todd mclellan

Todd McLellan behind the bench

There will be a lot of local flavour in the NHL playoffs as they get started on Wednesday.

Aneroid's Patrick Marleau and the San Jose Sharks find themselves in unfamiliar territory as a first round underdog against St. Louis.

Former Broncos Coach and current Sharks bench boss Todd McLellan feels they do have one edge.

"The one thing we have is playoff experience," MacLellan said. "There's been a lot of guys that have played in playoff games. When it's going good I hope we carry ourselves appropriately. When it's not going well guys have to pull a certain direction and carry themselves a certain way... we have that."

Maple Creek's Zack Smith and the Ottawa Senators are underdogs as well. They're facing the top seeded New YorK Rangers in the Eastern Conference.

Shaunavon's Braydon Coburn and the Philadelphia Flyers renew hostilities with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Former Bronco Cody Eakin gets into his first playoff as his Capitals play Boston.

Two other former Broncos, Aaron Rome, Dale Weise and the Vancouver Canucks take on the L-A Kings.

Ian White and the Detroit Red Wings start the playoffs against Nashville.