DAVID KEON: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's public relations department, and I'd like to welcome you to today's call.
With us we have Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff and Columbus Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock. Thanks to both of you for taking the time today to answer your questions. Thanks to Mike Gilbert of the Sabres and Todd Sharrock of the Blue Jackets for arranging this call.
Tomorrow night four first round playoff series begin when Pittsburgh hosts Ottawa, New Jersey Devils host New York Rangers, San Jose hosts Calgary, and Minnesota hosts the Colorado Avalanche. On Thursday Boston will open in Montreal, Nashville in Detroit, and the Dallas Stars are in Anaheim to take on the Ducks. The final series will start on Friday in Washington, where Philadelphia will take on the Capitals.
Thanks to Lindy and Ken for joining us today to preview these match ups. Operator, we'll open it up for questions now.
Q. The emphasis has been in the west all year now. Now the popular belief is whoever comes out of the west is going to be the Stanley Cup champion. Do you have that sense, as well?
KEN HITCHCOCK: No, I don't. I think one of the problems is when you have so many good teams that what's left of your team at the end of the three series that you have to play in sometimes isn't much. I think a lot of it depends on the damage that gets done in some of these series.
I think when you look at the competitiveness of the teams and the closeness of really almost all eight teams in the playoffs, you know, I think health is going to be a major issue on whoever comes out from this series because it has the makings, especially in these early rounds, of some really long series here.
NHL 2008 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
An Interview With: KEN HITCHCOCK and LINDY RUFF
An Interview With: KEN HITCHCOCK and LINDY RUFF 
