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Western Conference preview

By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 8, 2008 at 9:04 p.m.

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1. DETROIT RED WINGS

* Coach: Mike Babcock (playoff record 27-18).

* Best thing about the city: Checking out of your hotel room and boarding your plane for departure.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Henrik Zetterberg. High-scoring Swede was on pace for 70 after first month of season but periodic back problems derailed push.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Aaron Downey. Stocky 33-year-old once amassed 407 penalty minutes in one season in minors.

* If the Red Wings were an upcoming summer movie: Indiana Jones. Graying Harrison Ford still is chasing treasure at age 65, while Detroit relic Chris Chelios is chasing another Stanley Cup at 46.

* Cup chances: Would be prohibitive favorites if not for geriatric goalies Dominik Hasek (43) and Chris Osgood (35).

2. SAN JOSE SHARKS

* Coach: Ron Wilson (playoff record 41-41).

* Best thing about the city: The scenic vistas during the short drive to San Francisco.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Jonathan Cheechoo. After scoring 56 goals in 2005-06, the 27-year-old right wing is trying to regain his magic.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Jody Shelley. If both your first and last name also doubled as nice girls' names, you'd be tough, too.

* If the Sharks were an upcoming summer movie: WALL-E. Appropriate name for goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who led the league in wins and minutes played.

* Cup chances: Playmaker Joe Thornton is heating up, giving the Sharks a great chance to make first - and long overdue - Finals appearance.

3. MINNESOTA WILD

* Coach: Jacques Lemaire (playoff record 58-48).

* Best thing about the city (St. Paul): The people. It takes a cheery outlook on life to brave the harsh Midwest winters.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Marian Gaborik. Accounted for nearly 20 percent of team's goals while finishing with career-high 42 in conservative system.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Derek Boogaard. Anyone picking a fight with this 6-foot-7, 260-pound behemoth might want to consider an insanity plea.

* If the Wild was an upcoming summer movie: Hell Ride. What opponents face once they fall behind against Lemaire's trap-happy club.

* Cup chances: Northwest Division champ gets home ice for at least one round and will be dark horse in the West.

4. ANAHEIM DUCKS

* Coach: Randy Carlyle (playoff record 25-12).

* Best thing about the city: The sunset, seagulls and surf at Newport Beach.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Corey Perry. Made the jump from 17 goals to 29 before a severe quadriceps injury ended his season.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: George Parros. The brains to attend Princeton and the brawn to sur- vive in the NHL (23 major penalties).

* If the Ducks were an upcoming summer movie: Speed Racer. A biopic about Ducks wing Teemu Selanne, aka, the Finnish Flash.

* Cup chances: Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere will have to be at the top of his game if surprisingly low-scoring Ducks want to repeat as champs.

5. DALLAS STARS

* Coach: Dave Tippett (playoff record 11-18).

* Best thing about the city: With music, shopping and food, it's hard to beat the renovated warehouse district known as Deep Ellum.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Mike Modano. Now in the twilight of his career, it just might take Modano three years to do it.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Steve Ott. Not the most imposing guy (6-foot, 193 pounds), but he put a hurt on Avalanche defenseman Ruslan Salei on March 9.

* If the Stars were an upcoming summer movie: Wanted. The type of ad Dallas will have to take out if goalie Marty Turco can't solve his playoff misfortunes (11-18).

* Cup Chances: Status as potential favorites disappeared with poor 2-7-2 March. Third straight one-and-done postseason appears likely.

6. COLORADO AVALANCHE

* Coach: Joel Quenneville (playoff record 38-39).

* Best thing about the city: The view of the Rockies while sitting atop a rooftop patio in LoDo.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Marek Svatos. He might only get 10 assists while doing so, but he has an amazing knack for finding the net.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Scott Parker. No offense to scrappy Ian Laperriere, but Parker's menacing stare, biker tattoos and death-grip handshake give him the nod.

* If the Avalanche was an upcoming summer movie: Ironman. Left wing Andrew Brunette owns the NHL's longest active streak of consecutive games played (453).

* Cup chances: Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, Milan Hejduk and Joe Sakic are reunited, but a repeat of the 2001 title run is farfetched.

7. CALGARY FLAMES

* Coach: Mike Keenan (playoff record 91-69).

* Best thing about the city: With the Canadian Rockies off to the west, visitors are reminded of Denver.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Jarome Iginla. Once scored 63 goals in 63 games in major juniors. Put up 50 for the second time in NHL career this season.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Dion Phaneuf. Scoring punch to match roundhouse punch. Not quite 23, should win Norris Trophy in near future.

* If the Flames were an upcoming summer movie: X-Files. Mulder and Scully go undercover as linesmen in an attempt to explain Miikka Kiprusoff's 7-14 career shootout record.

* Cup chances: Dangerous No. 7 seed with a playoff-savvy coach. If you're looking for a long-shot pick, the Flames are the choice.

8. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

* Coach: Barry Trotz (playoff record 4-12).

* Best thing about the city: The sweet sound of live music coming out the doors of Tootsie's Orchid Lounge near the Gaylord Center.

* Player capable of scoring 60 goals: Alexander Radulov. Managed only two goals in final 19 games but still finished with 25 in breakout second season.

* Player who could moonlight for the mob: Jordin Tootoo. Listed at 5-9, 194, high sticks and haymakers are the highlights of little man's game.

* If the Predators were an upcoming summer movie: Meet Dave. A behind-the-scenes look at David Legwand, a former No. 2 pick whose NHL career has been rather anonymous.

* Cup chances: Predators have yet to win a playoff series in short history and first-round date with the Red Wings isn't encouraging.

Western Conference schedule

No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 6 Avalanche

Today: at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Friday: at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Monday:at Colorado, 8 p.m.

Tuesday:at Colorado, 8 p.m.

*April 17:at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

*April 19:at Colorado, TBA

*April 22:at Minnesota, TBA

No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 8 Nashville

Thursday: at Detroit, 5 p.m.

Saturday: at Detroit, noon

Monday: at Nashville, TBA

April 16: at Nashville, TBA

*April 18: at Detroit, 5:30 p.m.

*April 20: at Nashville, 1 p.m.

*April 22: at Detroit, TBA

No. 2 San Jose vs. No. 7 Calgary

Today: at San Jose, 8 p.m.

Thursday: at San Jose, 8 p.m.

Sunday: at Calgary, 8 p.m.

Tuesday: at Calgary, 8 p.m.

*April 17: at San Jose, 8 p.m.

*April 20: at Calgary, TBA

*April 22: at San Jose, TBA

No. 4. Anaheim vs. No. 5 Dallas

Thursday: at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

Saturday: at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

Tuesday: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m.

April 17: at Dallas, 6 p.m.

*April 18: at Anaheim, 8:30 p.m.

*April 20: at Dallas, TBA

*April 22: at Anaheim, TBA

* If necessary