1st Round Eliminated NHL Teams and The One Major Thing That They Need

East:

NY Islanders - Goaltending. Evgeni Nabokov looked like a second tier goalie. A couple of outstanding saves and the Isles knock off the Penguins. But the young talent is there on offense and defense.

Montreal - Heart. The Canadiens thought that they should be handed victories. They showed no heart when the series got tough for them, just cheapness with thuggery. Michel Therrien showed that he is an ineffective Head Coach. And if it was true that team Captain Brian Gionta was crying in Therrien's arms because the Habs were going to lose the series, then they need a new captain.

Washington - A Better Reputation. The Capitals were robbed by the officials with the Rangers having a two-to-one ratio of Power Plays. Even though the Rangers PP looked horrible, having to kill off a penalty can cause problems with your own team. Ovechkin didn't play to his potential and Holtby is a fine Goalkeeper for the Caps. Caps fans have every reason to be upset at the NHL and it's officials.

Toronto - Experience. I am impressed with the young players in the Maple Leafs lineup. James Reimer looks like he could be the Curtis Joseph of the Leafs for many years. Toronto deserved to win the series, but inexperience came and bit them on the ass. The funny thing is that you have to give Brian Burke credit for his patience with the oung kids before being axed.

West:

Vancouver - Direction. After being beaten by the divers of Vancouver South, this team appears to need a complete overhaul. You start at head coach, go through the goaltending and then start looking at the defense that looked like they belonged in the AHL.

Anaheim - Wingers. The Ducks got real good goaltending from Hiller, the defense played rather well and the centermen were a strength for the Ducks. The Wingers need to show up and play.

St. Louis - Focus. This team played a real tough series against the Kings. They could have won the series but there were lots of distractions behind the scenes. The coach is fighting with players, the players are revolting and the leadership couldn't resolve the two. Ken Hitchcock has went back to his taskmaster ways and causing problems.

Minnesota - A better Top 6. Everybody is screaming that Mike Yeo should be fired. Why? This team gets devastated by injuries annually. He made it into the playoffs with Pierre Marc-Bouchard, Cal Clutterbuck, and Charlie Coyle as Top 6 forwards. That means you have problems. The Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley trade that was supposed to bring offense to the Wild didn't work. You can put some of the blame at Yeo's feet, but more should be put on the player's shoulders.