Some teams have improved, while others went into re-build mode. Lessons from Round 1 USA TODAY Sports' NHL staffers make their predictions for the second round: Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues Jimmy Hascup: Avalanche in six. Center Anthony Cirelli has two points in 11 games but has provided what the Lightning need in the middle after Brayden Point's injury. 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. The Lightning have done it the past two seasons, under less-than-ideal pandemic-related circumstances to boot. 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: The Penguins crossed the finish line as a playoff team. Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. The 24-year-old forward had 103 points and was a plus-58 (!) 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. After a bumpy road through February and most of March, the Blues caught fire into April and have been unstoppable of late. Obviously, the Lightning would like to see Point back on the ice. If that's the case, whose top line will benefit more? The 2021-22 NHL season is winding down towards the final . When Boston is at its best, it is a hard-hitting, back-breaking group to go up against. It's easy to talk about Minnesota's goaltending and offensive prowess, but Brodin has been helping facilitate all that with locked-in defensive play (and he's no slouch with the puck either, registering a career high in points this season). NHL playoff bracket 2022: Full schedule, TV channels, scores for postseason | Sporting News Canada -156 BUF -175 LAK -127 Thu, 7:30p CAR DET CHI 2/26, 11:00a NYI WIN 2/26, 12:30p LAK NYR. Atlantic: FLA | TOR They could use some more from him, especially at five-on-five. The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. 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. Bold prediction: Kopitar and Danault do what they can against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but the loss of Doughty proves too much and the Kings fall to the Oilers in six games. 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. The trio of Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson might still be underrated around the NHL, but they carried Dallas up the standings despite critics having panned the Stars' postseason chances. PIT | BOS Player to watch: Miro Heiskanen. What will be the key to solving Igor Shesterkin? Tampa hasn't had much downtime since the NHL's bubble tournament two years ago. DiPietro: Avalanche in seven DiPietro: Hurricanes in six New York Rangers 2. He received help from familiar Capitals names such as Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson and Tom Wilson, while Conor Sheary and Anthony Mantha chipped in. The Stars need to be more than just a one-line wonder. Jump to a team: Football Women's Basketball Games Home ESPN Fantasy App Levy: Flames in seven While Florida's offensive talent is its best asset, if the overall team defense can't hold up (especially if Aaron Ekblad isn't able to return to form due to his knee injury), it could make for a shorter run than the Panthers are aiming for. NHL.com staff members have made their predictions for the Stanley Cup First Round and Playoffs, and most believe the Honda West Division representative will win it all. Seeing its dedication pay off with a playoff opportunity should be all the motivation Dallas needs to give each game its best. Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. Because as good as McDavid has been, Draisaitl might be better (and he's playing hurt, too). Forsberg can, and will, challenge any defense the Predators see in coming weeks. Kavanagh: Hurricanes in six Hilary Knight: Lightning in seven 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. It'll be down to the wire, but I like Colorado. I think we're there with the Rangers. 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. Editor's Picks. Bold prediction: The Penguins go out in the first round, but goaltending isn't the reason. Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out since arriving at the trade deadline from Chicago. Unlike the other two teams on this list, the Portland Trail Blazers are currently on the outside looking in. While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. How they got here: Defeated Nashville Predators 4-0, defeated St. Louis Blues 4-2. Every first-round Game One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be available on ESPN or ESPN2. And coach Gerard Gallant is pushing the right buttons when it comes to line combinations. It breeds confidence, and that's having a huge impact on the Oilers' success in this postseason. After years of falling short in Philadelphia, the former Flyers captain wants to win it all. Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). They were 27th in goals-against per 60 at 5-on-5 under Tippett; under Woodcroft, they were ninth. The addition of Hampus Lindholm on the back end has really strengthened the B's blue line and gives them more options to mix and match pairings throughout the playoffs as needed. Ryan Callahan: Panthers in six Also on a roll: St. Louis' power play, which has been top three in the NHL since late March. He had 23 goals and 28 assists and led all Capitals forwards in goals scored above average. To help get you up to speed before the puck drops on Game 1 of the West matchup Tuesday night, we're bringing you a mega-preview, breaking down each team in five different categories and offering our predictions on which clubs will head to the Stanley Cup Final. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Nashville is a great underdog -- back the Predators into a corner and wait to see some of their best hockey. That unit shows no signs of slowing, either, and that should give Dallas a confidence boost going into the first round. What he's done this year has been insanely impressive. With the 2023 All-Star Game and skills competition approaching on Feb. 3-4, we turn our focus to the collective bold predictions from our ESPN hockey family. Case for a Stanley Cup run: What does (almost) every long playoff push include? NHL Rush to the Playoffs: Three National Hockey League Games Monday, Tuesday Night, Exclusively on ESPN, ESPN+ and Hulu ESPN+ NHL Kevin Ota April 25, 2022 Twitter Monday, April 25 on ESPN+/Hulu: Flyers at Blackhawks Tuesday, April 26 on ESPN: Oilers at Penguins, Blues at Avalanche 38 out-of-market games on ESPN+ this week cal: Oilers in seven Weekes: Blues in seven Let's key on Mikko Rantanen. They'll need every bit of his experience and ability to slow the Avalanche down. Bold prediction: Toronto shocks the world and wins multiple playoff rounds. 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. Buccigross: Avalanche in seven While offense can sometimes dry up the deeper we get into postseason play, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the case here. This series projects to trend more toward what Edmonton just experienced, with the potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense. I apologize in advance for spoiling the next two months for you, as obviously all of . How they choose to defend Kucherov's line is going to be a key for the series. The All-Star Game and the Stadium Series will be on ABC, and ESPN will have the All-Star Skills Competition. Biggest flaw(s): Can the Predators keep it together in their own end? Callahan: Hurricanes in six Their power play is going to do some damage. If he finally emerges in this series, that's an edge for the Avalanche as well. La Greca: Hurricanes in six Wyshynski: Hurricanes in five, The Stanley Cup playoffs are back on ESPN and ABC! But it's also true that the Lightning haven't faced a goalie like Shesterkin, who is playing out of his gourd right now. The Penguins' offense is also struggling, with an ice-cold power play and players such as Rust mired in slumps. How to watch All we know for sure is that the real winners here are those of us watching the action unfold. Selected by Nashville in the fourth round (No. Shilton: Flames in six He has added 10 assists to his point total, but Rantanen has still fallen short of expectations to date in terms of output. It will all happen on the new NHL TV Networks of ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports. They're very ordinary on the back end without him. That's where depth will come into focus, and the Oilers will want to be sure theirs is on point. Their lineup features solid two-way forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. Knight: Flames in six NHL odds, picks, and predictions for the Calgary Flames at Vegas Golden Knights on February 23. There were times when Carolina created chaos around Shesterkin's crease but couldn't find the rebounds he'd leave. Edmonton trended up across the board under Woodcroft, including in the most important area: the standings, where the Oilers finished second in the Pacific. Why not Dallas? 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. But it was also a campaign that saw Alex Ovechkin score 50 goals and carry the team for stretches this season. Unlikely contenders emerge year after year. Against Carolina, Shesterkin gave up two or fewer goals in six of the seven games in the series and won another Game 7, this time on the road. Hextall: Avalanche in five Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Welcome to the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs!The first round gets rolling on Saturday with Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Boston Bruins series.. There's plenty of history in many of these matchups, as the NHL is using an intradivisional format for the first two rounds, before re-bracketing the final four for the semifinals. We've graded all 32 teams-- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. NHL playoff predictions 2022: 1st-round winners, most overrated, dark horse, Stanley Cup champion and more. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. The edge, though, probably belongs to Edmonton. Boudreau totaled a 50-40-13 record, missing the playoffs in 2022. The NHL offseason formally begins with the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal, starting with Thursday's first round (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, in his first season with the Lightning, and playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six. Bold prediction: Boston uses its shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the first round. More: Full playoff schedule The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. Mika Zibanejad led the way with three points. A game-changing talent who also is playing for his next contract (from Nashville or someone else). STL | NSH If the Flames win the Cup, it wouldn't be hard to see him taking home a Conn Smythe. Bolden: Hurricanes in six They aren't going to wilt if the Rangers control the tempo. Philadelphia Flyers (MP) Atlantic Division 1. Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. From there, things started falling apart for the Predators; they didn't perform as well at the top of the standings. While Dallas has every reason to feel good about its top point-getters, in a tight playoff series the secondary scoring often puts teams over the top. But even he was upstaged this postseason by his adorable infant daughter, Maisie. Biggest flaw(s): Power plays don't always come easy in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Avalanche have an excellent power play (34.5%) but weaker penalty kill (73.1%). "Obviously, Vasilevskiy has a track record that speaks for itself. They'll need continued offense from Fox, who had 18 points in 14 games. Player to watch: There was a time, not too long ago, when Jonathan Quick was considered one of the best big-game goaltenders in the NHL. Why Rangers-Lightning, Avs-Oilers demand your attention, 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. Player to watch: Tom Wilson managed not to get suspended during the regular season, to his credit. The Avalanche will require all hands on deck to keep pace with Edmonton. Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Game Info. But don't underestimate the drive of MacKinnon and McDavid to really show off here. And, as Nashville's leader in game-winning goals, Forsberg also has the potential to create some must-see drama. The opponents are very favourable. Chandan: Flames in six 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. Matiash: Avalanche in six But that's the regular season. 16 teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No disrespect intended to Sebastian Aho, but the Rangers didn't have to face an elite offensive player like Kucherov in their series against the Hurricanes. And it's not just the Avs' marquee names -- Nazem Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar to name a few -- who are having an impact. Period. The XFL has entered the second week of its third season under its . February 27, 2023 by Rob Couch. 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. If Edmonton can do that again in the conference finals, Colorado's march to the Cup finals will be severely impeded -- and perhaps derailed. 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 . There has also been more effort on the forecheck. And that could make a huge difference for the Avalanche this spring. Case for a Stanley Cup run: This is Edmonton Oilers Version 2.0. Being involved to that degree clearly works for the netminder, and he has thrived under the pressure. Mike Smith has been great for Edmonton in the playoffs, without question, but we haven't seen the best of Kuemper yet. After Pavelski, Hintz and Robertson (who all tallied 70 or more points), Dallas' offense has been streaky. 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. Cohn: Oilers in six The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Monday night on the networks of ESPN, . Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Let's start with the best goalie in the world. Player to watch: Rookie forward Seth Jarvis has been absolutely outstanding for the Hurricanes. James O'Brien, NHL writer: Bruins in 6. On paper, they're winning this series. The 13th overall pick in 2020, Jarvis had 11 points in a nine-game stretch near the end of the season, running shotgun with Aho for a lot of it. Make Your Picks. by Fantasy Hockey Staff @NHLFantasy. Florida is the only place he wanted to land at the trade deadline. Coach Darryl Sutter has this team primed to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. 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. He worked through his emotions during the Rangers' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice. He's the club's leading scorer, averaging more than a point a game, and eats important minutes. But forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their offensive output drop during seasons impacted by injuries and illness. Player to watch: Tkachuk's best offensive season arrived, to no one's surprise, as he's headed into restricted free agency this summer. It doesn't help that in front of Bobrovsky, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the season as the Cardiac Cats. This series against Colorado could see each team's top talents canceling each other out. Linda Cohn: Panthers in seven There's an enviable level of top-end talent, but the balanced depth is really what the Avalanche have displayed in the postseason. If Andersen can't go, netminder duties will fall to backup Antti Raanta and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. All that winning is great at the time, but it cuts into recovery. That formula doesn't generally work in the postseason. They have depth at forward and are getting excellent play from defensemen like Fox and Trouba. 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