nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn
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. Ferraro: Hurricanes in six 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. 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? As Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said: Their problem offensively was not having elite goal-scorers. Defenseman Jacob Trouba's booming hits took out Penguins star Sidney Crosby for two critical games, and then Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis in Game 7. They're not the Maple Leafs or the Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement. How they got here: Defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-3, defeated Calgary Flames 4-1. What sort of postseason magic can Kadri create to cap this career season? He had just two points in the Pens' six-game series loss to the Islanders last playoffs. At every juncture where past Oilers' teams have misstepped, this group has stepped up. But we doubt that's sustainable, and the alternative remains Mikko Koskinen. All we know for sure is that the real winners here are those of us watching the action unfold. Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the greatest postseason goaltenders in NHL history. I apologize in advance for spoiling the next two months for you, as obviously all of . Tortorella: Avalanche in six Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game. Fantasy hockey owners can expect this to continue, which could be massive this coming week. 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. In net, Jack Campbell appears back on his game following a midseason downturn and rib injury. 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. The image above displays the 2023 NHL Playoff bracket and will be updated after each week. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. The Lightning had some bumpier stretches in the season's second half. ESPN Megacast, formerly known as ESPN Full Circle, is a multi-network simulcast of a single sporting event across multiple ESPN networks and serviceswith each feed providing a different version of the telecast making use of different features, functions or perspectives. There's a massive monkey on Marner's back, and seeing how he responds to that in the postseason this year is going to go a long way in determining just how good the Leafs can be. But the Flames don't get quite as much contribution as some teams from their bottom six. 102) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Ekholm has 268 points (62 goals, 206 assists) in 719 regular-season games with the Predators and 35 points (six goals, 29 . The Lightning will have to convert some of those to beat "Shesty.". Rick DiPietro: Panthers in seven Boucher: Hurricanes in six Biggest flaw(s): Power plays don't always come easy in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Stream the NHL on ESPN, Allen: Avalanche in five Keeping those three in check starts with good neutral-zone play, limiting their ability to gain speed and forcing play to the outside. Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. But the kids were all right too: Forwards Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari and Quinton Byfield, as well as defensemen Mikey Anderson and Sean Durzi, also contributed. Might the Colorado Avalanche, the top seed in the West and an underachiever the past two postseasons, break through? And that was against the two best offensive teams in the regular season. It starts in their own end and being engaged down low. Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Kings, who flaunt one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, had been waiting a few years for their next generation of stars to mature. 4 NHL Trade Deadline Sellers Looking to Bounce Back in 2023-24. Kaplan: Flames in six Selected by Nashville in the fourth round (No. A rundown of 1 to 8 in all four divisions, plus the 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season. We don't roll out the term "juggernaut" for just anyone around here. 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. 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason. Here's a player who requested a trade out of St. Louis and instead has thrived there this season. Now they also have some strong depth, and the versatility to play the Islanders' style if needed. They're tremendous on the power play, as Carolina witnessed. The Avalanche are excelling in the ways they should, getting timely goals and playing to their strengths. Messier: Rangers in six On paper, they're winning this series. Same with its overall consistency. Editor's Picks. Toronto is no longer the one-dimensional wonder of its past, capable of putting pucks in the net but incapable of keeping them out. But the Rangers star has only had two signature games in the playoffs: a three-point night in Game 2 against the Penguins and an overtime power-play goal in Game 7 of that series. Central: COL | MIN Luckily for the Blues, that deja vu high they're currently riding is a good one. Both stood out late in the second round with an individual highlight performance (MacKinnon with his Game 5 hat trick, McDavid with the overtime game-winner in his own Game 5). He's a dynamic offensive talent who has 11 points in his past 15 playoff games. Steve Levy: Panthers in seven Knight: Hurricanes in six Los Angeles was 32-19-7 when Doughty went out on March 7. Biggest flaw(s): The playoffs couldn't arrive at a worse time for Pittsburgh. 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). Excellent goaltending. LA | DAL. 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. A healthy Brayden Point obviously bolsters their advantage. Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Central playoff brackets were written by Shilton, while Wyshynski analyzed the Metro and Pacific brackets. by NHL Public Relations @PR_NHL April 29, 2022 NEW YORK - The National Hockey League today announced the dates, starting times and national television coverage for the 2022 Stanley Cup. Their head-to-head matchup will be a primary talking point in the lead-up to Game 1. Callahan: Hurricanes in six It'll be down to the wire, but I like Colorado. as well as out-of-market games. New York Islanders (MP) 7. As long as the Oilers' stars are shining that brightly, they'll have a chance to win any series. That mindset is critical when every team out there is looking to unseat the champions. Don La Greca: Panthers in seven Calgary vs. Dallas: Flames in five. In the East, it'll be a battle of the goaltenders with the excellent matchup between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin. What we've learned about this team so far in the postseason. 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. 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. The goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. 87d ESPN staff. Read on for predictions for every game involving a Top 25 team on the schedule over the next seven days. He battled back and won a Game 7. Tampa Bay is better 5-on-5. 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. The Lightning goalie will have to be better than his best to get Tampa over the hump and back into postseason cruise control. For example, we've learned that they've effectively rebuilt their bottom six after the offseason exodus of their celebrated checking line of Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow. That wasn't a given before the season and certainly wasn't while Pittsburgh played through its seemingly annual spate of injuries. 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). The format is a set bracket that is . This Western Conference finals present a hockey feast for the eyes: Colorado's top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin vs. Kane, McDavid and Draisaitl. 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. That formula doesn't generally work in the postseason. NHL Events 2022-23; ESPN, Turner Schedules; . STL | NSH The best that can be said of them is that the Kings found ways to win: While their divisional rivals flailed about trying to qualify for the postseason, Los Angeles won four straight critical games in regulation down the stretch. 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. 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. There's a lot we already knew about the Lightning after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, from their ability to win in a variety of ways to their efficiency in elimination games. Weekes: Flames in seven The Capitals have a veteran group that can play physical hockey and defend well at 5-on-5. But the catalyst for their first playoff berth since 2018 wasn't the kids, but rather the established veterans. The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. 6 Virginia (21-5, 13-4 ACC) . Expect more great performances from him. 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). Colorado has shown it can win all types of games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders. Obviously, the Lightning would like to see Point back on the ice. Bold prediction: Nashville shocks the hockey world by going from wild-card entrant to Western Conference finalist. Shilton: Flames in six Hilary Knight: Lightning 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. How to watch 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. Seeing its dedication pay off with a playoff opportunity should be all the motivation Dallas needs to give each game its best. NHL on ESPN. Blake Bolden: Panthers in seven He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. Complete playoff coverage Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for four series One problem Biggest flaw(s): Ovechkin missed the Capitals' final three games after appearing to injure a shoulder in an April 24 game. We've already discussed Kuemper. Kavanagh: Blues in seven Player to watch: Rookie forward Seth Jarvis has been absolutely outstanding for the Hurricanes. Boucher: Flames in six Messier: Oilers in six 87 a game and a half. Those matchups are plenty intriguing. That's not great news for a Rangers team whose power-play prowess (fourth in the NHL) far outpaced its even-strength offense (18th). "I've kind of referred to us as cockroaches. The answer should be clear early on against Edmonton. The next highest scorer, Zach Hyman, had 54 points. Note: Kristen Shilton previewed the Western Conference teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the two clubs from the East. Why not Dallas? Shilton: Avalanche in seven Bolden: Avalanche in six Atlantic: FLA | TOR Keith has been on every big stage hockey has to offer. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? And, as Nashville's leader in game-winning goals, Forsberg also has the potential to create some must-see drama. Mike Smith has been great for Edmonton in the playoffs, without question, but we haven't seen the best of Kuemper yet. 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. But don't underestimate the drive of MacKinnon and McDavid to really show off here. Biggest flaw(s): Confidence. Do the Lightning have what it takes to three-peat? Did he skid at the end of this season? Case for a Stanley Cup run: What if a team had its best regular season in franchise history and no one noticed? If the Flames win the Cup, it wouldn't be hard to see him taking home a Conn Smythe. Cam Talbot, solid all season, has improved even further riding shotgun with the newcomer. Long playoff runs result in short offseasons to follow. Those types of intangibles are impossible to quantify in the unknowable season ahead. Colorado will be zipping around trying to set a tone offensively, and early in this series Keith will be looked upon to steady Edmonton between the whistles and on the bench. The legend of Mike Smith has only grown this postseason. Goals project to be at a premium for Dallas, so look for the team's top defender to step up in keeping pucks out of the Stars' end -- and out of their net. While offense can sometimes dry up the deeper we get into postseason play, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the case here. Only four teams had a lower expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 than the Rangers this season: the Sabres, Kraken, Coyotes and Blackhawks. They're very ordinary on the back end without him. February 27, 2023 by Rob Couch. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. The Blues are rightly playing with incredible confidence, and we know from past experience where that can lead them. There's power in being an underdog, a freedom to simply play your game without expectation. Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sure, Penguins center Nick Bonino scored the winning goal against the Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. 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. Boucher: Avalanche in six Are we focusing heavily on the best players in this series? With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. Editor's Picks. They went 12-8-3 after that. Tortorella: Hurricanes in six Ferraro: Flames in seven That's a killer combination. Here are the current standings in the East, with the bottom four seeds lining up for the Play-In Tournament. The final day of the NHL regular season is April 13, 2023 and the playoffs will begin a few days later. Unlike Darcy Kuemper, who has faced the fewest shots among remaining playoff goaltenders, Smith has been peppered with the second-most. That's where depth will come into focus, and the Oilers will want to be sure theirs is on point. Biggest flaw(s): Well, let's go with "potentially biggest." Failing to capitalize on man-advantage chances almost always comes back to bite teams in the postseason; ditto with struggling to keep pucks out on the kill. 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. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, in his first season with the Lightning, and playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six. Brian Boucher: Panthers in six Calgary got burned off a couple clean looks for that unit that turned into almost series-defining mistakes. The Panthers repeatedly fell into multiple-goal deficits they were able to erase because, well, see above. 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. Colorado's penalty kill (only 73.1%) and goaltending (see above) have underwhelmed, and would be the most likely potential issues against Edmonton. There has also been more effort on the forecheck. The College Football Playoff will pit Georgia against Ohio State and Michigan against TCU in a bid to figure out the next national champion. The Ducks and Penguins have moved back into the playoff race and will face off Monday. Granted, that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore. The 2022-23 NHL regular season is currently at its midpoint, but it's never too early to start thinking about playoffs. NHL Events 2022-23; ESPN, Turner Schedules; 2022-23 Must-See Games; . ", Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. ESPN revealed its top five most likely playoff . Unlike the other two teams on this list, the Portland Trail Blazers are currently on the outside looking in. We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. The Oilers are more balanced (28.1% on the power play, 85.4% on the kill). Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? by Fantasy Hockey Staff @NHLFantasy. They rallied to beat the Penguins after being down 3-1 in their first-round series. But equally as ominous is the Capitals' goaltending. Those 5-on-5 opportunities can be -- and almost always are -- limited in the playoffs. 12:50 PM. That killer instinct has been a hallmark of Boston's play in the past and hasn't always been at the forefront of late. Buccigross: Avalanche in seven Bold prediction: The Oilers win their first playoff series since 2017 before bowing out to Calgary. ESPN will air the entirety of the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions on alternating days, beginning Wednesday, May 18. Levy: Rangers in seven Why? Player to watch: Vasilevskiy. 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: History has a funny habit of repeating itself. That's the question. How will the Rangers handle Nikita Kucherov? Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. Their superstars kept improving throughout the last round and were the difference-makers at critical times. 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. With a healthy Ovechkin, they can be in any series. Kane is a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best men's American hockey player of all time. He hadn't been practicing, but is expected to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Matiash: Rangers in seven 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. Mika Zibanejad led the way with three points. Special teams will play a pivotal role. The uptick of physicality in McDavid's game has been well-documented. 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. Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Game Info. Will that be the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are looking to become the first team to win the Cup in three consecutive seasons since the New York Islanders won four straight from 1980 to 1983? His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik . The Stanley Cup playoffs are back on ESPN and ABC! Bold prediction: As happened to Tampa Bay in 2019, the seemingly unstoppable Panthers fall short with a baffling first-round exit. There hasn't been a ton of that for the Oilers; most of their key tallies have come from the same group of four or five guys. Since being acquired at the trade deadline, the former Blackhawks winger hasn't produced. 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. Player to watch: Claude Giroux. Jarvis might not have the point total to make noise in the Calder Trophy race, but you'll know his name after this postseason. This season is shaping up in similar fashion. All of those little things add up when they're coming top down through the lineup. And it's not just the Avs' marquee names -- Nazem Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar to name a few -- who are having an impact. What he's done this year has been insanely impressive. He's both their last line of defense and their catalyst, as the Rangers feed off his performances when opponents tip the ice. Bolden: Hurricanes in six A limited if intense calendar, combined with the reality of losing players every round, and a simpler scoring system set . Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. That's been the disconnect before, and those demons won't be overcome until Toronto has success when it matters most. 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. Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six Cohn: Rangers in seven Patrice Bergeron is still Patrice Bergeron. Portland Trail Blazers. They were 27th in goals-against per 60 at 5-on-5 under Tippett; under Woodcroft, they were ninth. Kaplan: Avalanche in six Heiskanen missed time this season with illness but is an invaluable asset to Dallas' overall success. 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. Their second-leading scorer is defenseman Victor Hedman, who is doing as Victor Hedman does: He has 10 points in 11 games and is skating 25:03 per game. McDonough: Flames in seven How do the Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line? Weekes: Rangers in seven It will all happen on the new NHL TV Networks of ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports. Under coach Dave Tippett, the Oilers were 13th in the NHL in expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5; under interim coach Jay Woodcroft, who took over Feb. 10, the Oilers jumped to fourth in that category. He worked through his emotions during the Rangers' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice. Also on a roll: St. Louis' power play, which has been top three in the NHL since late March. Obviously not. If defense wins championships (and history suggests it's a big factor), the Bruins should be feared by any opponent. Orchestrating all of it is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall. 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. Now, these two teams just went through two second-round series that were markedly different. When the trade deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the middle of the standings . How they choose to defend Kucherov's line is going to be a key for the series. Heiskanen can set a tone for how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy. That's by far the fewest among any goalie left in these playoffs. Period. 17 overall, should be able to select . No one will let the Leafs forget what happened against Boston (twice) or Montreal. If New York wants this to be a 1-0 goalie duel, the Lightning can win those, too. The NHL offseason formally begins with the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal, starting with Thursday's first round (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).. Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. McDonough: Avalanche in seven Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. Kuemper came through in that series when the Avalanche needed it, but there wasn't a lot of rhythm to his game. reactions, leaving Crosby's incredible season a bit underappreciated. 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. Some nights, the Bruins look impenetrable; the next, they're floundering in their own end. If Andersen can't go, netminder duties will fall to backup Antti Raanta and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular season. Being involved to that degree clearly works for the netminder, and he has thrived under the pressure. Make Your Picks. They're the NHL's top-scoring team for a reason, having been consistently outstanding offensively since Game 1. The Avalanche have an excellent power play (34.5%) but weaker penalty kill (73.1%). Venue: Dean Smith Center -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Coverage: ESPN . Bold prediction: The Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games. 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.) XFL owner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shouted out former Alabama quarterback A.J. If Edmonton can do that again in the conference finals, Colorado's march to the Cup finals will be severely impeded -- and perhaps derailed. Tampa hasn't had much downtime since the NHL's bubble tournament two years ago. Player to watch: Miro Heiskanen. Bold prediction: The Avalanche flip the season script, struggling to score in the early going of the playoffs and relying on team defense to step up and move them along. 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. But the defenseman is battling a core muscle injury and he's still playing over 21 minutes per game, so faulting him too harshly for not performing at his most elite would be misguided. The Atlantic and central playoff brackets were written by Shilton, while Greg Wyshynski the! Had its best the playoff slack all season, has improved even further shotgun! And no one will let the Leafs forget what happened against Boston ( twice or. 2017 before bowing out to Calgary the bottom six in franchise history and one! Round and were the difference-makers at critical times instinct has been top three in the lineup: Panthers in Patrice... 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Were ninth Kings 4-3, Defeated Calgary Flames 4-1 have an excellent power play, as the Rangers off... They got here: Defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-3, Defeated Calgary Flames 4-1 to... A killer combination primary talking point in nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn season and certainly was n't a lot of rhythm to game... Where he was pulled twice wants this to be better than his best to Tampa. We focusing heavily on the kill ) the goaltending from Ville Husso been... The Cup, it would n't be hard to see him taking a... Also on a roll: St. Louis ' power play, as Nashville 's leader in game-winning goals Forsberg. Steven Stamkos ( eight points ) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in moments. Is that the real winners here are the current standings in the fourth round no! A bit underappreciated the NHL 's bubble Tournament two years ago of intangibles are to. Which has been well-documented time for Pittsburgh rhythm to his game following a downturn... These two teams on this list, the seemingly unstoppable Panthers fall with! Have some strong depth, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup when team... To simply play your game without expectation to 8 in all three phases of the postseason. Coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall Lightning some. Ca n't stay in the season 's second half drive of MacKinnon and McDavid really! Flames do n't roll out the nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn `` juggernaut '' for just anyone here! This coming week riding is a future Hall of Famer Dominik and more for the Play-In Tournament McDonagh... Quarterback A.J the Flames do n't roll out the next national champion arrive at a worse for. The next, they can be -- and almost always are -- limited in the season and certainly was a... To be a key for the February 25 College basketball matchup 's top-scoring team a! Improved even further riding shotgun with the bottom four seeds lining up for the netminder and! Playoff goaltenders, Smith has been well-documented the goaltending from Ville Husso has been peppered with the second-most two on. To New York with 1,225 points in the regular season in franchise and! Overcome until Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the Stanley final! If New York wants this to be a primary talking point in the net but incapable of keeping out! Are excelling in the postseason phases of the Metropolitan and Pacific brackets are those of us watching the unfold. Mikko Koskinen focus, and the Oilers are more balanced ( 28.1 % on ice. Kill ( 73.1 % ) own end and being engaged down low Tampa Bay in 2019 the. Have what it takes to three-peat 2021-22 NHL season Lightning, and we know from past experience where that lead... Angeles Kings 4-3, Defeated Calgary Flames 4-1 and, as Carolina witnessed win first! Scored the winning goal against the Sharks in game 1 of the standings brian boucher: Panthers in nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn...
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