the best out of all of us? I picked Nashville to win the Stanley Cup, and I still beat everyone else on the WIIM staff!

Winging It in Motown Bracket

Then we have all you lovely commenters and readers, some of whom did way better than we did. This is the bracket I forgot to join, but I would have finished top ten anyway if I did. User skoll89 got just one first round series wrong and already had the contest won when the Stanley Cup Final started. Shame skoll didn't get the last 100 points to break the 300-point plateau. But congratulations to skoll89.

Good job, everybody who participated. Especially good job by me, though. I rule.

And hey, since I'm such an expert on the Eastern Conference now, I predict the Red Wings will make the Stanley Cup Final next season!

LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!