Last week we profiled the Western Conference potential upsets and sleeper picks. This week we look at the East. Remember, in the first round there is always an upset or two. There are some teams ripe for the picking. Going into a playoff hockey pool, you need to be conscious of a potential first round upset. It can win or lose you your pool. Here is our take:

Washington Capitals: Going into the playoffs the Caps look…well…not good. Our thoughts on the Linden and Zubrus for Bulis and Zednik deal was very positive for both teams. Zubrus was the youngest player in the deal and the one with the most upside and Linden seemed to be a nice fit for the defense-first minded Caps. However, the problem has been fit – just where do these guys play on the Caps roster? So far we’ve seen Linden on the wing with Oates, at center with Konawalchuk and Dahlen and then back on the wing with Zubrus and Nikolishin. Somehow these guys are just not meshing. The present Caps roster is just not talented enough to score goals – outside of Bondra in the tight checking East. If Kolzig has even a mediocre first round the Caps will be gone…golfing!

Philadelphia Flyers: We are now convinced that this team has sold their collective soul for a shot at the playoffs. How else do you explain their unbelievable ability to withstand the loss of John LeClair, Simon Gagne and now Keith Primeau for long stints and yet the remain at or near the top of the Eastern Conference. Throw in the circus that is and was the Eric Lindros-Bobby Clarke saga and you have a team that has every right to use any excuse to explain their poor play. Instead, they have rallied around one another – giving us cause to wonder aloud why Bill Barber is not a serious coach of the year candidate. When asking how this has happened, look no further than Eric Desjardins, Rick Tocchet and Roman Cechmanek. Desjardins is possibly the most under-rated defencemen in the league, Tocchet remains the heart and soul of any team he plays for, and Roman Czechamenk, a 30 year old rookie, looks like the next coming of last years’ Brian Boucher. But with all this positive talk, the Flyers remain on our potential upset list for two reasons: fatigue and a first-year goaltender. We cannot think of the last time a team went into two consecutive playoff years with a rookie netminder in each. The ghost of Steve Penny revisited the Flyers last year – can it do it again. We just think the odds are against them. Finally the fatigue factor. You weigh all of the hardships this team has endured this season and one has to come to the realization that sooner or later it has got to catch up to them. How much more can this team have? Our bet, and through no fault of their own, not enough to pull them out of the first round. Which will serve Bobby Clarke right for not helping his team an iota this season.

Our sleeper picks from the East should not be too big of a surprise.

Buffalo Sabres: This will undoubtedly be the last go around for the likes of Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk and potentially Dominek Hasek. Sure it would be nice to have a Mike Peca, or players in lieu of him, in the line-up, but Sabres GM Darcy Regier pulled off two great deals at the trade deadline for Steve Heinze and Donald Audette, in the hopes that their added offense could be just what the doctor ordered. Hasek is still the best goalie in the league in clutch situations – and this regular season he was so-so by his own standards. Couple "The Dominator’s" desire with the fire that still burns in the belly of the "Killer" Gilmour and sprinkle in some  offense from the new guys and the Sabres could be a dangerous team come playoff time. They rode Hasek once before and the smart money says that could happen again.