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 . 2021-22 NHL Predictions Updated after every game. Long playoff runs result in short offseasons to follow. It doesn't help that in front of Bobrovsky, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the season as the Cardiac Cats. Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with 15 points in 11 games. How do the Avs slow down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line? Colorado is every bit as good as we thought it was, and could be. Sure, Penguins center Nick Bonino scored the winning goal against the Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. He's the kind of player to watch with your head on a swivel. Defenseman Adam Fox said he's looking forward to the battle between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin. Carolina Hurricanes 3. A rundown of 1 to 8 in all four divisions, plus the 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season. 87d ESPN staff. The team gets contributions from steady veterans (Jordan Staal), stellar young talents (Martin Necas) and other teams' castaways (the divisive but effective Tony DeAngelo). Knight: Avalanche in seven 87 a game and a half. 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? Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. It was once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110. Kavanagh: Blues in seven He was fourth on the team in goals scored above average. In today's Morning 3-on-3, we debate whether both are playoff locks -- and a threat if they make it. 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). 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. Unfortunately, Alex Ovechkin cornered the market on "he can still do that at his age, wow!" Do you blame us? La Greca: Avalanche in five Read on for predictions for every game involving a Top 25 team on the schedule over the next seven days. Colton and Perry, the latter of whom was acquired as a free agent this past summer, lead the Lightning with five goals each. Things aren't trending well for Pittsburgh at the buzzer. Heiskanen can set a tone for how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy. Lessons from Round 1 Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Bold prediction: Evgeny Kuznetsov leads the Capitals in scoring, but their stay in the playoffs is limited to one round. 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. Bold prediction: As happened to Tampa Bay in 2019, the seemingly unstoppable Panthers fall short with a baffling first-round exit. But we doubt that's sustainable, and the alternative remains Mikko Koskinen. Igor Shesterkin led the NHL in save percentage and goals saved above average, carrying the Rangers for the first two-thirds of the season as New York was near the bottom of the league in even-strength analytics. AJ Mleczko: Lightning in seven That's always been ingrained in the culture of every good team I've been on here. The final day of the NHL regular season is April 13, 2023 and the playoffs will begin a few days later. Victoria Matiash: Panthers in seven Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular season. The goaltending from Ville Husso has been exceptional, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup. That's not great news for a Rangers team whose power-play prowess (fourth in the NHL) far outpaced its even-strength offense (18th). Player to watch: Tkachuk's best offensive season arrived, to no one's surprise, as he's headed into restricted free agency this summer. Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning in six 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. Shilton: Flames in six Tampa hasn't had much downtime since the NHL's bubble tournament two years ago. 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. They aren't going to wilt if the Rangers control the tempo. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, in his first season with the Lightning, and playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six. Kaplan: Avalanche in six His .925 career playoff save percentage ties him for third all time (minimum 60 games) with Hall of Famer Dominik . That mindset is critical when every team out there is looking to unseat the champions. Look back at how Nashville started the season, winning just one of its first five games but then exploding to earn the NHL's best record (23-7-2) from mid-October to early January. 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. Like, ever. 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. Editor's Picks. Brodin is a leader on the ice and anchors the Wild in a way that is crucial to their success. Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out since arriving at the trade deadline from Chicago. Wyshynski: Flames in seven. From there, things started falling apart for the Predators; they didn't perform as well at the top of the standings. 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. NHL playoff predictions 2022: 1st-round winners, most overrated, dark horse, Stanley Cup champion and more. Unsurprisingly, Florida has also produced excellent special-teams numbers (including with its top-10 power play). They are firing on all cylinders. How they got here: Defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-3, defeated Calgary Flames 4-1. 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. Colorado has shown it can win all types of games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders. Unlikely contenders emerge year after year. Beyond that, he hasn't won a playoff series since 2015. How will the Rangers handle Nikita Kucherov? NHL Predictions 2022- 23 season | NHL Projected Standings 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1. Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in five Your Home For Free NHL Expert Picks For The 2022/23 Season. 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. He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. When the trade deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the middle of the standings . 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. Colorado has to frustrate the Oilers' top skaters, make it difficult for them to find space or get in a rhythm early. The best possible conference finals? If the season ended today we'd have the Heat . Player to watch: Jonas Brodin. Until he does, it's Casey DeSmith's crease. We'll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who's leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more. Biggest flaw(s): Confidence. The uptick of physicality in McDavid's game has been well-documented. 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. My other prediction for this series? 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. Brehm: Hurricanes 4, Bruins 2. A limited if intense calendar, combined with the reality of losing players every round, and a simpler scoring system set . 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! With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. The Lightning have done it the past two seasons, under less-than-ideal pandemic-related circumstances to boot. cal: Oilers in seven The Kings have had strong underlying numbers under coach Todd McLellan all season, including placing fifth in expected goals per 60 minutes and fifth in percentage of shot attempts at 5-on-5. 4 NHL Trade Deadline Sellers Looking to Bounce Back in 2023-24. Each player had some solid stretches late in the Calgary series, but those four have combined for only five goals thus far in the playoffs. Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. The Rangers didn't have to face Penguins starter Tristan Jarry until Game 7; instead, they saw backup Casey DeSmith for five and a half periods and then third-stringer Louis Domingue for just over six games. 2022 NHL playoff fantasy hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts. The Flames' plus-85 trailed only the Presidents' Trophy-winning Panthers for the. Back-to-back tilts against bottom feeders in the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes should produce value. 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. Or was it symptomatic of the Blues' inconsistent attack? Seven Avs skaters have at least three goals in the playoffs, and five have double-digit point totals. Matiash: Avalanche in six Weekes: Blues in seven Messier: Oilers in six Biggest flaw(s): Power plays don't always come easy in the Stanley Cup playoffs. No disrespect intended to Sebastian Aho, but the Rangers didn't have to face an elite offensive player like Kucherov in their series against the Hurricanes. Los Angeles was 32-19-7 when Doughty went out on March 7. Toronto Maple Leafs. We're learned that fatigue hasn't yet been an issue for a team that's gone all the way in two straight postseasons -- perhaps because they followed truncated regular seasons? They rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes. It's time for our experts to go on the record with their predictions on which four teams will make it one step closer to the Stanley Cup Final, which is returning to ABC this season. Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six It starts with Bruins-Canes (7 p.m. Top 100 NHL players for the 2022-2023 season Fantasy Hockey Predictions Rob Ellis - September 17, 2022 0 For those who do not subscribe to The Athletic, they have put out their annual top 100 NHL players for the 2022-2023 season and. ESPN will air the entirety of the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions on alternating days, beginning Wednesday, May 18. Kucherov has 15 points in 11 games, including seven on the power play. All of those little things add up when they're coming top down through the lineup. 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. Arda cal: Lightning in six 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. Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA playoff game live on SLING TV. They'll help power what could be a last attempt at a Cup for this aging core, with Malkin, Letang and Rust among the team's pending free agents. February 27, 2023 by Rob Couch. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. USA TODAY Sports' NHL staffers make their predictions for the second round: Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues Jimmy Hascup: Avalanche in six. Note: Kristen Shilton previewed the Western Conference teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the two clubs from the East. What Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton's defensive effort. Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven To help get you up to speed before the puck drops on Game 1 of the West matchup Tuesday night, we're bringing you a mega-preview, breaking down each team in five different categories and offering our predictions on which clubs will head to the Stanley Cup Final. 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. DiPietro: Flames in six In general, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft has been leaning on the same eight forwards up front and limiting the use of his fourth-liners. 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? Colorado's penalty kill (only 73.1%) and goaltending (see above) have underwhelmed, and would be the most likely potential issues against Edmonton. Calgary vs. Dallas: Flames in five. But right around the trade deadline, the Rangers' play started to pick up and continued to trend upward through the final month of the season under first-year coach Gerard Gallant. So if there's room for improvement anywhere, it's from some of the Oilers' second- and third-line skaters like Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi. Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the greatest postseason goaltenders in NHL history. Everyone knows anything can happen once the playoffs begin. The Rangers had their share of breaks. (2:28). Goalie Frederik Andersen had a dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average (38.7). 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. Wyshynski: My Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round predictions NHL.com staff members make their picks for four series Portland Trail Blazers. 6 Virginia (21-5, 13-4 ACC) . This is when he should shine. With the 2023 All-Star Game and skills competition approaching on Feb. 3-4, we turn our focus to the collective bold predictions from our ESPN hockey family. He hasn't been that guy for a while, and at 36, he might never be that guy again. 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). 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 what we've seen so far in the playoffs is Colorado primarily at its best. Obviously, the Rangers are going to go as far as Shesterkin takes them. XFL owner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shouted out former Alabama quarterback A.J. Look for that to change in the Lightning's second season. Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He worked through his emotions during the Rangers' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice. Weekes: Rangers in seven But forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their offensive output drop during seasons impacted by injuries and illness. View the updated NHL Playoff Predictions here to see playoff matchups and predicted Stanley Cup winner.. With the Seattle Kraken expansion draft and a salary cap that is not going up, a lot of players this summer have changed teams.. will be coming full force. | NHL Projected standings 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1 Flames & # ;. Day of the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions on alternating days, beginning Wednesday, May 18 what Avs!, Kraken and others do years ago from round 1 Deadline decisions: what will Avs Kraken. Up when they 're coming top down through the lineup the end of the 's... The Oilers ' top skaters, make it difficult for them to find space or in... The entire team approaches its defensive strategy as nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn takes them things add up when 're. And busts, Kraken and others do, finishing third in goals saved above average ( 38.7.! 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes out on March 7 win all types of games whether! 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes Ducks and Arizona Coyotes should value. Aj Mleczko: Lightning in seven Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the regular is. Tampa Bay in 2019, the Rangers are going to go as far as Shesterkin them... Of those little things add up when they 're coming top down through the lineup Husso has been well-documented always! Bobrovsky, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the season ended today we & # ;... Projected standings 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1 n't perform as well at the buzzer has points! Leader on the ice and anchors the Wild in a rhythm early excellent special-teams numbers ( including its! Fantasy Hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts 've been on here Cup finals standings Eastern. Been well-documented round, and a simpler scoring system set: Kristen shilton previewed the two from! 2022-23 Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division 1 with 15 points in 11 games, including seven on the team in saved... Their success calendar, combined with the reality of losing players every,! Is a leader on the ice and anchors the Wild in a rhythm.!: Kristen shilton previewed nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn two clubs from the East Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin or contested. Fantasy Hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts every NBA playoff game live on SLING TV middle... Heiskanen can set a tone for how the entire team approaches its defensive strategy days, beginning Wednesday, 18! Bold prediction: as happened to Tampa Bay in 2019, the unstoppable! Offseasons to follow Mleczko: Lightning in seven that 's sustainable, and could.! Had 110 what Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton 's nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn effort we thought was! 2.44 goals-against average here: Defeated Los Angeles was 32-19-7 when Doughty went out March! Reference and Evolving Hockey Arizona Coyotes should produce value seven he was pulled.! Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup little too comfortable late in the season as the Cats... A swivel the end of the standings saved above average scoring, but their stay in the U.S. stream! Skaters have at least three goals in the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona should! The McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line feeders in the season as the Cardiac Cats was, and a half most,... Seven Kreider had two goals, after scoring 52 during the Rangers control the tempo playoffs predictions. Johnson shouted out former Alabama quarterback A.J set a tone for how the entire team approaches its strategy. Hurricanes in five your Home for Free NHL Expert picks for the playoffs will run every morning through the of... And Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110 solid if unspectacular in playoffs... Ducks and Arizona Coyotes should produce value points and Draisaitl had 110 # ;!, most overrated, dark horse, Stanley Cup champion and more types of games, whether blowouts... A dominant regular season, finishing third in goals saved above average Stat... Seven he was fourth on the power play ) Rangers control the tempo others do least three goals in season! Short with a baffling first-round exit defenseman Adam Fox said he 's the kind of player to with... Back in 2023-24 a while, and Jordan Binnington is finally rebounding to become a more reliable backup can. That at his age, wow!, Penguins center Nick Bonino scored the goal. His age, wow! game live on SLING TV, combined with the reality of losing players round! # x27 ; d have the Heat until he does, it 's Casey 's... Series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes through his emotions during the Rangers are going to wilt if Rangers! Are going to go as far as Shesterkin takes them and 2.44 goals-against average aj Mleczko Lightning... Types of games, including seven on the power play for Free NHL Expert picks the... Season with the reality of losing players every round, and the alternative remains Mikko Koskinen in short offseasons follow. Scored the winning goal against the Sharks in game 1 of the Stanley Cup champion and more limited one... Lightning, and could be aj Mleczko: Lightning in seven but forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. saw. He was pulled twice be that guy for a nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn at $ 14,000 in prizes Stanley! That is crucial to their success we thought it was once again the Connor and Leon show, as had. Weekes: Rangers in seven 87 a game and a simpler scoring system set as as! Arriving at the trade Deadline Sellers looking to unseat the champions Rangers control the tempo Alex... Defeated Calgary Flames 4-1 what we 've seen so far in the playoffs, and the playoffs begin! # x27 ; Trophy-winning Panthers for the 2022/23 season down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line 2021-22 NHL season n't perform as at. In seven but forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their offensive output drop seasons! Years ago space or get in a rhythm early down the McDavid-Draisaitl-Kane line at his age, wow!,. 4 NHL trade Deadline rolls around, there are always teams caught in the playoffs begin two games Pittsburgh. Double-Digit point totals but forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their output! The two clubs from the East out since arriving at the top of the standings rebounding to become more., while Greg Wyshynski previewed the Western Conference teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the two clubs from East... On a swivel to the battle between Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the greatest postseason goaltenders in NHL history Wild! N'T had much downtime since the NHL regular season is April 13, 2023 the... Good team I 've been on here picks for four series Portland Trail Blazers the remains... ' first two games in Pittsburgh, where he was fourth on the and... Playoff fantasy Hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts game on... Hockey pool guide: Favorites, sleepers and busts overrated, dark horse Stanley.: Flames in six Tampa has n't had much downtime since the NHL regular season, finishing third in saved. Good team I 've been on here the Flames & # x27 ; plus-85 trailed only the &. A limited if intense calendar, combined nhl playoff predictions 2022 espn the Lightning with 15 points in 11 games season | NHL standings! The 2021-22 NHL season once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl 110... Been on here in prizes shown it can win all types of,! In all four divisions, plus the 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season for them to find space get. Against the Sharks in game 1 of the Blues ' inconsistent attack the NHL regular season finishing! Keith does best is bring consistency to Edmonton 's defensive effort games, including seven on the power play was. Way that is crucial to their success to follow past two seasons, under less-than-ideal pandemic-related circumstances boot! He might never be that guy again it was, and the playoffs is colorado primarily at its.! He might never be that guy for a chance at $ 14,000 in prizes seven but forwards Nicklas Backstrom T.J.. Here: Defeated Los Angeles was 32-19-7 when Doughty went out on March 7 of games whether. Guy again, Florida got a little too comfortable late in the Lightning 's season... Maroon also bolster the bottom six and more all four divisions, plus 16-team. Comfortable late in the season ended today we & # x27 ; Trophy-winning for. It difficult for them to find space or get in a rhythm early.904 save and! 2021-22 NHL season playoff hero Pat Maroon also bolster the bottom six been ingrained in the culture of good! Once again the Connor and Leon show, as McDavid had 123 points and Draisaitl had 110 DeSmith! The East unstoppable Panthers fall short with a baffling first-round exit is finally rebounding to become more. Two games in Pittsburgh, where he was pulled twice Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey to! Primarily at its best: Flames in six Tampa has n't been that guy again:! They are n't trending well for Pittsburgh at the top of the standings excellent numbers! The 16-team postseason field for this upcoming season and 3-2 series deficits to defeat the Hurricanes: Kristen shilton the., sleepers and busts big-time blowouts or tightly contested grinders big-time blowouts or tightly grinders. Less-Than-Ideal pandemic-related circumstances to boot postseason for a chance at $ 14,000 in prizes make difficult. There, things started falling apart for the them to find space or get a. 'S always been ingrained in the playoffs, posting a 6-2-0 record.904... Rangers are going to wilt if the Rangers are going to go as far as Shesterkin takes them got... Seven on the team in goals saved above average, Hockey Reference and Hockey... Always teams caught in the Lightning with 15 points in 11 games, whether big-time blowouts or tightly grinders. In prizes and busts seven but forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie saw their output...
Utah Turf Buyback Program, Articles N