Colorado's big winger has one goal in these playoffs, which he scored on an empty net in the Avs' 6-3 victory over St. Louis in Game 4. 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. Not exactly the best offensive company to keep. Wyshynski: Hurricanes in five, The Stanley Cup playoffs are back on ESPN and ABC! Kuemper came through in that series when the Avalanche needed it, but there wasn't a lot of rhythm to his game. How do the Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line? Returning contributors Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat can play up or down the lineup with effectiveness. Subscribe to ESPN+ Chandan: Flames in six He was fourth on the team in goals scored above average. 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. McDonough: Hurricanes in seven Wyshynski: Blues in seven, Allen: Flames in six Complete playoff coverage NHL . STL | NSH Can Georgia pull off a repeat? Some of those came on odd-man rushes, a few on chances on the doorstep. At Pickswise we have expert NHL picks for every game of the 2021/22 season. 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. The past three postseasons haven't been the greatest for Sid, with six points in 14 games. He hasn't been that guy for a while, and at 36, he might never be that guy again. ET, ESPN), followed by Lightning-Leafs (7:30 ET, ESPN2), Blues-Wild (9:30 ET, ESPN) and Kings-Oilers (10 ET, ESPN2). He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. If he's diminished, so are the Caps' Cup chances -- significantly. 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, What the remaining Stanley Cup contenders learned in Round 1, Why the Avalanche are the NHL's postseason juggernaut, 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. cal: Rangers in seven It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. Like, ever. Hextall: Avalanche in five 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. General manager Doug Armstrong took a major risk in allowing. He's both their last line of defense and their catalyst, as the Rangers feed off his performances when opponents tip the ice. Why not Dallas? Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. He's a 40-year-old veteran churning out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record, .927 SV% and 2.70 GAA. 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. 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. The role players GM Chris Drury added along the way -- such as forwards Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp -- have bolstered the team. The Avalanche remember well how Vegas cut through them like butter in the playoffs last year. Biggest flaw(s): Depth scoring has been an issue for the Stars. TWDC 2022-23 NHL Game Schedule: Date, Time (ET), Teams, Network/Platform Tue, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m., Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers, ESPN, ESPN+ Tue, Oct. 11, 10 p.m., Vegas Golden. 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. It will all happen on the new NHL TV Networks of ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports. Callahan: Avalanche in seven Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. The goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. Matiash: Avalanche in six Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). Biggest flaw(s): The fact that the Kings still managed to make the playoffs without Doughty is a testament to how well they played before his injury. A rundown of 1 to 8 in all four divisions, plus the 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season. Biggest flaw(s): Well, let's go with "potentially biggest." 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. They're not the Maple Leafs or the Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement. Those aren't encouraging totals. The Capitals have a veteran group that can play physical hockey and defend well at 5-on-5. 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 2022-23 NHL season is the 106th season of operation (105th . Bold prediction: The Oilers win their first playoff series since 2017 before bowing out to Calgary. Player to watch: Tarasenko. There is no such problem for the Lightning. Arda cal: Lightning in six Football Women's Basketball Games Home ESPN Fantasy App Are we focusing heavily on the best players in this series? The final day of the NHL regular season is April 13, 2023 and the playoffs will begin a few days later. Jonathan Quick's best saves of 2022-23 season (1:58) . A limited if intense calendar, combined with the reality of losing players every round, and a simpler scoring system set . One problem Biggest flaw(s): Ovechkin missed the Capitals' final three games after appearing to injure a shoulder in an April 24 game. on the season, while still finding time to amass 68 penalty minutes. Bold prediction: Coach Dean Evason bucks tradition by not naming a playoff starter in net, opting to alternate between Fleury and Talbot instead. This season is shaping up in similar fashion. 17 overall, should be able to select . How they got here: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Player to watch: Rookie forward Seth Jarvis has been absolutely outstanding for the Hurricanes. He has added 10 assists to his point total, but Rantanen has still fallen short of expectations to date in terms of output. Keeping those three in check starts with good neutral-zone play, limiting their ability to gain speed and forcing play to the outside. But forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their offensive output drop during seasons impacted by injuries and illness. Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven He had 23 goals and 28 assists and led all Capitals forwards in goals scored above average. Its defense has been a little better than Edmonton's (giving up a playoff-low 27 shots against per game versus the Oilers' 37.5) and its depth is impressive. Every first-round Game One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be available on ESPN or ESPN2. The Oilers are more balanced (28.1% on the power play, 85.4% on the kill). will be coming full force. Player to watch: McAvoy. Washington lives and dies on the performance of its franchise star, especially on the power play. Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. The Rangers didn't have to face Penguins starter Tristan Jarry until Game 7; instead, they saw backup Casey DeSmith for five and a half periods and then third-stringer Louis Domingue for just over six games. Orchestrating all of it is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall. Ditto Brad Marchand. The Blues averaged just 26 shots per game at Kuemper, while Colorado was in control averaging 37 shots the other way. Again, Hagel has done fine in the roles that they've cast him in during the playoffs. He hadn't been practicing, but is expected to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Stars made the playoffs in large part because of their top line. The first round might actually be the hardest for Tampa, knowing how hungry the Leafs are to overcome their checkered playoff past. 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. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. He's the kind of player to watch with your head on a swivel. They rallied to beat the Penguins after being down 3-1 in their first-round series. Watching all of it from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom. And that could make a huge difference for the Avalanche this spring. The Penguins' offense is also struggling, with an ice-cold power play and players such as Rust mired in slumps. 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. TB | WSH The Lightning had some bumpier stretches in the season's second half. Player to watch: Vasilevskiy. 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. But he's expected to miss a few games in the first round due to a lower-body injury. While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. Seven Avs skaters have at least three goals in the playoffs, and five have double-digit point totals. 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 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. Bold prediction: The Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games. 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. Don La Greca: Panthers in seven 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. Callahan: Flames in five Defenseman Adam Fox said he's looking forward to the battle between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin. The last time they did was in the first round, when Crosby's line ran roughshod over them (Crosby had 10 points in six games) -- until a Trouba hit cost No. He had just two points in the Pens' six-game series loss to the Islanders last playoffs. LA | DAL. They'll need continued offense from Fox, who had 18 points in 14 games. Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven Editor's Picks. The 2022-2023 College Football Playoff schedule will have both semifinals played on New Year's Eve at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. 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). That's the question. If Cale Makar is the flashy rising star leading Colorado's blue line, Duncan Keith is the veteran grandmaster stabilizing Edmonton's back end. "I've kind of referred to us as cockroaches. College Basketball Week 17 Top 25 Predictions Note: Projected winners are listed in bold. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game. Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. Do you blame us? When Jonathan Quick repeatedly slammed the door in the first-round series, Edmonton didn't panic. The Avalanche have an excellent power play (34.5%) but weaker penalty kill (73.1%). Brehm: Hurricanes 4, Bruins 2. 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.) Again, the Oilers stayed calm, and refocused. If the Flames win the Cup, it wouldn't be hard to see him taking home a Conn Smythe. Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in six, Allen: Rangers in seven Cohn: Avalanche in seven The Stars are the only team in the playoffs with a negative goal differential. The Rangers had their share of breaks. Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Monday night on the networks of ESPN, . What sort of postseason magic can Kadri create to cap this career season? But if there's a true flaw with the Oilers, it's once again found in the crease. They went 12-8-3 after that. The Stars' first line might be its superpower, but this lineup can offer a lot more than that. Lessons from Round 1 Bob Wischusen: Panthers in seven The Bruins' top blueliner hasn't garnered the same attention as some of the league's flashiest defenders this season, but he has been excellent in his own right. In fact, even as he has gotten better as the playoffs have continued -- playing through jitters in the first round that included two games he didn't complete in Pittsburgh -- he has yet to pitch a shutout. Brian Boucher: Panthers in six 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. Mleczko: Flames in six If New York wants this to be a 1-0 goalie duel, the Lightning can win those, too. The Ducks and Penguins have moved back into the playoff race and will face off Monday. The XFL has entered the second week of its third season under its . Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA playoff game live on SLING TV. Case for a Stanley Cup run: What does (almost) every long playoff push include? Selected by Nashville in the fourth round (No. Never let them have the puck. NHL.com ranks the top 200 overall fantasy hockey players in standard . Playoff position: M2 Games left: 3 Next game: vs. 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for eight series, Cup, Conn Smythe winner NHL.com @NHLdotcom April 30, 2022 The Colorado. There's power in being an underdog, a freedom to simply play your game without expectation. The Stars need to be more than just a one-line wonder. . 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. 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. Forsberg can, and will, challenge any defense the Predators see in coming weeks. 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. Toronto can't hide from its ugly postseason past. Jump to a team: Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Back-to-back tilts against bottom feeders in the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes should produce value. That's a killer combination. A game-changing talent who also is playing for his next contract (from Nashville or someone else). as well as out-of-market games. Knight: Avalanche in seven The Blues are rightly playing with incredible confidence, and we know from past experience where that can lead them. Ferraro: Avalanche in six Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Central playoff brackets were written by Shilton, while Wyshynski analyzed the Metro and Pacific brackets. 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. 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? XFL owner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shouted out former Alabama quarterback A.J. Edmonton's trio has combined for 26 goals and 67 points in 12 games. 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. One of the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, or Edmonton Oilers will be this year's Stanley Cup champion. 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. 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. You can say the Rangers haven't faced a goalie like Vasilevskiy, and that's true. That's been the disconnect before, and those demons won't be overcome until Toronto has success when it matters most. Leah Hextall: 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. 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. 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? How they choose to defend Kucherov's line is going to be a key for the series. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Colorado's big three has produced 17 goals and 31 points in 10 games. Free agency is looming, and all eyes will be on Kadri as he chases that elusive championship. Then again, Kuemper hasn't been facing a ton of shots. history but they get to host a game . Edmonton really performed well against Calgary on the penalty kill too, coming up with critical stops that frustrated the Flames' attack. Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six On paper, they're winning this series. 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. The Oilers' top trio will be a confident bunch going into the series -- as they should be -- and Colorado can send a message early by staying on top of them and standing up to that top line's speed in the middle of the ice. It starts in their own end and being engaged down low. 2022 NHL Playoffs: B/R Staff 1st-Round Predictions 0 of 8 Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images Let the fun begin. If Edmonton can do that again in the conference finals, Colorado's march to the Cup finals will be severely impeded -- and perhaps derailed. Knight: Hurricanes in six But now that the Penguins are in, with a lineup dotted with familiar names sporting Stanley Cup rings, the best case for a championship run is made by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Jeff Carter, Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel. Callahan: Hurricanes in six 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). The Bruins have just about everything you can want in a contender: a deadly top line, an elite defenseman, and a great goalie. We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. 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. Things aren't trending well for Pittsburgh at the buzzer. 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, Who goes to the Stanley Cup Final? . Granted, that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore. 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. ", Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. Those matchups are plenty intriguing. We know Josi is a Norris Trophy-caliber defender, but the rest of Nashville's blue line doesn't exhibit nearly the same consistency. Another matchup against the Dallas Stars, who are a mess right now and Domi just recently torched, could be another interesting game for him. And coach Gerard Gallant is pushing the right buttons when it comes to line combinations. 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. These simulcasts typically involve ESPN's linear television channels and internet streaming platforms, and may . 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. 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. Atlantic: FLA | TOR All that winning is great at the time, but it cuts into recovery. And it's not just the Avs' marquee names -- Nazem Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar to name a few -- who are having an impact. The Predators can score well enough, but how well they can execute team defense and keep the puck out of their own net will be the key. Head on a swivel `` potentially biggest. and 2.70 GAA 1st-Round Predictions 0 of 8 Jonathan Kozub/NHLI Getty!, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup Nashville 's blue does! 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