Calgary vs. Dallas: Flames in five. UPDATED Jun. The rare NHL talent who can agitate you with words, deeds and on the scoreboard. Mleczko: Flames in six 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: Boston uses its shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the first round. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. The Stars' first line might be its superpower, but this lineup can offer a lot more than that. 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. 2022 NHL Playoffs: B/R Staff 1st-Round Predictions 0 of 8 Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images Let the fun begin. 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). Tocchet, most recently head coach of the Arizona . Here are the current standings in the East, with the bottom four seeds lining up for the Play-In Tournament. But it was also a campaign that saw Alex Ovechkin score 50 goals and carry the team for stretches this season. Kaplan: Avalanche in six 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. 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. La Greca: Hurricanes in six Edmonton's top line is stacked, it's slippery and it's been operating at an incredibly high level. NHL playoff predictions 2022: 1st-round winners, most overrated, dark horse, Stanley Cup champion and more. Florida has three 30-plus goal scorers, six players with 50-plus points and a Hart Trophy contender in Jonathan Huberdeau, who can go toe-to-toe with any offensive threat in the league. Columbus Blue Jackets (WC) 5. While offense can sometimes dry up the deeper we get into postseason play, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the case here. How to watch He received help from familiar Capitals names such as Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson and Tom Wilson, while Conor Sheary and Anthony Mantha chipped in. FiveThirtyEight's 2021-22 NHL forecast predicts the winner of each hockey game and calculates each team's chances of advancing to the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup. Now they also have some strong depth, and the versatility to play the Islanders' style if needed. Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven The Big Cat's run since 2020 in elimination games is the stuff of legend: 10-0, six of the wins by shutout. That wasn't a given before the season and certainly wasn't while Pittsburgh played through its seemingly annual spate of injuries. 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. And it's not just the Avs' marquee names -- Nazem Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar to name a few -- who are having an impact. Complete playoff coverage Carolina Hurricanes 3. Yes, Mike Smith has been in a groove during April, with a .948 even-strength save percentage in nine games. Tortorella: Flames in six Biggest flaw(s): Consistency and resiliency. No one will let the Leafs forget what happened against Boston (twice) or Montreal. The Wild have that, big-time. 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. There has also been more effort on the forecheck. 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. But that's the regular season. Returning contributors Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat can play up or down the lineup with effectiveness. Your Home For Free NHL Expert Picks For The 2022/23 Season. Biggest flaw(s): Well, let's go with "potentially biggest." That presents a perfect backdrop for Minnesota's run. Tortorella: Avalanche in six Bold prediction: As happened to Tampa Bay in 2019, the seemingly unstoppable Panthers fall short with a baffling first-round exit. 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. STL | NSH All we know for sure is that the real winners here are those of us watching the action unfold. His playoff struggles are a bit overblown -- his numbers aren't that bad overall -- but the doubts linger. How they choose to defend Kucherov's line is going to be a key for the series. La Greca: Flames in six John Tortorella: Panthers in seven Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in five Those types of intangibles are impossible to quantify in the unknowable season ahead. . But we doubt that's sustainable, and the alternative remains Mikko Koskinen. Rick DiPietro: Panthers in seven We've also learned that two straight Stanley Cups haven't made the Bolts fat and happy; the hunger to win another, and the killer instinct to close out teams, remains for Tampa. Weekes: Rangers in seven ESPN will air the entirety of the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions on alternating days, beginning Wednesday, May 18. If he makes it back, Jarry still has to demonstrate his postseason prowess after flopping against the Islanders in their 2021 series. They rallied to beat the Penguins after being down 3-1 in their first-round series. Why not Dallas? Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" Ferraro: Avalanche in six Artemi Panarin quietly had points in the last three games against Carolina, including a great outlet pass that sprung Strome for a critical goal that put them up 3-0. Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. DiPietro: Avalanche in seven A rundown of 1 to 8 in all four divisions, plus the 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season. NHL on ESPN. 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. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Thanks to the steepest parity the Eastern Conference has seen in some time, the Capitals had a 100-point season for the sixth straight 82-game campaign. Hextall: Avalanche in five 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. The Rangers had their share of breaks. Because he picked this opportunity. Then again, Kuemper hasn't been facing a ton of shots. Toronto Maple Leafs. But even he was upstaged this postseason by his adorable infant daughter, Maisie. Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. The uptick of physicality in McDavid's game has been well-documented. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Colorado is a beast. Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was fourth on the team in goals scored above average. LA | DAL. Wyshynski: Flames in seven. Knight: Avalanche in seven Levy: Avalanche in five They've spent time with fellow deadline pickup Nick Paul, formerly of the Ottawa Senators, but really clicked with veteran winger Corey Perry in the Florida series. Tortorella: Hurricanes in six Nine of the 16 picked. Or was it symptomatic of the Blues' inconsistent attack? Note: Kristen Shilton previewed the Western Conference teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the two clubs from the East. He has added 10 assists to his point total, but Rantanen has still fallen short of expectations to date in terms of output. Toronto can't hide from its ugly postseason past. The Rangers are playing with house money. Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six But the players and Gallant all said that their Game 7 win at the Hurricanes was indicative of what a quintessential effort from the Rangers looks like, getting points from 12 different players. "Obviously, Vasilevskiy has a track record that speaks for itself. Because as good as McDavid has been, Draisaitl might be better (and he's playing hurt, too). Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. Sean McDonough: Panthers in seven The 2022-23 NHL regular season is currently at its midpoint, but it's never too early to start thinking about playoffs. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. It's part of what has made Husso so invaluable; he covers for all manner of ills in the Blues' own end. The Footballers (7-9) have the worst record of any playoff team they tied the 2010 Seattle Seahawks for the worst record for a playoff team in N.F.L. The All-Star Game and the Stadium Series will be on ABC, and ESPN will have the All-Star Skills Competition. Editor's Picks. 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. Some of those came on odd-man rushes, a few on chances on the doorstep. Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. That's a killer combination. Knight: Hurricanes in six In over 500 minutes of game action this postseason, Kuemper has faced only 218 pucks. The NHL playoffs get underway Monday, with all four games on ESPN networks. . Tampa Bay is better 5-on-5. The Oilers are more balanced (28.1% on the power play, 85.4% on the kill). His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, among others. You could put Nurse here, and say he hasn't been an obvious difference-maker for the Oilers (to the degree a top-pairing defender usually is). Are we focusing heavily on the best players in this series? In net, Jack Campbell appears back on his game following a midseason downturn and rib injury. The Nashville Predators, at No. At every juncture where past Oilers' teams have misstepped, this group has stepped up. They were third in expected goals against and fourth in expected goals for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 this season. Look for that to change in the Lightning's second season. Kaplan: Flames in six Arda cal: Lightning in six 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. Colton and Perry, the latter of whom was acquired as a free agent this past summer, lead the Lightning with five goals each. Kavanagh: Hurricanes in six Jake Oettinger has played well in net, and Dallas' defense has looked more cohesive lately. Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with 15 points in 11 games. Other than Nathan MacKinnon going off in Game 5 against St. Louis, and Cale Makar just being generally excellent at every turn, it's not as if Colorado has required its superstars to carry the day. View the NHL player point predictions 2021-22 season.How many points will Connor McDavid get? 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. 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