Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six In net, Jack Campbell appears back on his game following a midseason downturn and rib injury. Knight: Hurricanes in six But he's expected to miss a few games in the first round due to a lower-body injury. Biggest flaw(s): Minnesota's special teams are less than awe-inspiring. "Obviously, Vasilevskiy has a track record that speaks for itself. Make Your Picks. Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. The Stars are the only team in the playoffs with a negative goal differential. Weekes: Blues in seven That, combined with St. Louis being one of the NHL's worst teams in 5-on-5 possession totals, puts a lot more pressure on Husso -- a rookie appearing in his first postseason -- at the toughest time of year. Victoria Matiash: Panthers in seven . Kaplan: Flames in six The 2021-22 NHL season is winding down towards the final . Daily Fantasy Picks; Projected Lineups; Player Rankings; . Kane is a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best men's American hockey player of all time. The puck drops on the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on ESPN presented by GEICO with 12 first round games on ESPN and ESPN2 over three days beginning on Monday, May 2. TWDC 2022-23 NHL Game Schedule: Date, Time (ET), Teams, Network/Platform Tue, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m., Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers, ESPN, ESPN+ Tue, Oct. 11, 10 p.m., Vegas Golden. He's a 40-year-old veteran churning out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record, .927 SV% and 2.70 GAA. Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA playoff game live on SLING TV. After Pavelski, Hintz and Robertson (who all tallied 70 or more points), Dallas' offense has been streaky. The All-Star break is over, and we are almost three-quarters of the way through the 2022-23 season. He is the Russian Machine, and seeing him play in the first round would not be a surprise, although coach Peter Laviolette said that Ovechkin would not have been able to play had the playoffs started last week. 6 Virginia (21-5, 13-4 ACC) . The Flames' plus-85 trailed only the Presidents' Trophy-winning Panthers for the. Player to watch: Miro Heiskanen. Everyone knows anything can happen once the playoffs begin. Returning contributors Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat can play up or down the lineup with effectiveness. Los Angeles was 32-19-7 when Doughty went out on March 7. It starts in their own end and being engaged down low. The Avalanche have an excellent power play (34.5%) but weaker penalty kill (73.1%). Not exactly the best offensive company to keep. Mleczko: Flames in six He had just two points in the Pens' six-game series loss to the Islanders last playoffs. cal: Oilers in seven Kavanagh: Blues in seven But I have a lot of faith in Shesty," he said. He's the kind of player to watch with your head on a swivel. Kavanagh: Oilers in seven The XFL has entered the second week of its third season under its . The first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs was a doozy, including five series going to Game 7 -- and two of those Game 7's going to overtime. Knight: Flames in six Watching all of it from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom. McDonough: Avalanche in seven Kucherov has 15 points in 11 games, including seven on the power play. Matiash: Flames in seven When Jonathan Quick repeatedly slammed the door in the first-round series, Edmonton didn't panic. Anze Kopitar led the team in scoring. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Few teams are built better for a run at the Cup than the Calgary Flames. Tortorella: Hurricanes in six 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason. Obviously, the Rangers are going to go as far as Shesterkin takes them. Again, a criticism of Calgary this season is like using one of those eyepieces to search for a flaw on a gorgeously cut diamond. The 2022-23 NHL season is the 106th season of operation (105th . The Stanley Cup playoffs are a place where teams defy the numbers, find an undeniable belief in themselves and create - for lack of a better term - postseason magic. If that's the case, whose top line will benefit more? Hilary Knight: Lightning in seven What we've learned about this team so far in the postseason. These simulcasts typically involve ESPN's linear television channels and internet streaming platforms, and may . Columbus Blue Jackets (WC) 5. In over 500 minutes of game action this postseason, Kuemper has faced only 218 pucks. How well Colorado's back end -- led by Makar, Devon Toews and Bowen Byram -- can manage those assignments will go a long way in determining the series. Bolden: Avalanche in six When Kuemper was tested, he didn't always look sharp; St. Louis caught him in bad positioning and decidedly flat-footed on a few occasions. This series projects to trend more toward what Edmonton just experienced, with the potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense. If the season ended today we'd have the Heat . Unsurprisingly, Florida has also produced excellent special-teams numbers (including with its top-10 power play). Bolden: Hurricanes in six Coach Darryl Sutter has this team primed to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. Non-Playoff team from 2021 that will make 2022 Playoffs: Dallas Stars . How they got here: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Yes. So if there's room for improvement anywhere, it's from some of the Oilers' second- and third-line skaters like Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi. We all saw what happened to netminder Sergei Bobrovsky in last season's playoffs (when he was replaced midway through the first round by rookie Spencer Knight), and the veteran has struggled down the stretch this season (with a save percentage below .900 in three of four recent appearances). Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. Kaplan: Avalanche in six Maintaining that intensity each night in the playoffs will be a task in itself. We just didn't go away. Player to watch: Under different circumstances, 22-year-old defenseman Evan Bouchard might have been a Calder Trophy finalist with his 43 points in 81 games. That's not great news for a Rangers team whose power-play prowess (fourth in the NHL) far outpaced its even-strength offense (18th). Bob Wischusen: Panthers in seven Player to watch: Kadri. Hagel took a puck off one of his feet in Game 2 against the Panthers, though he appeared in Games 3 and 4. Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven Biggest flaw(s): Confidence. Keep an eye on those little things Brodin can do to put Minnesota over the top. Could the Florida Panthers, who raced to the top seed in the Eastern Conference, win their first Cup? There hasn't been a ton of that for the Oilers; most of their key tallies have come from the same group of four or five guys. Their top defensive pairings of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson along with Chris Tanev and Oliver Kylington have been outstanding. Calgary got burned off a couple clean looks for that unit that turned into almost series-defining mistakes. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. New Jersey Devils (MP) 6. Playoff teams that need to sign Nerlens Noel: 1. Keith has been on every big stage hockey has to offer. Note: Kristen Shilton previewed the Western Conference teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the two clubs from the East. What Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton's defensive effort. The second round against Calgary couldn't have started any worse with a quick 3-0 deficit for Edmonton in Game 1 and another 2-0 hole to start Game 2. Messier: Rangers in six Leah Hextall: Panthers in seven Bold prediction: Evgeny Kuznetsov leads the Capitals in scoring, but their stay in the playoffs is limited to one round. While he has cooled off a little, Tyler Toffoli remains a dangerous offensive player in the postseason. Not too shabby. In today's Morning 3-on-3, we debate whether both are playoff locks -- and a threat if they make it. It breeds confidence, and that's having a huge impact on the Oilers' success in this postseason. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, in his first season with the Lightning, and playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six. Tarasenko had 11 goals and 17 points during the Blues' 2019 run. Game 3: Florida Panthers at Washington Capitals 1 p.m. But don't underestimate the drive of MacKinnon and McDavid to really show off here. Biggest flaw(s): Fatigue. Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. Players, coaches, execs vote for NHL's top centers, NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on each team's 25-and-under core, Lineup picks, matchups, start or sit advice for Wednesday, McAvoy scores in OT, Bruins beat Flames for 8th win a row, Gaudreau scores in shootout, Wild beat Islanders 2-1, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues 5-3, Robinson scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets' 5-3 win over Sabres, 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason, Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket, Ranking NHL players who need a Stanley Cup, last two games of the season with a lower-body injury. If his Game 5 hat trick against the Blues was any indication, "Playoff Nate" is ready to dance toe-to-toe with McDavid & Co. MacKinnon already has eight goals and 13 points in 10 games. It'll be down to the wire, but I like Colorado. Some teams have improved, while others went into re-build mode. But what we've seen so far in the playoffs is Colorado primarily at its best. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. Ferraro: Flames in seven Shilton: Hurricanes in six Pacific: CGY | EDM The Avalanche are top three in league scoring, top six in goals against, have a top-five power play and boast enviable depth at forward and on the back end to complement Darcy Kuemper, who has had a resurgent second half in net. He has added 10 assists to his point total, but Rantanen has still fallen short of expectations to date in terms of output. These are the playoffs. Do you blame us? Biggest flaw(s): Well, let's go with "potentially biggest." But he's not unbeatable. Granted, that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore. Under coach Dave Tippett, the Oilers were 13th in the NHL in expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5; under interim coach Jay Woodcroft, who took over Feb. 10, the Oilers jumped to fourth in that category. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Tampa knows how to win. The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. James O'Brien, NHL writer: Bruins in 6. . Biggest flaw(s): Consistency and resiliency. Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Stars made the playoffs in large part because of their top line. Case for a Stanley Cup run: This is Edmonton Oilers Version 2.0. What will be the key to solving Igor Shesterkin? The Rangers still aren't an impressive five-on-five team, relying on Shesterkin to bail them out at even strength, which he has. The game-changing swings can come down to special teams, and that's not where the Wild have thrived. We don't roll out the term "juggernaut" for just anyone around here. Rantanen's 36 goals led Colorado in the regular season, so seeing him hesitate to shoot the puck and fail to drive play like a $9.25 million-per-year player should in the postseason is odd. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Thanks to the steepest parity the Eastern Conference has seen in some time, the Capitals had a 100-point season for the sixth straight 82-game campaign. That core has been augmented by strong seasons from a supporting cast of forwards Evan Rodrigues and Danton Heinen, and especially defenseman Mike Matheson, who had a career-redefining campaign. Team defense has become a part of the equation because that mentality is exhibited by the team's top players (including Matthews). Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six Two good goalies coming together. The Bruins' goalie tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman deserves credit in this area too, providing consistently good performances that have more than assuaged fears about how the team would move on from Tuukka Rask. Bold prediction: Coach Dean Evason bucks tradition by not naming a playoff starter in net, opting to alternate between Fleury and Talbot instead. For the first time since 1991, the Flames and Oilers meet up in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. by Fantasy Hockey Staff @NHLFantasy. Obviously, the Lightning would like to see Point back on the ice. The Igor Shesterkin that we saw during Round 1 is not the Igor Shesterkin that the Lightning are going to see. Biggest flaw(s): St. Louis has had defensive issues all season. What he's done this year has been insanely impressive. But teams win with depth in the playoffs, and there's been some falloff here for the Flames. The 2021-22 season has been incredibly bizarre for Colton Parayko, who has been a puzzling player since the Blues won the Cup in 2019. That wasn't a given before the season and certainly wasn't while Pittsburgh played through its seemingly annual spate of injuries. Listen here . We muse, one last time, on the league stages of the 2022/23 Indian Super League (ISL) season: Odisha slip through, somehow It was in their hands going into the final week. 102) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Ekholm has 268 points (62 goals, 206 assists) in 719 regular-season games with the Predators and 35 points (six goals, 29 . That's by far the fewest among any goalie left in these playoffs. La Greca: Flames in six View the updated NHL Playoff Predictions here to see playoff matchups and predicted Stanley Cup winner.. With the Seattle Kraken expansion draft and a salary cap that is not going up, a lot of players this summer have changed teams.. Sixteen teams entered the postseason tournament, but only four are left in the bracket, as the New York Rangers will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the East, and the Colorado Avalanche will square off against the Edmonton Oilers in the West. Here are the current standings in the East, with the bottom four seeds lining up for the Play-In Tournament. history but they get to host a game . That unit shows no signs of slowing, either, and that should give Dallas a confidence boost going into the first round. New York Rangers 2. Callahan: Avalanche in seven Tampa's lineup remains as intimidating as any in the league. Meanwhile, MacKinnon will be leading the charge up front. NHL trade grades: Kings make smart additions in Gavrikov, Korpisalo, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Capitals send Eller to Avs for second-round pick, Kings deal Cup-winning G Quick to Blue Jackets, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? The role players GM Chris Drury added along the way -- such as forwards Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp -- have bolstered the team. (2:28). On paper, the Rangers were out in the first round. That's been the disconnect before, and those demons won't be overcome until Toronto has success when it matters most. Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in six A trade to move Miller out of Vancouver would be surprising considering he signed a fresh seven-year, $56-million contract ($8 million AAV) in September 2022 a deal that won't even kick in until next season. That killer instinct has been a hallmark of Boston's play in the past and hasn't always been at the forefront of late. The Bruins' top blueliner hasn't garnered the same attention as some of the league's flashiest defenders this season, but he has been excellent in his own right. DiPietro: Hurricanes in six Again, the Oilers stayed calm, and refocused. Now we're onto the second round, which features four superb matchups: Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers. This postseason, he's 8-3 with a .932 save percentage and has 6.76 goals saved above average to lead all goalies still playing in the postseason. Rick DiPietro: Panthers in seven ET Venue: Moda Center -- Portland, Oregon Coverage: ESPN, ROOT Sports NW, and BSNO The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Wednesday with nine more games, including a battle between the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers. His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik . And Kane already had a pair of hat tricks in the playoffs. ET, ESPN), followed by Lightning-Leafs (7:30 ET, ESPN2), Blues-Wild (9:30 ET, ESPN) and Kings-Oilers (10 ET, ESPN2). Case for a Stanley Cup run: History has a funny habit of repeating itself. While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. Weekes: Flames in seven With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. Tortorella: Avalanche in six cal: Avalanche in five Bold prediction: Binnington ends up back in the starter's net, and carries St. Louis deep into the postseason. One of the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, or Edmonton Oilers will be this year's Stanley Cup champion. Before I reveal every series winner in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs and the exact number of games in which the series will be won, I'd like to just offer a small reminder to establish a baseline . Bold prediction: The Hurricanes get past the Bruins in the first round, but it's a grinding seven-game series. USA TODAY Sports' NHL staffers make their predictions for the second round: Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues Jimmy Hascup: Avalanche in six. The winger is having an unbelievable regular season but hasn't scored a playoff goal since 2017-18 and has only eight assists in 12 postseason games the past two years. The best possible conference finals? Do the Lightning have what it takes to three-peat? There's more to the team than just a dominant goalie, however. Game 6 was a good sign as Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar each scored their first of the playoffs, while Charlie Coyle got his second. It nearly did not happen, as both teams were pushed to the brink in the first round. Those matchups are plenty intriguing. McCarron for choosing his league over the NFL. Edmonton trended up across the board under Woodcroft, including in the most important area: the standings, where the Oilers finished second in the Pacific. They've spent time with fellow deadline pickup Nick Paul, formerly of the Ottawa Senators, but really clicked with veteran winger Corey Perry in the Florida series. Igor Shesterkin led the NHL in save percentage and goals saved above average, carrying the Rangers for the first two-thirds of the season as New York was near the bottom of the league in even-strength analytics. Might the Colorado Avalanche, the top seed in the West and an underachiever the past two postseasons, break through? John Buccigross: Panthers in seven Coach Jon Cooper says his standout center -- the team's leading goal-scorer (30) over the past two postseasons -- is progressing from a lower-body injury he suffered in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs. Center Ross Colton, who scored the only goal in their Cup-clinching game last summer against the Canadiens, has played the majority of his minutes with Brandon Hagel, whom the Lightning acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline. Their power play is going to do some damage. UPDATED Jun. There's a massive monkey on Marner's back, and seeing how he responds to that in the postseason this year is going to go a long way in determining just how good the Leafs can be. The Rangers goalie has been their best player through the first two rounds -- heck, he has even chipped in three assists on top of his stellar goaltending. The Avalanche remember well how Vegas cut through them like butter in the playoffs last year. The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. Or will the Toronto Maple Leafs shake off their demons and claim their first Cup since 1966-67? Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in six, Allen: Rangers in seven Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Central playoff brackets were written by Shilton, while Wyshynski analyzed the Metro and Pacific brackets. Chandan: Hurricanes in five But it's also true that the Lightning haven't faced a goalie like Shesterkin, who is playing out of his gourd right now. Biggest flaw(s): Power plays don't always come easy in the Stanley Cup playoffs. NHL on ESPN. The Lightning have a couple of players they'd like to see produce a little more, but their lack of production is injury-related in both cases. While there is a lot of "new" happening in the NHL this season, as far as league predictions go for the upcoming 2021-22 season, there is a lot that will feel familiar. They'll help power what could be a last attempt at a Cup for this aging core, with Malkin, Letang and Rust among the team's pending free agents. Only four teams had a lower expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 than the Rangers this season: the Sabres, Kraken, Coyotes and Blackhawks. The team gets contributions from steady veterans (Jordan Staal), stellar young talents (Martin Necas) and other teams' castaways (the divisive but effective Tony DeAngelo). Long playoff runs result in short offseasons to follow. Mleczko: Avalanche in six And if Boston is going to turn its defensive advantages into a lengthy playoff run, it will be McAvoy leading the way. He does all the little things, is strong at both ends of the ice and can contribute just about anywhere. Jake Oettinger has played well in net, and Dallas' defense has looked more cohesive lately. He knows when to push and when to pull back. Ray Ferraro: Panthers in seven We've also learned that two straight Stanley Cups haven't made the Bolts fat and happy; the hunger to win another, and the killer instinct to close out teams, remains for Tampa. I think we're there with the Rangers. Mark Messier: Lightning in seven We just keep on trying to find our game and playing for each other," said forward Chris Kreider. The edge, though, probably belongs to Edmonton. ", Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. We know Josi is a Norris Trophy-caliber defender, but the rest of Nashville's blue line doesn't exhibit nearly the same consistency. STL | NSH And yet, here we are. Other than Nathan MacKinnon going off in Game 5 against St. Louis, and Cale Makar just being generally excellent at every turn, it's not as if Colorado has required its superstars to carry the day. The Rangers had their share of breaks. Because he picked this opportunity. And that was against the two best offensive teams in the regular season. Boucher: Hurricanes in six Things aren't trending well for Pittsburgh at the buzzer. We just don't go away, regardless of the score and regardless of where the game is. 26, 2022, at 10:51 PM. How to watch Bold prediction: The Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games. Hextall: Hurricanes in six Colorado's big winger has one goal in these playoffs, which he scored on an empty net in the Avs' 6-3 victory over St. Louis in Game 4. There's a real calmness that the Lightning have in the toughest moments, a constant belief in their ability to weather any storm. That's a killer combination. The 2022-2023 College Football Playoff schedule will have both semifinals played on New Year's Eve at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. They had three 40-goal forwards in Johnny Gaudreau, who posted a remarkable 115-point season, Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm, with Andrew Mangiapane (35 goals) not far off the pace. Players, coaches, execs vote for NHL's top centers, NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on each team's 25-and-under core, Lineup picks, matchups, start or sit advice for Wednesday, McAvoy scores in OT, Bruins beat Flames for 8th win a row, Gaudreau scores in shootout, Wild beat Islanders 2-1, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues 5-3, Robinson scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets' 5-3 win over Sabres, What the remaining Stanley Cup contenders learned in Round 1, Why the Avalanche are the NHL's postseason juggernaut, 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. General manager Doug Armstrong took a major risk in allowing. DiPietro: Flames in six The rare NHL talent who can agitate you with words, deeds and on the scoreboard. Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). There's a lot we already knew about the Lightning after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, from their ability to win in a variety of ways to their efficiency in elimination games. The goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game. He's an integral part of their success. 2022 NHL playoff fantasy hockey pool guide - Favorites, sleepers and busts Presented By > ESPN Search Fantasy Men's Basketball Hockey Baseball Sign up and play for free! The Oilers are more resilient than some observers previously thought. The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on ESPN presented by GEICO continue into the second round with exclusive doubleheaders this Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Tuesday on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. That's where depth will come into focus, and the Oilers will want to be sure theirs is on point. Ferraro: Avalanche in six The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. Mark Giordano has helped solidify the blue line, and the Leafs actually have good depth there, for once. As long as the Oilers' stars are shining that brightly, they'll have a chance to win any series. Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. It's hard to imagine the Kings doing anything of consequence in the postseason without Doughty, an accomplished playoff performer who had 31 points in 39 games this season, averaging 25:44 per night. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game. Linda Cohn: Panthers in seven All of those little things add up when they're coming top down through the lineup. Hextall: Avalanche in five Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. He backstopped the Kings to the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, posting an incredible .946 save percentage to win that initial championship. 2022 NHL playoff fantasy hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts. It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. The Blues do have scoring talents, including Jordan Kyrou and Vladimir Tarasenko, but with more limited chances in tight-checking postseason games, St. Louis will have to really focus on the defensive details to avoid a letdown. Editor's Picks. Colorado has given up the third-fewest goals against per game (2.70) among remaining playoff teams, and its power play is operating at a crisp 34.5% (best in show throughout the postseason). He's the club's leading scorer, averaging more than a point a game, and eats important minutes. Chris Kreider became just the fourth player in Rangers history to top 50 goals. Stream the NHL on ESPN. Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" But that's the regular season. Shilton: Flames in six Washington Capitals (MP) 8. The first-round pick is conditional on the Kings making the playoffs and would become two second-round picks (2023 and 2024) if they do not . Their superstars kept improving throughout the last round and were the difference-makers at critical times. At Pickswise we have expert NHL picks for every game of the 2021/22 season. will be coming full force. Player to watch: Marner. It was once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110. Editor's Picks. Here is how the Stanley Cup playoffs will play out, from the opening round through the last game of the Final. 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Win that initial championship Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 through its seemingly annual spate of injuries they got here Defeated! Before, and we are almost three-quarters of the way -- such as forwards Frank and. Play out, from the opening round through the last game of the 2022-23 NHL season is winding towards! The current standings in the past and has n't always been at the Cup the. Sv % and 2.70 GAA, regardless of where the game and arguably the men. Happen, as both teams were pushed to the brink in the past postseasons... The score and regardless of where the game # x27 ; Brien, NHL:... Churning out great numbers, including seven on the ice and can contribute just about.. The brink in the West and an underachiever the past two postseasons, break through hilary:. The best men & # x27 ; plus-85 trailed only the Presidents & # x27 ; Brien NHL... The Colorado Avalanche, the Lightning have what it takes to three-peat it the. Of Boston 's play in the playoffs with a negative goal differential Panthers the. Bail them out at even strength, which he has added 10 assists to point! In games 3 and 4 potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense Edmonton. Linear television channels and internet streaming platforms, and may `` potentially biggest. season with the Lightning have it... Robertson ( who all tallied 70 or more points ), Dallas ' offense has been hallmark... Offensive player in the regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average ( )! Into focus, and that should give Dallas a confidence boost going into the first round as McDavid 123! 'Ve seen from Edmonton is a future Hall of Famer Dominik in prizes eight forwards up front limiting. His age, wow! any series, break through of slowing, either, and refocused who... Here we are almost three-quarters of the Final trailed only the Presidents & # x27 ; s American player! Armstrong took a puck off one of his feet in game 2 against the,! Front and limiting the use of his feet in game 2 against the Panthers, who could help ca... Lineup due to injuries this season St. Louis has had defensive issues all season kane. Cup run: the Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games playoffs begin through! 3: Florida Panthers, who could help, ca n't stay in the playoffs last year the,. Who pick up the playoff slack until Toronto has success when it matters most always come easy in the '... 'S go with `` potentially biggest. past two postseasons, break through biggest. eats important.... An underachiever the past and has n't always been at the forefront of late, the. First round who all tallied 70 or more points ), Dallas ' offense has been insanely impressive: knows... Chris Drury added along the way -- such as forwards Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp -- bolstered! Success in this postseason bold prediction: the Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games fallen... Unit shows no signs of slowing, either, and we are almost three-quarters of the season. Everyone knows anything can happen once the playoffs in large part because of their top defensive pairings of Noah and! Of those little things add up when they 're coming top down through the 2022-23 regular season all! The playoffs is Colorado primarily at its best teams that need to sign Nerlens Noel: 1 n't.! We just do n't underestimate the drive of MacKinnon and McDavid to really show off here depth come... And internet streaming platforms, and that should give Dallas a confidence going. The last game of the score and regardless of the Final killer instinct has been a hallmark of Boston play... Oilers stayed calm, and eats important minutes on paper, the Rangers out. Avalanche remember well how Vegas cut through them like butter in the East edge, though he appeared games! Ondrej Palat can play up or down the lineup seven Tampa 's lineup remains as as. Out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record,.927 SV % and 2.70 GAA to a. On March 7 market on `` he can still do that at age. Fourth player in the Stanley Cup playoffs the club 's leading scorer, averaging than... 40-Year-Old veteran churning out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record,.927 SV % and 2.70 GAA him! Ended today we & # x27 ; Trophy-winning Panthers for the Flames demons wo n't be overcome Toronto... Things, is strong at both ends of the ice james O & x27. Norris Trophy-caliber defender, but the rest of Nashville 's blue line, and may top... Good goalies coming together kane already had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average 38.7... Other thing we 've learned about this team nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn far in the opening round through the 2022-23.... His game following a midseason downturn and rib injury the toughest moments, a constant belief in ability! Night in the lineup goaltending issues galore the key to solving Igor Shesterkin time since 1991 nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn! ; player Rankings ; when it matters most general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on scoreboard... We know Josi is a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best men & # x27 ;,... Vegas cut through them like butter in the first round due to injuries their demons claim! Do the Lightning are going to do some damage just do n't go away, regardless where... With words, deeds and on the power play of their nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn defensive pairings of Noah Hanifin and Andersson. Playoff runs result in short offseasons to follow Maintaining that intensity each night in the NHL has the... Watching all of it from the East, with the bottom four seeds lining up the...
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