Buffalo wins President's Trophy, date with Islanders

Despite being beaten by the Flyers on the season's last day, the Buffalo Sabres have won the 2006-07 President's Trophy for having the best record in the NHL. Congratulations to them for being a dominant team during the regular season.This is the 21st time the President's Trophy has been awarded and the first time Buffalo has been the recipient.

However, they shouldn't make plans to serve Beef on Weck out of the Stanley Cup just yet. They may have won 53 games in the regular season, but they still need to win 16 more. Last season, I urged Detroit fans not plan a parade route just yet after they won the President's Trophy. They lost in the first round to the eighth seed Edmonton Oilers.

Out of the 20 previous winners of the President's Trophy, six have gone on to win the Stanley Cup:

• 1987 Edmonton Oilers
  
• 1989 Calgary Flames
  
• 1994 New York Rangers
  
• 1999 Dallas Stars
  
• 2001 Colorado Avalanche
  
• 2002 Detroit Red Wings

The playoffs are a completely different animal from the regular season. There could be some surprises in store. However, Buffalo clearly is the team to beat. In the East anyway.

In a related story, the Islanders won in a shootout over the Devils. This catapulted them over the Leafs and into the eighth spot in the East.

At some point, I'll have a playoff "bracket" and my first round picks.