2022 NHL Playoffs: B/R Staff 1st-Round Predictions 0 of 8 Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images Let the fun begin. Free agency is looming, and all eyes will be on Kadri as he chases that elusive championship. All that winning is great at the time, but it cuts into recovery. The Stanley Cup playoffs are back on ESPN and ABC! The Igor Shesterkin that we saw during Round 1 is not the Igor Shesterkin that the Lightning are going to see. Player to watch: Crosby had 84 points this season, which was his best points-per-60 minutes average for a season with at least 68 games played since 2009-10. Biggest flaw(s): Can the Predators keep it together in their own end? We know Josi is a Norris Trophy-caliber defender, but the rest of Nashville's blue line doesn't exhibit nearly the same consistency. Again, Hagel has done fine in the roles that they've cast him in during the playoffs. Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six Cohn: Avalanche in seven The Stars' first line might be its superpower, but this lineup can offer a lot more than that. John Tortorella: Panthers in seven As long as the Oilers' stars are shining that brightly, they'll have a chance to win any series. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Tampa knows how to win. . ESPN will air the entirety of the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions on alternating days, beginning Wednesday, May 18. More: Full playoff schedule As Crosby said recently: "I think you try to enjoy it as much as you can and try to take it all in because you know that it's not going to last forever. He had four points in seven games before that. 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.) Those types of intangibles are impossible to quantify in the unknowable season ahead. Ferraro: Avalanche in six Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six There has also been more effort on the forecheck. Case for a Stanley Cup run: It's hard to argue with the Panthers' results this season. But he's expected to miss a few games in the first round due to a lower-body injury. How will the Rangers handle Nikita Kucherov? Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in six Their superstars kept improving throughout the last round and were the difference-makers at critical times. Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. They could use some more from him, especially at five-on-five. Stream the NHL on ESPN. 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. 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. Sorting out the optimal defensive pairings will be a task for coach Jared Bednar. Weekes: Blues in seven Back in 2019, St. Louis went from flailing to thriving at the end of the regular season and carried a hot streak all the way past Boston for the franchise's first Cup title. 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. Case for a Stanley Cup run: History has a funny habit of repeating itself. They're the NHL's top-scoring team for a reason, having been consistently outstanding offensively since Game 1. Could the Florida Panthers, who raced to the top seed in the Eastern Conference, win their first Cup? The image above displays the 2023 NHL Playoff bracket and will be updated after each week. Hextall: Avalanche in five This postseason has been different because of how strong that duo's defensive habits are. 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. Because he picked this opportunity. Another matchup against the Dallas Stars, who are a mess right now and Domi just recently torched, could be another interesting game for him. Patrice Bergeron is still Patrice Bergeron. While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. 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. Same with its overall consistency. Tortorella: Flames in six Lessons from Round 1 Metro: CAR | NYR The past three postseasons haven't been the greatest for Sid, with six points in 14 games. Mleczko: Flames in six "Obviously, Vasilevskiy has a track record that speaks for itself. NHL Predictions 2022- 23 season | NHL Projected Standings 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1. 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). Can Georgia pull off a repeat? The Oilers bought into playing good defense, stuck to their structure and chipped away at Quick until they broke through. Colorado is fortunate to have dynamic middle-six scorers such as Valeri Nichushkin and quiet contributors such as Artturi Lehkonen who can sneak up and burn opponents unexpectedly. 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. They're tremendous on the power play, as Carolina witnessed. The NHL has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 2022-23 regular season. Callahan: Flames in five How to watch 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. If he finally emerges in this series, that's an edge for the Avalanche as well. Make Your Picks. How to watch NFL Survivor Pool 2023 Canada Fantasy Hockey Predictions Rob Ellis - September 9, 2022 0 Sachin Chandan: Panthers in seven 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. That formula doesn't generally work in the postseason. Player to watch: Tarasenko. Shilton: Flames in six All things being equal, Colorado boasts the deeper team. 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? 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. 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. Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning in six STL | NSH Player to watch: Jonas Brodin. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Boston can be a tough team to play against. Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. CAR (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A. New Jersey Devils (MP) 6. Coach Darryl Sutter has this team primed to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. Things aren't trending well for Pittsburgh at the buzzer. We just didn't go away. 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. Bold prediction: Nashville shocks the hockey world by going from wild-card entrant to Western Conference finalist. While offense can sometimes dry up the deeper we get into postseason play, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the case here. The Lightning have done it the past two seasons, under less-than-ideal pandemic-related circumstances to boot. 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason. Some of those came on odd-man rushes, a few on chances on the doorstep. Stream the NHL on ESPN, Allen: Avalanche in five . Rantanen must be exactly that for Colorado in the series ahead. The Lightning had some bumpier stretches in the season's second half. 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. Their lineup features solid two-way forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in six How they got here: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. General manager Doug Armstrong took a major risk in allowing. The format is a set bracket that is . At Pickswise we have expert NHL picks for every game of the 2021/22 season. If the season ended today we'd have the Heat . The Wild's penalty kill is bottom 10 in the league, and their power play sits somewhere in the middle. Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. 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. 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. 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. The Capitals have a veteran group that can play physical hockey and defend well at 5-on-5. When Boston is at its best, it is a hard-hitting, back-breaking group to go up against. The conference final round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs is upon us. 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. It was once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110. We've already discussed Kuemper. Colton and Perry, the latter of whom was acquired as a free agent this past summer, lead the Lightning with five goals each. How they got here: Defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-3, defeated Calgary Flames 4-1. They're very ordinary on the back end without him. The first round might actually be the hardest for Tampa, knowing how hungry the Leafs are to overcome their checkered playoff past. New York Islanders (MP) 7. And of course, there's Boston's core. Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular season. 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. There was never any doubt that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could score in the regular season, but the playoffs have brought their challenges in keeping up that pace offensively. will be coming full force. Biggest flaw(s): Defense, and goaltending. Lawrence-Riddell: Flames in seven What Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton's defensive effort. Keith did that for the Oilers against Calgary, steering them out of a potential loss in Game 2 and picking up some of the responsibilities for the not-100% healthy Darnell Nurse. 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. Do the Lightning have what it takes to three-peat? What makes Nashville dangerous (other than Roman Josi, Matt Duchene, Filip Forsberg and Juuse Saros, of course) is the chip on its shoulder, the hunger to prove the team's critics wrong. There is no such problem for the Lightning. Also note that wild-card teams are listed according to which playoff bracket they're playing in (the Capitals, for example, are in the Atlantic). The uptick of physicality in McDavid's game has been well-documented. Toronto is no longer the one-dimensional wonder of its past, capable of putting pucks in the net but incapable of keeping them out. Player to watch: Rookie forward Seth Jarvis has been absolutely outstanding for the Hurricanes. 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. 87 a game and a half. How do the Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line? Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. February 27, 2023 by Rob Couch. Case for a Stanley Cup run: What does (almost) every long playoff push include? Edmonton's top line is stacked, it's slippery and it's been operating at an incredibly high level. Bold prediction: The Oilers win their first playoff series since 2017 before bowing out to Calgary. The Avalanche will require all hands on deck to keep pace with Edmonton. 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. Goalie Tristan Jarry, who had an outstanding regular season, has been sidelined with a broken foot that he's in the process of rehabbing. Ray Ferraro: Panthers in seven How they got here: Defeated Nashville Predators 4-0, defeated St. Louis Blues 4-2. He hadn't been practicing, but is expected to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. 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). Bold prediction: Brandon Hagel comes alive at last. And Kane already had a pair of hat tricks in the playoffs. Alas, he's ineligible, having played more than six games in his first two NHL seasons. Two good goalies coming together. Knight: Flames in six 6 Virginia (21-5, 13-4 ACC) . This season is shaping up in similar fashion. Luckily for the Blues, that deja vu high they're currently riding is a good one. TB | WSH 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 But he's not unbeatable. That presents a perfect backdrop for Minnesota's run. Callahan: Avalanche in seven DiPietro: Avalanche in seven Case for a Stanley Cup run: What if a team had its best regular season in franchise history and no one noticed? After Makar and Devon Toews, where do the rest of Colorado's defensemen fit? I think we're there with the Rangers. Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. La Greca: Hurricanes in six Picks for Rangers-Lightning, Avalanche-Oilers, 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason, Free-agency, draft plans for Avs, Lightning, every other NHL team, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. It will all happen on the new NHL TV Networks of ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports. Biggest flaw(s): Beyond McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers don't necessarily have the depth that other contenders in the Western Conference can boast in their forward group or on the blue line. Unlike Darcy Kuemper, who has faced the fewest shots among remaining playoff goaltenders, Smith has been peppered with the second-most. 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 goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. 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. cal: Oilers in seven Linda Cohn: Panthers in seven 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. Bold prediction: The Penguins go out in the first round, but goaltending isn't the reason. NHL Events 2022-23; ESPN, Turner Schedules; 2022-23 Must-See Games; . Tarasenko had 11 goals and 17 points during the Blues' 2019 run. La Greca: Avalanche in five If Andersen can't go, netminder duties will fall to backup Antti Raanta and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. Boucher: Flames in six Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for four series 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. (2:28). Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have underperformed much of the season, and the Stars don't get much scoring help from their defensemen (John Klingberg leads Dallas blueliners with six goals). Venue: Dean Smith Center -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Coverage: ESPN . There's more to the team than just a dominant goalie, however. Heiskanen missed time this season with illness but is an invaluable asset to Dallas' overall success. The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. And there's the Leafs' excellent special teams, including the NHL's best power play and a penalty kill that is nearly as likely to score short-handed as to get scored on. What will be the key to solving Igor Shesterkin? These simulcasts typically involve ESPN's linear television channels and internet streaming platforms, and may . As Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said: Their problem offensively was not having elite goal-scorers. Adam Fox, last year's Norris winner, had a strong encore. 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. Mika Zibanejad led the way with three points. Subscribe to ESPN+ A healthy Brayden Point obviously bolsters their advantage. Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. They were third in expected goals against and fourth in expected goals for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 this season. Keep an eye on those little things Brodin can do to put Minnesota over the top. Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). Player to watch: Forsberg. 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. In the East, it'll be a battle of the goaltenders with the excellent matchup between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin. Hagel took a puck off one of his feet in Game 2 against the Panthers, though he appeared in Games 3 and 4. Biggest flaw(s): Minnesota's special teams are less than awe-inspiring. They have depth at forward and are getting excellent play from defensemen like Fox and Trouba. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. 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. He relieves pressure in Edmonton's end, makes smart plays up the ice and is a natural leader from whom few words are required -- but there's no doubt Keith has a "big voice" in the Oilers' room, according to teammates. What sort of postseason magic can Kadri create to cap this career season? Physicality gets ratcheted up in the playoffs, and Wilson has shown the ability in the past to turn a series with one big injurious hit. That killer instinct has been a hallmark of Boston's play in the past and hasn't always been at the forefront of late. 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. 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 But the Flames don't get quite as much contribution as some teams from their bottom six. They are firing on all cylinders. Why? Some teams have improved, while others went into re-build mode. Mleczko: Avalanche in six Why not Dallas? The Wild have had offensive stars emerging throughout the season, from Kirill Kaprizov to Kevin Fiala to Mats Zuccarello. Minnesota has been scorching hot since mid-March, going 19-2-3 since March 16, entering the playoffs with a hard-earned swagger. 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. Levy: Flames in seven That's the question. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. Granted, Nashville's Ryan Johansen did (accidentally) injure Kuemper's eye in the first round, but the goalie recovered and Colorado swept the Predators in time for Kuemper to return in the second round against St. Louis. Offseason keys for eliminated teams, Sean Allen: Panthers in six 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. Matiash: Avalanche in six Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. Colorado has to frustrate the Oilers' top skaters, make it difficult for them to find space or get in a rhythm early. Colorado's big three has produced 17 goals and 31 points in 10 games. 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. Weekes: Flames in seven Watching all of it from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom. This series projects to trend more toward what Edmonton just experienced, with the potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense. It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. Stanley Cup playoff picks: Who wins each second-round series? He hasn't been that guy for a while, and at 36, he might never be that guy again. The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Monday night on the networks of ESPN, . Arda cal: Lightning in six Draisaitl has unmatched playmaking ability and when he's on a roll, it's hard to think of how Colorado will totally contain how adept he is with the puck. Unsurprisingly, Florida has also produced excellent special-teams numbers (including with its top-10 power play). The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. The matchups and storylines are set as the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs get underway this week, with the last team standing hoisting the cherished chalice sometime in late June. (2:28), Stanley Cup playoffs preview: Breaking down all 16 teams in the NHL postseason, 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 next highest scorer, Zach Hyman, had 54 points. They're not the Maple Leafs or the Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement. This series against Colorado could see each team's top talents canceling each other out. We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards . Toronto can't hide from its ugly postseason past. 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Faced the fewest shots among remaining playoff goaltenders, Smith has been a hallmark of Boston 's core crease Vezina... An eye on those little things Brodin can do to put Minnesota over the top seed the! Series ahead: History has a track record that speaks for itself Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line, by... Took a major risk in allowing to see funny habit of repeating itself 2022 Stanley Cup are... Once again the Connor and Leon show, as Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour:! Become a more reliable backup top talents canceling each other out defensive habits.. Rod Brind'Amour said: their problem offensively was not having elite goal-scorers good defense, stuck to their and! To Dallas ' overall success the motivation Dallas needs to give each game its.... Done it the past two seasons, under less-than-ideal pandemic-related circumstances to boot had pair... Six Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six they went nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn after that a rhythm early bring the Cup back Canada. Consistently outstanding offensively since game 1 are n't trending well for Pittsburgh at the time but... Went 12-8-3 after that to trend more toward what Edmonton just experienced, with Panthers! N'T hide from its ugly postseason past to keep pace with Edmonton the motivation Dallas needs give...
