The best time of the year has finally arrived -- and, no, we're not talking about spring. We're talking about the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The 2022 NHL postseason gets going in full swing on Monday as 16 teams are battling for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup.
There are plenty of intriguing storylines as we head into the postseason. Is this finally the year the Maple Leafs win a playoff series? Do the Oilers have what it takes to make a deep run? Will the Avalanche and Panthers live up to expectations and meet in the Stanley Cup Finals?
It's always an exciting time that captivates the sports world for a couple of months. Enough of that, let's dive into the first-round series and see which teams Sporting News has moving on.
MORE:NHL playoffs schedule 2022: Full bracket, dates, times, TV channels for every series
NHL playoff predictions: Eastern Conference
Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)
The backstory
Florida is fresh off winning the Presidents' Trophy and has been one of the most exciting teams in the league. Their offense ranks first as the only team to average more than four goals per game. There has never been a Panthers team this good since the franchise came to be in the '90s, and there is a lot of excitement down in sunny Florida.
The Capitals have been the forgotten child of the Eastern Conference playoff teams. No one seems to be giving them a chance against the high-octane Panthers, but the Capitals can play a rough, physical game more suited for the postseason. Moreover, they are the only team in this series with a recent Stanley Cup underneath their belt.
X-factor
The last timeAaron Ekbladskated in a game was March 18. Everyone thought it was going to be a huge blow to the Panthers. The team's response? Going 16-4-0 to end the season, including a 13-game winning streak. The team proved they can still win without their top defenseman, and now that he might be coming back sooner than expected, it's like the Panthers' getting the final Infinity Stone.
The big number
32. The Panthers are known for their high-powered offense. They averaged the most goals in a game this season in the entire league. During the 82-game this season, Florida scored at least five goals 32 times. It resulted in 31 wins and one loss. Not that the Capitals needed any more insight into how dominant the Panthers are offensively but yeah, you really don't want to let them score five goals in a game.
SN's pick: Panthers in 5.
Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A3)
The backstory
The two boys in blue. On one side, we have a team notoriously known for their playoff failures, and on the other, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs. So, of course, the betting favorite in this series is the former, as the Maple Leafs head into the first round with heavy expectations.
Auston Matthews had a historic regular season, hitting the 60 goal-threshold and breaking the Maple Leafs' single-season scoring record. Mitch Marner once again was an offensive wonder with 97 points, but how can you really bet against the Lightning? Sure, they weren't as dominant in the regular season, but they weren't last year either. It's a group that knows how to win and has three-peat on their minds.
X-factor
Is it a cop-out to say the Rocket Richard winner is the series' biggest x-factor? Maybe, but Auston Matthewsis going to have to bring it this postseason. He led the league in goals last season and then found the back of the net just once in seven games in the first-round series loss against the Canadiens. In fact, over the past two playoffs, he has just three goals in 12 games. The Maple Leafs can't afford Matthews to go cold otherwise *insert first-round exit joke here*.
The big number
27.3. Special teams are always discussed as such a huge factor in games. Well for the Lightning, they would like to stay out of the box as much as possible. Toronto finished the regular season with a league-high 27.3-percent success rate on the man advantage. Matthews and William Nylander each ranked in the top 15 in power play goals this season. The PK units for Tampa Bay are going to have to bring their A-game.
SN's pick: Lightning in 7.
MORE:Maple Leafs vs. Lightning first-round preview for 2022 NHL playoffs
Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. Boston Bruins (WC1)
The backstory
Carolina-Boston: The Trilogy. It's the third time in four postseasons these two foes are battling. The Bruins came out on the top in the previous, sweeping the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals in 2019 and then beating the Canes in five games in 2020.
However, Carolina thumped Boston in three games during the regular season, outscoring Boston 16-1 in the process. The big storyline heading into the series is the status of Frederik Andersen. He's already going to miss Game 1 as he battles a lower-body injury, so when will he be able to return? The Hurricanes have been the best defensive team in the league this season, but without Andersen, they may have a tough time against a Bruins team that has been one of the hottest teams since the New Year.
X-factor
Andersen is likely going to return at some point in this series, but for the time being, it's looking like it's Antti Raanta's net. While it may be a concern for some teams to be relying on their backup in the postseason (cough, Nashville, cough), not for Carolina. Raanta was fantastic in his backup role to Andersen, going 15-5-4 with a 2.45 GAA and a .912 SV percentage. The Hurricanes can't afford to fall behind in the series before Andersen gets to return because it could be too little, too late.
The big number
2,310. The easiest way to keep the puck out of your net? Don't let the opponent put pucks on net. The Hurricanes allowed 2,310 shots against during the regular season, the lowest amount in the league. It's no coincidence that Carolina also finished with the lowest goals-against average. Continuing to limit offensive chances is going to be critical for the Hurricanes going up against a Bruins team that had the second-highest shot total as a team.
SN's pick: Bruins in 6.
MORE:Hurricanes vs. Bruins first-round preview for 2022 NHL playoffs
New York Rangers (M2) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (M3)
The backstory
The mentor meets the master. OK, not literally, but we have the young, up-and-coming Rangers going head-to-head with an older Penguins team looking to put one last ride together before the inevitable breakup.
New York is chock-full of youthful talent, riding on the likes of Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin. There are some questions on how good the team is playing at five on five, but there has been no denying how good Shesterkin is in net. On the other side, the Penguins are once again calling upon their core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to spur up some postseason magic. However, they'll have to do it without goaltender Tristan Jarry to start, leaving Casey DeSmith as the de facto starter for Game 1.
X-factor
You can't overthink this one. Igor Shesterkinis going to make or break this series. The Rangers have relied on him all season in the crease, and he's delivered. The goaltender was first in GAA and SV percentage this season and will be receiving the Vezina at some point over the next two months. But the Rangers need him to continue his dominance into the postseason because without Shesterkin showing out, New York isn't making it anywhere (yes, that's a Sinatra reference).
The big number
47.12. New York gained the reputation of being a below average five-on-five team this season. They deserved it. While playing at even strength, the Rangers owned an expected goal percentage of 47.12 percentage, ranking 23rd in the league, the lowest of any playoff team. The team relies a little too much on goaltending and scoring on the man-advantage. It's worked up until now, but will that success translate to the playoffs?
SN's pick: Rangers in 5.
Colorado Avalanche (C1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC2)
The backstory
Remember how the Predators were up 4-0 in Game 82 against the Coyotes and seemingly were in the driver's seat to avoid the Avalanche in the first round? Ha, that was a fun time.
Nashville fumbled the bag in the regular season finale and now face a powerhouse Colorado club. The Avalanche were consistently one of the best teams in the league, all while dealing with a plethora of injuries. Speaking of teams' health, the Predators are without goaltender Juuse Saros to get to the playoffs, who started in over 80 percent of the team's games this season. The Avalanche are looking to finally get to at least the Western Conference finals while the Predators are trying to avoid a first-series exit for the fourth playoffs in a row.
X-factor
There are a number of players who can factor into this series, but I'm going withNazem Kadri.He led the Avalanche in assists with 59, finishing third on the team in points with 87 despite missing 11 games. However, in order for Kadri to have a lasting effect on this series, he needs to actually be playing. He received an eight-game suspension last postseason for a dangerous hit on Justin Faulk and a three-game suspension in the 2018 playoffs for boarding. Kadri needs to fully turn the page on his ugly past and be in the lineup every night, not sitting in the press box.
The big number
3.57. The Predators already face an uphill battle going against the Avalanche, who owned the fourth-highest average for goals per game. However, they have to do it without Saros, instead relying on David Rittich. Safe to say there is a reason Saros played in so many games this season. Rittich finished the regular season with a 3.57 GAA. That likely doesn't give Nashville fans a good feeling going against a dynamic Colorado offense.
SN's pick: Avalanche in 4.
Minnesota Wild (C2) vs. St. Louis Blues (C3)
The backstory
Two trains going full speed crash head-to-head -- that's what we have in the Wild-Blues series. The two Central Division foes could not have any more momentum than they already do.Minnesota went 19-2-3 from March 16 through the end of the regular season; St. Louis strung together a run of 14-1-2 from March 28 to the last day.
There is a legitimate argument to be made that both teams can make runs at the Cup this season. Unfortunately for them, one is going home early on. Fortunately for NHL fans, they get an early front-row seat to what should be an exciting series full of high intensity.
X-factor
He's having a down year in terms of offensive production, but it's hard to doubtRyan O'Reillyin the postseason. He's big and built for the playoffs, playing a hard-nosed, effective style down the middle. The St. Louis captain is excellent in the face-off dot and has shown up when it matters most. He earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2019 when the Blues won the Cup. If St. Louis wants to grab another, O'Reilly will be one of the keys to their success.
The big number
13-1-2.Since Craig Berube took over for the Blues in the middle of the 2019 season, St. Louis is 13-1-2 against the Wild. Perhaps even more notably, the Wild are winless in their past seven consecutive contests against their divisional rivals. Of course, the playoffs are an entirely different animal where the regular season means absolutely nothing, but it's still something to note.
SN's pick: Wild in 7.
MORE:Wild vs. Blues first-round preview for 2022 NHL playoffs
Calgary Flames (P1) vs. Dallas Stars (WC1)
The backstory
For the second time in three years, the Stars and Flames match up in the first round of the playoffs. The two met in 2020, where Dallas won in six games on their way to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Now, the Flames are the favorite to come out on top after winning the Pacific.
It's two teams with exceptional top lines. The Flames bolstered one of the best lines in hockey with Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm in addition to Jacob Markstrom having a Vezina-worthy season. But the Stars have a top trio of Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, and Joe Pavelski, who were right up there with Calgary's best line in terms of production. The Stars relied upon those three too much (more on that latter), but they were a big reason for why the team got to the postseason.
X-factor
Gaudreau's season wasn't talked about enough, but he started to get credit toward the back half of the season and likely is a Hart candidate. Tkachuk had one of the least-discussed 100-point seasons playing second fiddle to Johnny Hockey, but you know who no one is talking about?Elias Lindholm.The third member of the top line is one of the most underrated two-way forwards in the league. He had a career-high 42 goals and 82 points this season while playing as the main defensive cog with that trio.
The big number
45.I mentioned how much the Stars relied upon Hintz, Robertson, and Pavelski to drive the offense. Yeah, it's a bit too much. Dallas scored 233 goals as a team this season and those three accounted for 105 of them, or roughly 45 percent. It's going to be a battle for that line to produce against Calgary's top group, and if the Stars don't get secondary scoring, it will be an early exit for the club.
SN's pick: Flames in 5.
Edmonton Oilers (M2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (M3)
The backstory
The 2021-22 season was another showcase of just how good Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are. The two finished with over 100 points, and yet, here we are, with people doubting the Oilers in the playoffs. Edmonton enters the postseason without a playoff series win since 2017. Not great for a team boasting two of the best players in the world.If this series does not go the Oilers way, there is a feeling that major changes might be happening in Edmonton.
On the other side is a Kings team looking to upset. You want to talk about lack of playoff success, Los Angeles hasn't won a series since winning the Cup in 2012. However, they're a team that was forced to go into a rebuild post-dynasty, so this is just the first step to becoming contenders again. No one feels like the Kings can make any sort of noise, but let's not forget in 2012 when they entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed and went to a Cinderella run to win the Cup.
X-factor
Offense has never been the issue in Edmonton, but the defense, especially goaltending, has been filled with question marks. However, as of late,Mike Smithhas been stellar in net for the Oilers. The 40-year-old netminder went a perfect9-0-0 with a 1.66 GAA and .951 SV percentage. He could not be any hotter heading into postseason play, and Edmonton needs him to replicate that production.
The big number
0. Edmonton has one of the better power plays in the league with McDavid, Draisaitl, and Co. owning a 26-percent success rate, third-highest in the NHL. But in the club's three contests against the Kings this season, the Oilers failed to capitalize on any power play opportunity, going a combined 0-for-8. If Los Angeles wants to play spoiler, its penalty killing units are going to have to be just as flawless in the postseason.
SN's pick: Oilers in 6.
MORE:Oilers vs. Kings first-round preview for 2022 NHL playoffs
NHL playoff odds to win Stanley Cup
Courtesy of Sports Interaction, here are the 2022 Stanley Cup Final odds for all 16 teams in the NHL playoff bubbles:
TEAM | ODDS |
---|---|
Colorado Avalanche | +352 |
Florida Panthers | +521 |
Calgary Flames | +614 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | +800 |
Tampa Bay Lightning | +1000 |
Carolina Hurricanes | +1100 |
Edmonton Oilers | +1100 |
Minnesota Wild | +1600 |
New York Rangers | +1800 |
Boston Bruins | +1800 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | +1900 |
St. Louis Blues | +2000 |
Washington Capitals | +4000 |
Los Angeles Kings | +4900 |
Dallas Stars | +5000 |
Nashville Predators | +6000 |
Stanley Cup Finals prediction
Eastern Conference champion: Florida Panthers
Western Conference champion: Calgary Flames
Stanley Cup champion: Calgary Flames in six games
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jacob Markstrom