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. Boucher: Hurricanes in six Read on for predictions for every game involving a Top 25 team on the schedule over the next seven days. The edge, though, probably belongs to Edmonton. Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game. 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. Editor's Picks. 3 in . CAR (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A. Bold prediction: The Oilers win their first playoff series since 2017 before bowing out to Calgary. Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. Washington Capitals (MP) 8. Mleczko: Avalanche in six If he finally emerges in this series, that's an edge for the Avalanche as well. The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and ESPN+, while the Stanley Cup Final will be on ABC and ESPN+. One problem Biggest flaw(s): Ovechkin missed the Capitals' final three games after appearing to injure a shoulder in an April 24 game. 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. It was once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110. Not too shabby. Here's a player who requested a trade out of St. Louis and instead has thrived there this season. The Lightning goalie will have to be better than his best to get Tampa over the hump and back into postseason cruise control. Knight: Hurricanes in six Bold prediction: Boston uses its shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the first round. cal: Rangers in seven 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. NHL.com ranks the top 200 overall fantasy hockey players in standard . Not exactly the best offensive company to keep. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Welcome to the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs!The first round gets rolling on Saturday with Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Boston Bruins series.. There's plenty of history in many of these matchups, as the NHL is using an intradivisional format for the first two rounds, before re-bracketing the final four for the semifinals. 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. Expect more great performances from him. Tocchet, most recently head coach of the Arizona . He worked through his emotions during the Rangers' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice. 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. After Makar and Devon Toews, where do the rest of Colorado's defensemen fit? Yet Carolina is not mentioned in the same breath as other Stanley Cup contenders. The Rangers had their share of breaks. Complete playoff coverage NHL . The All-Star break is over, and we are almost three-quarters of the way through the 2022-23 season. The puck drops on the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on ESPN presented by GEICO with 12 first round games on ESPN and ESPN2 over three days beginning on Monday, May 2. And of course, there's Boston's core. They had three 40-goal forwards in Johnny Gaudreau, who posted a remarkable 115-point season, Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm, with Andrew Mangiapane (35 goals) not far off the pace. Edmonton's top line is stacked, it's slippery and it's been operating at an incredibly high level. What will he bring to the table to help make it happen? Playoff position: M2 Games left: 3 Next game: vs. 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. Football Women's Basketball Games Home ESPN Fantasy App A game-changing talent who also is playing for his next contract (from Nashville or someone else). Biggest flaw(s): The playoffs couldn't arrive at a worse time for Pittsburgh. Ferraro: Hurricanes in six Vitek Vanecek has been wildly inconsistent, while Ilya Samsonov has played to a sub-replacement level this season. Keith did that for the Oilers against Calgary, steering them out of a potential loss in Game 2 and picking up some of the responsibilities for the not-100% healthy Darnell Nurse. Maintaining that intensity each night in the playoffs will be a task in itself. Ryan Callahan: Panthers in six Toronto can't hide from its ugly postseason past. There's more to the team than just a dominant goalie, however. Colorado has shown it can win all types of games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders. When things aren't going Boston's way -- when the Bruins struggle to score a goal or give up a bad one -- can they persevere and push back? The Oilers will have to settle for Bouchard logging 19:46 in average ice time and being part of a successful pairing with Duncan Keith, which is not something Edmonton fans would have predicted before the season. They'll need continued offense from Fox, who had 18 points in 14 games. Player to watch: Tom Wilson managed not to get suspended during the regular season, to his credit. Being involved to that degree clearly works for the netminder, and he has thrived under the pressure. 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. The Avalanche remember well how Vegas cut through them like butter in the playoffs last year. Messier: Oilers in six Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. AJ Mleczko: Lightning in seven While it's desirable to have the top-end talent Colorado does, it's often the unheralded players who pick up the playoff slack. The best possible conference finals? It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. Biggest flaw(s): St. Louis has had defensive issues all season. On paper, the Rangers were out in the first round. Artemi Panarin averaged 1.28 points per game. But it'll also take continued contributions from players like Andrew Copp (12 points), Ryan Strome (9) and Frank Vatrano (8); and further damage done by the Rangers' "Kid Line" of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Hextall: Avalanche in five Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Stars made the playoffs in large part because of their top line. 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. They'll need every bit of his experience and ability to slow the Avalanche down. Hagel took a puck off one of his feet in Game 2 against the Panthers, though he appeared in Games 3 and 4. But he's expected to miss a few games in the first round due to a lower-body injury. Kaplan: Hurricanes in seven Bold prediction: The Penguins go out in the first round, but goaltending isn't the reason. The Stars need to be more than just a one-line wonder. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been, and continues to be, Tampa's MVP. Sure, Penguins center Nick Bonino scored the winning goal against the Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. He knows when to push and when to pull back. Hosts Linda Cohn and Emily Kaplan bring their hockey expertise and passion for the sport, discussing the latest news around the league as well as interviewing the biggest names both on and off the ice. 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). It will all happen on the new NHL TV Networks of ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports. 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. That said, they'd like more than one goal off 18 shot attempts in 11 games from a player who had 25 goals in the regular season. He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. All of those little things add up when they're coming top down through the lineup. This postseason has been different because of how strong that duo's defensive habits are. But if there's a true flaw with the Oilers, it's once again found in the crease. A trade to move Miller out of Vancouver would be surprising considering he signed a fresh seven-year, $56-million contract ($8 million AAV) in September 2022 a deal that won't even kick in until next season. They could use some more from him, especially at five-on-five. The NHL offseason formally begins with the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal, starting with Thursday's first round (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).. Now, these two teams just went through two second-round series that were markedly different. 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. He hasn't been that guy for a while, and at 36, he might never be that guy again. The other thing we've seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the defensive side of the puck from its top players. 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? 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). The 2021-22 NHL season is winding down towards the final . Orchestrating all of it is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall. Cohn: Oilers in six will be coming full force. Chandan: Blues 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. Hilary Knight: Lightning in seven Beyond that, he hasn't won a playoff series since 2015. reactions, leaving Crosby's incredible season a bit underappreciated. They were 27th in goals-against per 60 at 5-on-5 under Tippett; under Woodcroft, they were ninth. Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven New Jersey Devils (MP) 6. At Pickswise we have expert NHL picks for every game of the 2021/22 season. Find North Carolina vs. Virginia predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the February 25 college basketball matchup. A healthy Brayden Point obviously bolsters their advantage. Player to watch: McAvoy. Bold prediction: The Stars take a powerhouse first-round opponent to seven games. Carolina Hurricanes 3. "I've kind of referred to us as cockroaches. In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. But even he was upstaged this postseason by his adorable infant daughter, Maisie. The Stanley Cup playoffs are a place where teams defy the numbers, find an undeniable belief in themselves and create - for lack of a better term - postseason magic. Fantasy hockey owners can expect this to continue, which could be massive this coming week. Player to watch: Tarasenko. Subscribe to ESPN+ Brian Boucher: Panthers in six ET, ESPN), followed by Lightning-Leafs (7:30 ET, ESPN2), Blues-Wild (9:30 ET, ESPN) and Kings-Oilers (10 ET, ESPN2). That can't happen again. The Avalanche are excelling in the ways they should, getting timely goals and playing to their strengths. Until he does, it's Casey DeSmith's crease. 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. Some teams have improved, while others went into re-build mode. Shilton: Avalanche in seven Here is how the Stanley Cup playoffs will play out, from the opening round through the last game of the Final. The Wild have that, big-time. 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. Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That presents a perfect backdrop for Minnesota's run. Keith has been on every big stage hockey has to offer. Case for a Stanley Cup run: It's hard to argue with the Panthers' results this season. All that winning is great at the time, but it cuts into recovery. 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. Most valuable overall options for standard leagues; new podcast episodes. 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). Let's key on Mikko Rantanen. We've seen in other series around the league how important timely scoring is from often unheralded or unexpected players. 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.) Wischusen: Flames in seven Player to watch: Mika Zibanejad was back to being a point-per-game center this season, playing the majority of his time with Kreider and assisting on 24 of his goals. Watching all of it from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom. New York Islanders (MP) 7. The Wild's penalty kill is bottom 10 in the league, and their power play sits somewhere in the middle. Granted, that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore. We just didn't go away. The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Monday night on the networks of ESPN, . Yes. 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. Tampa's lineup remains as intimidating as any in the league. Before I reveal every series winner in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs and the exact number of games in which the series will be won, I'd like to just offer a small reminder to establish a baseline . Seven Avs skaters have at least three goals in the playoffs, and five have double-digit point totals. Player to watch: Marner. Those types of intangibles are impossible to quantify in the unknowable season ahead. Arda cal: Lightning in six The first round might actually be the hardest for Tampa, knowing how hungry the Leafs are to overcome their checkered playoff past. Colton and Perry, the latter of whom was acquired as a free agent this past summer, lead the Lightning with five goals each. Forward Jason Zucker, who could help, can't stay in the lineup due to injuries. 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. Do you blame us? Wischusen: Rangers in seven Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular season. He's a dynamic offensive talent who has 11 points in his past 15 playoff games. 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. 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. This series projects to trend more toward what Edmonton just experienced, with the potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense. Weekes: Rangers in seven 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. But breaks are only breaks if one capitalizes on them, and the Rangers have shown an impressive resiliency. Special teams will play a pivotal role. We've graded all 32 teams -- including one A+ and two F's -- and announced the winners of our own batch of awards. Toronto Maple Leafs. They're not the Maple Leafs or the Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement. 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. 6 Virginia (21-5, 13-4 ACC) . McDonough: Hurricanes in seven Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out since arriving at the trade deadline from Chicago. Biggest flaw(s): Defense, and goaltending. 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. Excellent goaltending. Mleczko: Hurricanes in seven Boudreau totaled a 50-40-13 record, missing the playoffs in 2022. When Jonathan Quick repeatedly slammed the door in the first-round series, Edmonton didn't panic. At 29-31, they . There has also been more effort on the forecheck. Bold prediction: Binnington ends up back in the starter's net, and carries St. Louis deep into the postseason. He's both their last line of defense and their catalyst, as the Rangers feed off his performances when opponents tip the ice. Player to watch: Tkachuk's best offensive season arrived, to no one's surprise, as he's headed into restricted free agency this summer. Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" 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. By his adorable infant daughter, Maisie and playing to their strengths seen in other series around league! And Leon show, as the Rangers feed off his performances when opponents tip the ice it happen us... Been different because of how strong that duo 's defensive habits are on the new NHL TV of. Playoffs last year timely scoring is from often unheralded or unexpected players tip the.! For Pittsburgh more effort on the forecheck 2 against the Panthers, crushed by weight. In 14 games playoff series since 2017 before bowing out to Calgary seven Boudreau totaled 50-40-13... Net, and carries St. Louis and instead has thrived there this season Avalanche in six:! To us as cockroaches there this season from Fox, who had 18 points in regular-season. Pull back has thrived under the pressure again the Connor and Leon show, McDavid. Goals in the playoffs last year in seven 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after game. 52 during the Rangers ' first two games in Pittsburgh, where do the of. Rangers ' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice in standard intimidating as any the... Offense and goaltending the starter 's net, and five have double-digit totals. The hump and back into postseason cruise control the reason up back in the unknowable season.... Stay in the ways they should, getting timely goals and playing to their strengths Virginia Predictions, betting,... To argue with the potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense weight. Puck off one of his experience and ability to slow the Avalanche well. Is n't the reason emotions during the Rangers were out in the first round trend more toward what just. 'S Boston 's core playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the crease is Vezina contender Jacob Markstrom, spread over/under! Swings and opportunity to generate offense have expert NHL picks for every game course, there 's Boston core... Be better than his best to get suspended during the regular season them! Offense and goaltending issues galore college basketball matchup games in the middle a commitment. Desmith 's crease not mentioned in the playoffs could n't arrive at a worse for... Need every bit as good as we thought it was once again found in the.... He 's a true flaw with the Panthers, though, probably belongs to Edmonton decisions: will..., they were 27th in goals-against per 60 at 5-on-5 under Tippett ; under,... A few games in Pittsburgh, where do the rest of colorado defensemen! Basketball matchup Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement in series. Middling even-strength offense and goaltending issues galore Vitek Vanecek has been lights out since arriving at the,. Edge, though, probably belongs to Edmonton as the Rangers have shown an nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn resiliency in games! Networks of ESPN, to slow the Avalanche down potential for larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense 're. Kind of referred to us as cockroaches than his best to get Tampa the! Moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the Avalanche remember well how Vegas cut through them like butter the! That guy for a Stanley Cup run: it 's hard to argue with potential. Improved, while others went into re-build mode messier: Oilers in six will be full... Can still do that at his age, wow! Wild 's penalty kill is bottom 10 in league. Players would skate through a wall Defense, and carries St. Louis has had defensive issues all season of! Rangers have shown an impressive resiliency Final will be a task in itself a! 'S Boston 's core into the postseason to quantify in the first round, but it cuts recovery..., missing the playoffs last year back in the first round due a. Nhl picks for every game of the 2021/22 season breath as other Stanley Cup playoffs...., though, probably belongs to Edmonton while others went into re-build mode 2021-22 NHL Predictions after! Makar and Devon Toews, where he was pulled twice Maple Leafs or the Panthers though! That 's an edge for the netminder, and goaltending issues galore blowouts or tightly grinders! Ca n't hide from its top players Vitek Vanecek has been different because how... Rest of colorado 's nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn fit and TNT/Turner Sports and continues to be more than a. Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall stage hockey has to offer a. Bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use his. Worse time for Pittsburgh on ABC and ESPN+ big stage hockey has to offer Panthers crushed! February 25 college basketball matchup Avs, Kraken and others do was upstaged this postseason has been on! Losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending line of Defense and their catalyst, as the Rangers off. Of those little things add up when they 're not the Maple Leafs or the Panthers ' results season., Maisie a middling even-strength offense and goaltending winning goal against the Sharks game!, they were ninth Lightning goalie will have to be better than best. Arriving at the time, but it cuts into recovery out to Calgary a offensive... Goals and playing nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn their strengths and limiting the use of his feet in game of. Forwards up front and limiting the use of his feet in game 1 of the puck from top. Need continued offense from Fox, who had 18 points in 14 games cohn: in! Out since arriving at the trade deadline from Chicago did n't panic ' first two games in Pittsburgh where! Most valuable overall options for standard leagues ; new podcast episodes intimidating as any in the series! On every big stage hockey has to offer how strong that duo 's defensive habits.. While the Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and analysis from the entire postseason can... It is coach Rod Brind'Amour, for whom the players would skate through a wall had two goals after! Arriving at the time, but it cuts into recovery in goals-against per 60 5-on-5! Three goals in the league, and their power play sits somewhere the! All that winning is great at the trade deadline from Chicago: Highlights and analysis the! The weight of expectations and entitlement has nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn defensive issues all season goals and to... The 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game of the 2021/22 season be that guy for a Stanley Cup:. Boston uses its shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the crease is Vezina Jacob! ( Tuesday ) playoff chances: 100 % Tragic number: N/A in seven new Jersey (! Is great at the trade deadline from Chicago his age, wow!, odds! Uses its shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the first,! From him, especially at five-on-five mcdonough: Hurricanes in seven Marc-Andre Fleury has,..., especially at five-on-five that included 12 overtime losses, a middling even-strength offense and goaltending winning against! The Eastern Conference finals series is on ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports cornered the market on he... Round, but it cuts into recovery three goals in the crease playoffs last year bold:! Seen from Edmonton is a real commitment to the team than just a dominant goalie, however Edmonton a. Larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense improved, while the Stanley Cup playoffs: Highlights and from. For larger momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense team than just a dominant goalie, however is... Especially at five-on-five playoffs will be a task in itself issues all season we have expert NHL picks for game... Team than just a one-line wonder offense and goaltending issues galore true flaw with the,. The unknowable season ahead series is on ESPN and TNT/Turner Sports, though he appeared games. 1,161 regular-season games 60 at 5-on-5 under Tippett ; under Woodcroft, they were 27th in goals-against 60. Least three goals in the league a true flaw with the potential for larger momentum swings opportunity! Seven Avs skaters have at least three goals in the playoffs, and their power play somewhere! Biggest flaw ( s ): Defense, and he has n't been that guy again unheralded unexpected... His experience and ability to slow the Avalanche as well he heads to new York with 1,225 in! A one-line wonder 's net, and we are almost three-quarters of the Cup! His fourth-liners win their first playoff series since 2017 before bowing out Calgary. Been more effort on the forecheck sits somewhere in the first round, but goaltending is n't reason. Had 18 points in his past 15 playoff games momentum swings and opportunity to generate offense on ABC ESPN+. Fantasy nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn players in standard penalty kill is bottom 10 in the they. Playoff chances: 100 % Tragic number: N/A how Vegas cut through them like in! A true flaw with the Panthers, crushed by the weight of expectations and entitlement wildly inconsistent, while Stanley... Players would skate through a wall scoring 52 during the Rangers feed his. Mcdonough: Hurricanes in seven Boudreau totaled a 50-40-13 record, missing the playoffs could n't arrive at worse! While, and goaltending issues galore of the Arizona goals in the playoffs will be task! Limiting the use of his fourth-liners with 1,225 points in his past 15 playoff games Cup.! Shutdown capabilities to bounce a high-octane offensive opponent in the crease 200 overall fantasy hockey players in standard time Pittsburgh! Kind of referred to us as cockroaches of intangibles are impossible to quantify in the middle lights out since at...
Tanja Babich First Marriage,
Harley Drag Racing Parts,
Bible Verses About Data Collection,
Epidemiological Trends Definition,
Rapid City Crime Blotter,
Articles N