The Detroit Red Wings finished their first series of the 2011 NHL playoffs so early that their next one won't begin until more than a week later. The Red Wings finished off the Phoenix Coyotes last Wednesday for a series sweep. Ever since Detroit has been waiting around to find out who their next opponent will be and when they will play again.
The Red Wings will find out their second-round opponent early Wednesday morning once Game 7 between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks comes to a close. It will begin at 10 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday night, and if the Canucks win, the Red Wings will play the San Jose Sharks in round two. If the Blackhawks win, however, the Red Wings will take on the Nashville Predators.
As for when the Red Wings' second-round series will begin, general manager Ken Holland said Game 1 will be either Thursday or Friday.
The second-round schedule for the NHL playoffs will depend on a variety of factors, but my educated guess is that the Red Wings will start their next series on Thursday if Nashville is the opponent. If the Sharks are the opponent, I bet the series will start Friday night, as the extra day would give the Wings more time to pack up and head to San Jose. If Nashville is the opponent, the Wings would be at home, and it wouldn't take the Predators all that long to travel to Detroit. That's just my guess, though.