. Some nights, the Bruins look impenetrable; the next, they're floundering in their own end. Boucher: Avalanche in six So it works in Nashville's favor to not just go into the postseason as a wild-card team, but to know there's an uphill battle ahead to make its time in the playoffs last. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. They're tremendous on the power play, as Carolina witnessed. 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. UPDATED Jun. That said, they'd like more than one goal off 18 shot attempts in 11 games from a player who had 25 goals in the regular season. 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. Portland Trail Blazers. Player to watch: Jonas Brodin. We crunch the numbers, analyze the data, and provide the best free NHL expert picks each and every day. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. Forsberg can, and will, challenge any defense the Predators see in coming weeks. Each player had some solid stretches late in the Calgary series, but those four have combined for only five goals thus far in the playoffs. For all the great stats the Avs have produced this season, they're average on the kill (79%), which could be an issue in the postseason, when it's harder to score and every advantage that goes the other way has the potential to be a backbreaker. He knows when to push and when to pull back. Daily Fantasy Picks; Projected Lineups; Player Rankings; . After Makar and Devon Toews, where do the rest of Colorado's defensemen fit? Campbell-Pascall: Flames in six Chandan: Hurricanes in five Because he picked this opportunity. Unlike Darcy Kuemper, who has faced the fewest shots among remaining playoff goaltenders, Smith has been peppered with the second-most. 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. That must be what the Hurricanes felt like in 2021-22, as they set a new standard for points in a season, won the Metropolitan Division for the first time and led the league in goals-against average. Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" 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. Biggest flaw(s): Well, let's go with "potentially biggest." Knight: Flames in six Colorado has to frustrate the Oilers' top skaters, make it difficult for them to find space or get in a rhythm early. The Blues are rightly playing with incredible confidence, and we know from past experience where that can lead them. 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. Tampa hasn't had much downtime since the NHL's bubble tournament two years ago. When Boston is at its best, it is a hard-hitting, back-breaking group to go up against. It nearly did not happen, as both teams were pushed to the brink in the first round. They are firing on all cylinders. Defenseman Adam Fox said he's looking forward to the battle between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Colorado is a beast. 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 Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. How will the Rangers handle Nikita Kucherov? Stream the NHL on ESPN, Allen: Avalanche in five Metro: CAR | NYR Heading into the playoffs, Craig Custance gets the lowdown on the Vancouver Canucks from rival players, coaches and scouts. New Jersey Devils (MP) 6. That unit shows no signs of slowing, either, and that should give Dallas a confidence boost going into the first round. I said in my series prediction . There has also been more effort on the forecheck. Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in six But he's not unbeatable. Weekes: Blues in seven 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. In today's Morning 3-on-3, we debate whether both are playoff locks -- and a threat if they make it. While offense can sometimes dry up the deeper we get into postseason play, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the case here. His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik . Their power play is going to do some damage. Because as good as McDavid has been, Draisaitl might be better (and he's playing hurt, too). There's power in being an underdog, a freedom to simply play your game without expectation. Biggest flaw(s): Defensive chemistry, and the penalty kill. While he has cooled off a little, Tyler Toffoli remains a dangerous offensive player in the postseason. But it was also a campaign that saw Alex Ovechkin score 50 goals and carry the team for stretches this season. This version of Toronto can contend with any team it will face in the playoffs -- but only if the Leafs actually show up as their best selves. And Kane already had a pair of hat tricks in the playoffs. Tarasenko had 11 goals and 17 points during the Blues' 2019 run. 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. Their lineup features solid two-way forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. Player to watch: Kadri. We've graded all 32 teams-- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. Unsurprisingly, Florida has also produced excellent special-teams numbers (including with its top-10 power play). Chris Kreider became just the fourth player in Rangers history to top 50 goals. Tortorella: Avalanche in six Ray Ferraro: Panthers in seven "I've kind of referred to us as cockroaches. And that could make a huge difference for the Avalanche this spring. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. Orchestrating all of it is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall. Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in six, Allen: Rangers in seven Callahan: Hurricanes in six Ferraro: Hurricanes in six 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. Kaplan: Flames in six 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? Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven How do the Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line? Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for four series 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). 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. No one will let the Leafs forget what happened against Boston (twice) or Montreal. There is a winning pedigree in Boston that starts with its leadership, and spreads to David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall, Charlie McAvoy, and on down the list. CAR (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A. Biggest flaw(s): St. Louis has had defensive issues all season. La Greca: Avalanche in five 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. Again, the Oilers stayed calm, and refocused. That presents a perfect backdrop for Minnesota's run. New York Rangers. While the 29-year-old is still producing at a steady clip with 54 points in 59 games (he tallied a career-high 99 points last season . But that doesn't mean the playoffs haven't enlightened us about some aspects of this Lightning team. ", Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. Jonathan Quick's best saves of 2022-23 season (1:58) . Selected by Nashville in the fourth round (No. Central: COL | MIN Obviously not. Obviously, the Lightning would like to see Point back on the ice. On paper, the Rangers were out in the first round. Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Stars made the playoffs in large part because of their top line. John Tortorella: Panthers in seven Callahan: Avalanche in seven Kucherov has 15 points in 11 games, including seven on the power play. XFL owner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shouted out former Alabama quarterback A.J. Levy: Flames in seven Do the Lightning have what it takes to three-peat? 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. His playoff struggles are a bit overblown -- his numbers aren't that bad overall -- but the doubts linger. Complete playoff coverage NHL . 2. 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. Levy: Avalanche in five Most valuable overall options for standard leagues; new podcast episodes. The Oilers bought into playing good defense, stuck to their structure and chipped away at Quick until they broke through. Darcy Kuemper has been solid if unspectacular in the playoffs, posting a 6-2-0 record, .904 save percentage and 2.44 goals-against average. Or will the Toronto Maple Leafs shake off their demons and claim their first Cup since 1966-67? From there, things started falling apart for the Predators; they didn't perform as well at the top of the standings. Everyone knows anything can happen once the playoffs begin. Offseason keys for eliminated teams, Sean Allen: Panthers in six What sort of postseason magic can Kadri create to cap this career season? 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. Tortorella: Hurricanes in six And of course, there's Boston's core. Tampa's lineup remains as intimidating as any in the league. There's an enviable level of top-end talent, but the balanced depth is really what the Avalanche have displayed in the postseason. The Stars' first line might be its superpower, but this lineup can offer a lot more than that. The 2022-2023 College Football Playoff schedule will have both semifinals played on New Year's Eve at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. 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. 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. 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 legend of Mike Smith has only grown this postseason. Kuemper came through in that series when the Avalanche needed it, but there wasn't a lot of rhythm to his game. Yet Carolina is not mentioned in the same breath as other Stanley Cup contenders. The Nashville Predators, at No. 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. The Penguins' offense is also struggling, with an ice-cold power play and players such as Rust mired in slumps. Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. He's both their last line of defense and their catalyst, as the Rangers feed off his performances when opponents tip the ice. At every juncture where past Oilers' teams have misstepped, this group has stepped up. Their top defensive pairings of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson along with Chris Tanev and Oliver Kylington have been outstanding. You can say the Rangers haven't faced a goalie like Vasilevskiy, and that's true. Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. Here's a player who requested a trade out of St. Louis and instead has thrived there this season. Boudreau totaled a 50-40-13 record, missing the playoffs in 2022. Ferraro: Avalanche in six They'll need every bit of his experience and ability to slow the Avalanche down. Colorado has shown it can win all types of games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders. With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. Saros missed the last two games of the season with a lower-body injury, and his status is uncertain heading into the postseason. When things aren't going Boston's way -- when the Bruins struggle to score a goal or give up a bad one -- can they persevere and push back? 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. Cohn: Avalanche in seven Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven For the first time since 1991, the Flames and Oilers meet up in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. MacKinnon's contributions will be massive for the Avs. That's where depth will come into focus, and the Oilers will want to be sure theirs is on point. Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven Brehm: Hurricanes 4, Bruins 2. The best possible conference finals? The role players GM Chris Drury added along the way -- such as forwards Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp -- have bolstered the team. What will be the key to solving Igor Shesterkin? Kaplan: Hurricanes in seven Knight: Avalanche in seven 17 overall, should be able to select . Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, in his first season with the Lightning, and playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six. I think we're there with the Rangers. Toronto Maple Leafs. Before the NBA resumes play on Thursday night, it is time to answer some big questions. The Rangers still aren't an impressive five-on-five team, relying on Shesterkin to bail them out at even strength, which he has. It's time for our experts to go on the record with their predictions on which four teams will make it one step closer to the Stanley Cup Final, which is returning to ABC this season. TB | WSH He worked through his emotions during the Rangers' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice. 2022-23 NCAA Basketball Regular Season Game; North Carolina (17-11, 9-8 ACC) vs. No. Why not Dallas? Did he skid at the end of this season? Keeping those three in check starts with good neutral-zone play, limiting their ability to gain speed and forcing play to the outside. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Like, ever. Center Anthony Cirelli has two points in 11 games but has provided what the Lightning need in the middle after Brayden Point's injury. Not enough has been made of the Blues. 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. Unlike the other two teams on this list, the Portland Trail Blazers are currently on the outside looking in. Their head-to-head matchup will be a primary talking point in the lead-up to Game 1. Blake Bolden: Panthers in seven That could change in a hurry in the postseason, as the Canes flex their impressive depth, stingy penalty kill and offensive power led by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. That's a killer combination. 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. 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