It looked like the Florida Panthers could build a dynasty after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, but this year’s NHL postseason will deliver a new champion.
The Panthers didn’t make the playoffs, and the Buffalo Sabres ended a 14-year playoff drought. That’s just part of how much this season’s playoff field differs from a year ago.
Amid the six-team turnover, the Anaheim Ducks reached the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and the Utah Mammoth made the playoffs for the first time ever since the transition from Phoenix. The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins ended short-lived playoff droughts, and the Boston Bruins return after missing the postseason last year. Besides the Panthers missing the playoffs, other teams that didn’t make it this year include the Washington Capitals and last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, the Winnipeg Jets.
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabres
A perennial East power and Cinderella meet between the Bruins (45–27–10) and Sabres (50–23–9). Tage Thompson leads the Sabres offense with 81 points, and Buffalo has a bunch of talented scorers in Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, Jack Quinn, Owen Power, and Rasmus Dahlin. Buffalo’s goaltending is stellar with Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but the defense is young.Buffalo’s skaters will have to get past Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Boston’s David Pastrnak, who had 71 points in the regular season, will look to lead the Bruins skaters past Lyon or Lukkonen. The Bruins have scoring depth in Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson, Morgan Geekie, and James Hagens.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators
The Hurricanes (53–22–7) have a bevy of offensive talent in Andrei Svechnikov, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sebastian Aho, and Seth Jarvis. That will challenge the Senators (44–27–11), who finished 13th in goals allowed this season.In addition, Hurricanes goaltenders Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen have been strong all season, but the Senators are a top-10 scoring team. The Senators boast a wealth of offensive talent, featuring players such as Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Cozens, Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle, and Shane Pinto. Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark has had ups and downs, but the Senators have a solid defender in Thomas Chabot.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Canadiens (48–24–10) boast a strong offense in looking to end the nation’s three-decade Stanley Cup drought, but the Canadiens will have to get past a seasoned Lightning (50–26–6) team first.Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 101 points, and Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson are all serious scorers. Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes is stellar, but he and his teammates will miss defenseman Noah Dobson due to injury at least in the early going of the playoffs.
Dobes will have his work cut out against a strong Lightning attack, led by Nikita Kucherov, who had 138 points in the regular season. Conversely, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy will look to thwart the Canadiens skaters.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Sidney Crosby is still playing hockey at a high level in his 21st season, as the Penguins (41–25–16) take on their in-state rivals in the Flyers (43–27–12).Pittsburgh boasts a wealth of talent surrounding Crosby, including Anthony Mantha, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Evgeni Malkin. Additions such as Egor Chinakhov and Elmer Soderblom have helped the Penguins, too.
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings
The Avalanche (55–16–11) look like a Presidents’ Trophy winner that won’t be going home early, though the Kings (35–27–20) have other ideas.Colorado is loaded with talent all over the ice, starting with Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche also has quality goalies in Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, which bodes well for a playoff run.
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
The Stars (50–20–12) return to old stomping grounds against the Wild (46–24–12), as the Stars were once in Minnesota.Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks
The Oilers (41–30–11) seek a return to the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Ducks (43–33–6) are looking to prevent that Hollywood finish.Oilers leading scorers Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard look to pile on the goals in this series. The Ducks are 29th in goals allowed, so goalies Lukas Dostal and Ville Husso will have a challenge ahead.
Conversely, the Ducks have a deep attack with Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, Jackson LaCombe, and Troy Terry, all with 57 or more points this season. However, the Oilers have one of the deepest goaltending crews in hockey, led by Connor Ingram.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth
The Knights (36–26–17) are back with big expectations, and the Mammoth (43–32–6) has arrived with an excited, young fan base.Knights leading scorers Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner will look to boost an offense that finished 14th in scoring during the regular season. The Mammoth have solid goaltending with Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek, who helped their team finish 10th in goals allowed.
Utah’s leading scorer trio of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Dylan Guenther guides a top-10 attack, which will look to give Vegas trouble. That said, Knights goalies Akira Schmid and Adin Hill allow an average of 2.71 goals or less per game.