Okay, I'm sure we won't lose in the first round again, right?  We are only playing a team that hasn't been to the playoffs in 9 years.... yeah we'll be fine...... right?

The Mega Playoff Post
Like I said yesterday, we will be folding the playoffs together this week.  I needed to free up Friday to breakdown the AltHL's first ten seasons.  We have some rankings, a lot of statistics, recaps and fodder for the debate to begin as to who actually was the 'team of the decade'.  But in order to get to that we need to finish the tenth season. We will start with the CHL.

The Canadian Shield X Playoffs

#1 Minnesota Loons versus #4 Toronto Terriers
Two playoff mainstays battle it out in the first round of the playoffs.  Unfortunately the top seeded Loons forgot to show up.  The Terriers get back to finals.  Despite their success the Terriers haven't won it all since 2003! 

Loons Roster
F - 23 - Dave Andreychuk
F - 25 - Jason Arnott
F - 18 - Sergei Brylin
F - 26 - Patrik Elias
F - 16 - Bobby Holik
F - 11 - John Madden
F - 20 - Jay Pandolfo
F - 14 - Brian Rolston
F - 17 - Petr Sykora
D - 2 - Sheldon Souray
D - 6 - Brad Bombardir
D - 3 - Ken Daneyko
D - 27 - Scott Niedermayer
D - 4 - Scott Stevens (CAPTAIN)
G - 30 - Martin Brodeur

Terriers Rosters
F - 17 - Doug Brown
F - 71 - Wendel Clark
F - 33 - Kris Draper
F - 91 - Sergei Fedorov
F - 96 - Tomas Holmstrom
F - 13 - Slava Kozlov
F - 8 - Igor Larionov
F - 18 - Kirk Maltby
F - 25 - Darren McCarty
F - 19 - Steve Yzerman (CAPTAIN)
D - 5 - Nicklas Lidstrom
D - 55 - Larry Murphy
D - 24 - Chris Chelios *** Longtime Kingfisher is acquired by Toronto
G - 30 - Chris Osgood



#2 Montreal Chevaliers versus #3 Calgary Wranglers
A rough stretch of Chevs hockey has been followed by a truly great run.  Unfortunately the Chevs have only raised the Shield once in that run.  The Wranglers return to the playoffs and pull the rug out from under Montreal in a long, tough 5 game series.  

Chevaliers Roster
F - 18 - Adam Deadmarsh
F - 37 - Chris Drury
F - 14 - Theo Flury
F - 21 - Peter Forsberg
F - 23 - Milan Hejduk
F - 11 - Keith Jones
F - 22 - Claude Lemieux
F - 26 - Stephane Yelle
F - 19 - Joe Sakic (CAPTAIN)
D - 8 - Sandis Ozolinsh
D - 52 - Adam Foote
D - 7 - Greg de Vries
G - 33 - Patrick Roy

Wranglers Roster
F - 28 - Tie Domi
F - 15 - Tomas Kaberle
F - 19 - Fredrik Modin
F - 11 - Steve Sullivan
F - 13 - Mats Sundin (CAPTAIN)
F - 32 - Steve Thomas
F - 44 - Yanic Perreault
D - 55 - Danny Markov
D - 34 - Bryan Berard
G - 31 - Curtis Joseph
G - 29 - Felix Potvin




The 2009 Adams Cup Playoffs

#1 Los Angeles Titans versus #4 Charlotte Racers
This season the Titans pulled off the three-peat in the West Division.  It is time for them to take the next step and raise the big one.  They take on Charlotte whose story of a drought is well known.  Unfortunately for the Racers they never got out f the garage and the Titans ran away with it.  

Titans Roster
F - 21 - Guy Carbonneau
F - 22 - Brett Hull
F - 12 - Mike Keane
F - 15 - Jamie Langenbrunner
F - 26 - Jere Lehtinen
F - 9 - Mike Modano
F - 25 - Joe Nieuwendyk
D - 5 - Darryl Sydor
F - 16 - Pat Verbeek
D - 56 - Sergei Zubov
D - 2 - Derian Hatcher (CAPTAIN)
G - 20 - Ed Belfour
G - 1 - Roman Turek

Racers Roster
F - 36 - Mattew Barnaby
F - 14 - Stu Barnes
F - 68 - Jaromir Jagr (CAPTAIN)
F - 11 - Darius Kasparaitis
F - 27 - Alex Kovalev
F - 20 - Robert Lang
F - 82 - Martin Straka
D - 71 - Jiri Slegr
D - 5 - Kevin Hatcher
G - 35 - Tom Barrasso
G - 1 - Peter Skudra



#2 New York Gargoyles versus #3 Denver Bighorns
The 'Goyles have been to the playoffs 7 times, but it feels like it has been a minute since they were in the playoffs.  They take on the Big Horns who haven't been back to the playoffs since the AHA's first season.  Unfortunately for the Bighorns their stay was short lived, very short lived.

Gargoyles Roster
F - 41 - Jason Allison
F - 11 - PJ Axelsoon
F - 16 - Ken Belange
F - 21 - Ted Donato
F - 33 - Anson Carter
F - 14 - Sergei Samsonov
F - 6 - Joe Thornton
D - 20 - Darren Van Impe
D - 25 - Hal Gill
D - 18 - Kyle McLaren
D - 77 - Ray Bourque (CAPTAIN)
G - 34 - Byron Dafoe

Bighorns Roster
F - 11 - Kevin Dinneen
F - 21 - Ron Francis
F - 23 - Martin Gelinas
F - 24 - Sami Kapanen
F - 55 - Keith Primeau (CAPTAIN)
D - 77 - Paul Coffey
D - 5 - Marek Malik
D - 4 - Nolan Pratt
G - 37 - Trevor Kidd
G - 1 - Arturs Irbe



Canadian Shield X Finals - Calgary Wranglers versus Toronto Terriers

2009 Adams Cup Finals - New York Gargoyles versus Los Angeles Titans
 

Man, imagine how easy the travel in the Shield series would have been if either play-in had gone the other way. 'Twas a good match, Chevs, and good luck in the Gardens, Toronto.

I’m surprised it took this long for a Matchup between the U.S.’s two largest cities. Good luck to both of you.

I was really hoping for that Charlotte-Denver matchup...