Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Thankfully, there will be no labor disputes or Winter Olympics disrupting NHL action this season, as the league tries to get back to normal in 2014-15. After suffering through a lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, the NHL saw last season halted for nearly a month while the league went on hiatus for the Sochi Olympics. However, no such interruptions are expected this season and hockey fans will even get to see the return of the NHL All-Star Game, an event that hasnt been held since January of 2012. Dynasty is a word being thrown around quite a bit these days thanks to the recent success experienced in Chicago and Los Angeles, a pair of franchises with two Cup victories over the past several seasons. Neither team is worthy of the dynasty label yet, but the race is on to see if either club can add to its title haul in 2015. The Blackhawks won their second Cup title in four seasons in the spring of 2013 and the Kings made it two championships in three years back in June. The clubs battled in the Western Conference finals in last seasons playoffs and theres a good chance that both the West crown and the Cup could go through Chicago or L.A. yet again. The realignment plan instituted at the start of the last season has set the West up as the stronger of the two conferences, with the East lagging far behind. In addition to Chicago and L.A., Anaheim, Colorado, Minnesota, St. Louis and San Jose also have legitimate Cup dreams, but theres a solid chance theyll need to upset either the Blackhawks or Kings in order to reach the promised land. The top contender in the East, meanwhile, is the Boston Bruins, who won last seasons Presidents Trophy before getting knocked out in the second round by Montreal. The defending conference champion New York Rangers also figure to be among the Easts top teams, while the Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning also could be in the mix at seasons end. Odds are the 2015 champion will come from the West. If that happens it would mark the conferences fifth title since 2010, with only the 2010-11 Bruins claiming a Cup for the East so far during the stretch. Once again the top three clubs from each of the leagues four divisions will earn automatic bids to the playoffs, while wild card spots account for the remaining two postseason spots in each conference. The second- and third-place teams from each division will meet in the first round of the playoffs. The remaining opening-round series will feature one matchup between the division winner with the most points against the wild card with the lowest point total and another featuring the other division winner and wild card representative. Without further ado, its time to make predictions on which teams are bound for the playoffs. Here it goes: EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC Boston Bruins (champion) Tampa Bay Lightning (automatic bid) Montreal Canadiens (automatic bid) METROPOLITAN Pittsburgh Penguins (champion) New York Rangers (automatic bid) Columbus Blue Jackets (automatic bid) WILD CARDS New Jersey Devils New York Islanders EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Boston Heading into the 2014 playoffs, the Bruins were billed as the only East team with a real chance of beating one of the Wests elite clubs in the Cup Finals. However, Claude Juliens club didnt get the chance to test its mettle against the representatives from the NHLs power conference as Boston fell in seven games to the rival Montreal Canadiens in the East semifinals. The Habs downed Boston with speed in the playoffs before the Rangers beat Montreal at its own game in the conference finals. Both clubs obviously have the skaters to take down the Bruins again, but Boston shouldnt be counted out due to one shaky postseason performance. The Bruins, after all, have shown the ability to rebound from poor playoff appearances in recent years under Julien and it could be time for them to prove it again. Boston won the Stanley Cup in 2011 just one year removed from a monumental 0-3 collapse against Philadelphia in the 2010 playoffs. Then after getting bounced by Washington in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, the Bs went on to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 Cup Finals before ultimately falling in six games. Juliens system, which puts an emphasis on responsible team defense, is the major reason Boston is still a threat. Steady on-ice leaders like star defenseman Zdeno Chara and versatile centerman Patrice Bergeron make sure the team sticks to the plan, and having reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask between the pipes doesnt hurt either. The Bruins may not be able to stop the trend of Western Conference dominance in the end, but a return to the Cup Finals is well within Bostons reach. WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL St. Louis Blues (champion) Chicago Blackhawks (automatic bid) Minnesota Wild (automatic bid) PACIFIC Anaheim Ducks (champion) Los Angeles Kings (automatic bid) San Jose Sharks (automatic bid) WILD CARDS Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars WESTERN CONFERENCE/STANLEY CUP CHAMPION: Chicago Blackhawks No team has been able to claim consecutive Cups since Detroit pulled off the repeat in 1997 and 98, but the Kings are a serious threat to supplant the Red Wings as the most recent back-to-back champions. Of course, the Blackhawks figure to be the biggest obstacle standing in the way of a second straight L.A. title. Chicago not only pushed the Kings to the limit in last springs classic Western Conference finals battle, it also carried a 4-3 edge into the third period of Game 7 before L.A. rallied for a 5-4 OT victory in the Windy City. The Blackhawks and Kings are similar in many ways. They boast two of the NHLs deepest rosters with star players littered throughout and both clubs are used to dominating the opposition when it comes to puck possession. Chicago seems to own a slight edge in overall defensive depth, but Kings blueliner Drew Doughty appeared to be the biggest difference maker during last years playoff battle. L.A. goaltender Jonathan Quick also is a better regarded goaltender than Chicagos Corey Crawford, but both players have proven themselves capable of anchoring a Cup-winning team. When two teams match up this closely with one another, intangible factors can often tip the balance in one clubs favor. What L.A. did in last years playoffs was amazing, but the Kings did receive their share of puck luck along the way and theres a good chance it could run out in 2015. Darryl Sutters resilient club deserves credit for rallying from down 3-0 to beat San Jose in Round 1 last spring and coming back from a 3-2 deficit to eliminate Anaheim in the conference semis before outlasting Chicago, but a few bounces the other way easily could have ended L.A.s title hopes prematurely. After the Kings magical run to the Cup in 2014, it isnt crazy to think the Blackhawks will have luck on their side this time. One thing is clear: as hockey fans, wed all be lucky to see another Western Conference battle between Chicago and L.A. The race to claim a dynasty is on, and in 2014-15 it could be Chicagos turn to take another lap with Lord Stanleys Cup. Athletics Jerseys 2020 . The Yankees made the moves before Tuesdays game against Baltimore. Robertson was listed retroactive to Monday. 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Athletics Jerseys 2019 . -- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver Marqise Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth more than $5 million.OWINGS MILLS, Md. - In the afterglow of a playoff victory over Pittsburgh last weekend, Ravens coach John Harbaugh proclaimed Joe Flacco to be the best quarterback in football.Given time to reflect on his comment, Harbaugh didnt back down.I said it. I meant it, Harbaugh said after Tuesdays practice.Flaccos numbers in the post-season support Harbaughs lofty assessment.After throwing two touchdown passes in a 30-17 win over the Steelers, Flacco improved to 5-0 in his last five playoff games. He has 13 TDs, no interceptions and a 116.6 quarterback rating during that span. He was Super Bowl MVP two years ago, is 10-4 in the post-season and has more road playoff wins (seven) than any quarterback in NFL history.Flacco has twice as many playoff wins as peers Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger.So, is this guy elite or what?At the end of the day it doesnt really matter what everybody wants to think, Flacco said. It obviously means a lot for a head coach to stand up in front of everybody in the whole world and say those kind of things. Whether it really means anything, I dont know. But it definitely means a lot to me.Harbaugh became Baltimores coach in 2008, the same year the Ravens made Flacco their top draft pick out of Delaware. The two have been to the post-season in six of seven years.Joe has a great arm, is a very good athlete, a big, strong guy in the pocket, can make any throw in any kind of weather, Harbaugh said.Especially in the playoffs.Hes a good quarterback, period, said New England coach Bill Belichick, whose top-seeded Patriots (12-4) host the Ravens (11-6) on Saturday.I have a lot of respect for him, Belichick said. He has a great arm, can throw the ball the length of the field with guys hanging all over him. Hes mobile. Hes athletic enough to extend plays, makes good decisions, uses all his weapons.Flacco and the Ravens beat the Patriots 28-13 in the AFC championship game two years ago to advance to the Super Bowl. Flacco joined Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throww 11 touchdown passes without an interception in a single post-season.ddddddddddddBig-time players show up when you need them most, and thats how hes been, Ravens fourth-year receiver Torrey Smith said. Hes as good as anyone, and maybe the best in the playoffs these past few years.Soon after Baltimore beat San Francisco 34-31 in the Super Bowl, Flacco received a contract worth $120.6 million that made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.To this point, its been a worthwhile investment. Although the Ravens went 8-8 and missed the playoffs last year, theyve never had a losing record and are 82-44 (including the post-season) with Flacco as a starter. Oh, and hes started every game since the outset of his rookie year.Flacco has thrown 166 passes in the playoffs since his last interception, in the 2011 AFC title game in New England.Im doing the best I can to put everybody in position to do good things, he said. Put the ball in their hands and let them take over.Flacco is 6-foot-6 but surprisingly agile in the pocket. Against Pittsburgh, he scrambled to his left to elude the rush and threw off his back foot to connect with Smith for an 11-yard touchdown that made it 20-9.His athletic ability is underrated, Smith said. Hes been making plays like that for a long time.In the playoffs, though, something special happens when Flacco is on the field.Hes a franchise quarterback and has had a great career, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said.Brady is among a select few top-shelf quarterbacks considered to be the best in the game by those not named John Harbaugh.The cool thing about it is, Tom was playing for who knows how many years before I got in here, Flacco said. I was in high school watching him win Super Bowls.Flacco is 2-1 in the playoffs against the Patriots, but warns that those games — and this one — arent about Brady vs. Flacco.Its not really me outdueling Tom or him outdueling me, he insisted. Were not playing against each other.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '