1) Regular season note: The Rangers swept the Flyers in a season series for the first time in forty years, and they did it in dominant fashion. 6-0-0, outscoring Philly 24-11 overall and going 8 for 25 on the power play.

1A) Meanwhile, the Rangers lost the season series to their first round opponent, Ottawa, losing three times and being outscored overall 12-8. Normally we throw out the numbers and start anew, but the Rangers play the closest thing to playoff style hockey all season, so maybe there's a match-up issue here. That said, realistically, unless Craig Anderson utterly stands on his head, while the Blueshirts pound and grind offensive minded D-men Erik Karlsson and Sergei Gonchar, the New Yorkers should find themselves through to the next round.

2) To answer Eklund's earlier posed Hockey Buzz question: No, don't change the name of the NHL awards. If you'd like to add one, for an offensive defenseman for example, add one, as in the Orr, but don't change the old ones. It's our only connection to the ages. We already did it once when we dumped the Adams, Patrick, Smythe and Norris divisions for geographical references. And what did that do exactly?

3) I'm under the impression this will be Nick Lidstrom's last season. Hope I'm wrong.

4) The nastiest series should be Pitt/Phil. Pivotal guy: Wayne Simmonds. The biggest toss-up: Detroit/Nashville. The difference: Pekka Rinne.

5) Because of the division winner seeding system, you have two 6 vs. 3 series where the six seed should actually be the favorite, with New Jersey being a clear one. Therefore, you can't call a six beating a three an upset at all, just as neither 5 over 4 would be an upset. (Yes, Pitt had 108 points and should have been the 2 seed, but PHL had success head-to-head, and in this rivalry, it's a matter of survival, being opportunistic, and goaltending.)

5A) Never stray from pre-season SCFinal picks, out of principal, so here they were again: Chicago and Philly, in a repeat of 2010. Silly principal really, given all the changes that happen during the marathon season, but hey, it's more fun sticking to one's guns. Plus I had one of the two Final teams correct in the preseason, each of the last four seasons.

6) I consider both 7 versus 2 series "upset special" possibilities. Which would you consider more dangerous or likely: San Jose over St. Louis, or DC over Boston?

7) The biggest disappointment in each conference finished with the same number of points (80) and in the same spot in the standings (13th). Toronto and Anaheim.

8) The Ducks were 7-13-4 this season under Carlyle. They went 27-21-8 under Boudreau.

9) The economics of minor league hockey never prove easy. The ECHL's Chicago Express already ceased operations and the Greenville Road Warriors were already sold. It's routine to see at least a half dozen folds/changes/re-locations every summer between "the Coast" and the AHL. In lesser talented leagues, even more-so.

Btw, congrats to coach Jerry York and BC on the national title and to coach Bob Daniels and Ferris State on a remarkable season.

Two more days of hockey "withdrawals" before the real stuff begins!!

simmer's on twitter @simmerpuck

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