Chicago, which won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record in regular season, has easily the most consistent team so far. On top of that, the Blackhawks have largely avoided major injury woes. If there is a question headed into the playoffs, it’s goaltending.

As somebody who hammered Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau a few times during his first NHL coaching gig in Washington, I have to give him credit for the Ducks’ spectacular season. He’s guided Anaheim to its second division title in team history and has managed the roster masterfully.

Cory Schneider isn’t a playoff noob, but this will be his first playoff as the No. 1 goalie. It’ll be interesting to see how well he handles that pressure in the first round against the Sharks, especially with Roberto Luongo — the goalie who took the Canucks to the finals two years ago — in a ballcap nearby.

The Caps were 8-1-1 over their final 10 games en route to securing their fifth division title over the last six seasons. The league’s top goal scorer Alex Ovechkin (32 goals) inserted himself into the MVP conversation as the Caps finally seemed to settle into the scheme run by first-year coach Adam Oates.

The Maple Leafs had been the only team not to make the playoffs after the previous work stoppage, the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. Toronto finally broke through after this most recent labor dustup. The Leafs’ playoff run, however, will be a short one unless they limit shots allowed and avoid listless stretches on offense that have plagued them down the stretch.