Young Matt Henderson is another year older today, so I figured I would spare him any weekend work and take over for this week’s edition of the Canucks Army Roundtable. As an aside, I think you should all wish him a happy birthday either here or on Twitter. He’s a great dude.

Now that I have that out of the way, let’s get down to business. The Conference Finals have started, and there remains but four teams: Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators. I asked the Canucks Army staff who they’re predicting to go all the way from this pool and win a Stanley Cup. They didn’t disappoint.

If the Pittsburgh Penguins can beat the Washington Capitals without Matt Murray, Kris Letang, and Sidney Crosby for a chunk of the series, then what can’t they do? Think about that. For almost two full games they didn’t have their first line centre, best defenceman and starting goaltender; for all of the series, they carried on without the latter of those three.

I just don’t think there’s any stopping the Penguins’ machine. They should dispatch of the Senators in five games or less, get rested and then be ready to take on whoever emerges from the Western Conference Finals, a series that’s sure to leave a trail of bodies in its wake.

My brain says Penguins all the way, clearly. My heart? My heart wants the Predators to win, and how.

I am projecting with no certainty that the Anaheim Ducks will be the eventual champions and award winners of the Stanley Mug by beating their anniversary rivals the Ottawa Senators. Would sure be interesting to see Kesler and Bieksa take on Burrows with a guarantee going to at least one former Canuck. We shall see soon but I’m picking RK17 and Juice to be victors this year. I don’t feel good saying it but then again, I’m wrong a lot.

Nashville because they’re probably the deepest team

I’m predicting a Nashville – Pittsburgh final with Nashville coming out on top. Pekka Rinne has been so solid and their blueline tops the Penguins’ as well. I’d love to see Pittsburgh go back-to-back but I pick Nashville this season.

Normally I’d just go with the strategy of “pick the best team left”, which would probably be Pittsburgh. That’s the exact line of thinking that left me predicting a Capitals SCF berth though, so I’m going with Nashville. They were my pick at the start of the year and they’ve finally put it all together so why not?