Apr 13, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by forward Connor McDavid (97) during the second period against the Colorado Avalanche.Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Perry Nelson/Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
EDMONTON, Alberta — Connor McDavid had four assists to take the NHL scoring title with 138 points and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-1 to finish second in the Pacific Division and open the playoffs at home.
Edmonton will host Anaheim in Game 1. The Oilers were 7-2-2 in their last 11 to finish 41-30-12, while Vancouver was last in the NHL at 25-49-8.
McDavid won his sixth Art Ross title as the NHL scoring leader to tie Mario Lemieux and Gordie Howe for second — four behind Wayne Gretzky. McDavid reached 1,220 career points, passing Jeremy Roenick, Larry Murphy and Jean Beliveau to advance to 47th on the NHL list. McDavid entered the season 71st.
Rookie Matthew Savoie had his first hat trick, Josh Samanski, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Colton Dach also scored and Evan Bouchard had three assists. Connor Ingram made 11 saves, allowing only Ty Mueller’s first career goal.
Edmonton was buoyed by the return of forward Zach Hyman and is expecting star forward Leon Draisaitl back during the opening series.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Sunny Mehta and Bryan McCabe of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup victory in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils hired Sunny Mehta as their general manager, bringing back their former director of analytics to oversee their hockey operations department.
Owner David Blitzer announced the hire less than 48 hours after the team’s regular season ended without a playoff appearance. Mehta was an assistant when the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup each of the past two years.
“We quickly realized this job was in high demand and were incredibly fortunate to meet with many qualified candidates,” Blitzer said. “Sunny’s familiarity with our organization and experience with a two-time Stanley Cup-winning team are characteristics that will serve as a foundation for future success. Our expectations are to be a perennial playoff team and compete for the Stanley Cup, and I look forward to Sunny leading us there.”
Mehta, 48, established the NHL’s first full-fledged analytics department when he joined his home-state Devils in 2014 and worked for them through 2018. He spent time with Washington before going to Florida.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, who also had a vacancy after firing Brad Treliving late last month, also showed interest in Mehta, given their interest in a numbers-driven GM. The Devils beat Toronto the punch.
Raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, Mehta grew up a Devils fan. He had a career as a professional poker player and worked in finance before getting into hockey.
“I knew this was the place I wanted to be,” Mehta said, thanking the Panthers for the chance to take the next step in his career. “New Jersey has a tremendous young core that will be looking to get back to being a contender, a complement of young assets and draft picks, and a passionate fan base hungry for success.”
The Devils parted ways with longtime GM Tom Fitzgerald late in the season. The future of coach Sheldon Keefe is not clear, though he guided the team to the playoffs in his first year in charge.
Mehta takes over at an important time for the franchise, with U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes at the center of a young core and captain Nico Hischier eligible to sign an extension as soon as July 1.
“I’m focusing on playing hockey here,” Hischier said about it the morning after Fitzgerald left. “I still have one more year. I’m with the Devils right now, and then we’ll see what happens.”
If he is able to trade defenseman Dougie Hamilton this summer after his $7.4 million roster bonus is paid, it will clear up valuable salary cap space to use to improve the forward group.
With the regular season now in the books, the NHL has released the full first-round schedule for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the series between the Ottawa Senators (WC2) and Carolina Hurricanes (M1) series.
The league announced on Friday that Games 1 and 2 will take place in Raleigh on Saturday and Monday. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Ottawa on Thursday and next Saturday. Here's the full list of dates for each game in the best-of-seven series.
Game 1: Ottawa at Carolina, 3 p.m. ET April 18 (ESPN, SN, OMNI TVAS)
As the Sens get ready for Game 1 in Carolina on Saturday, Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss a season to be proud of in Ottawa.
Game 2: Ottawa at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET April 20 (ESPN2, SNE, SNO, SNP, CBC TVAS)
Game 3: Carolina at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. ET April 23 (TBS, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 4: Carolina at Ottawa, 3 p.m. ET April 25 (TBS, truTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS, OMNI)
*Game 5: Ottawa at Carolina, April 27 TBD
*Game 6: Carolina at Ottawa, April 30n TBD
*Game 7: Ottawa at Carolina, May 2 TBD
*- If necessary
Normally, Senators fans would also be keeping a close eye on Atlantic Division playoff opponents, but because of the way wild cards played out this year, they're participating in the Metro tournament.
Senators on X
The winner of this series will face the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers series. That series will go off like this:
Philadelphia Flyers (M3) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (M2)
Game 1: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m. ET April 18 (ESPN, SN, TVAS)
Game 2: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET April 20 (ESPN SN360, TVAS)
Game 3: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET April 22 (ESPN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 8 p.m. ET April 25 (TBS, truTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS)
*Game 5: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, April 27 TBD
*Game 6: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, April 29 TBD
*Game 7: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, May 2 TBD
*- If necessary
The Atlantic playoffs will feature Boston at Buffalo, and Montreal at Tampa, and will have games on the following dates:
Montreal Canadiens (A3) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
Game 1: Montreal at Tampa Bay, 5:45 p.m. ET April 19 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 2: Montreal at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. ET April 21 (ESPN2, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 3: Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7 p.m. ET April 24 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 4: Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7 p.m. ET April 26 (ESPN, SNE, SNO, SNP, CBC, TVAS)
*Game 5: Montreal at Tampa Bay, April 29 TBD
*Game 6: Tampa Bay at Montreal, May 1 TBD
*Game 7: Montreal at Tampa Bay, May 3 TBD
*- If necessary
Boston Bruins (WC1) vs. Buffalo Sabres (A1)
Game 1: Boston at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. ET April 19 (ESPN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 2: Boston at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. ET April 21 (ESPN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 3: Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m. ET April 23 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Buffalo at Boston, 2 p.m. ET April 26 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS)
*Game 5: Boston at Buffalo, April 28 TBD
*Game 6: Buffalo at Boston, May 1 TBD
*Game 7: Boston at Buffalo, May 3 TBD
*- If necessary
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
Getting Martin St-Louis to reveal his lineup in the last few days of the season has not been an easy task; in fact, the Montreal Canadiens’ coach even asked journalists if anyone had good questions to ask him the last time he was asked. On Thursday, however, with the playoffs fast-approaching, when he was asked if blueliner Arber Xhekaj had shown him enough to earn the right to start the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the bench boss was clear:
Yes, I believe he has. He has played good hockey, played physically, and stuck to his identity. He had good reps down the stretch. Of course, we lost Dobber [Noah Dobson], which allowed him to get more minutes, and I liked what I saw.
For the 25-year-old who will be a restricted free agent this summer, this is a big opportunity. He’s been involved in a duel with Jayden Struble for the last three seasons, with both players trying to earn a regular spot as the Canadiens’ sixth defenseman, but neither has been able to grab the job and keep it. Now, with other blueliners like David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom knocking on the Canadiens’ door, Xhekaj and Struble may be running out of time.
While there’s no denying that the youngsters bring more raw talent, the gritty defender brings something to the table that none of the other three players have: a lot of physicality and a knack for fighting.
Last season, when the Canadiens started their series against the Washington Capitals, they did it without the hard-nosed blueliner, but this year, Dobson’s injury has given him an in. As long as he can make the right reads on the ice and not take himself out of the play by over-committing to land a big hit rather than play the game that’s in front of him, Xhekaj should be fine.
Xhekaj is built for playoff hockey, but not for the kind of system Martin St-Louis has his men playing. Still, over the last four years, he has had the opportunity to learn what the coach expects of his players and to work on his reads. Now, it’s time for him to show that he can use the knowledge he gathered when it really counts, not only for the team, but for his own future in the Canadiens organization.
Mar 16, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan looks on from the team bench during the first period against the Utah Mammoth at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jerome Miron/Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
DALLAS — Glen Gulutzan was ready to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars this time.
There was a lot of experience Gulutzan gained in the 12 years between being let go by the Stars after his first two seasons as an NHL head coach and being re-hired last summer — by the same general manager who soon after taking that role in 2013 decided not to keep him.
“He’s lived it. How do you build your résumé, you’ve got to go through experiences,” Stars GM Jim Nill said. “He’s gone through those experiences and those situations.”
The 54-year-old Gulutzan now is leading the Stars (50-20-12) into the Western Conference playoffs. Game 1 is at home against Central Division rival Minnesota. They wrapped up their third consecutive 50-win regular season with 112 points, the third-most in the NHL.
After the Stars fired Pete DeBoer last June, even though each of his three seasons ended in the Western Conference final, Nill brought back Gulutzan after a dozen seasons in Canada for 947 regular-season games and 93 more in the playoffs. He was a Vancouver assistant for three seasons, then the head coach in Calgary for two before seven seasons on the staff in Edmonton, which eliminated Dallas in the West final each of the past two years.
“He’s got composure behind the bench. He’s guided our team,” Nill said. “There’s been highs and lows during the year, there’s a lot of injuries he’d had to deal with. But he’s gotten that experience now, how to deal with that. And it doesn’t change focus. It’s always about the next moment, the next game.”
First time with the Stars
Gulutzan was coaching the Stars’ AHL team before becoming a first-time NHL head coach in 2011, during an awkward period for the franchise as it went through bankruptcy and an ownership change while being basically run by the league.
Dallas was 42-35-5 in Gulutzan’s debut season, then 22-22-4 in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season before Nill became the GM and didn’t pick up the coach’s option for a third season.
Not always a head coach
DeBoer has been a head coach for six different teams over 18 seasons, including the final four games for the New York Islanders this year after replacing the fired Patrick Roy.
While DeBoer always has been in charge behind the bench in the NHL, Gulutzan after his initial head coaching stint got the opportunity to work with coaches like John Tortorella, Ken Hitchcock, Dave Tippett and Kris Knoblauch. He was part of 75 playoff games with the Oilers the past four seasons, getting to the Stanley Cup Final twice after eliminating the Stars.
Having been a depended-on assistant himself, Gulutzan now heavily depends on his staff.
Solid foundation in Dallas
Gulutzan took over a Stars team that returned most of its primary core, though the only player still around from his first time there is Jamie Benn, the 36-year-old captain in his 17th season.
Veteran center Matt Duchene said DeBoer did an amazing job laying a foundation, and that Gulutzan has done a nice job tweaking things through the course of this season.
“Just a really, really smart hockey mind that sees the game really well,” said Wyatt Johnston, the 22-year-old, fourth-year forward whose 45 goals matched Jason Robertson for the team lead.
“He’s brought in some elements to our team that have made us, when we’re at our best, probably just an elite, elite team, and I think understands our group pretty well,” Duchene said. “There’s a reason you go to three straight conference finals. It’s not by accident. You need great coaching to be able to do that. And I think Pete was that for sure and then Gully coming in ... he didn’t come in being like, all right, it’s my show now, I’m going to completely gut this and redo it.”
Under DeBoer, the Stars became the first team to reach the conference finals three seasons in a row without winning at least one Cup title under the playoff format that began in 1994. The Stars didn’t even make it past that.
Streaking Stars
The Stars had a franchise-record 10-game winning streak that ended in early March, and now have won five in a row. That’s a stark difference from the seven-game losing streak they took into last year’s postseason.
“The focus, that’s what I’m recognizing as very, very similar,” Gulutzan said when asked what he’s seen in the Stars compared to his recent deep runs with the Oilers. “You can just feel the focus of the players starting to change the closer they get. ... Their demeanor is starting to change.”
Mar 30, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella holds a presser after the Golden Knights defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — General manager Kelly McCrimmon was walking away from the Golden Knights’ locker room after a victory over the Jets, but he easily could have reversed course and done a victory lap in front of the assembled media.
McCrimmon probably would say it’s too early to celebrate because the NHL playoffs have yet to begin, and that will be the true measure of how successful Vegas’ season is viewed.
But it’s difficult to argue his controversial decision March 29 to fire popular and successful coach Bruce Cassidy and hire John Tortorella hasn’t worked out.
Going into its playoff opener at home against Utah, Vegas is 7-0-1 under the fiery coach known as Torts. A team struggling to hang on to a playoff spot just won the Pacific Division for the fifth time in their nine years.
Top center Jack Eichel, who had 90 points for the second consecutive season, said Tortorella injected confidence in a team that was lacking it just three years after winning the Stanley Cup.
“Sometimes you need a reminder,” Eichel said. “He saw we have a really good hockey team in here and we need to believe in ourselves and in each other. That’s the first step to being a great hockey team is believing in ourselves. I think you’ve started to see that the last few weeks. We started to build more confidence in each other and our game.”
The 67-year-old Tortorella, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup title in 2004, said at his introductory news conference that he wouldn’t overload the team with information and make massive changes. It’s a strategy he’s stuck to since then.
“I knew it was a good team coming in,” Tortorella said. “I know it was coached well prior to me. I had some points of emphasis, probably three or four, that I want to bring across to them. We’ve done that. I think they feel good about themselves. When you win some games, you feel good about yourself, and hopefully we keep on building on that.”
Tortorella made two notable changes that have worked.
One was to create a more aggressive north-south game. Vegas went from scoring 3.12 goals per game and allowing 3.07 to outscoring opponents on average 4.13 to 1.88.
“Attack the games. Put pressure on the other team,” Eichel said.
The other move was to go with Carter Hart as his primary goalie. Cassidy installed Adin Hill in that role down the stretch, but Tortorella coached Hart in Philadelphia and has spoken glowingly about him. Tortorella said Hart was carrying the Flyers into contender status in 2024 before he was suspended by the NHL as one of five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players accused in a high-profile sexual assault case.
They were acquitted last July. The league reinstated those players beginning Dec. 1 and the Golden Knights gave Hart a chance. He has delivered under Tortorella’s watch, going 6-0 with a .930 save percentage and a 1.66 goals-against average.
“I think he looks dialed in,” Tortorella said. “I just think he’s making saves. He just looks confident, and hopefully that’ll continue. I think Hilly’s last couple of starts, he’s made some really good saves also. So going into the playoffs, if both of them are going well, that’s a good thing for us.”
McCrimmon said the decision to fire Cassidy was a difficult one, especially since the coach was responsible for the organization’s only Stanley Cup and they were consistently on the same page. But the GM said the season and its playoff chances appeared to be slipping away and there was little time to wait. He knew the decision would be criticized but that wasn’t the point.
“When we’ve changed coaches along the way — I’m going to say each time — it was likely viewed in this room as being unpopular or not the right time,” McCrimmon said March 30 at a news conference. “And I think in each case, the decisions were good ones.”
The decisions to fire Gerard Gallant in 2020, Pete DeBoer in 2022 and Cassidy this year — all with winning playoff records — were met with wide skepticism but management largely got the results they desired.
That includes with Tortorella, but the postseason is coming.
Apr 15, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (6) celebrates scoring a goal against the Dallas Stars with defenseman Luke Schenn (5) in the second period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Mark Konezny/Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
As the Sabres opened practice, Buffalo city workers began hanging playoff banners on lamp posts lining Washington Street leading to the team’s arena entrance.
The significance wasn’t lost on Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin in realizing that for the first time in 15 years, the Stanley Cup playoff route finally includes a stop in Buffalo.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Dahlin said. “I’ve been grinding here for a long time, and I finally get playoffs. It’s special. It’s something I’ve tried to do here for a long time. And now it’s finally real.”
Ending the NHL’s longest postseason drought, the Sabres’ return to the playoffs — and as first-time Atlantic Division champions — reflects a changing of the guard in the Eastern Conference.
Though familiar fixtures remain in Tampa Bay and Carolina, this year’s eight-team mix doesn’t include two-time defending Cup champion Florida or perennial contender Toronto. All three New York City-area teams were shut out of postseason play for the first time.
In their place are upstarts such as the Philadelphia Flyers, who last qualified in 2020. Montreal and Ottawa are making a second straight appearance following lengthy postseason lapses.
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins return after a three-year absence. The Boston Bruins are back after a one-year hiatus, making a 24-point jump under first-year coach Marco Sturm.
“I never thought, to be honest with you, about getting 100 points because I know how hard it is to get that amount in this league,” said Sturm whose team opens against Buffalo. “It’s a hard league, and that just says it all.”
The teams to beat
— The Tampa Bay Lightning remain the East’s model of consistency, qualifying for a ninth consecutive season out of the rugged Atlantic Division.
“Does it battle test you?” asked Jon Cooper, a two-time Cup winner. “Yes. But also, there’s no easy road. I don’t think anybody’s hiding anything from anybody.”
The Lightning open against Montreal in a meeting of two teams that finished with 106 points, and rematch of Tampa Bay beating the Canadiens in five games in the 2020 Cup final. The challenge for Tampa Bay is advancing past the first round for the first time since losing the final to Colorado in 2022.
— Carolina ran away with the Metropolitan Division title and top spot in the East, going 53-22-7 to clinch its eight consecutive playoff berth.
Competitive as they’ve been, the Hurricanes have yet to reach the Cup final since winning in 2006. They open against Ottawa, which was 10 points out of contention on Jan. 30 before going on a 24-8-6 run to clinch a spot.
“Everyone’s in the playoffs, and everyone’s in a sense the same seed,” Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said. “It’s cool to be No. 1, but I don’t think it’s changed anything within our group. Just have a little more confidence, maybe.”
— The Sabres are confident after making a remarkable turnaround from last in the East in early December to first place by going 39-9-4.
“The only way you get experience is to do what we did in the regular season and get there,” coach Lindy Ruff said, dismissing concern over the Sabres lacking playoff experience. “They handled all the pressure situations. When we needed to win games, the group came up.”
The underdogs
— The Flyers overcame youth and inconsistencies to become the last East team to clinch a berth. They did so courtesy of a 14-4-1 run, becoming the NHL’s first team to make it after being 10 points out of contention with 22 or fewer games remaining.
“We really try to block it out, I’m not going to lie. There’s a lot of negativity, sarcasm. We kind of grew together,” first-year coach Rick Tocchet said. “We believed. It’s hard, because you have to have that thick skin.”
— The Senators aren’t backing down in the face of playing Carolina, seeking to build off losing to Toronto in six games in the first round last year.
— The Bruins have been transformed since their 2019 run to the final. General manager Don Sweeney believes in how the team came together to bounce back from last season’s swoon.
“To get to 100 points is a pretty good testament to what this team put together over the course of the year, but it wasn’t easy,” Sweeney said. “It was nerve-racking, but our guys embraced it and they got it done.”
Storylines to watch
— In his fourth season as Canadiens coach, Martin St. Louis faces a familiar foe in Tampa Bay. St. Louis spent 13 seasons with the Lightning and was a member of the franchise’s 2004 Cup-winning team. He becomes the second player to have his number retired and face his former team in the playoffs as a coach. Chicago coach Brian Sutter was the only other to do so when the Blackhawks faced the St. Louis Blues in 2002.
— Crosby joins Evgeni Malkin in making their 16th playoff appearance together. They’ve won the Stanley Cup three times, most recently in 2016 and ’17. The Penguins haven’t won a series since eliminating the Flyers in six games in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.
“I think after some seasons not being able to do it, I think we appreciate it even more,” the 38-year-old Crosby said.
Predictions
First round: Carolina beats Ottawa in five games; Pittsburgh beats Philadelphia in six; Montreal beats Tampa Bay in seven; Buffalo beats Boston in seven.
Second round: Carolina beats Pittsburgh in six; Buffalo beats Montreal in six.
Conference final: Carolina beats Buffalo in seven.
Joined by Rocco from Isles House, we remember enforcer Trevor Gillies, who was a much more complex individual than his monstrous reputation would suggest.
Trevor Gillies had spent a decade in the minors fighting across North America before he finally got regular NHL playing time for a young Islanders team that needed a lot of protection. While his toughness and fearlessness instantly made him a fan favorite, those same qualities – plus one very scary image in one of the craziest melees in NHL history – made him a villain to outsiders. Getting two long suspensions in short order for two questionable actions made his time on Long Island brief. But he left a lasting impression upon those who both watched and played with him that’s only grown over time.
Rocco tells us how Gillies became one of his favorite Islanders fighters of all time, how he appreciated his list of bouts against combatants of various sizes and how Fight Night 2011 against the Penguins and its many storylines created a bond with that era that won’t be broken anytime soon. In addition to the degree of “heavy metal” Gillies brought to the Islanders, we also marvel at his insane ECHL stats, some of his former teammates and, of course, his glorious mustache.
Huge thanks again to Rocco for coming on and sharing his stories and his pizza tips. You should already be listening to him and previous Weird Islanders guests Jack and Ethan on the Isles House podcast. Or stop by Cafe Dolce Vita in either Jericho and Deer Park, grab a slice and say hello.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
After 10 years in the minors, one game with Anaheim and 50 games with Bridgeport, Gillies established himself as the Islanders Enforcer of The Future in 2010.
Shockingly, he has lots of fights on YouTube! Here’s Gillies versus mouth-breathing dipshit idiot caveman Paul Bissonnette:
Gillies versus the late Derek Boogaard (RIP). Our boy lands on top but takes a lot of punishment:
Gillies vessus another fellow Weird Islander Mike Rupp
Then there was Fight Night. His most infamous altercation was against the Penguins on Feb. 11, 2011. Gillies pummeled Pittsburgh’s Eric Tangredi and looked to be taunting him from the tunnel. But that’s not really what happened.
Many saw the man for the complex person he is (and we all are). He had a job and did it. It turns out, he wasn’t an unrepentant killing machine. He could even be an inspiration. But by all accounts, he was also a great teammate. Here are two heartwarming videos: one is some friendly competition between he and, another Weird Islander, Kirill Kabanov.
And here’s Trevor and his dad Murray and their bad ass mustaches (Murray’s was first)
Believe it or not, Gillies even scored a goal for the Islanders. A nice one, too:
Gillies still loves talking about the old days and has a great sense of humor about his hockey career. You might even see him at an Islanders game!
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Bradly Nadeau #29 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his first period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with Charles Alexis Legault #62, Jesperi Kotkaniemi #82, and Nikolaj Ehlers #27 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Then there were … 16. Expanded playoff formats across all sports makes that sound far less dramatic, but The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. It has been an incredible season of hockey with young players establishing themselves as the superstars of the future, stunning trades that took us aback, and an Olympic break which was absolutely devoid of any political drama whatsoever.
The field is now set with 13 teams from the USA and three from Canada trying to capture the most difficult prize in team sports. This year everything is up in the air with the Florida Panthers crashing to earth, meaning we will see a new team hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Let’s look at the full field and rank them from the most-likely to win it all, to the least.
No. 1: Colorado Avalanche
The President’s Trophy (awarded to the No. 1 regular-season team) has been a serious jinx when it comes to winning the biggest prize in the sport. You have to go back to 2013 to find the last time a team won both the President’s and the Stanley Cup — but I’m not going to let superstition get in the way with this pick.
The Colorado Avalanche are a phenomenal team. Finishing with 54 wins and 116 points they’d have an even more dominant record if not for a late-second injury to Cale Makar that has sidelined him while this team waited for the playoffs to start. Anchored by Nathan McKinnon, the best player in hockey, the Avs have so much high-end talent on their roster that they seem primed for the playoffs.
It’s very difficult to find a discernible weakness here, with Colorado finishing the season with a preposterous +97 goal differential. At this point the only thing stopping them from going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals appears to be if Makar’s injury lingers, but it shouldn’t — and they are absolutely the favorites to do it all.
No. 2: Carolina Hurricanes
Nobody else in the NHL approaches hockey the same way as the Carolina Hurricanes, which is both their biggest blessing and their worst curse. Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s brand of hockey puts a premium on even, multi-line play without an emphasis on star players. It’s for this reason that superstars often choose to avoid the Canes in free agency, but this team found its missing piece with Nikolaj Ehlers, who moved past a slow start to the season to become the most consistent player on the team.
Boasting SIX 50-point players this season is something few in the league can claim, including the mighty Avs. Carolina is incredibly deep, attacks from seemingly anywhere, but as a result, also lacks the top-end star power often needed to carry a team to the cup. Couple that with incredibly shaky goaltending and we’re left with a very, very good team that’s unquestionably the best in the East — but lacks that x-factor who can put everyone on their back and carry the team in tough game.
No. 3: Dallas Stars
The biggest knock on the Stars is that they play in the same conference as the Avalanche. There’s no question Dallas had a great season by finishing with another 100+ point season, but it’s impossible to look at this team and feel just a little bit let down.
Mikko Rantanen has been very good, but a far cry from the 55-goal monster he was in Colorado, scoring netting just 22 on the year. He’s made up for that with his passing, where Wyatt Johnson has been the biggest goal-scoring benefactor, but a lack of solid center play outside of Johnson really makes this team stand out from the field.
Having good center play is absolutely critical in the playoffs, and it’s for this reason that the Stars lag just a little behind. Relying too much on their wings to push the tempo of the game hasn’t been a recipe for success, and it feels like this team is just one puck distributor away from being able to cement themselves as Stanley Cup favorites.
No. 4: Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning are more or less the same team they’ve been for several years now. For whatever reason the organization just keeps running it back and trying again, without a lot of adjustments being made to their core. This is fine with the caliber of players Tampa has in Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Matthew Hagel, and Andrei Vasilevskiy in net — but beyond those guys the team falls off a cliff.
We’re left with a team in the East that has a higher top-end than some of its competitors, but much weaker depth. That’s more or less the rub on the Lightning and why they fall to 4th in our rankings.
No. 5: Buffalo Sabres
It’s really, really fun to see the Sabres back in the NHL Playoffs for the first time since 2011 and the team has all the trappings of a unit that can continue to build of this season. The core issue is that they’re too young and too inexperienced to be considered high-level contenders quite yet. Playoff hockey might as well be a completely different sport, which tends to chew up teams that aren’t ready for the tactical grind.
It was extremely tempting to put the Sabres above the Lightning considering regular season success, but I think Tampa and Carolina both have the ability to reach down and find a gear the Sabres are still lacking.
No. 6: Minnesota Wild
The Wild would be higher on this list if not for the division they play in. They have a lot of top-end talent with Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Quinn Hughes — but too often this team relies on stellar netminding to eke out games.
It’s going to be very difficult to grind out games hovering around the league average in goals-for and goals-against when you have to go through the Stars and Avalanche to make it to the cup. This was a big, necessary step forward for the Wild to get off the treadmill from being an easy Wild Card out, but they still lack some line depth to really make a deep run.
The good news is they have a stellar prospect pool coming up, it’s just a touch too early for them.
No. 7: Montreal Canadiens
It’s wonderful that the Canadiens are back in the playoffs. There’s just something special about the Bell Centre being full for playoff hockey, and having another original six legend back in the hunt just makes it all feel more special.
So, with all due respect to Montreal, they’re not ready yet. I’m giving them an outside chance because they are better than several Eastern Conference teams on this list, with a penchant for rising to the occasion, but they’re also average in a lot of key areas like power play, penalty kill, and goals against.
This makes the Habs a little one-dimensional. They have five core players, with the third and fourth lines being a major liability. That makes the Canadiens a team to watch in the future, but not quite yet.
No. 8: Boston Bruins
Lack of wing strength (aside from David Pastrňák) is a major weakness for the Bruins who lack those reliable 2nd and 3rd scoring options. In order to win in these playoffs they need stellar play from the defense, and the centers to win their individual battles — which is certainly possible for a game of two, but not in a seven-game series.
Leading up to the playoffs the Bruins lost three straight games to Eastern Conference playoff teams. They were competitive in each game, but it did underscore the weaknesses of this roster, which is still a few pieces away. Another case of it just being a touch too soon, the Bruins have a really strong prospect pool coming down the pipeline.
No. 9: Las Vegas Golden Knights
It isn’t often you see a team fire its coach less than a month before the playoffs when they’re still in the hunt, but making the switch to John Tortorella was a bold move that had huge results down the stretch. The Knights went 7-0-1 with Tortorella as head coach, finally finding the gear that Vegas has been missing this season.
Goal scoring has been the big issue for this team throughout the season, with scoring being down across the board from a year ago. In 2024-25 the Vegas was 5th in the NHL in goals scored, but that fell to 14th this season. This was compounded by also allowing more goals than a year ago, making this just a much weaker team in general. Tortorella could work his magic, but this team is starting to show its age a little.
No. 10: Utah Mammoth
Utah have been another feel-good story this year with the Mammoth having expansion team success and making the playoffs in just their second season. A team that loves to grind out games with strong forechecking and reliable defense, the team ranked 10th in the NHL this season in both goals allowed and goals scored.
Just making it this far is a major accomplishment. There’s also a very real chance they could win an opening series against the Golden Knights, who are substantially weaker this season than in year’s past. The issue is that eventually the Pacific Division has to face the Central, which is where the Avs, Stars, and Wild are located.
No. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins
You have to be a die-hard Pens hater not to like the romance of Sidney Crosby getting another shot at playoff hockey, which could be one of the last in his career. This is an old team that leans far too much on Crosby to still make things happen at age 38, without enough youth support behind him.
This has more or less been the story of the Penguins for the last several years, as they’ve struggled to build out their roster in a way that can compete consistently. An emotionally-charged opening series against the Flyers will likely lead to the winner facing Carolina in the second round, and it’s near-impossible to see them making it past the Canes.
No. 12: Ottawa Senators
The Senators found their way into the playoffs as the final wild card in the east and boast a deep roster with a varied attack. The problem putting them any higher is twofold: Firstly, they have substantial goaltending issues that have plagued the team this season, and secondly, they face the Hurricanes in the opening round.
No. 13: Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are the same team they’ve been for years now. Connor McDavid is arguably the best player in hockey, Leon Draisaitl is a monster, and Evan Bouchard is one of the best offensive blueliners in the game. This team is a mess defensively, and it’s been for a while now. Ranking 25th in goals allowed, Edmonton has to overwhelm on the offensive end to win. With this playoff field it’s just not going to work.
No. 14: Philadelphia Flyers
So much about the Flyers doesn’t make sense. They’re below the league average in goals scored and allowed, their goaltending is inconsistent, and there’s a lot to love about this team — but just not yet. The future is so bright in Philly with Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov, but the playoffs are often determined by veteran talent that can even out a roster and bring much-needed stability. That’s something the Flyers lack right now, and it’s tough to see them making a deep run.
No. 15: Anaheim Ducks
This was a building block season for the Ducks that achieved its goals. One of the youngest teams in hockey, there was huge growth from Anaheim’s stars who are in their early 20s, showing incredible promise for the future. This team doesn’t have what it takes to hang in the playoffs hight not, but wait a few years, and with some smart moves this will be a potential Stanley Cup winning team.
No. 16: Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are in because the depth of the west is incredibly weak. I know that sounds harsh, but with a -22 goal differential this season and a roster lacking impact players means they’re going to be eaten alive by the Avalanche in the opening round. It is what it is.
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) controls the puck against the Dallas Stars in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
After two years of non-stop trade rumors and stagnant development, the Anaheim Ducks finally made the decision to trade forward Trevor Zegras this past offseason. In exchange for sending Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Ducks received second-and fourth-round picks as well as veteran forward (and former Pittsburgh Penguins forward) Ryan Poehling.
At the time, I loved it from a Flyers perspective and thought it was at least a little bit of a risk for the Ducks. The upside for the Flyers is they get a top-line talent that could change some games. The downside for the Ducks, at the very least, is they look bad if a talented forward goes elsewhere and blossoms.
Even though Zegras had reached a plateau with the Ducks with obvious frustration on both sides, he was still only entering his age 24 season, still had big talent and untapped potential, and had at least shown glimpses of being a productive NHL player. Given that the cost was only a couple of mid-round picks and a completely replaceable player, it was a good gamble to take. Especially for a team that needed to find way to add more offense and high-level skill to its lineup.
For the most part, Zegras delivered.
The fresh start seemed to help re-ignite his playmaking and offensive potential, while he has also seemed to fully embrace being a Flyer.
Zegras finished with career highs in goals (26) and total points (67), while finishing just two goals and one point off the team lead in each category.
His biggest impact on the Flyers success and turnaround this season, however, are numbers that do not show up on the traditional stat sheet. It might be the reason the Flyers are even here.
The Flyers’ 27 regulation wins are not only the fewest among Eastern Conference playoff teams, they are the only team in the field that did not win at least 33 games in regulation. In the Western Conference, only Pacific Division teams Anaheim and the Los Angeles Kings (26 and 22 respectively) failed to win at least 30 games in regulation. They relied heavily on games that went beyond regulation, winning six games during 3-on-3 and a whopping 10 games in shootouts, more than any other team in the NHL.
Zegras’ contributions to those games can not be overlooked.
He led the NHL with seven shootout goals, while also scoring an overtime winner. Do they win 10 shootouts without him? Probably not. Do they have enough points to finish ahead of Washington with even half of those shootout wins? No they do not.
All of that alone has made him worth it for the Flyers.
The potential downside for the Flyers here, aside from his defensive shortcomings still being there at times, is the obvious fact that 3-on-3 overtime and shootouts are no longer a thing in the playoffs. They are going to have to rely on winning games at 5-on-5, and while they have been better later in the season, only 10 of their 19 wins since Feb. 1 came during regulation.
That’s not to say that Zegras has been a non-factor in more traditional hockey settings.
During 5-on-5 play his 0.72 goals per 60 minutes are 178th out of 384 forwards that logged at least 500 minutes, while his 0.92 primary assists per 60 minutes were 36th, demonstrating strong playmaking abilities. Overall his 1.94 total points per 60 minutes were 104th out of that group of forwards. That is fringe first-second line production. He has the potential to be a problem to deal with offensively.
They needed somebody that could deliver more offense and impact games. Zegras did both. In a traditional sense (being their best playmaker) and non-traditional sense (swinging games and the standings in shootouts).
He is one of the big reasons they are here. Now we get to see what he does now that they are here.
The Battle of Pennsylvania is on for the first time since the 2018 postseason with the Philadelphia Flyers visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, April 18.
My top Flyers vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks are calling for Philly to continue its late season surge with a low-scoring road upset in Game 1.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 prediction
Flyers vs Penguins best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)
The Philadelphia Flyers were dominant defensively at five-on-five down the stretch with the fewest goals against and second-fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes during their NHL best 15-5-1 run after the March 6 trade deadline.
Excellent defense will be critical against the Pittsburgh Penguins because the Pens paced the league in goals per 60 minutes and team shooting percentage at 5-on-5 during the same result.
I’m anticipating the solid Philly defense to help kick-start statistical correction to the shooting efficiency from Pittsburgh and pave the way to this total going Under the number in Game 1.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 same-game parlay
The Flyers received a huge boost with Porter Martone joining the team down the stretch, and he’s collected 10 points – four goals – across his first nine NHL games, including hitting the scoresheet in each of the past six.
Martone projects to jump the boards with veterans Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny, and the trio have posted a 57.1% shot share at five-on-five. So, with Konecny dropping to a 1.5 shots total, this is the perfect spot to target him after recording just seven shots across his final six games of the regular season.
Konecny frequently trades at a 2.5 shots total, and he recorded two or more shots in 51 of 77 regular-season games.
Flyers vs Penguins SGP
Flyers moneyline
Porter Martone Over 0.5 points
Travis Konecny Over 1.5 shots
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 goal scorer pick
Travis Konecny (+270)
Flyers winger Travis Konecny only scored twice across his final 13 games of the regular season despite recording 3.67 individual expected goals and 14 high-danger scoring chances while averaging 18:20 of ice time and jumping the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit. His 7.4 shooting percentage during the skid was also way below his 17.7% mark through the first 64 games of the season.
Flyers vs Penguins odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Philadelphia +125 | Pittsburgh -150
Puck Line: Philadelphia +1.5 (-183) | Pittsburgh -1.5 (+183)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Flyers vs Penguins trend
The Philadelphia Flyers have won 18 of their last 25 games (+15.20 Units / 56% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Flyers vs Penguins Game 1
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, SN
Flyers vs Penguins latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Ottawa Senators' torrid pace post-Olympics has set them up for a first-round clash with the Carolina Hurricanes, with Game 1 taking place on Saturday, April 18 at Lenovo Center.
My Senators vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks suggest that, despite the Hurricanes advancing past the first round in five consecutive seasons, fans may be in for a closer series than many anticipate thanks to the exploits of Ottawa players like Dylan Cozens.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 prediction
Senators vs Hurricanes best bet: Dylan Cozens Over 0.5 points (+115)
Dylan Cozens finished the regular season third in scoring for the Ottawa Senators, registering a point in five of his last six games.
He notched a multi-point performance in a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on April 5, and had four points in two games against them this season.
Perhaps more importantly, the Yukon native strung together a four-game point streak to help secure a second consecutive postseason berth for the Sens.
Furthermore, his 28 shots in the month of April are nine more than his closest teammates, a testament to his level of confidence right now.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 same-game parlay
Taylor Hall has been one of Carolina's most productive forwards post-Olympics. The 2010 first-overall pick ranks fourth on the team with 21 points in 23 games since the break, ending the regular season notching eight points across the final six games.
Both him and Cozens are generously priced at +115 to hit the scoresheet in Raleigh on Saturday.
The Senators, similarly red-hot since Milan, have failed to cover the spread against the Hurricanes just once in their last five meetings. Heading into Game 1, they've covered the spread in six straight and in seven of eight games in April.
Senators vs Hurricanes SGP
Dylan Cozens Over 0.5 points
Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points
Senators +1.5
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+195)
Andrei Svechnikov has scored in six of his last seven games, hitting his stride at the perfect time.
The 2018 second-overall pick led the 'Canes with eight playoff goals last season, and has scored in three straight games against Atlantic Division opponents. He scored against the Senators on April 5.
Four of his last six goals have come via the power play, which matches up well against the Sens' abysmal 29th-ranked penalty kill.
This matchup has hit the Over in three of the last four games, with the winner scoring at least four goals in eight of the last nine. Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, SN
Senators vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The search for a new head of hockey operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs continues, and word has surfaced that a franchise legend might be in the mix. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Mats Sundin is currently in Toronto to meet with the club regarding a potential role within the team’s new management structure.
Mats Sundin is in Toronto to meet with the #leafs about a potential role in the new management structure, per sources
This is not the first time Sundin has been linked to a possible increased role with the organization. The Hockey Hall of Famer attended the Leafs’ training camp in 2024, where he spent nearly a week engaging in activities that went far beyond typical alumni appearances. During that time, he traveled with the roster to an exhibition game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Following Brendan Shanahan’s departure in 2025, many believed his position might be replaced by a role that is not as involved in day-to-day roster decisions as a general manager would be. This shift comes after MLSE CEO Keith Pelley parted ways with GM Brad Treliving on March 30, 2025, following a disappointing season where the Leafs went 32-36-14 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
While Sundin typically prefers a quiet life in Sweden, he was asked about a potential return to the game when the club visited Stockholm for the 2023 Global Series. At that time, he notably did not dismiss the idea as he had in the past. Sundin’s return would bring significant goodwill to a franchise currently struggling to find its identity. Over his 18-season NHL career with the Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, and Vancouver Canucks, he amassed 564 goals and 785 assists across 1,346 games.
With the regular season finally coming to an end on Thursday night, the NHL released the schedule for the first round of the playoffs shortly after midnight. As had been heavily rumored over the last few days, the Montreal Canadiens will kick off their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, and it’s fair to say that the schedule leaves something to be desired.
There are three Canadian teams in the spring dance: the Habs, the Ottawa Senators, and the Edmonton Oilers, and none of them will be in action on Saturday night. In a country where hockey is pretty much a religion, with its faithful expecting their weekly sermon on Hockey Night in Canada, the masses will have to make do with a Saturday matinee, a Sunday almost-night, and a late Monday-night game.
The commissioner and the NHL are well aware that Canadian viewers will watch the games whenever and wherever they are set, which means they are focusing their energy on courting the American market; that is why the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins get the primetime Saturday night slot. While it was to be expected, after all, the only two playoff games in Montreal last season took place on a Friday and a Sunday night, it’s still disappointing.
In any case, here is the Canadiens’ (and yours) schedule for the first round:
Game 1: Sunday, April 19, Tampa Bay 5:45 PM Game 2: Tuesday, April 21, Tampa Bay 7:00 PM Game 3: Friday, April 24, Montreal 7:00 PM Game 4: Sunday, April 26, Montreal 7:00 PM *Game 5: Wednesday, April 29, Tampa Bay TBD *Game 6: Friday, May 1, Montreal TBD *Game 7: Sunday, May 3, Tampa Bay TBD * if necessary
Even if the series goes the distance, there won’t be any Saturday night games for the Habs faithful in this first round.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: Sam Carrick #10 and Zach Benson #6 of the Buffalo Sabres battle for position in front of Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Boston Bruins against Mason Lohrei #6 and Fraser Minten #93 during an NHL game on March 25, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Spring is in the air and it’s that time of year again: the best part of the season for hockey fans. The first round of the NHL playoffs is one of the top parts of the whole calendar with eight series all simultaneously providing the highs and lows of playoff hockey.
Let’s take a stab at the first round, but given the preseason projections here and everywhere, maybe this is the year to expect the unexpected.
Buffalo Sabres (Atlantic 1) vs. Boston Bruins (Wild Card 1)
It still is surreal that the Sabres are a first place team, emphatically ending a 16-year playoff drought. Their reward for that great season seems like a cruel joke to draw a 100-point Boston Bruins team in the first round. The Bruins’ soft road record (16-16-9) looms large in what undoubtedly will be a beyond fired up, passionate Sabres crowd finally getting a chance to cheer on playoff hockey after all these years. Usually atmospheres and intangibles don’t make a huge difference, but sometimes they do (the mind turns to the rabid Pirates crowd hosting a playoff game as a suitable comparable). Having the home ice advantage could and should be a factor within this series in Buffalo’s benefit, for whatever it ends up being worth.
In the end, I don’t think Boston (14th in the NHL with 3.01 goals/game allowed) is strong enough defensively to slow Buffalo down. The Sabres wagon rolls into the next round, to the delight of a delirious crowd.
Prediction: Sabres in 6
Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic 2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (Atlantic 3)
Two 106-point teams square off in the first round that could be about a coin flip to find an edge. Tampa profiles as a sort of old guard with several pieces hanging around from their 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup wins. Montreal is the other side of the coin with many great young players hungry to take the next step. Both teams have a ton of firepower, the Nikita Kucherov led Lightning are 4th in the NHL with 3.51 goals per game, the Canadiens with 50-goal man Cole Caufield aren’t far behind in 7th with 3.40 goals/game themselves.
On one hand, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Tampa ended up being the Eastern Conference champions when the smoke clears. On the other hand, I can’t shake that since March 8th Jakub Dobes has a 9-4-0 record with a 2.22 GAA and .924 save% while Andrei Vasilevskiy isn’t exactly playing great lately (12-8-1 record, .899 save% since the Olympic break). I think Montreal has enough speed and skill to make it more competitive than the lopsided betting line would suggest (was seeing it at -250 for Tampa and +205 for Montreal earlier in the week). With much hesitancy and reluctance, I’m smelling an upset brewing.
Prediction: Montreal in 7
Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan 1) vs. Ottawa Senators (Wild Card 2)
This matchup represents a fantastic styles clash. Ottawa was the No. 1 team in the NHL in expected goals against but suffered from some of the worst goaltending in the league. That’s perhaps been rectified somewhat by the stability of Linus Ullmark (with an above average .908 save% in his last 14 games) but still is going to be a shaky proposition until proven otherwise. Their opponent, Carolina, remains the analytic darlings for second in xGoals for and xGoals Share, but struggles at finishing chances (29th, per Hockeystats.com). Who wins the battle between Carolina’s strong generation/weak finishing and Ottawa’s great suppression/bad goaltending will make for some incredible theatre.
Carolina is 6-0 in first rounds under coach Rod Brind’Amour, besides the August COVID bubble playoff of 2020. I don’t see that streak coming to an end this spring, though I really do like this potential matchup for Ottawa. There’s a way if things break differently that they could have a real chance, but in the end I’m going to call it as a series short in games which belies how tight most of the games will be.
Prediction: Carolina in 5
Pittsburgh Penguins (Metropolitan 2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Metropolitan 3)
Two surprise playoff teams from Pennsylvania matchup in what never fails to live up to the hype. We’ve talked a ton about this so to keep it short and sweet, I think the Penguins are better and/or deeper at every place on the ice, also aided by the fact that Pittsburgh is good in the first period (outscoring opponents 93-68 this season) and the Flyers are not (getting outscored 65-68). The Pens are used to being in the lead, having lead the third most minutes in the whole league. The Flyers are used to chasing games, and the playoffs are no time to consistently dig holes. Put yourself in enough holes and someone is bound to bury you, and let’s face it, Sidney Crosby always buries the Flyers as it is. It won’t be a smooth road, Penguins/Flyers is naturally going to have it’s twists and turns along the way but in the end the Pens continue onto the next round.
