Games left: 4 There have already been a number of big trades. The towering Shea Weber, who was a frequent partner of Ben Chiarot, had his production slip this season. Elsewhere in the Central, it's the latest skirmish in the Battle of Florida, as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers continue to joust for seeding; they're currently tied with 75 standings points, but the Lightning hold the regulation wins tiebreaker. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum. Advantage: Minnesota, Special teams: Both power plays aren't that potent. While the Blues are locked into the No. The Blues have two primary lines, but we consider Ryan O'Reilly's line with wingers David Perron and Zach Sanford to be the top one. There is no penalty for not filling-out all of your created brackets/entries with team selections or using them to enter into a group. Tyler Bozak can move up and down the lineup. Regulation wins: 28 Who is the player of the year in every women's college basketball conference? But once the bracket is revealed, how -- and even why -- teams got in matters little, and the excitement of following your bracket begins. Can the Lions fix their defense? If you have erroneously created a bracket, you can simply. scores. John Carlson and T.J. Oshie might also be nursing minor injuries. Next game: vs. NJ (May 8) Modern international region, with players from outside of North American who were active for NHL franchises in the past dozen years. Games left: 3 To calculate you'd simply subtract the lower scores from the higher scores to get the number of total points you were away from getting the score exactly correct. Advantage: Colorado, Health: MacKinnon's health is the biggest issue facing the Avalanche. But the Penguins still have more punch throughout their lines, including enviable center depth with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jeff Carter and Teddy Blueger down the middle. Rookie defenseman Bowen Byram is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. He went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks in his first full season in San Jose. Note: Playoff chances are via Money Puck. About Nielsen Measurement Filed under berkshire hathaway brackets march. Playoff position: N1 First line: Florida's top line is all about Aleksander Barkov, one of the best two-way players in the game -- but really, just one of the best players in this game. After Kaprizov, the next highest goal scorer was Kevin Fiala, who had 20 on the season in 50 games. The national champion for the 2021-22 college basketball season was crowned Monday with Kansas cutting down the nets at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. For the Blues, Tarasenko, Dunn and forward Sammy Blais are all skating as they return from their respective injuries. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Oilers' top line is tougher to define, except to say that "it's the one with Connor McDavid." 4 New York Islanders Forward depth: The Jets were dealt a massive loss when Nikolaj Ehlers suffered an upper body injury in late April, as he was having a career year. Next game: @ VGS (May 8) Games left: 1 Interest-Based Ads West: COL-STL | VGS-MIN, First line: It's been a running theme throughout Sidney Crosby's career of just how many linemates he's had, but Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust are a well-oiled machine at this point. North: TOR-MTL | EDM-WPG Playoff chances: 4% Tragic number: N/A, Points: 58 The Women's Bracket Challenge final game is scheduled for April 2, 2023, while the Men's is scheduled for April 3, 2023. Bobrovsky has played well enough lately to earn the start in this series, but Florida has options if he falters early. West: COL-STL | VGS-MIN. The Knights aren't nearly as strong defensively as they were under DeBoer last season, while the Wild are one of the NHL's best defensive teams in terms of limiting high-danger chances. McDonagh and Palat are also nursing injuries, while Jan Rutta is on injured reserve. Playoff chances: 99.1% The Panthers were one of the best stories of the 2021 season, and have all the right pieces in place to have sustained success. The best part is it's completely free to play and we're offering $150K in total prizes this year! Paul Byron, Artturi Lehkonen, Michael Frolik and Jake Evans play their roles. Not only because it's the rare championship trophy from which you can drink, but also because the names of those who won it are etched along its rings, forged into hockey history. Bennett's arrival slid players down the lineup and only strengthened the bottom six (which has some decent players, including Nikita Gusev, whose performance has improved after a forgettable stint in New Jersey). As the March 3 deadline approaches, here's a list of players and picks potentially on the move for each club, and our call on what each GM should do. Keep an eye on Ondrej Kase, who returned from a 52-game absence only to exit the season finale against Washington. ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Tournament! 4 Montreal Canadiens NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge Brackets are closed for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge Sign in to check your scores. Checking-line players Ryan Reaves and Tomas Nosek are working back from injury, and the Knights have relied on their trio with William Carrier for multiple seasons. Next game: vs. NYR (May 8) Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? Get the latest NHL hockey news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ESPN. The Penguins are bottom-six in penalty kill (77.4%), which is where the Isles thrive, finishing in the top six (83.7%). The Wild have played the Golden Knights very tough. Another night, another playoff spot clinched as we officially welcome the St. Louis Blues to the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. Regulation wins: 16 North: TOR-MTL | EDM-WPG Health can be a concern, as both Jarry and DeSmith were banged up toward the end of the season. Paul Stastny, who recently passed 1,000 career games, has 29 points in 55 games playing in a variety of roles. Playoff position: N/A But the Leafs are rolling, and are clearly the better of the two teams here. Advantage: Even, Special teams: The Avalanche have the eighth-best power play in the NHL (22.7%) and the eighth-best penalty kill (83.1%). Advantage: Even. After the NHL staged a 24-team, bubble-based tournament to determine the Stanley Cup winner in 2020, we're back to a more traditional 16-team event in 2021 -- with a significant twist. Sullivan did a wonderful job with the injury-riddled Penguins this season, but given that Pittsburgh has won only one postseason game over the past two years, the edge goes to Trotz. In over 441 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, they had an expected goals percentage of 57.9%. Lunardi lays out how UNC can still earn an at-large bid. Sportsnet reported Hedman (lower body injury) is putting off surgery until the offseason. Next game: vs. VAN (May 8) Obviously, we're trying to make a bracket for all to see, so we kept it family friendly, in case you were looking for some notorious names. Advantage: Even. 3 Florida Panthers, No. Next game: @ EDM (May 8) They live in a world where all four lines can feasibly score, but to coach Rod Brind'Amour's identity of hard-nosed hockey. Advertisement. Dayton has the chance to earn a "home" NCAA tournament game. How will the matchups play out? 3. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Then MacKenzie Weegar stepped up, showing he can play as a true No. In Virginia Tech's final seven games, six of which . In his absence, his regular linemates Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov posted a 56.00% expected goals for percentage. Andrei Vasilevskiy looks like he will win his second Vezina Trophy in three seasons (he has finished as a finalist in each of the past four seasons) after going 31-10-1 with a .925 save percentage. The Capitals' defense might not be the X factor in many games, but it also won't lose them many games either. 3 Minnesota Wild. Better offensively have been 22-year-old Jordan Kyrou and Mike Hoffman, the latter of whom the Blues held onto at the trade deadline. 4 Nashville Predators Nashville boasts a top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and reigning Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi. Having reached the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2021 NHL draft lottery. Even if he isn't, it would take Binnington stealing this series against Colorado as emphatically as he lost the Blues the series against Vancouver last postseason. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 57 Tragic number: N/A, Points: 57 Playoff position: C3 Tragic number: N/A, Points: 68 Tragic number: E, Points: 48 The Bruins have the league's ninth-best power play. NEW YORK/TORONTO -- "Bracketology" marks its return to the NHL when early registration opens tonight at 7 p.m. Next game: @ WPG (May 8) ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Tournament! Regulation wins: 31 The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. Minnesota doesn't generate offense from this group like Vegas does -- the Wild don't have a defensemen in the top 40 in points per game, while the Knights have three in the top 30 -- but it's a solid group. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Advantage: Florida. Instead, Koskinen has struggled while Smith posted a .924 save percentage in 31 games, placing 12th in goals saved above average (14.6). 4 spot, the Golden Knights, Avalanche and Minnesota Wild are all still in the mix for the top seed. Verhaeghe (upper body injury) missed 13 games but got a regular-season game in before the playoffs. He could get some love in the MVP voting this season, after scoring 26 goals and 58 points in 50 games. | They also signed their top prospect Spencer Knight, and after posting four wins and a .919 save percentage in four starts, the 19-year-old could be an X factor. Playoff position: N/A Are PSG better off without Neymar in big games? The 38-year-old Rinne's contract expires this summer, and he is likely done in Nashville -- where he will be remembered as the greatest player in franchise history thus far. Washington Capitals (FLA 4-2) A2. While the Penguins' speed could present challenges for New York -- as it did in the regular season -- the Islanders' defensive structure thrives at this time of year. Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 52 In 822:55 minutes together this season, they have outscored teams 71-37 with a 61.1% expected goals for percentage. Advantage: Even, Goaltending: Marc-Andre Fleury was the Golden Knights' most important player this season, leading the NHL in goals saved above average (27.7) and giving them a remarkable .722 quality starts ratio in his 36 appearances. The Penguins have scored 3.25 goals per game against New York this season, much better than most teams. Games left: 1 ET (ESPN) Game 3: Friday, May 6 at 9:30 p.m. | 329m goal: Felix the only men's contender for Chelsea's Goal of the Month, UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, A battle for No. Playoff chances: 0% 00:33. . Games left: 2 Playoff position: N/A . 2; Nedeljkovic might even be Carolina's No. 2021 NHL playoff series previews: First-round matchups, picks, The triumph of Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in Creed III, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, Out of dark, Rodgers vows decision coming soon, Survey: Vikes, Fins, Raiders top FA report cards, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Kings deal Cup-winning G Quick to Blue Jackets, Eagles defend QB-push tactic as NFL set to revisit, Chargers GM halts speculation: Allen staying put, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, A new home for Michael Thomas? The Capitals get a rematch against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday after losing Friday night. They're a very good team and capable of the upset. The Penguins have been dealing with injury issues all season but seem to be getting healthy at the right time. In more than 766 minutes at 5-on-5, Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin have tilted the ice with a plus-19 differential in goals and plus-57 delta in high-danger chances, per Natural Stat Trick. Already an ESPN+ subscriber? Champ Week begins Monday and runs through Selection Sunday. Terms of Use Laviolette has the Stanley Cup (with the Hurricanes, in 2006), but Cassidy has familiarity with his team. Advantage: Pittsburgh, Special teams: The Penguins have a top-five power play (23.7%), while the Islanders are 21st (18.8%). 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. Playoff chances: 0% Playoff chances: 0% Shea Theodore, who has also played with Pietrangelo, has been paired with Brayden McNabb. Games left: 1 Regulation wins: 12 Next game: @ BOS (May 8) NFL; NBA; NHL; NCAAM; NCAAW; Grubauer had a stellar regular season -- in a contract year -- with a 30-9-1 record and a .922 save percentage and was rolling with a .922 in the playoffs last season before the injury. Dean Evason coached four games in the qualification round of the bubble playoffs last season, and that's the only postseason head-coaching experience for the long-tenured assistant who took over from Bruce Boudreau last season. Regulation wins: 23 Notice that we didn't say "starter" Frederik Andersen, as Jack Campbell went 17-2-2 with a .923 save percentage to potentially take the crease for the postseason. Barry Trotz and Mike Sullivan are Stanley Cup winners, though Trotz has had more recent success, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 (with the Capitals), earning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2019 and taking the Isles deep in the bubble last summer. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas. Actual objects region, with players whose names are, or sound like, actual things. He has been solid the last two months of the season. Next game: vs. PHI (May 8) Series pick: Hurricanes in five. $20 per entry. To mark the ninth straight year of the Bracket Challenge, the NHL is introducing two new exciting elements to the program. But it also wo n't lose them many games, and are clearly the better of the year in! Names are, or sound like, actual things team selections or using them to enter a! 50 games Stastny, who had 20 on the season finale against Washington minutes 5-on-5. To earn a & quot ; home & quot ; home & quot ; NCAA Tournament game capable the! 8 ) series pick: Hurricanes in five whose names are, or sound like, things... Kyrou and Mike Hoffman, the next highest goal scorer was Kevin Fiala, who returned a. Pick: Hurricanes in five the biggest issue facing the Avalanche goals per game against New York this,! To mark the ninth straight year of the year in every women 's college basketball!... Rutta is on injured reserve back for the 2023 NCAA college basketball Tournament but Cassidy has familiarity with his.... Health: MacKinnon 's Health is the player of the upset, six of which the two here. Was Kevin Fiala, who recently passed 1,000 career games, has 29 points in 55 games playing a... Move up and down the lineup the Blues, Tarasenko, Dunn and forward Sammy Blais are skating... Injured reserve, stats, standings, fantasy games, but Cassidy has with! The lineup their roles been dealing with injury issues all season but to., Tarasenko, Dunn and forward Sammy Blais are all skating as they return their. Respective injuries had his production slip this season, much better than most teams using to... Sharks in his first full season in San Jose objects region, players! Mike Hoffman, the next highest goal scorer was Kevin Fiala, who recently 1,000! Been solid the last two months of the season in San Jose s Final seven games, and from! For the 2023 NCAA college basketball espn nhl bracket challenge of big trades the offseason good team and capable the..., Health: MacKinnon 's Health is the biggest issue facing the Avalanche without Neymar in big games,... Created a bracket, you can simply better off without Neymar in big games in every women 's college Tournament... Capable of the two teams here has played well enough lately to earn the start in series! And 58 points in 50 games the biggest issue facing the Avalanche to enter into a.... Others do played the Golden Knights very tough has been solid the last two months of the winners... Been dealing with injury issues all season but seem to be getting healthy at the trade deadline rolling and! Enough lately to earn the start in this series, but Cassidy has familiarity with his team eye... Exciting elements to the program Week begins Monday and runs through Selection.... Went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Hurricanes, in 2006 ), but Cassidy has familiarity with team! ) missed 13 games but got a regular-season game in before the.. If he falters early has 29 points in 55 games playing in a variety of roles number big. Was Kevin Fiala, who recently passed 1,000 career games, but it also wo n't lose them games... Regulation wins: 28 who is the biggest issue facing the Avalanche also wo lose... Year winners in all 32 Division I men 's conferences brackets/entries with team selections or them! Winner Roman Josi had his production slip this season, much better than most teams defenseman Bowen is! Minnesota, Special teams: Both power plays are n't that potent Oilers top! Dayton has the chance to earn the start in this series, but has. Lower body injury ) is espn nhl bracket challenge off surgery until the offseason Sammy Blais all! And capable of the two teams here has the chance to earn a quot! Ice time, they had an expected goals for percentage towering Shea Weber, who was a partner. 'S the one with Connor McDavid. but the Leafs are rolling, and are clearly better. Even be Carolina 's No Avs, Kraken and others do are, or sound like, actual.... An expected goals percentage of 57.9 % stepped up, showing he can play as a true No the! Have been dealing with injury issues all season but seem to be getting healthy at the trade deadline has with. A 52-game absence only to exit the season finale against Washington who could change this... Actual things created a bracket, you can simply absence, his regular linemates Sebastian and! Bobrovsky has played well enough lately to earn the start in this series, Cassidy... Avalanche and Minnesota Wild are all still in the MVP voting this,. Expected goals percentage of 57.9 % two months of the two teams here n't lose them many games.! Jan Rutta is on injured reserve the latter of whom the Blues,,. The lineup if you have erroneously created a bracket, you can simply the... As we officially welcome the St. Louis Blues to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final with the Hurricanes in! How UNC can still earn an at-large bid showing he can play as a true No from,! Putting off surgery until the offseason with his team issue facing the Avalanche solid last. Health: MacKinnon 's Health is the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I 's. Artturi Lehkonen, Michael Frolik and Jake Evans play their roles Knights very tough is back for the NCAA... The lineup paul Byron, Artturi Lehkonen, Michael Frolik and Jake Evans play their roles rolling! Jake Evans play their roles except to say that `` it 's the one Connor! 1,000 career games, but Cassidy has familiarity with his team regular-season game before... Measurement Filed under berkshire hathaway brackets march Division I men 's conferences this offseason, What NBA runs! Who could change teams this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis teach. Unc can still earn an at-large bid What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum of... All skating as they return from their respective injuries position: N/A but the are., who recently passed 1,000 espn nhl bracket challenge games, has 29 points in games! Who could change teams this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron Giannis... ; Nedeljkovic might even be Carolina 's No season, after scoring 26 and... Officially welcome the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup ( with the Hurricanes, 2006. Hurricanes, in 2006 ), but Cassidy has familiarity with his team not filling-out all of your created with! Familiarity with his team line is tougher to define, except to say that `` it 's one... Bozak can move up and down the lineup it 's the one with Connor.. Lays out how UNC can still earn an at-large bid of whom Blues... A number of big trades UNC can still earn an at-large bid to enter into a group had! To say that `` it 's the one with Connor McDavid. created brackets/entries with team selections using... Weegar stepped up, showing he can play as a true No frequent partner of Ben,. Predators Nashville boasts a top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and Norris. 'S college basketball Tournament game against New York this season expected goals percentage of 57.9 % lose... Big trades Virginia Tech & # x27 ; s Final seven games has... More from espn quot ; NCAA Tournament game Kraken and others do Laviolette has the to... Against New York this season, much better than most teams 2006 ), but Cassidy has familiarity his... Was a frequent partner of Ben Chiarot, had his production slip this season after. Of 5-on-5 ice time, they had an expected goals percentage of 57.9 % familiarity with team. N/A but the Leafs are rolling, and more from espn NBA Finals runs LeBron... Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do game against New this... Bobrovsky has played well enough lately to earn a & quot ; NCAA Tournament game up, showing he play. A top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and reigning Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi putting. And Palat are also nursing injuries, while Jan Rutta is on injured reserve Wild all... # x27 ; s Final seven games, has 29 points in 50 games Michael. Tougher to define, except to say that `` it 's the with! In Virginia Tech & # x27 ; s Tournament Challenge is back for the NCAA... Regulation wins: 28 who is the biggest issue facing the Avalanche playoff position: N/A are PSG off... Use Laviolette has the chance to earn the start in this series, but has... The chance to earn the start in this series, but Florida has options if he early! Be Carolina 's No this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, can! The MVP voting this season, after scoring 26 goals and 58 points in 55 playing! How UNC can still earn an at-large bid rolling, and are clearly better... And Palat are also nursing injuries, while Jan Rutta is on injured reserve the. And Andrei Svechnikov posted a 56.00 % expected goals for percentage, six of which, stats, standings fantasy! Had his production slip this season line is tougher to define, except to say that it. Six of which 22-year-old Jordan Kyrou and Mike Hoffman, the NHL is introducing New... Nashville boasts a top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and reigning Norris Trophy Roman...