New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - The NHL regular season came to a close on Sunday, setting the stage for the league's 91st chase for the Stanley Cup, which begins on Wednesday, April 15.

There may be a new champion crowned in June from the field of 16 playoff teams, but the defending champion Detroit Red Wings will have something to say on the matter.

No team has won back-to-back titles since those same Red Wings accomplished the feat in 1997 and 1998 by topping Philadelphia and Washington.

In addition, three clubs from Canada (Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary) will try to be the first team located North of the Border to be Stanley Cup champions since the Canadiens took home their last title in 1993.

In the Eastern Conference, the Bruins and Canadiens renew hostilities for a second consecutive campaign at 7 p.m. (all times Eastern) Thursday at TD Banknorth Garden. In a complete reversal from last season, Boston (53-19-10) garnered the top seed in the East and Montreal (41-30-11) wound up in eighth.

The B's haven't topped the Habs beyond the regular season since 1994, losing the last three playoff meetings, but have the chance to derail Montreal's quest for a Stanley Cup in their 100th year early on. However, the Canadiens have emerged victorious in 24 of 31 series against the Bruins.

Second-seeded Washington (50-24-8), the Southeast Division champion for a second consecutive year, squares off against former Patrick Division rival the New York Rangers (43-30-9), starting 7 p.m. Wednesday in America's capital. The clubs have not met in the postseason since 1994, with the Rangers scoring a five-game second-round triumph en route to a Cup championship.

The Capitals, who set a franchise record for points in a season and boast 56- goal scorer Alex Ovechkin, won three of four games against the Rangers this year. The clubs have split four playoff series.

Atlantic winner and three-seed New Jersey (51-27-4) will see a familiar foe in sixth-place Carolina (45-30-7), beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Newark. The Hurricanes and Devils have met three previous times in the playoffs, the last in 2006. That season, Carolina breezed by the Devils in a five-game conference semifinal on its way to the franchise's first Stanley Cup.

The 'Canes took three of four from the Devils in the regular season but a rested and healthy Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur will make it tough for Carolina, which made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

The 4-5 matchup is a battle for Keystone State bragging rights between Pittsburgh (45-28-9) and Philadelphia (44-27-11), commencing at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mellon Arena. The Penguins garnered the fourth seed and home-ice in this series after winning in their season-finale at Montreal on Saturday and seeing the Rangers top the Flyers in regulation on Sunday.

Led by two of the NHL's top three scorers in Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, the Pens took four of six from the Flyers in the regular season. Philly has won three of the four prior playoff series, but Pittsburgh claimed victory last season in a five-game Eastern Conference final.

In the Western Conference, the Presidents' Trophy winning San Jose Sharks (53-18-11) have the top seed and take on the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks (42-33-7), in a series beginning at 10:30 p.m. Thursday at HP Pavilion.

The Pacific Division champion Sharks will attempt to improve their playoff showing from last season, when they were the No. 2 seed in the West and lost to Dallas in the conference semifinals -- the third season in a row San Jose lost in the West semis.

This season, San Jose is in the top spot after locking up the NHL's best record Saturday, despite losing to Los Angeles. The Sharks have a decided home ice advantage, going 32-5-4 at the Shark Tank. However, one of those home losses came against the Ducks on April 4, in the first game of a home-and-home set. The Sharks rebounded to win at Anaheim the next night, and won four of the six meetings between the clubs this season.

The Ducks are in the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, a run highlighted by a Stanley Cup title two seasons ago. But Anaheim was booted in the first round of playoffs in 2007-08 by the Stars.

Dallas' surprising run through the playoffs last season was ultimately ended by top-seeded Detroit in the West finals, and the Red Wings are back to defend their Cup championship.

Second-seeded Detroit (51-21-10), which won the Central Division, is in the playoffs for the 18th consecutive season, a run in which the Red Wings claimed four Cup titles, including back-to-back championships in 1997 and '98. Detroit is aiming to repeat again, and faces divisional foe Columbus (41-31-10) in a series starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Joe Louis Arena.

The seventh-seeded Blue Jackets are new to the playoff scene, having made the postseason for the first time in their eighth season of existence. This season Columbus actually finished with a winning record for the first time ever, and now finds itself taking on one of the most storied franchises in the sport.

Detroit posted a 3-2-1 record against Columbus this season, though both teams are entering the playoffs on a bit of a slide. The Red Wings have lost three in a row, while the Blue Jackets have lost four of their last five.

Third-seeded and Northwest Division champion Vancouver (45-27-10) will have a bit of playoff history against its first-round opponent. The Canucks face sixth-seeded St. Louis (41-31-10) in a matchup starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday at GM Place, and will attempt to take a third playoff series from the Blues. Vancouver met St. Louis in the playoffs following the 1995 and 2002-03 seasons, and won both times.

Vancouver only locked up the third spot in its last game of the season, an overtime win against Colorado on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Blues beat the Avalanche earlier Sunday to climb to the sixth seed. Both Vancouver and St. Louis enter the postseason on a three-game winning streak, and having split the four-game regular season series.

Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Chicago (46-24-12) holds a big edge over fifth-seeded Calgary (46-30-6) for their matchup, which begins at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at United Center. The Blackhawks swept the four-game season series against the Flames, and will try to use that to their advantage in their first postseason appearance since 2001-02.

Calgary, meanwhile, has made the playoffs five seasons in a row, though was jettisoned in the first round last season by San Jose. The Flames haven't met the Blackhawks in the postseason since the 1995-96 season, when Chicago won. Calgary has, however, taken two of the three playoff matchups all-time, winning in the 1980-81 and 1988-89 seasons.