According to 31% of the 272 players polled by Sports Illustrated, they believe the Washington Capitals will win the Stanley Cup. 27% of the players felt that the Chicago Blackhawks would be the Cup winners this year, something that pleased members of the Hawks.
“That’s the best respect you can get from anybody is when your peers vote for you,” Hawks center John Madden said.
The folks at EA Sports did things a bit more “scientific” by using their game, NHL 10, to simulate the playoffs and came away with a Chicago vs. Pittsburgh Cup Finals with the Blackhawks winning in seven games with virtual Duncan Keith winning the virtual Conn Smythe Trophy. The highlight to their playoff simulation, of course, was having the Sharks bowing out to the Avalanche in the first round in six games. Video games are funny (or tragic/insulting if you’re a Sharks fan) like that sometimes.