By D.J. Wanberg
Whether it's a large group or not, there are those of us who love this time of year for a very special reason. It's time for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Play starts on Wednesday.
The Hockey News' big playoff preview came in the mail on Monday and as I read it I thought about who will be hoisting Lord Stanley's trophy at the end of August (Just kidding. But sometimes it seems the postseason will never end, even for hockey fanatics.).
My prediction is the hardware will stay in California. It will just travel north. I believe the San Jose Sharks will prevail. Joe Thornton has boosted that franchise since his trade from Boston like no player could before him on this Bay Area team.
Goalie Evgeni Nabokov has the third-best goals-against average in the NHL and the Sharks now seem to have the physical presence that they'll need in the playoffs and which was lacking in the previous postseasons.
Who do you think will win hockey's biggest event?
