In this edition, we rank the 16 postseason teams.

1. New York Rangers (55-23-4)

Previous rank: 1

Yes, we know about the Presidents' Trophy curse. Only eight teams have ever won the Stanley Cup after holding the mantle as the league's best regular-season squad, and we all saw what happened to the Bruins last year. However, putting the Rangers anywhere else just didn't make sense thanks to the sheer amount of star power and depth they have.

2. Dallas Stars (52-21-9)

Previous rank: 2

The Stars are riding high after winning 12 of their last 14 games to claim the top seed in the West. They're one of the NHL's most complete teams, but their chances of success likely live and die with Jake Oettinger. Dallas will need the goalie to be better than he was last spring to win it all.

3. Florida Panthers (52-24-6)

Previous rank: 9

Florida snatched the Atlantic Division crown thanks to a four-game heater to end its schedule. The Panthers fully look the part of a contender with stingy defense, strong goaltending, offensive game-breakers, and a tenacious play style that can drive opponents wild throughout a series.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (52-23-7)

Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / Getty

Previous rank: 4

The Hurricanes lost out on a division title but are rightfully overwhelming favorites for their first-round clash against the Islanders. Carolina is an elite defensive team and has benefitted greatly from some late-season roster reinforcements. The club is 15-4-1 since adding Jake Guentzel - who has 25 points in that span - while goaltender Frederik Andersen is 9-1-0 with a .951 save percentage since returning to the crease.

5. Winnipeg Jets (52-24-6)

Previous rank: 8

Life is pretty good right now for the Jets. They're entering the playoffs on an eight-game win streak and finished second in the Central, their highest placement since 2019. Winnipeg's reward? A first-round meeting with the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Avalanche. Luckily for the Jets, they have Connor Hellebuyck, the likely Vezina Trophy winner, between the pipes.

6. Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6)

Previous rank: 6

The Oilers' putrid start to the regular season feels like a lifetime ago, and they've been one of the league's best teams since Kris Knoblauch took over. It's difficult imagining Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl taking a step back from their usual playoff dominance, and Edmonton has a favorable draw in the Pacific Division. If goaltending holds up, this group is tough to beat.

7. Vancouver Canucks (50-23-9)

Previous rank: 7

The Canucks are back in the playoffs sooner than many expected, but they limped to a division title down the stretch with an 8-6-2 record after Thatcher Demko got hurt. If he's fully healthy, Vancouver's certainly a threat in the West, but only having two games under his belt before ramping up to playoff intensity gives us pause.

8. Boston Bruins (47-20-15)

Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / Getty

Previous rank: 3

Boston finished this season with 26 fewer points than in 2022-23. That sounds bad, but the Bruins were just freakishly good last year. They still managed to finish with over 100 points this campaign despite the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Boston will undoubtedly be hungry to avenge last spring's upset at the hands of the Panthers.

9. Colorado Avalanche (50-25-7)

Previous rank: 5

After winning the Central for two straight seasons, the Avalanche had to settle for third place this time. Much of that is down to Alexandar Georgiev's occasionally shaky goaltending, which remains their biggest weakness. Colorado might get captain Gabriel Landeskog back, but last time we checked, he isn't a goalie.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (45-29-8)

Previous rank: 11

The Golden Knights haven't quite looked like themselves for the past few months, but doubting the reigning Stanley Cup champions doesn't feel wise at all. Vegas has been steamrolled by injuries, but if it can get fully healthy with captain Mark Stone back, then it'll certainly pose a problem for a Stars team looking to make a deep run.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs (46-26-10)

Previous rank: 10

The Maple Leafs enter the playoffs on a four-game skid, allowing 22 goals over that span. Perhaps Auston Matthews' pursuit of 70 goals was a distraction from the team's overall game, but Toronto will have to tighten up quickly if it's to have any hope of beating a Boston team that convincingly swept the regular-season series.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-29-8)

Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty

Previous rank: 13

The Lightning don't boast strong even-strength metrics but can swing any game thanks to a top-ranked power play and fifth-ranked penalty kill. Tampa also has arguably the ultimate playoff X-factor in Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Bolts aren't the same team that went to three straight finals but shouldn't be taken too lightly.

13. Nashville Predators (47-30-5)

Previous rank: 14

The Predators don't strike the average fan as a Cup contender, but they've been one of the Western Conference's best teams in 2024. They've accrued the same number of wins (27) as their first-round adversary in the Canucks. Nashville has a supremely talented core, a capable goalie, and strong five-on-five metrics, all of which they'll need to reach Round 2.

14. Los Angeles Kings (44-27-11)

Previous rank: 12

The Kings ran out of steam after a blistering start to the regular season and will have their hands full against the Oilers for the third straight opening round. Maybe the third time's the charm for Los Angeles, but goaltending is a huge question mark, and the talent disparity largely favors Edmonton.

15. New York Islanders (39-27-16)

Previous rank: 16

New York improved slightly under new head coach Patrick Roy, which was enough to finish in third place in the Metropolitan. However, the Islanders are set to meet Carolina in the first round for the second straight year. The Hurricanes took care of business in six games last spring.

16. Washington Capitals (40-31-11)

Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty

"The intention has always been clear," the executive told reporters Friday. "I think he should finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. How long that is? I'm not going to put any limits on Sidney Crosby. He's capable of great things and is still performing at an extraordinarily high level."

Crosby has one season remaining on his 12-year, $104.4-million contract and is eligible to sign a new extension July 1.

"Obviously, I'm going to talk to Kyle and have a conversation with him," the future Hall of Famer said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "We'll see."

Dubas added it's "imperative" for contract talks to be kept private, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.

Crosby was outstanding in his 19th NHL season, leading the Penguins with 42 tallies and 94 points while appearing in all 82 games for the second straight year. This campaign marked the third time he's eclipsed the 40-goal mark in his career.

Like Dubas, the future Hall of Famer also didn't put a limit on how many seasons he might have left.

"Obviously, at my age, and things like that, there will be a lot of factors," the 36-year-old said, adding, "I don't look any differently at how much longer I can play based off that. It's always just evaluating my game for what it is, not my age."

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, falling outside the postseason picture by three points despite going 6-2-1 in April.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

You've had all season to bet on the Stanley Cup winner, but the Conn Smythe Award - given to the playoffs' most valuable player - has only been available on the oddsboard for a few days.

It's a more nuanced betting market with longer odds that can result in a big payout, such as Jonathan Marchessault's Conn Smythe-worthy postseason at longer than 50-1 odds. Had you pegged the Golden Knights for a Cup contender, figured a single goaltender wouldn't necessarily lead the way, and picked out Vegas' most clutch scorer, you'd have a big win on a low-investment bet.

Conn Smythe odds

PLAYER	ODDS
Connor McDavid	+1000
Nathan MacKinnon	+1500
Artemi Panarin	+1800
David Pastrnak	+1800
Jake Guentzel	+1800
Matthew Tkachuk	+2000
Sebastian Aho	+2000
Sergei Bobrovsky	+2000
Auston Matthews	+2200
Frederik Andersen	+2200
Igor Shesterkin	+2200
Aleksander Barkov	+2500
Cale Makar	+2500
Connor Hellebuyck	+2500
Jake Oettinger	+2500
Leon Draisaitl	+2500
Nikita Kucherov	+2500
Jack Eichel	+3000
Jason Robertson	+3000
Sam Reinhart	+3000
Andrei Svechnikov	+3300
William Nylander	+3300
Elias Pettersson	+4000
Jeremy Swayman	+4000
Mark Stone	+4000
Mika Zibanejad	+4000
Quinn Hughes	+4000
Andrei Vasilevskiy	+5000
Brad Marchand	+5000
J.T. Miller	+5000
Jonathan Marchessault	+5000
Roope Hintz	+5000
Thatcher Demko	+5000

Players not listed at +6000 odds or longer

Before we get to our best bets, let's start with our annual bet on Connor McDavid.

The premise remains the same. Working backward - as we have to do in this market - if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, what are the chances they do so without McDavid getting credit for being their MVP? My quantitative assessment would be 0%. Edmonton's odds are +750 to end Canada's championship drought. Why bet that when you can get McDavid for as long as +1200?

Best bets

To start our Conn Smythe betting portfolio, we'll look at the teams we think will advance from the first round and go all the way. We'll then analyze those teams' makeups to determine their most likely MVPs. There are two types of teams - goalie-centric and non-goalie-centric ones. The former often has a deeper forward group and a Vezina-level netminder capable of handling the postseason's long haul. The latter is a team like the 2023 Golden Knights or the 2022 Avalanche, who won despite not having a true No. 1.

Auston Matthews (+2200) or David Pastrnak (+1800)

Call it betting's version of "Choose Your Own Adventure" - the Maple Leafs and Bruins have the tightest series price.

In years past, Matthews shared credit for any Maple Leafs success with Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and even Morgan Rielly. This year's near-70-goal campaign separated Matthews from the group, definitively making him the most likely player to carry the Leafs if they are to achieve the unfathomable. His odds are far better than Toronto's +1200 to win the Stanley Cup.

If you prefer the Bruins to the Leafs in Round 1, you can take Pastrnak. With Boston committed to a goaltender rotation and "Pasta" 43 points clear of his next-closest teammate, he's the clear-cut choice on a potential championship Bruins team.

Nikita Kucherov (+2500)

Matthew Tkachuk almost won the Conn Smythe as a long shot last year, but with the Panthers favored this time around, the word is out on his candidacy. The Lightning's modest regular season doesn't mean they can't have a big postseason, and no one was better than Nikita Kucherov this campaign. To be dangerous, Tampa will need above-average goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy, scoring from Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman's dominance. But Kucherov's at his peak, and his sheer point volume would make him the choice from Tampa.

Seth Jarvis (+15000)
Teuvo Teravainen (+15000)

If we're looking for a Marchessault-like (28-goal, 57-point regular season) candidate, the Hurricanes have a few. The Stanley Cup favorite is likely to use both Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov in the net, and leading point-scorer Sebastian Aho might be assist-heavy.

Jarvis was Carolina's second-leading goal-scorer. The 22-year-old often produced after receiving passes from Aho and led the Canes with 13 power-play goals.

Don't flip a coin between Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen. Instead, bet whoever has the longer odds. The second-line wingers also strike on the power play and provide a good lesson about taking long-shot players on great teams versus great players on long-shot teams. Let's grab two Hurricanes at long odds and see if either emerges early with a low-risk bet.

Connor Hellebucyk (+2500)
Thatcher Demko (+5000)

Hellebuyck and Demko are Vezina-level goaltenders for Canadian franchises that are in similar good situations. There are enough capable scorers on the Jets and Canucks to effectively split a Conn Smythe vote. But that shouldn't matter - if a Canadian team brings home the Stanley Cup, it'll almost undoubtedly be on the back of one of the league's best goaltenders.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

Six of the eight NHL playoff series begin this weekend. Let's waste no time getting to a handful of players worth targeting in their openers.

Brent Burns: Over 2.5 shots

Game 1 scheduled for 5 p.m. ET Saturday.

Burns is a volume shooter with a very strong history against the Islanders. He's gone over this number in nine of the past 12 versus New York, including five of the six head-to-head meetings in last year's playoffs.

The Islanders conceded a ton of shots to opposing defensemen this season. Only the Sharks, Ducks, and Blue Jackets - three of the league's worst teams - allowed more shots against the position on a nightly basis.

Although the Islanders improved in that regard under Patrick Roy, they're still susceptible to giving up shots. They rank 22nd in shot attempts against per minute since Roy took over.

The Islanders also have one of the worst penalty-killing units in the NHL. Burns quarterbacks the Hurricanes' top power play - and his shot is a key weapon - so he should have plenty of opportunities to shoot there as well.

Odds: +115 (playable to -115)

David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shots

Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

Pastrnak's shot outputs fell off a cliff down the stretch. He averaged 3.9 shots on just 6.9 attempts over the last 10 games of the regular season. Those numbers would be good for many players, but they're nowhere close to what we're used to from Pastrnak. Even so, I trust him to shoot early and often against the Maple Leafs.

Pastrnak faced the Leafs four times in the regular season. He attempted at least 10 shots in each meeting, combining for 45 in total. That led to 24 shots on target, good for an average of six per night.

The Leafs aren't the stingiest of defensive teams and allowed a ton of volume to wingers down the stretch. The Blue Jackets were the only team to give up more shots to the position over the final 10 games.

Pastrnak also enters well-rested. He recorded at least five shots in 10 of his past 15 games when playing after three or more days off. He averaged 6.5 shots on goal per game under such circumstances this season.

Expect that trend to continue in the Bruins' series opener.

Odds: +120 (playable to -125)

Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shots

Game 1 scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Point was a shooting machine down the stretch. He recorded three shots or more in eight of his last 10 games, over which time he faced four playoff teams.

Nikita Kucherov feeding Point while chasing 100 assists helped the cause, but playing with Anthony Duclair also played a big role.

Point's shot rates have skyrocketed since Duclair joined the Lightning and started playing on the top line. Point has averaged 10.64 shots on goal and 18.52 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Duclair by his side. Those are by far the highest shooting rates he's managed of any regular Lightning player he's skated with.

Point's shooting floor and ceiling have clearly reached new heights.

What I also love is Point has a strong history against the Panthers. He has gone over this total in eight of the past 10 versus Florida, over which time he averaged 3.3 shots.

Odds: -125 (playable to -140)

Mika Zibanejad: Over 2.5 shots

Game 1 scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Sunday.

The Capitals aren't playing great defensive hockey heading into the playoffs - at least not on the road.

They allowed more than 69 shot attempts per 60 minutes over their final 10 road games, putting them in company with the Sharks and Canadiens in the basement of the league.

Conversely, the Rangers ranked fourth in shot generation over the final 10 home dates of the regular season. They have a lot of firepower and can completely overwhelm opponents when getting the matchups they want.

The Rangers should dominate the puck against the Capitals, peppering Charlie Lindgren early and often.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella looked inward after his team fell just short of the playoffs during his second season at the helm.

"I'm a little frustrated that I couldn't get the team to close the deal," he told reporters Friday. "That's what we wanted to do. It was a concern of mine with 25 games left or so in the season, 'Can we stay with it?' I think it's my job to get it to the end.

"I think the team played hard right to the end. I just didn't close the deal. ... So that's something that I've got to evaluate over the summer. Could I have done some things differently?"

The Flyers were battling for a playoff spot for most of the campaign but suffered an untimely eight-game losing streak, with five losses coming against teams outside the postseason picture.

Despite the disappointing finish, Philadelphia surpassed preseason expectations, and Tortorella said the experience has given the team "a good footing" for the future.

But the Flyers aren't there just yet.

"We are a ways away," Tortorella said while defending general manager Danny Briere's decision to prioritize the future at the trade deadline. "We have so much work to do with this team."

He added: "I think we still need to add talent to our team. There's no question on that."

The hard-nosed bench boss also reaffirmed his commitment to the team following reports that Philadelphia wants him back next season.

With chaos in the standings until the final days, unexpected breakouts from numerous players, and dramatic storylines with long-term impacts, it was truly a campaign to remember.

Here are six surprises from the regular season as we wait for the playoffs to begin Saturday.

Canucks soar to Pacific Division title

Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty

Coming into the season, the Vancouver Canucks were viewed as potential challengers for a wild-card spot but were considered firmly behind Pacific Division rivals like the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and L.A. Kings.

Even the team's staunchest supporters didn't see a division title and near Presidents' Trophy campaign in the offing. But here we are.

Vancouver's turnaround has been swift. With Jack Adams favorite Rick Tocchet at the helm, the Canucks have gotten star performances from top players Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser, with the first two legitimate contenders to win major end-of-season awards.

The Canucks' 26-point improvement from 2022-23 is the most league-wide, eight more than the Florida Panthers in second. It's a drastic jump, and it means Vancouver will host playoff games for the first time in nine years.

Devils crumble with injuries, goaltending woes

The New Jersey Devils were among the most positive surprises a season ago, going from bottom five to top five in the league standings.

With a young roster boasting exciting offensive talent, most pictured the Devils to continue their rapid rise. In fact, New Jersey was the popular pick to claim the division in theScore's preseason predictions.

Progression isn't always linear, and the Devils found that out this season. New Jersey tumbled down the standings to finish the campaign with just 81 points - a massive 31-point drop from the year prior, the largest in the NHL.

Jack Hughes missed 20 games, but the key loss was ultimately Dougie Hamilton. The veteran defenseman was injured in late November and didn't play again, missing 62 games in total.

That absence, combined with abhorrent goaltending from Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws, has given New Jersey a reality check heading into an important offseason.

Reinhart, Hyman surpass 50 goals

Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / Getty

If you asked someone in September to name the players who'd score 50 goals in 2023-24, you'd have waited a while for a mention of Zach Hyman. You'd probably still be waiting to hear Sam Reinhart's name.

The two wingers crushed their previous career bests with remarkable campaigns.

Reinhart, whose previous career high was 33, sniffed 60 with a 57-goal season. It was a contract year for the ages, as the 28-year-old finished second in the "Rocket" Richard Trophy race.

Then there's Hyman, who has netted over 25% of his career goals this year alone. The 31-year-old's 54-goal campaign is a great example of hard work paying off.

Oilers falter early, charge back into contention

Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

The Oilers were 10 points out of a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving. A team that was expected to contend for the Stanley Cup was closer to the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks in points than the second wild-card spot.

And yet, the Oilers end the season second in the Pacific Division and will host a first-round playoff series.

It didn't come easy: Edmonton needed a near NHL-record 16-game winning streak to leap back into contention.

The early-season woes cost bench boss Jay Woodcroft his job. Connor McDavid's former OHL coach, Kris Knoblauch, was tabbed to take the reins, and the team has flourished under his watch.

As the Oilers gear up for the playoffs and celebrate McDavid's 100 assists and Hyman's 50 goals, it's easy to forget just how close 2023-24 came to utter disaster.

Welcome to the NHL ... Utah?

Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

An Arizona Coyotes relocation isn't a surprise in itself. Most assumed it was a matter of time if an arena solution didn't come to fruition.

But Arizona seemed to be in it for the long haul just a few weeks ago when the team announced a commitment to win a land auction and build an arena.

Then, out of left field, reports emerged that the NHL was preparing two schedules for the 2024-25 season: one with the Coyotes in Arizona, and one with the team in Salt Lake City. Within days, the relocation to Utah was all but officially announced.

The franchise had been surrounded by relocation rumors in recent years, but it's the sudden nature of the move that makes it one of the season's biggest surprises and certainly the one with the biggest long-term effect on the league.

Lindgren leads Caps back to playoffs

Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

In the summer of 2022, the Washington Capitals signed two goaltenders to multi-year contracts.

The first, Darcy Kuemper, was coming off a Stanley Cup triumph with the Colorado Avalanche. Naturally, he received the headlines with his prior success and $26.25-million commitment.

The second flew under the radar. After a stellar season in the AHL and impressive NHL results in a tiny five-game sample, the Capitals rolled the dice on Charlie Lindgren on a three-year contract at a minuscule $1.1-million cap hit, presumably to be a backup.

Fast forward two seasons and it's Lindgren, not Kuemper, who's leading the Capitals back to the playoffs.

The numbers since March, as Washington pushed to make the postseason, are telling:

Player	Games	Record	SV%	Shutouts
Lindgren	22	13-7-2	.916	3
Kuemper	4	0-2-0	.869	0

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

The Eastern Conference matchups and their odds have been on the board for days, while the regular season's final night and a pair of surprising results shuffled the deck one final time out West.

Using the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even strength play-driving, skating talent, goaltending), let's break it all down, series by series.

ADVANCED METRICS GLOSSARY
ES = Even strength xG%= Expected goals share HDCA/G= High-danger chances allowed per game GSAx/60= Goals saved above expected per 60 minutes SNIPES= HDC goals + power-play goals / HDC + power-play chances

Kings vs. Oilers

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Kings	+140	+160	+1.5 (-145)
Oilers	-165	-190	-1.5 (+120)

Tale of the tape

Converting scoring changes at a high rate and having above-average goaltending are crucial ingredients to playoff success. Let's look at predictive metrics for those two elements.

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Kings	14.9%	54.5	8.3
Oilers	15.3%	56.7	8.8

Both the Kings and Oilers have converted their best scoring chances (SNIPES) above the league average of 14.5% and are also in the top five in expected goal share.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Kings	Cam Talbot	0.47
	David Rittich	0.64
Oilers	Stuart Skinner	0.16

Skinner came into last year's playoffs saving the Oilers 0.26 goals per 60 minutes after the All-Star break but was replaced by Jack Campbell after posting a -6.9 GSA/x in 12 games. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old Talbot can handle the postseason workload.

Team ratings

Oddsmakers create moneylines based on a numerical valuation of every team. Here's the market's most recent valuation compared to how I rate them (based on the metrics above) for the full season and post-All-Star break.

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Kings	+15%	+18.9%	+7.1%
Oilers	+25%	+25.3%	+10.7%

Despite a slow start, the market never wavered on the Oilers, properly rating them as one of the NHL's top teams. The Kings' swoon happened midseason, and some late missteps are concerning, but I have them rated marginally higher than the market.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES
Kings	39.6%	+165	+111	+181
Oilers	60.4%	-134	+110	-146

The Kings are built to be a playoff irritant. This is the third straight year these teams will face off in the postseason, and the Oilers advanced twice thanks to a 45.7% power play. That ended two seasons where the Kings were ranked 24th and 22nd shorthanded, respectively. While drawing Connor McDavid in the first round is daunting, Los Angeles improved to the second-best penalty kill, and its experience in planning for Edmonton's top line could be beneficial.

These teams combined for 6-plus goals in 10 of the 13 playoff meetings, and the total for Game 1 is 5.5. For the series, it will require some price-shopping and patience, but as the Kings' series price creeps up toward +180, they're the only side worth playing in what should be a tight series.

Best bet: Kings +1.5 games (-140)

Predators vs. Canucks

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Predators	+126	+125	+1.5 (-175)
Canucks	-152	-150	-1.5 (+140)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Predators	15.2%	52.7	8.9
Canucks	15.4%	52.5	9.1

Monster statistical starts to the season for J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser made them Canucks All-Stars, while Filip Forsberg's 48-goal season went under the radar alongside surprisingly productive seasons from Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O'Reilly in Nashville.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST ASB)
Predators	Juuse Saros	0.16
Canucks	Thatcher Demko	0.37

Demko answered most of the questions surrounding a late-season absence due to a knee injury with 39 saves against the Flames in Vancouver's penultimate regular-season game. Meanwhile, 6.9 of Saros's 7.4 GSAx came during the Predators' 18-game point streak.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Predators	+10%	+9.9%	+9.8%
Canucks	+10%	+10.8%	+4.9%

One team is a division champion, while the other never got higher in the standings than a wild-card spot, but the Canucks and Predators ended up similarly rated in the market and via the metrics we hold dear.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES PTB
Predators	47.3%	+141	-109	+131
Canucks	52.7%	-115	+133	-107

Full credit to the Predators for making the playoffs with a stunning 18-game stretch after the All-Star break, but a run that came against just six playoff teams - combining hot goaltending from both Saros and backup Kevin Lankinen, 15 goals for Forsberg, and 25 points for Nyquist - is unsustainable.

The Canucks' Pacific division lead afforded them room to be complacent down the stretch, but in their biggest games, they shut down the Oilers and Golden Knights in playoff-style games. Rick Tocchet's group is deeper offensively and will limit chances against Demko - the better goaltender in this matchup.

Best bet: Canucks -2.5 games (+275)

Avalanche vs. Jets

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Avalanche	-105	-135	-1.5 (+130)
Jets	-115	+115	+1.5 (-165)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Avalanche	14.0%	51.9	9.2
Jets	15.8%	51.8	9.8

The Jets rarely had a fully healthy group of forwards. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nik Ehlers, Cole Perfetti, Gabriel Vilardi, Mason Appleton, and Nino Niederreiter, plus deadline acquisitions Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli, form a core of nine capable of matching Colorado's top-end talent.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Avalanche	Alexandar Georgiev	-0.06
Jets	Connor Hellebuyck	0.56

The notable difference lies between the pipes, with Hellebuyck the favorite to win the Vezina and Georgiev essentially the definition of a replacement-level goaltender.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Avalanche	+20%	+9.1%	+3.0%
Jets	+10%	+13.0%	+2.6%

The betting market loves the Avalanche. Other teams could be top line-centric with mediocre even-strength metrics and non-descript goaltending and not get nearly the credit Colorado does.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES PTB
Avalanche	44.4%	+147	+104	+148
Jets	55.6%	-120	+117	-120

I feared the Jets hammering the Avs 7-0 in Colorado last Sunday - earning home-ice advantage here - might lead to Winnipeg being favored in this matchup, but Avalanche support is undaunted.

The Jets are the better team top to bottom, have greater depth, and are far healthier than when Vegas quickly knocked them out in last year's first round. Colorado overcame bad goaltending to win a Stanley Cup two seasons ago, but having to skimp on the most critical position in hockey will burn the club for the second straight postseason.

Best bet: Jets to win series (+115)

Golden Knights vs. Stars

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Golden Knights	+110	+110	+1.5 (-195)
Stars	-130	-130	-1.5 (+155)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Golden Knights	14.8%	50.7	9.2
Stars	16.3%	55.6	8.3

The Golden Knights enjoyed an unprecedented high-danger chance conversion rate on the way to the Stanley Cup last year, but they're not the better team in that category in this matchup.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Golden Knights	Logan Thompson	0.15
	Adin Hill	-0.51
Stars	Jake Oettinger	0.12

This is a matchup between replacement-level goaltenders, as Hill's magical playoff run last year hasn't carried over to this season. Meanwhile, the Stars hope that Oettinger finds his way back to his early-career form that's eluded him for over a year.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Golden Knights	+15%	+10.0%	+1.3%
Stars	+20%	+30.1%	+16.1%

The Stars are considered the better team, but the Golden Knights continue to get more credit in the marketplace than they earned this season.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	NEUT. WIN PROB	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES PTB
Golden Knights	28.3%	+208	+150	+311
Stars	71.7%	-167	-122	-241

The Stars should be a much bigger favorite based on season-long metrics and results, but the twist is that the Golden Knights expect to have Mark Stone back, completing a roster that added Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin and hasn't been together all season.

Loathe trusting what amounts to a hypothesis about the Golden Knights, even if Vegas is better than the season-long numbers suggest. Getting the Stars as a short favorite is tough to pass up.

The Western Conference's eight playoff teams have been set for some time, while the East had more of a royal rumble for its final playoff berth. Do the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers have a beneficial path? What should we make of the rivalry-laden gauntlet that is the Atlantic Division?

Using the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even strength play-driving, skating talent, goaltending), let's break it all down, series by series.

ADVANCED METRICS GLOSSARY
ES = Even strength xG%= Expected goals share HDCA/G= High-danger chances allowed per game GSAx/60= Goals saved above expected per 60 minutes SNIPES= HDC goals + power-play goals / HDC + power-play chances

Maple Leafs vs. Bruins

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Maple Leafs	+115	+110	+1.5 (-210)
Bruins	-135	-130	-1.5 (+170)

Tale of the tape

Converting scoring changes at a high rate and having above-average goaltending are crucial ingredients to playoff success. Let's look at predictive metrics for those two elements.

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Maple Leafs	14.8%	52.1	9.8
Bruins	15.6%	50.3	9.8

The Maple Leafs and Bruins were above league average in SNIPES percentage, but Toronto was the better team at driving play at even strength this season.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Maple Leafs	Ilya Samsonov	0.135
Bruins	Jeremy Swayman	0.401
	Linus Ullmark	0.569

As of two weeks ago, Ilya Samsonov qualified as a contender for this playoffs' hot goalie, but a minus-4.08 goals saved above expected in April dipped his GSAx/60 below a standard of 0.25. The Bruins have the clear edge between the pipes in this series.

Team ratings

Oddsmakers create moneylines based on a numerical valuation of every team. Here's the market's most recent valuation compared to how I have them rated (based on the metrics above) for the full season and post-All-Star break:

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Maple Leafs	+15.0%	+18.2%	+9.9%
Bruins	+15.0%	+11.2%	-2.9%

The Bruins' metrics after the All-Star break stick out like a sore thumb, with a 48.6% expected goals share as the main culprit, suggesting they've been below average. They let the Atlantic Division slip through their fingers and must turn their play around to avoid another first-round upset in a row.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB.	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES
Maple Leafs	55.5%	+113	-125	-120
Bruins	44.5%	+108	+153	+138

The headline here is that I have the Maple Leafs as the better team and a short favorite despite the Bruins having home-ice advantage and the prevailing sentiment that Boston has historically had Toronto's number.

These teams haven't met in the playoffs since back-to-back seven-game series in 2018 and 2019. Since losing both, the Leafs have improved - exemplified by Auston Matthews doubling his season goal count - and have their deepest forward group yet.

Expectations were probably too high for a young team pre-pandemic, which created a narrative among bettors that the Maple Leafs should be afraid of the Bruins. However, after getting the first-round monkey off their back last season, you should have no problem backing the Leafs at a plus price to win within six games.

Best bet: Maple Leafs -1.5 games (+180)

Lightning vs. Panthers

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Lightning	+135	+160	+1.5 (-145)
Panthers	-160	-190	-1.5 (+115)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Lightning	17.1%	49.2	9.0
Panthers	13.8%	55.6	8.4

The Panthers have been the more dominant team all season, but the Lightning have the highest SNIPES percentage of any playoff team and are thus dangerous in the small sample size of a seven-game series.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Lightning	Andrei Vasilevskiy	-0.13
Panthers	Sergei Bobrovsky	0.42

The Lightning's hopes rest on Andrei Vasilevskiy going from liability this season (coming off hip surgery) to pulling off a similar feat to Carey Price or Marc-Andre Fleury - two veteran goalies who recently carried teams to the conference finals despite poor regular seasons.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Lightning	+5%	+8.9%	-0.6%
Panthers	+20%	+13.7%	+7.8%

The Panthers have been rated higher and played better than the Lightning all season.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB.	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES
Lightning	43.7%	+149	+106	+152
Panthers	56.3%	-122	+116	-124

In 10 recent playoff matchups against the Panthers, the Lightning have won eight, thanks mainly to a 34.3% power-play efficiency. The veteran group that ran out of gas against Toronto last year won't be afraid of its in-state rival.

Tampa was 28.7% with the man advantage this season (and top five on the penalty kill). If it can get a short-term boost from Vasilevskiy, there's some value on the Lightning - their odds have lengthened since opening at around +140.

Best bet: Lightning to win series (+160)

Capitals vs. Rangers

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Capitals	+195	+340	+1.5 (+140)
Rangers	-240	-450	-1.5 (-175)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Capitals	14.1%	47.7	9.7
Rangers	15.0%	50.1	9.8

Metrics-based bettors didn't like that the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy despite an even split in their even-strength expected goals share. Getting the top seed has earned them a matchup with the Capitals, one of three playoff teams worse in that metric.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Capitals	Charlie Lindgren	0.25
Rangers	Igor Shesterkin	0.72

After a slow start in which Jonathan Quick excelled in the backup role, Igor Shesterkin is back to being a problem for opposing shooters. Meanwhile, the Capitals' unlikely run to the playoffs was aided by Charlie Lindgren's emergence.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Capitals	-15%	-7.4%	-3.1%
Rangers	+15%	+11.4%	-0.01%

The Capitals never got credit in the betting market as even an average team, while the Rangers often looked like one but with far better results.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	NEUT. WIN PROB.	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES
Capitals	28.2%	+207	+152	+313
Rangers	71.8%	-166	-124	-243

The Rangers' SNIPES percentage and stellar goaltending more than made up for average even-strength metrics. It's a similar story to two seasons ago when Shesterkin stood on his head to beat the Penguins. New York reached the conference final despite allowing 138 more high-danger chances than they generated.

The Rangers are marginally overvalued at the current series price but have a track record of overcoming that. Instead of taking the Capitals to win the series, let's bet on this series going a little longer than the market expects.

Best bet: Over 5.5 games (-105)

Islanders vs. Hurricanes

TEAM	GAME 1	SERIES	SERIES HANDICAP
Islanders	+180	+300	+1.5 (+125)
Hurricanes	-220	-400	-1.5 (-165)

Tale of the tape

Skaters' scoring talent

TEAM	SNIPES	ES xG%	HDCA/G
Islanders	13.5%	48.7	10.0
Hurricanes	13.9%	56.4	8.0

This matchup is why it's worth noting high-danger chances against per game. There's not much difference in the other three series, but the Hurricanes have a massive two-per-game differential over the Islanders.

Goaltending matchup

TEAM	GOALTENDER	GSAx/60 (POST-ASB)
Islanders	Ilya Sorokin	0.06
	Semyon Varlamov	0.45
Hurricanes	Frederik Andersen	1.46
	Pyotr Kochetkov	0.59

We've included both Canes goaltenders because Frederik Andersen might not be up for a full-time workload, and Pyotr Kochetkov's numbers are so good that the team should have no issue giving Andersen a breather. Meanwhile, the Isles appear to be turning to theoretical backup Semyon Varlamov in Game 1.

Team ratings

TEAM	MARKET	SEASON	POST-ASB
Islanders	-5%	-2.7%	+2.0%
Hurricanes	+25%	+30.4%	+18.7%

Simply put, the Hurricanes have few holes, while the Isles are average at best, with no arguable advantage in any key category.

Best bet

Here are the prices that would be considered valuable for each team on the road, at home, and to win the series.

TEAM	SERIES WIN PROB.	GM 1/2/5/7	GM 3/4/6	SERIES PTB
Islanders	16.5%	+293	+199	+697
Hurricanes	83.5%	-228	-160	-470

Despite excellent even-strength metrics in recent years, the Hurricanes' poor scoring rates have prevented them from meeting expectations. Many will forget that they didn't have Andrei Svechnikov (knee injury) last year. They've added Jake Guentzel (25 points in 17 games), while 22-year-old Seth Jarvis had a 33-goal breakout season. Scoring-depth issues should be solved, and Carolina should make quick work of the Islanders.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

The Stanley Cup Playoffs start Saturday. These 16 key players - one per postseason team - will help dictate who wins and stumbles in the opening round and beyond.

Aaron Ekblad: After missing the final six games of the regular season to nurse an undisclosed injury, Ekblad will return to the Panthers' lineup for Game 1 against the Lightning. Florida didn't address the blue line at the trade deadline. Without Ekblad, the Panthers didn't have anybody on the right side of the defense capable of combating opposing top lines. They need Ekblad healthy, and at his best, to make another deep run.

Victor Hedman: The Lightning's blue line isn't what it used to be, especially with Mikhail Sergachev ruled out for Round 1 as he recovers from a broken leg. Hedman, as he's done for much of the season, will have to do the heavy lifting. While his 76-point season may trick some into thinking he's still at the top of his game, his ugly defensive metrics tell another story. Tampa Bay needs Hedman to be a factor at both ends to have a chance of advancing.

Jake DeBrusk: It hasn't been the contract year DeBrusk hoped for. After producing 27 goals and 50 points in 64 games last season, the Bruins winger managed only 19 goals and 40 points in 80 games in 2023-24. But he can play his way into a big payday with a stellar postseason - and the best recipe for him to do that is with an edge to his game.

Auston Matthews: Every team needs their best players to show up, but perhaps none more so than the Maple Leafs. Matthews has never truly taken over a postseason the way superstars of his ilk are capable of. He scored five times in Toronto's Round 1 win over the Lightning last year but failed to find the back of the net in Round 2 when the Leafs were eliminated. That's not a coincidence.

Mika Zibanejad: The Rangers center's production tailed off this season, with only 12 goals at even strength. The whistles tend to go away a bit in playoff hockey, so Zibanejad will have to find ways to contribute outside of the power play. Considering the opposition will place more attention on Artemi Panarin's line, the Rangers need Zibanejad to be the force he's capable of being.

Tom Wilson: The Caps enter Round 1 as heavy underdogs, but Wilson can wreak havoc on the forecheck and strike fear into opposing defensemen with his physicality. The three-time 20-goal-scorer has decent hands around the net, too. Wilson also has a history with the Rangers: Remember when he punched Pavel Buchnevich and body-slammed Panarin in 2021? The Rangers and their fans haven't forgotten, and Wilson will surely relish playing the villain.

Andrei Svechnikov: Many of Carolina's key forwards - Sebastian Aho, Jake Guentzel, Seth Jarvis, Teuvo Teravainen - are on the smaller side. Svechnikov, a modern-day power forward, is the outlier. He missed last year's postseason after he tore his ACL in March, which contributed to the Hurricanes' lack of scoring. Svechnikov can get to the inside and score goals from ugly areas, and that's often what it takes to succeed in the playoffs.

Noah Dobson: The Islanders' 70-point defenseman missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. His status for Game 1 is up in the air. Dobson is the engine that drives the Islanders from the back end. Given the tenacity of Carolina's forecheck, New York desperately needs its top puck-moving defenseman to be healthy and at his best. Otherwise, the Islanders will constantly be hemmed in their own zone.

Quinn Hughes: The Canucks' dynamic, intelligent captain reached rare heights this year. He became the 11th NHL defenseman to eclipse 90 points in a season. He was the first since Ray Bourque in 1994 to record nine three-assist games. Hughes also leveled up as a shooter. His second postseason, following a fun run in the 2020 bubble, is the first in a long while that Vancouver enters as a Cup favorite.

Tommy Novak: A classic secondary scorer, the Predators center supports the load-bearing quartet of Filip Forsberg, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O'Reilly, and Roman Josi. Novak put up a second straight 40-point season despite missing a month due to injury. Aside from superstars, few NHL forwards create more chances in their allotment of minutes than Novak. Recent eight-game and six-game win streaks suggest Nashville could be tough to eliminate.

Stuart Skinner: The Oilers always rack up goals at this time of year. Can they prevent them? The decline in Skinner's save percentage from the 2022-23 regular season (.914) to his two-round playoff debut (.883) was too steep for Edmonton to overcome. Thwarting chances is a shared responsibility. That means a defense corps with ample postseason experience has to minimize slipups in front of Skinner.

Drew Doughty: "Dewy" is the gap-toothed, trash-talking embodiment of what the Kings do well. The workhorse defenseman subdues top lines. He clears the crease and blocks shots for the league's No. 2 penalty kill. At even strength, L.A.'s conservative, maligned 1-3-1 defensive structure disrupts opposing breakouts. The Kings count on Doughty to retrieve dump-ins at the back of the trap and spark offense when they gain the puck.

Chris Tanev: The Stars' scoring depth wows, Miro Heiskanen is a two-way whiz, and goalie Jake Oettinger has star potential. Trading for Tanev offset a rare weakness: Heiskanen's lack of help on the blue line. Tanev and Esa Lindell form a strong, defensively conscious second pair behind the Heiskanen-Thomas Harley duo. Following Tanev's March 5 debut, Dallas led the West in points percentage (.789), goals allowed (2.32 per game), and expected goals share (62.7%).

Jonathan Marchessault: The Golden Knights' top sniper, whose 42-goal season was a significant personal best, likes to play in traffic. He ranked in the 96th percentile in goals and 87th percentile in shots generated from the high-danger low slot, per NHL EDGE. Marchessault tallied 10 of his 13 goals in the 2023 playoffs from that part of the ice. His dependability helps fuel the reigning champs.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz announced his retirement from the NHL due to recurring injuries.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

The NHL's playoffs are set. Both sets of first-round series are finalized with exciting matchups in the Eastern and Western conferences.

Here are the odds for the remaining 16 teams that have a chance at hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Stanley Cup odds

Team	Odds	Implied Prob.
Hurricanes	+550	15.4%
Panthers	+650	13.3%
Stars	+750	11.8%
Rangers	+750	11.8%
Avalanche	+800	11.1%
Oilers	+800	11.1%
Bruins	+1200	7.7%
Maple Leafs	+1200	7.7%
Golden Knights	+1200	7.7%
Canucks	+1600	5.9%
Jets	+2000	4.8%
Kings	+2500	3.8%
Lightning	+2500	3.8%
Predators	+3000	3.2%
Islanders	+5000	2.0%
Capitals	+15000	0.7%

Odds via theScore Bet.

The Hurricanes are the Stanley Cup favorites at +550, which equates to an implied probability of 15.4%. They started the season as the favorites with odds of +800 and drifted to as long as +1200 during the season.

Carolina will face the Islanders, who earned the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, in Round 1. The Hurricanes are -425 to advance to the next round, meaning oddsmakers give Carolina an 81% chance of beating New York.

The Atlantic Division champion Panthers are the second favorites at +650. Florida advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season as the second wild card, upsetting the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes before losing to the Golden Knights.

The Panthers are -190 favorites to win their first-round series over the Lightning.

Here are the odds for each team that could represent the Eastern Conference in the Final.

Eastern Conference odds

Team	Odds
Hurricanes	+275
Panthers	+300
Rangers	+375
Bruins	+550
Maple Leafs	+700
Lightning	+1200
Islanders	+2500
Capitals	+6000

The Maple Leafs have longer odds than the Bruins to win the East despite having the same odds to win the Stanley Cup. That suggests Toronto is slightly overvalued in the Stanley Cup market.

The smarter bet - if you can say that when discussing the Leafs' chances to win it all - would be to pick them to win the Eastern Conference, then roll that into a series wager in the Final, where they'll likely be plus-money underdogs to the Western Conference representative.

As for the West, the Stars narrowly top the Oilers and Avalanche as the betting favorites to win the conference.

Western Conference odds

Team	Odds
Stars	+350
Oilers	+375
Avalanche	+400
Golden Knights	+600
Canucks	+750
Jets	+800
Kings	+1200
Predators	+1400

Dallas won arguably the best division in hockey to earn the No. 1 seed, and their reward is an opening-round matchup against the defending champion Golden Knights.

While six of eight matchups were already known, the remaining two were finalized after the conclusion of Thursday's action.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime on Thursday, passing the Vegas Golden Knights in the standings after the defending Stanley Cup champs lost to the Anaheim Ducks. That moves the Kings into third place in the Pacific Division to take on the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 for the third year in a row. That result also dropped the Golden Knights to the second wild-card spot to set up a 2023 Western Conference Final rematch with the top-seeded Dallas Stars.

The NHL also unveiled the entire schedule for Round 1.

All times ET.
*If necessary

Atlantic Division

Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty

Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 21	12:30 p.m.	Panthers
2	April 23	7:30 p.m.	Panthers
3	April 25	7 p.m.	Lightning
4	April 27	5 p.m.	Lightning
5*	April 29	TBD	Panthers
6*	May 1	TBD	Lightning
7*	May 4	TBD	Panthers

Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 20	8 p.m.	Bruins
2	April 22	7 p.m.	Bruins
3	April 24	7 p.m.	Maple Leafs
4	April 27	8 p.m.	Maple Leafs
5*	April 30	TBD	Bruins
6*	May 2	TBD	Maple Leafs
7*	May 4	TBD	Bruins

Metropolitan Division

Jared Silber / National Hockey League / Getty

New York Rangers (M1) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 21	3 p.m.	Rangers
2	April 23	7 p.m.	Rangers
3	April 26	7 p.m.	Capitals
4	April 28	8 p.m.	Capitals
5*	May 1	TBD	Rangers
6*	May 3	TBD	Capitals
7*	May 5	TBD	Rangers

Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New York Islanders (M3)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 20	3 p.m.	Hurricanes
2	April 22	7:30 p.m.	Hurricanes
3	April 25	7:30 p.m.	Islanders
4	April 27	2 p.m.	Islanders
5*	April 30	TBD	Hurricanes
6*	May 2	TBD	Islanders
7*	May 4	TBD	Hurricanes

Central Division

Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 22	9:30 p.m.	Stars
2	April 24	9:30 p.m.	Stars
3	April 27	10:30 p.m.	Golden Knights
4	April 29	TBD	Golden Knights
5*	May 1	TBD	Stars
6*	May 3	TBD	Golden Knights
7*	May 5	TBD	Stars

Winnipeg Jets (C2) vs. Colorado Avlanche (C3)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 21	7 p.m.	Jets
2	April 23	9:30 p.m.	Jets
3	April 26	10 p.m.	Avalanche
4	April 28	2:30 p.m.	Avalanche
5*	April 30	TBD	Jets
6*	May 2	TBD	Avalanche
7*	May 4	TBD	Jets

Pacific Division

Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 21	10 p.m.	Canucks
2	April 23	10 p.m.	Canucks
3	April 26	7:30 p.m.	Predators
4	April 28	5 p.m.	Predators
5*	April 30	TBD	Canucks
6*	May 3	TBD	Predators
7*	May 5	TBD	Canucks

Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (P3)

Game	Date	Time	Home Team
1	April 22	10 p.m.	Oilers
2	April 24	10 p.m.	Oilers
3	April 26	10:30 p.m.	Kings
4	April 28	10:30 p.m.	Kings
5*	May 1	TBD	Oilers
6*	May 3	TBD	Kings
7*	May 5	TBD	Oilers

Line Number: 14949

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

The NHL regular season has come to a close, so it's time to take a look at the statistical leaders from this year's campaign.

Art Ross Trophy

Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / Getty

Awarded to the player with the most points

Winner: Nikita Kucherov

Rank	Player	P
1	Nikita Kucherov (TBL)	144
2	Nathan MacKinnon (COL)	140
3	Connor McDavid (EDM)	132
4	Artemi Panarin (NYR)	120
5	David Pastrnak (BOS)	110

Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

Awarded to the player with the most goals

Winner: Auston Matthews

Rank	Player	G
1	Auston Matthews (TOR)	69
2	Sam Reinhart (FLA)	57
3	Zach Hyman (EDM)	54
4	Nathan MacKinnon (COL)	51
5	Artemi Panarin (NYR)	49

Assists leader

Winners: Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov

Rank	Player	A
T1	Connor McDavid (EDM)	100
T1	Nikita Kucherov (TBL)	100
3	Nathan MacKinnon (COL)	89
4	Quinn Hughes (VAN)	75
5	Artemi Panarin (NYR)	71

Defenseman points leader

Winner: Quinn Hughes

Rank	Player	P
1	Quinn Hughes (VAN)	92
2	Cale Makar (COL)	90
3	Roman Josi (NAS)	85
4	Evan Bouchard (EDM)	82
5	Victor Hedman (TBL)	76

Average ice time leader

Ben Ludeman / National Hockey League / Getty

Winner: John Carlson

Rank	Player	ATOI
1	John Carlson (WAS)	25:54
2	Drew Doughty (LAK)	25:48
3	Mike Matheson (MTL)	25:33
4	Seth Jones (CHI)	25:29
5	Rasmus Dahlin (BUF)	25:25

William M. Jennings Trophy

Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty

Awarded to the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals against

Winner: Connor Hellebuyck

Rank	Player	GA
1	Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)	199
2	Sergei Bobrovsky/Anthony Stolarz (FLA)	200
3	Cam Talbot (LAK)	215
4	Pyotr Kochetkov (CAR)	216
5	Thatcher Demko/Casey DeSmith (VAN)	223

Save percentage leader

Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Minimum of 25 games played, per NHL.com

Winner: Anthony Stolarz

Rank	Player	SV%
1	Anthony Stolarz (FLA)	.925
2	Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)	.921
T3	Thatcher Demko (VAN)	.918
T3	Semyon Varlamov (NYI)	.918
T5	Joey Daccord (SEA)	.916
T5	Jeremy Swayman (BOS)	.916

Goalie wins leader

Winner: Alexandar Georgiev

Rank	Player	W
1	Alexandar Georgiev (COL)	38
2	Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)	37
T3	Stuart Skinner (EDM)	36
T3	Igor Shesterkin (NYR)	36
T3	Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA)	36

"The NHL's belief in Arizona has never wavered. We thank Alex Meruelo for his commitment to the franchise and Arizona, and we fully support his ongoing efforts to secure a new home in the desert for the Coyotes. We also want to acknowledge the loyal hockey fans of Arizona, who have supported their team with dedication for nearly three decades while growing the game."

Smith said his Utah team won't rush picking a name and could go into its inaugural season without one, per The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Relocation talks for the Coyotes picked up steam earlier this month after years of rumors. The league's flip of the franchise to Smith was first reported last week. Smith has pushed hard to land a franchise and made a formal request to the NHL for an expansion club in January.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

The Arizona Coyotes went out on a high note, prevailing 5-2 over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in what turned out to be the final game of this iteration of the franchise.

The crowd at Mullett Arena in Tempe cheered throughout the final minute, and the Coyotes broadcasters went silent for roughly the final 20 seconds.

The final minute of Arizona Coyotes hockey#Yotes pic.twitter.com/vBNMgQIoHM
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 18, 2024

"It was a great atmosphere, and the fans really made it unbelievable," star forward Clayton Keller said, per Coyotes team reporter Patrick Brown. "They've supported us through a lot of ups and downs, and through all the noise they've always had our backs. We're super thankful for that."

The players took turns embracing a veteran team staffer and then gathered at center ice to salute the fans who held on until the end.

After their final game, all of the Arizona Coyotes players lined up to hug longtime equipment manager Stan Wilson 🥹 pic.twitter.com/APcB41vDbU
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2024

The players also stayed on the ice to give their jerseys to some fans.

Fans getting jerseys off the backs of players in the Coyotes' final game in Arizona, unreal#Yotes pic.twitter.com/miiPnxQjy2
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 18, 2024

"It's super surreal," rookie Logan Cooley said. "There were a lot of emotions coming to the rink, and coming to Mullett for the last time. It was a little sad, (I) started my career here. It's pretty special, and the fans showed out so I'm happy we got the win for them."

Defenseman Sean Durzi potted an empty-netter with 4:15 remaining to score the Coyotes' final goal before the franchise relocates. Young phenom Dylan Guenther netted the club's last goal against a netminder, burying a power-play marker just over a minute earlier.

Lawson Crouse, Matias Maccelli, and Liam O'Brien produced the other goals for Arizona.

"It was a great effort," Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said. "Those guys were unbelievable. In the toughest environment, against top teams in the league, with a lot of adversity, a lot of questions, a lot of wondering, a lot of worries. ... The way they played, the way they fought, the way they focused on every game, and they played structured, they played with heart, and they played with passion. I'm impressed, and I'm really proud of them."

Sam Carrick and Warren Foegele tallied for the Oilers.

"I guess we'll see what happens," he told reporters Thursday. "I'm sure my agent and (Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman) will have those conversations and go from there."

Kane signed a one-year, $2.75-million deal with the Red Wings in November following his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery. He chipped in with 47 points (20 goals and 27 assists) in 50 games, good for the second most on the Red Wings since his season debut Dec. 7.

"Coming into this year, my decision was based on playing on a good team," Kane said. "A team where I thought I fit in well, obviously the comfort of playing with Alex (DeBrincat) again was something I was looking forward to. ... I was put in a great situation to succeed and play a lot of minutes."

He added: "I think it will be similar going forward: How do I fit in with the team, who would I play with, things like that. … (I'm) maybe looking for a little bit more stability as far as term. I think the right situation matters, too."

With three Stanley Cup championships and 143 playoff games (the 12th most among all active players) under his belt, Kane was key to the Red Wings' postseason push. They fell just short of the mark after finishing the season with the same amount of points as the Washington Capitals but five fewer regulation wins.

Detroit's playoff drought has now extended to eight years. Kane doesn't think that dry spell will last for much longer, though.

"I think at the end of the day, we just didn't make steps forward this year," he told reporters Thursday, including TSN. "We took a couple steps back. It's frustrating, it's difficult. I'm not gonna lie to you, (I had) very high hopes coming into this year and for it to not happen, it's pretty disappointing. Upset, frustrated, all the words you can use there."

"To disappoint (fans) that spend money to support you ... is tough," Tkachuk continued. "It's the first year that I've really, truly felt that. Disappointed a lot of people that stuck with us through the thick and thin."

The Senators had aspirations of making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after missing the cutline by six points last season. This time last year, Tkachuk boldly proclaimed that he and he teammates "wouldn't be done in April anymore."

Ottawa finished the 2023-24 campaign 13 points outside the postseason picture after losing 41 games in regulation, tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the fifth most in the league.

"Just finished Year 6, and haven't done a thing," Tkachuk lamented Thursday. "I haven't played in those meaningful playoff games that I've imagined, and the rest of the group has imagined playing in."

Ottawa had to battle its fair share of drama this year, including GM and coaching changes, new ownership, and a half-season suspension to Shane Pinto for violating the league's gambling rules.

However, veteran forward Claude Giroux wasn't about to lean on those factors as an excuse.

"We know our potential," he said. "Yes, we are a very young team, but saying that, our game's gotta grow. We need to help each other better, play more as a team."

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Vasily Podkolzin to a two-year contract extension Thursday.

The deal is worth $1 million per season, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Podkolzin, the 10th overall pick in 2019, made 18 appearances for the Canucks this season, managing two assists. He also recorded 28 points in 44 games for AHL Abbotsford.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

It's tempting to say that the Toronto Maple Leafs, as another postseason looms, are at an inflection point.

It's tempting to say that because the Leafs have been in Cup-run-or-bust mode for years now. April often seems like an inflection point. It's just no longer true.

From the point when former general manager Kyle Dubas built his roster around four elite and expensive forwards, every spring has felt like a test case of that model. Could a team with almost half its salary cap allotted to four high-end skill guys assemble enough talent elsewhere to go on a deep playoff run?

Even though the Leafs kept losing in the first round of the playoffs, the answer to that question from the front office appeared to be: Maybe. That is, it kept resisting calls to trade one of the star forwards, preferring to run the same core version of the roster back again, even as coaches and goalies were changed. The Leafs having a sad early spring exit was about as reliable as the Arizona Coyotes' arena drama.

Last season, they finally got over the hump by knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning, only to pratfall in a second-round gentlemen's sweep by the Florida Panthers. Surely things would be shaken up. If not a smashing of the nuclear button, at least a controlled demolition. Except the only fundamental change came in the front office, with Dubas leaving even though team president Brendan Shanahan wanted to bring him back.

New GM Brad Treliving wasn't in the job long before he effectively endorsed the Dubas model, eschewing a shakeup and instead making changes on the roster's periphery. Auston Matthews signed for four more years. William Nylander re-upped for eight more seasons after this one.

And so, as the Leafs enter the playoffs, the stakes seem strangely low. They could easily get bounced in the first round again, which would set off an understandable round of exasperated groaning and hair-pulling among the team's fans, Toronto-area sports bars, and the executive suites at Rogers and Sportsnet. An eighth straight playoff disappointment is entirely within the range of possibilities.

It's just hard to see how that would lead to much of a reckoning, even if the fan base sharpens its pitchforks and local media lights its torches. Matthews and Nylander just signed those extensions, and had career years. Mitch Marner may be considered a prime trade asset, a star winger entering the walk year of his contract, except for the fact his deal has a full no-movement clause that kicked in last summer. John Tavares also has one year left on his contract, also has a NMC, and has less trade value to begin with, as he turns 34 in September and is no longer a point-per-game player.

Barring an extraordinary unforeseen development, today's Maple Leafs will look a lot like next fall's Maple Leafs, no matter what happens over the next two months - or two weeks if it goes poorly. If Shanahan and Treliving were going to give up on the Dubas model, they needed to do so sooner than now.

Marner said it himself last summer, explaining that Treliving reached out within days of landing the Leafs job to give his blessing to the roster he inherited.

"Brad came in and defended us all, really, and our team," Marner said. "It meant a lot to all of us to come in and do that."

It also meant a lot to Leafs fans who were desperate to see one of the star forwards moved.

Of course, the Leafs could make all of the preceding moot by actually going on the long playoff run that's so far eluded them. Matthews is scoring like he's shooting at a net 10 feet wide and Nylander, after an incandescent start to the year, has smashed his previous best points total. Marner missed time with a bum ankle but has been his usual dangerous self when healthy. Tavares has even taken on more of a shutdown role, which isn't normally what's asked of an $11-million center but may well be the best use of that salary.

Severity: 8192

Message: Non-static method SimplePie_Misc::get_element() should not be called statically, assuming $this from incompatible context

Filename: libraries/Simplepie.php

Line Number: 14949

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jeff Carter is calling it a career after nearly two decades.

The 39-year-old helped the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. Over his largely productive career, he played 10 seasons with the Kings, six with the Philadelphia Flyers, four with the Penguins, and part of one with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Carter notched 442 goals and 409 assists in 1,321 regular-season games. He netted the Penguins' final tally of this campaign in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Every member of the Islanders shook hands with Jeff Carter before leaving the ice in what could be his final NHL game 🥺 pic.twitter.com/KBVIJrfRph
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2024

Carter confirmed postgame that he's hanging up his skates for good.

"Not sure (what I'm going to do now)," Carter said. "I'm going to be a dad. You miss a lot being a hockey player. You're in and out and away ... My family - all hockey families - sacrificed a lot for us to leave out our dream. So I'm going to be home and be a dad for a while, and then we'll figure it out from there."

The Canadian added 47 tallies and 37 helpers in 133 playoff contests.

Carter tied for the league lead with eight playoff goals over 20 games during the Kings' 2012 championship run, then racked up 25 points (including 10 goals) across 26 postseason contests in 2014. Carter trailed only teammate Anze Kopitar for the playoff points lead and fellow King Marian Gaborik for the postseason lead in goals during that second Cup run.

Carter amassed a career-high 46 goals and 38 assists with the Flyers in 2008-09. He topped the team in goals and points that season.

The Ontario-born center was a two-time All-Star who won gold with Canada at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and the World Junior Championship in 2005.

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

Member Login

Member Register

DraftChex.com

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered