Meanwhile, MacKinnon will be leading the charge up front. But he's not unbeatable. Maintaining that intensity each night in the playoffs will be a task in itself. How much trust should he place in Jack Johnson or Samuel Girard? Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the greatest postseason goaltenders in NHL history. Rick DiPietro: Panthers in seven NHL predictions: Expert picks for both conference final series in Stanley Cup playoffs Our experts reveal their predictions for which two teams will be moving on to the Stanley Cup Final. Tarasenko had 11 goals and 17 points during the Blues' 2019 run. 2022-23 Fantasy Hockey Ranking & Projections - ESPN hsb.accessibility.skipContent ESPN NFL NCAAF NBA NHL Soccer MLB Watch Listen Fantasy Fantasy Hockey Home Sign Up Fantasy Store. 87d ESPN staff. The Lightning have great depth down the middle of the ice with Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli, electric scoring potential in Nikita Kucherov and an excellent defenseman who leads by example in Victor Hedman. It'll be down to the wire, but I like Colorado. The 24-year-old forward had 103 points and was a plus-58 (!) The Panthers repeatedly fell into multiple-goal deficits they were able to erase because, well, see above. The NHL playoffs get underway Monday, with all four games on ESPN networks. They aren't going to wilt if the Rangers control the tempo. We've got all the angles covered to get you ready for the playoffs as ESPN hockey reporters Greg Wyshynski and Kristen Shilton take a look at each of the 16 postseason teams, offering the reasons each team could win it all, along with their (potentially) biggest flaws, players to watch and a bold prediction for every contender. But it'll also take continued contributions from players like Andrew Copp (12 points), Ryan Strome (9) and Frank Vatrano (8); and further damage done by the Rangers' "Kid Line" of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Weekes: Flames in seven . by NHL Public Relations @PR_NHL April 29, 2022 NEW YORK - The National Hockey League today announced the dates, starting times and national television coverage for the 2022 Stanley Cup. The Capitals have a veteran group that can play physical hockey and defend well at 5-on-5. He's an integral part of their success. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are one of the NHL's most dynamic offensive duos. How they got here: Defeated Nashville Predators 4-0, defeated St. Louis Blues 4-2. Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Time: 10:00 p.m. With a healthy Ovechkin, they can be in any series. Calgary got burned off a couple clean looks for that unit that turned into almost series-defining mistakes. We just don't go away, regardless of the score and regardless of where the game is. New York Rangers 2. Biggest flaw(s): Power plays don't always come easy in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Washington lives and dies on the performance of its franchise star, especially on the power play. He's a dynamic offensive talent who has 11 points in his past 15 playoff games. The Bruins are one of the league's stingiest teams (averaging 2.69 goals against) and excel at limiting shots against (28.7 per game, third fewest in the NHL) and high-danger chances (first overall). Now, these two teams just went through two second-round series that were markedly different. reactions, leaving Crosby's incredible season a bit underappreciated. Long playoff runs result in short offseasons to follow. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. Callahan: Avalanche in seven 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. Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. The Oilers played a wide-open, goal-scoring bonanza of a five-game spread against Calgary versus the Avalanche's more bruising, defensive-conscious, six-game affair against St. Louis. The Blues are rightly playing with incredible confidence, and we know from past experience where that can lead them. But don't underestimate the drive of MacKinnon and McDavid to really show off here. Blake Bolden: Panthers in seven Biggest flaw(s): Defensive chemistry, and the penalty kill. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Few teams are built better for a run at the Cup than the Calgary Flames. as well as out-of-market games. Player to watch: Kadri. They rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes. Jake Oettinger has played well in net, and Dallas' defense has looked more cohesive lately. 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. 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. cal: Avalanche in five The Stars are the only team in the playoffs with a negative goal differential. Heiskanen can set a tone for how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy. Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. Ryan Callahan: Panthers in six Minnesota has been scorching hot since mid-March, going 19-2-3 since March 16, entering the playoffs with a hard-earned swagger. But I have a lot of faith in Shesty," he said. And Kane already had a pair of hat tricks in the playoffs. Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for four series While he has cooled off a little, Tyler Toffoli remains a dangerous offensive player in the postseason. All we know for sure is that the real winners here are those of us watching the action unfold. The format is a set bracket that is . That bodes well for Edmonton in this series, since Colorado happens to be a high-volume shot team (39.8 per game); if that continues, Smith will be back under a spotlight early and often in the next round. . How they got here: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. TB | WSH We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. Case for a Stanley Cup run: It's hard to argue with the Panthers' results this season. 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. Team defense has become a part of the equation because that mentality is exhibited by the team's top players (including Matthews). UPDATED Jun. Kavanagh: Oilers in seven He's a 40-year-old veteran churning out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record, .927 SV% and 2.70 GAA. Shilton: Hurricanes in six Then again, Kuemper hasn't been facing a ton of shots. How to watch 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. But it's also true that the Lightning haven't faced a goalie like Shesterkin, who is playing out of his gourd right now. on the season, while still finding time to amass 68 penalty minutes. Don La Greca: Panthers in seven 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. Player to watch: McAvoy. Biggest flaw(s): Being a top-heavy offensive team is a good problem to have when the top of one's lineup is filled with players who have more than 35 goals. The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Monday night on the networks of ESPN, . Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six The Rangers didn't have to face Hurricanes starter Frederik Andersen, who missed the playoffs with a lower-body injury; instead, they saw Antti Raanta for six games and half of Game 7 until his injury, and then third-stringer Pyotr Kochetkov. They're the NHL's top-scoring team for a reason, having been consistently outstanding offensively since Game 1. It breeds confidence, and that's having a huge impact on the Oilers' success in this postseason. Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). 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). Or will the Toronto Maple Leafs shake off their demons and claim their first Cup since 1966-67? Case for a Stanley Cup run: What does (almost) every long playoff push include? The Stars need to be more than just a one-line wonder. Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven Defenseman Jacob Trouba's booming hits took out Penguins star Sidney Crosby for two critical games, and then Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis in Game 7. Their head-to-head matchup will be a primary talking point in the lead-up to Game 1. Weekes: Rangers in seven But right around the trade deadline, the Rangers' play started to pick up and continued to trend upward through the final month of the season under first-year coach Gerard Gallant. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Boston can be a tough team to play against. Obviously, the Lightning would like to see Point back on the ice. Sachin Chandan: Panthers in seven You can say the Rangers haven't faced a goalie like Vasilevskiy, and that's true. The Oilers peppered Calgary's Jacob Markstrom with over 34 shots per game in the second round and their elite talent up front (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane, etc.) Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. The Avs' Norris Trophy finalist defenseman projects to draw Edmonton's toughest matchups, and as the Oilers proved against Calgary, its top line is tough to contain. Seeing its dedication pay off with a playoff opportunity should be all the motivation Dallas needs to give each game its best. His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, among others. This season is shaping up in similar fashion. If Andersen can't go, netminder duties will fall to backup Antti Raanta and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. Look back at how Nashville started the season, winning just one of its first five games but then exploding to earn the NHL's best record (23-7-2) from mid-October to early January. Record: 54-21-7 (115 points) Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game.Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are one of the NHL's . Biggest flaw(s): Depth scoring has been an issue for the Stars. And if Boston is going to turn its defensive advantages into a lengthy playoff run, it will be McAvoy leading the way. After a bumpy road through February and most of March, the Blues caught fire into April and have been unstoppable of late. If the season ended today we'd have the Heat . The team also had strong seasons from veterans Trevor Moore, Alex Iafallo, Adrian Kempe and Alex Edler, a resurgent campaign from Jonathan Quick and an outstanding season from Drew Doughty before he went out with a wrist injury. Also on a roll: St. Louis' power play, which has been top three in the NHL since late March. If you just ignore the three goals he gave up in the first six minutes of Game 1 against Calgary, and also put aside that he allowed a 132-foot clearing attempt past the posts in Game 4, then Smith has been unequivocally rock solid for the Oilers. Player to watch: Rookie forward Seth Jarvis has been absolutely outstanding for the Hurricanes. We'll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who's leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more. history but they get to host a game . ESPN revealed its top five most likely playoff . NHL Playoff Predictions 2022 Matchups EASTERN CONFERENCE Playoff Round 1 #1 seed Florida Panthers vs #8 seed Washington Capitals Florida wins (4-1) #2 seed Carolina Hurricanes vs #7 seed Boston Bruins Carolina wins (4-2) Metropolitan Division Match-up #2 New York Rangers vs #3 Pittsburgh Penguins New York wins (4-2) Atlantic Division Match-up 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. They'll need continued offense from Fox, who had 18 points in 14 games. Tampa's lineup remains as intimidating as any in the league. 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. Back for 2022 is the usual playoff format with the top team in the conference facing the second wild card, the other division winner playing the first wild card and N. 2 going up against No. Could the Florida Panthers, who raced to the top seed in the Eastern Conference, win their first Cup? Bolden: Hurricanes in six There's an argument to be made that Kucherov is the best power-play performer in the NHL, and he has lived up to that with seven points with the man advantage. The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. Saros missed the last two games of the season with a lower-body injury, and his status is uncertain heading into the postseason. NHL Events 2022-23; ESPN, Turner Schedules; . Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game. Those 5-on-5 opportunities can be -- and almost always are -- limited in the playoffs. Kuemper came through in that series when the Avalanche needed it, but there wasn't a lot of rhythm to his game. DiPietro: Avalanche in seven Top 100 NHL players for the 2022-2023 season Fantasy Hockey Predictions Rob Ellis - September 17, 2022 0 For those who do not subscribe to The Athletic, they have put out their annual top 100 NHL players for the 2022-2023 season and. 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game. It doesn't help that in front of Bobrovsky, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the season as the Cardiac Cats. We've already discussed Kuemper. When the trade deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the middle of the standings . Victoria Matiash: Panthers in seven Kuemper's terrific regular season (37-12-4, .921 SV%, 2.54 GAA) suggests he's up to the task of what's ahead though -- even if his playoff resume to date isn't so dazzling. Colorado has shown it can win all types of games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders. NHL playoff series odds: St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild Odds provided by BetMGM Blues +130 vs. Wild -150 Easily the most polarizing series in the Western Conference, both St. Louis and. Their second-leading scorer is defenseman Victor Hedman, who is doing as Victor Hedman does: He has 10 points in 11 games and is skating 25:03 per game. That's where depth will come into focus, and the Oilers will want to be sure theirs is on point. Unlike Darcy Kuemper, who has faced the fewest shots among remaining playoff goaltenders, Smith has been peppered with the second-most. Edmonton really performed well against Calgary on the penalty kill too, coming up with critical stops that frustrated the Flames' attack. 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. Buccigross: Flames in six Sure, Penguins center Nick Bonino scored the winning goal against the Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. What sort of postseason magic can Kadri create to cap this career season? He received help from familiar Capitals names such as Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson and Tom Wilson, while Conor Sheary and Anthony Mantha chipped in. John Buccigross examines the historical run the Tampa Bay Lightning have had over the past two seasons. Goals project to be at a premium for Dallas, so look for the team's top defender to step up in keeping pucks out of the Stars' end -- and out of their net. That's by far the fewest among any goalie left in these playoffs. Here's a player who requested a trade out of St. Louis and instead has thrived there this season. Granted, that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore. But this was his best season since 2017-18, and there were enough moments of "vintage Jonathan Quick" to make one wonder if there isn't just a little more playoff magic left in him, 10 years after winning the Conn Smythe. The Oilers are more balanced (28.1% on the power play, 85.4% on the kill). 12:50 PM. Mika Zibanejad led the way with three points. Toronto is no longer the one-dimensional wonder of its past, capable of putting pucks in the net but incapable of keeping them out. Will that be the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are looking to become the first team to win the Cup in three consecutive seasons since the New York Islanders won four straight from 1980 to 1983? 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