In no other sport does the switch that is the playoffs - when turned "on" - transform the game so drastically as it does in professional hockey. Playoff hockey is the epitome of playing for the love of the game. The most a player can make in his run to Lord Stanley’s cup is about $150,000, and that’s if you win. If you break that down and play an average of 6 games per series – that’s a total of 24 games (just over $6,000 per game – peanuts by today’s NHL standards). But that is the beauty of the game. Players are in this for one thing - to win the Cup. If it was for the money, they would have stopped playing in January. The playoffs are for the love of the game (or…if you’re an owner, for the bulk of the gate receipts). For a fan, there is simply no better time of the year. And for a playoff poolie, this is the time to shine.

The short span of games after the trading deadline – about 18 – act like movie trailer – giving us a glimpse of what is to come. The games tighten up, the physical play intensifies and the effort displayed by the players is…well…superior to anything that you will see in an NHL regular season game in November.

As always – your tools to survive this "prime" time to be a hockey fan include bountiful liquid refreshments and snacks (we prefer sodas and Doritos until at least the second round, when we hit the beer). Pace is everything, and with an NHL post-season that lasts three months, well…weight gain from excess munchies and a lack of exercise is problematic. But is it not a beautiful thing when one thinks that for the first two rounds we are treated to a hockey game on every night of the week? I know, I shudder too!

So as the regular season games tick down, rest assured our anticipation, and yours too, will grow exponentially. It’s playoff time…and this IS the time to be a hockey fan – its playoff fever. And for us here at Puckjunkie that means Playoff Pool fever. So not only have we assembled a specialty playoff page, full of tips, articles and advice - but we have also put together a fully customizable cheat sheet, to help you win your playoff pool. At Puckjunkie, we put you behind the playoff bench, and strive to give you the playoff winning edge.