Five Predictions for the 2009 Portion of the 08-09 NHL Season

These are bold but I will try to make arguments for all. Feel free to tell me I'm loony. 5) The Los Angeles Kings will make the playoffs. As I wrote before the start of this season, this statement sounds like pure lunacy. But the Kings have continually surprised me with intelligent decision making this year. Most recently, shipping former starter Jason LaBarbera to Vancouver for essentially a bundle of left-handed Jr. sticks. Whatever, let's remove the doubt that he might play again. While this seems like it should not be cited as a signifcant notation in competent decision making, we are no more than a year removed from having Dan Cloutier actually starting games between the pipes. Now, the Kings are going with who is hot and for the first time in a handful of years have a respectable goal-tending tandem in Erik Ersberg and Jonathon Quick. Combining solid goaltending with shut-down defense and some nice young talent at forward, the Kings will knock Phoenix out of a playoff spot and ... (link)