More on Stanley Cup 2002 • Part 2: Eastern Conference Preview • Part 3: Western Conference Preview

Join the Discussion "Vancouver over Detroit in six games. Detroit is aging pretty fast." Monkey 00

Related Resources • What do the experts say? • Results and news from the 2002 opening round

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Dateline: April 16/02

Stanley Cup playoff predictions are a fool's game at the best of times, but especially so this year. Detroit was the dominant team for most of the season. But the 2002 race is wide open, especially in the Eastern Conference, where a couple of first round breaks and a favourable second round draw could be enough to launch a team to the finals.

The playoffs are often called a new season, and with some justification. Results and trends from the preceding six months remain relevant. But the playoff hockey rewards teams that peak in April, ride the crest through May and June, stay healthy, overcome fatigue and take full advantage of whatever good luck comes their way. This is why "built for the playoffs" is a popular catchphrase to describe Stanley Cup contenders.

The first job of the new season is to survive the minefield known as the opening round, where stunning upsets are so common they can hardly be called stunning. Many a regular season titan has died a quiet death in first round, often succumbing to a team of upstarts who were lucky just to make the playoffs.

The opening round gives rise to tremendous anticipation among fans and a new level of intensity among players. With its hectic schedule, unlikely heroes and potential surprises lurking in every series, it is often the most exciting round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the best time of year to be a hockey fan.

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