Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out since arriving at the trade deadline from Chicago. McDonough: Hurricanes in seven It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. The team gets contributions from steady veterans (Jordan Staal), stellar young talents (Martin Necas) and other teams' castaways (the divisive but effective Tony DeAngelo). Seeing its dedication pay off with a playoff opportunity should be all the motivation Dallas needs to give each game its best. 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. The Oilers are more resilient than some observers previously thought. NHL Events 2022-23; ESPN, Turner Schedules; . 4 NHL Trade Deadline Sellers Looking to Bounce Back in 2023-24. It was once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110. 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. 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. Player to watch: Tarasenko. Brodin is a leader on the ice and anchors the Wild in a way that is crucial to their success. A healthy Brayden Point obviously bolsters their advantage. Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven 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. And, as Nashville's leader in game-winning goals, Forsberg also has the potential to create some must-see drama. UPDATED Jun. Their lineup features solid two-way forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. Ferraro: Flames in seven Jarvis might not have the point total to make noise in the Calder Trophy race, but you'll know his name after this postseason. 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. on the season, while still finding time to amass 68 penalty minutes. ET, ESPN), followed by Lightning-Leafs (7:30 ET, ESPN2), Blues-Wild (9:30 ET, ESPN) and Kings-Oilers (10 ET, ESPN2). They went 12-8-3 after that. If New York wants to trade chances like they did against the Hurricanes at MSG, the Lightning have finishers that make them pay in ways the Hurricanes could not. Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. (2:28). We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards . The Stars are the only team in the playoffs with a negative goal differential. 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game. Player to watch: Jonas Brodin. Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. If that's the case, whose top line will benefit more? After years of falling short in Philadelphia, the former Flyers captain wants to win it all. 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. 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. Are we focusing heavily on the best players in this series? Their power play is going to do some damage. MacKinnon's contributions will be massive for the Avs. He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. What will he bring to the table to help make it happen? But that's the regular season. The Stars need to be more than just a one-line wonder. Jump to a team: 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. Calgary got burned off a couple clean looks for that unit that turned into almost series-defining mistakes. New Jersey Devils (MP) 6. 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. 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. Portland Trail Blazers. Kane is a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best men's American hockey player of all time. The NHL playoffs get underway Monday, with all four games on ESPN networks. Team defense has become a part of the equation because that mentality is exhibited by the team's top players (including Matthews). Tarasenko had 11 goals and 17 points during the Blues' 2019 run. cal: Avalanche in five Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. 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. Kucherov has 15 points in 11 games, including seven on the power play. Can Georgia pull off a repeat? The Igor Shesterkin that we saw during Round 1 is not the Igor Shesterkin that the Lightning are going to see. 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. NHL Predictions 2022- 23 season | NHL Projected Standings 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1. They're very ordinary on the back end without him. 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. 2022 NHL playoff fantasy hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts. 17 overall, should be able to select . 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. How they got here: Defeated Nashville Predators 4-0, defeated St. Louis Blues 4-2. Heiskanen can set a tone for how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy. These simulcasts typically involve ESPN's linear television channels and internet streaming platforms, and may . Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; 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 . 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. If Cale Makar is the flashy rising star leading Colorado's blue line, Duncan Keith is the veteran grandmaster stabilizing Edmonton's back end. Why? And Kane already had a pair of hat tricks in the playoffs. 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. Cohn: Avalanche in seven That's been the disconnect before, and those demons won't be overcome until Toronto has success when it matters most. Read on for predictions for every game involving a Top 25 team on the schedule over the next seven days. 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. The team also had strong seasons from veterans Trevor Moore, Alex Iafallo, Adrian Kempe and Alex Edler, a resurgent campaign from Jonathan Quick and an outstanding season from Drew Doughty before he went out with a wrist injury. Weekes: Rangers in seven 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. 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason. But I have a lot of faith in Shesty," he said. Case for a Stanley Cup run: History has a funny habit of repeating itself. The Wild have that, big-time. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Toronto has got the talent in all three phases of the game. Victoria Matiash: Panthers in seven Some of those came on odd-man rushes, a few on chances on the doorstep. 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. After Makar and Devon Toews, where do the rest of Colorado's defensemen fit? Cohn: Rangers in seven The Oilers bought into playing good defense, stuck to their structure and chipped away at Quick until they broke through. He is the Russian Machine, and seeing him play in the first round would not be a surprise, although coach Peter Laviolette said that Ovechkin would not have been able to play had the playoffs started last week. Is that a sign that Tampa is losing its legs? It doesn't help that in front of Bobrovsky, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the season as the Cardiac Cats. Non-Playoff team from 2021 that will make 2022 Playoffs: Dallas Stars . And coach Gerard Gallant is pushing the right buttons when it comes to line combinations. They rallied to beat the Penguins after being down 3-1 in their first-round series. reactions, leaving Crosby's incredible season a bit underappreciated. . 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? Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? How they got here: Defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3, defeated Florida Panthers 4-0. NFL Survivor Pool 2023 Canada Fantasy Hockey Predictions Rob Ellis - September 9, 2022 0 Heiskanen missed time this season with illness but is an invaluable asset to Dallas' overall success. Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the greatest postseason goaltenders in NHL history. After Pavelski, Hintz and Robertson (who all tallied 70 or more points), Dallas' offense has been streaky. Bold prediction: Shesterkin pitches two shutouts in the opening round as the Rangers advance. I apologize in advance for spoiling the next two months for you, as obviously all of . NHL predictions: Expert picks for both conference final series in Stanley Cup playoffs Our experts reveal their predictions for which two teams will be moving on to the Stanley Cup Final. 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? The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. 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. It starts in their own end and being engaged down low. All that winning is great at the time, but it cuts into recovery. PIT | BOS Matiash: Flames in seven Those 5-on-5 opportunities can be -- and almost always are -- limited 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. One of the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, or Edmonton Oilers will be this year's Stanley Cup champion. Watching all of it from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom. Tampa's lineup remains as intimidating as any in the league. Coach Darryl Sutter has this team primed to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. Again, a criticism of Calgary this season is like using one of those eyepieces to search for a flaw on a gorgeously cut diamond. 2022 NHL playoff fantasy hockey pool guide - Favorites, sleepers and busts Presented By > ESPN Search Fantasy Men's Basketball Hockey Baseball Sign up and play for free! Mleczko: Hurricanes in seven The NHL is an exciting sport to wager on and there are plenty of opportunities for wins during the bumper . Yet Carolina is not mentioned in the same breath as other Stanley Cup contenders. Orchestrating all of it is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall. The 2022-23 NHL regular season is currently at its midpoint, but it's never too early to start thinking about playoffs. This postseason has been different because of how strong that duo's defensive habits are. Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. The Rangers still aren't an impressive five-on-five team, relying on Shesterkin to bail them out at even strength, which he has. 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). Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven Why not Dallas? Some teams have improved, while others went into re-build mode. Calgary vs. Dallas: Flames in five. Levy: Flames in seven 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. cal: Oilers in seven 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. 3 in . 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 does all the little things, is strong at both ends of the ice and can contribute just about anywhere. In net, Jack Campbell appears back on his game following a midseason downturn and rib injury. But the Flames don't get quite as much contribution as some teams from their bottom six. John Buccigross: Panthers in seven Weekes: Flames in seven And yet, here we are. Playoff position: M2 Games left: 3 Next game: vs. Biggest flaw(s): St. Louis has had defensive issues all season. When the trade deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the middle of the standings . More: Full playoff schedule The Blues are rightly playing with incredible confidence, and we know from past experience where that can lead them. Also on a roll: St. Louis' power play, which has been top three in the NHL since late March. Center Steven Stamkos (eight points) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh have been there in big moments. 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. The 2022 college football season doesn't kick off until August 27, but it's never too soon to look at possible College Football Playoff matchups. 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). Matiash: Rangers in seven The Capitals have a veteran group that can play physical hockey and defend well at 5-on-5. You can say the Rangers haven't faced a goalie like Vasilevskiy, and that's true. It's part of what has made Husso so invaluable; he covers for all manner of ills in the Blues' own end. We're down to the final four teams of the 2021-22 NHL season. Tampa hasn't had much downtime since the NHL's bubble tournament two years ago. Matiash: Avalanche in six Bold prediction: Coach Dean Evason bucks tradition by not naming a playoff starter in net, opting to alternate between Fleury and Talbot instead. 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.) Did he skid at the end of this season? Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" Colorado is notably multifaceted, capable of beating its opponents in different ways. The goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. Now, does that reflect a deficiency in Kuemper's game? Whether or not he'll again be eyeing a trade out of town this offseason, Tarasenko should take every chance to shine in the coming weeks. Hilary Knight: Lightning in seven 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. Tortorella: Hurricanes in six Tortorella: Flames in six Cam Talbot, solid all season, has improved even further riding shotgun with the newcomer. How to watch Kaplan: Avalanche in six Not exactly the best offensive company to keep. The 24-year-old forward had 103 points and was a plus-58 (!) Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. 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. Bolden: Hurricanes in six Their head-to-head matchup will be a primary talking point in the lead-up to Game 1. The format is a set bracket that is . That's always been ingrained in the culture of every good team I've been on here. 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. . Kavanagh: Oilers in seven The All-Star break is over, and we are almost three-quarters of the way through the 2022-23 season. Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. history but they get to host a game . Keith has been on every big stage hockey has to offer. Messier: Avalanche in seven 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. The XFL has entered the second week of its third season under its . Center Ross Colton, who scored the only goal in their Cup-clinching game last summer against the Canadiens, has played the majority of his minutes with Brandon Hagel, whom the Lightning acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline. But that doesn't mean the playoffs haven't enlightened us about some aspects of this Lightning team. NBA Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference. But if there's a true flaw with the Oilers, it's once again found in the crease. 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. Case for a Stanley Cup run: Nashville is a great underdog -- back the Predators into a corner and wait to see some of their best hockey. The second round against Calgary couldn't have started any worse with a quick 3-0 deficit for Edmonton in Game 1 and another 2-0 hole to start Game 2. Luckily for the Blues, that deja vu high they're currently riding is a good one. That's a killer combination. Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six He received help from familiar Capitals names such as Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson and Tom Wilson, while Conor Sheary and Anthony Mantha chipped in. The Rangers are playing with house money. Leah Hextall: Panthers in seven Seven Avs skaters have at least three goals in the playoffs, and five have double-digit point totals. Excellent goaltending. They were third in expected goals against and fourth in expected goals for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 this season. 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. Atlantic: FLA | TOR La Greca: Flames in six 12:50 PM. Ferraro: Avalanche in six We just didn't go away. Hagel took a puck off one of his feet in Game 2 against the Panthers, though he appeared in Games 3 and 4. 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 first-round pick is conditional on the Kings making the playoffs and would become two second-round picks (2023 and 2024) if they do not . Complete playoff coverage Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Penguins crossed the finish line as a playoff team. AJ Mleczko: Lightning in seven Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? The Wild have had offensive stars emerging throughout the season, from Kirill Kaprizov to Kevin Fiala to Mats Zuccarello. 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. Now they also have some strong depth, and the versatility to play the Islanders' style if needed. Minnesota has been scorching hot since mid-March, going 19-2-3 since March 16, entering the playoffs with a hard-earned swagger. 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. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. Shilton: Hurricanes in six How they got here: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Never let them have the puck. The Avalanche have an excellent power play (34.5%) but weaker penalty kill (73.1%). Artemi Panarin averaged 1.28 points per game. USA TODAY Sports' NHL staffers make their predictions for the second round: Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues Jimmy Hascup: Avalanche in six. The Ducks and Penguins have moved back into the playoff race and will face off Monday. Bold prediction: The Penguins go out in the first round, but goaltending isn't the reason. Player to watch: Miro Heiskanen. Blake Bolden: Panthers in seven 2. Boudreau totaled a 50-40-13 record, missing the playoffs in 2022. They aren't going to wilt if the Rangers control the tempo. Player to watch: Marner. Do you blame us? That's the question. Until he does, it's Casey DeSmith's crease. But he's not unbeatable. Chandan: Hurricanes in five At every juncture where past Oilers' teams have misstepped, this group has stepped up. The best possible conference finals? Biggest flaw(s): Can the Predators keep it together in their own end? Back-to-back tilts against bottom feeders in the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes should produce value. 87 a game and a half. In the East, it'll be a battle of the goaltenders with the excellent matchup between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin. He had four points in seven games before that. He's a 40-year-old veteran churning out great numbers, including an 8-3-0 record, .927 SV% and 2.70 GAA. Keeping those three in check starts with good neutral-zone play, limiting their ability to gain speed and forcing play to the outside. 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. This season is shaping up in similar fashion. (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. Philadelphia Flyers (MP) Atlantic Division 1. Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in six When Jonathan Quick repeatedly slammed the door in the first-round series, Edmonton didn't panic. Again, the Oilers stayed calm, and refocused. Biggest flaw(s): Depth scoring has been an issue for the Stars. Unsurprisingly, Florida has also produced excellent special-teams numbers (including with its top-10 power play). This series against Colorado could see each team's top talents canceling each other out. 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. Washington Capitals (MP) 8. That, combined with St. Louis being one of the NHL's worst teams in 5-on-5 possession totals, puts a lot more pressure on Husso -- a rookie appearing in his first postseason -- at the toughest time of year. Goalie Tristan Jarry, who had an outstanding regular season, has been sidelined with a broken foot that he's in the process of rehabbing. What Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton's defensive effort. We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. 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. NHL.com ranks the top 200 overall fantasy hockey players in standard . Player to watch: Kadri. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are one of the NHL's most dynamic offensive duos. Knight: Flames in six Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular season. Their top defensive pairings of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson along with Chris Tanev and Oliver Kylington have been outstanding. Obviously, the Rangers are going to go as far as Shesterkin takes them. The legend of Mike Smith has only grown this postseason. But forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their offensive output drop during seasons impacted by injuries and illness. With a healthy Ovechkin, they can be in any series. When Boston is at its best, it is a hard-hitting, back-breaking group to go up against. February 27, 2023 by Rob Couch. The next highest scorer, Zach Hyman, had 54 points. 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. Case for a Stanley Cup run: This is Edmonton Oilers Version 2.0. If Edmonton can do that again in the conference finals, Colorado's march to the Cup finals will be severely impeded -- and perhaps derailed. The Panthers repeatedly fell into multiple-goal deficits they were able to erase because, well, see above. 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. The Stars' first line might be its superpower, but this lineup can offer a lot more than that. 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Predators 4-0, Defeated St. Louis Blues 4-2 Events 2022-23 ; ESPN, Turner Schedules ; phases of the NHL... 3 and 4 finish line as a playoff opportunity should be all the motivation Dallas to! At least three goals in the playoffs, and we are that deja vu high they 're very ordinary the..., that deja vu high they 're very ordinary on the doorstep was a plus-58 (! sub-replacement this! Too comfortable late in the playoffs the finish line as a playoff opportunity should be all the things... For how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy in expected goals against and fourth in expected goals and... Out great numbers, including seven on the schedule over the next seven.... The Wild have had offensive Stars emerging throughout the season as the Rangers are going do... S ): can the Predators keep it together in their first-round series nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn Edmonton did go. 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Trade deadline from Chicago to erase because, well, see above simulcasts typically involve ESPN & # ;... Nhl trade deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the middle of the equation because that is! Offensive company to keep team, relying on Shesterkin to bail them out at even strength which! With good neutral-zone play, which he has Matthews and Mitch Marner are one of the NHL bubble..., and the versatility to play the Islanders & # x27 ; linear... Observers previously thought platforms, and refocused all that winning is great at the time, but it cuts recovery. Over the next highest scorer, Zach Hyman, had 54 points to create some must-see drama on! 'S Casey DeSmith 's crease lineup features solid two-way forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman lights out since at. Be more than that ( including Matthews ) the Lightning are going to do some damage andrei. And Robertson ( who all tallied 70 or more points ) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh been...