Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Leighton Vander Esch Cowboys Jersey . This week, they give a special NHL playoff edition of Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, where the panel gives their Stanley Cup winner prediction. Bruce Arthur, National Post My thumb is up to the Boston Bruins who I think are going to be the 2014 Stanley Cup champions. Remember last season, there was a thought that Claude Julien would get fired if they lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round and jeopardy could extend all the way up to the general managers chair and they did what they did. I think theyre in better shape heading into the playoffs then they were last season, when they had a compressed schedule following the Boston Marathon bombings, they were a tired team in the first round and really, more than anything, they have the easiest road to the Stanley Cup Final of any Stanley Cup contender. I think Bostons ready. Steve Simmons, SUN Media It hurts me to say this just because of the history but Im going thumbs up to the San Jose Sharks, who year in and year out disappoint at this time of year, but I look at this team and all that size up front. The move of Joe Pavelski to left wing has really completed this forward group nicely and I think Marc-Edouard Vlasics play at the Olympics taught him that hes a big-time guy now. He can elevate his game and I think that team, with Todd McLellan coaching, can come out of the west and can beat the Boston Bruins. Theyre too big and theyre too fast. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is up to the Chicago Blackhawks because consistency is the hob gobble in little minds and nobody has a littler mind than I do. I picked them at the start of the year, I picked them at the deadline, and Im picking them now because Patrick Kanes going to be back, Jonathan Toews is going to be back, and because the Blackhawks have the best defenceman in the Stanley Cup tournament in Duncan Keith. Dave Hodge, TSN Im going to go through the apparently easy route in the east and say thumbs up to the Presidents Trophy winning Boston Bruins. Sure, they dont win as often as they lose but in this case, this is the best home team in the NHL, lots of playoff experience, theyre obviously good defensively, good goaltending, good special teams and they are reasonably healthy. Then theres that Eastern Conference path to the Stanley Cup Final again, and I think that ends up being the bottom line for my reason to pick Boston. Michael Gallup Cowboys Jersey . Grimes signed a $32 million, four-year contract to remain with Miami. The deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed, rewards Grimes for his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to miss almost all of the 2012 season. Connor Williams Cowboys Jersey . "After consultation with the Team USA medical staff and officials, it was determined that he should return to Winnipeg as a precaution due to his previous injury history," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Wednesday in a statement. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Chidobe-Awuzie-Jersey/ . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes.Tim Howard feels criticism aimed at Everton boss Roberto Martinez this season should more have been directed at the clubs players. Saturdays 2-1 win over Bournemouth was marred by protests towards the Spaniard, with more than 100 fans remaining inside Goodison Park after the game finished to continue their demonstration.Everton had not won since their FA Cup quarter-final victory over Chelsea on March 12, a stretch of seven games, and Martinezs style of play has been the subject of criticism from supporters. Martinez calm amid fan protests Everton boss Roberto Martinez calm amid fan protests But his players have escaped the worst of that and Howard feels that is unfair on Martinez, whose side are next in action against title-chasing Leicester on Saturday.Everyone talks about the manager but he hasnt kicked one ball this season, said the United States goalkeeper, who is leaving Everton at the end of the season to join MLS side Colorado Springs. Everton supporters flew a banner from a plane protesting against manager Martinez during their sides win over Bournemouth It is down to us as players. We are the ones who have to be resilient and dig in. If that hasnt been good enough, fair dos. We have to take that on the chin. The table doesnt lie.Everyone is entitled to their opinion so I dont want to comment on plans and banners but we have to kick the ball, try to save it, try to score. Martinez has come under increased pressure because of a winless run of seven games that ended on Saturday Whatever happens on the outside is where the game has gone, whether that is right or wrong people have a right to voice their opinion and that is what people do.Every manager needs to be given time. People cant have it both ways. Often you get everyone outside of a club talking about players who are not loyal but it works the other way too.People need to be given time when they come to a club - players, managers, the board, it is no different. Everton old boys talk about the current situation at Goodison and the mounting pressure on Roberto Martinez Howard bristled at suggestions Martinez had lost sections of the Everton dressing room, taking it as an insult to their professionalism. Michael Gallup Jersey. I love this club and I feel it is the greatest club I have ever played for but we have no divine right to win games and we have to roll up our sleeves and dig in, and we havent done that enough, he added.When you play professional sports you are open to criticism good and bad and I always say you are never as good or bad as people say you are. Everton held a tribute to the 96 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster before their game with Bournemouth One thing I can assure everyone is we are going to work and we try our tails off to win football matches, no-one chucks it in. I think as senior players you try to protect the younger ones because theyve not seen it before but Im an old dog and Ive seen it all before.No criticism fazes me; not from the media, outside sources or social media. It is just words. We have to go to work every day and try to get it right. It isnt fantastic and we will try to reel off three more wins and try to get ourselves up the table. Also See: Martinez calm amid protests Supplement on Martinez Howe plays down Everton link Baines earns Everton win Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '