What a fun offseason. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions are back after another summer of free agency. No one outside the Sunshine State has won the conference or Stanley Cup finals the last five years. While a good number of teams out west improved, Metropolitan teams like New Jersey and Washington made trades to bolster their rosters and re-signed important depth players. The Rangers and Hurricanes are more determined to finish what they started last postseason. Then there are younger teams like Detroit and Ottawa with long-term playoff aspirations.
It’s time to break down which four teams in each division can make the push back to or surprise a lot of people in making the 2024-25 playoffs.
Metropolitan
Carolina Hurricanes
True hockey fans empathize with Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen: Thank goodness hockey is back.
Starting with the easier division, Carolina’s a quick pick. From center to goaltender, the deep Hurricanes should roll through the regular season.
New York Rangers
The Rangers first line should have another stellar season.
The Rangers did their best until eventual champion Florida eliminated them in the conference finals. New York was top ten on offense, defense and the power-play. That shouldn’t change throughout the year.
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey added more defense and has a new coach who will develop the young roster.
This sites prediction about New Jersey was accurate last year. Goaltending, team defense and injuries held back a young, talented core. General manager Tom Fitzgerald addressed that by signing Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen in the offseason. The defense got upgrades with Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jakub Zboril and Colton White signing in free agency. Finally, new coach Sheldon Keefe was a perfect hire for this young, talented team. The Devils should be much better.
Washington Capitals
Washington’s captain Alex Ovechkin has the chance to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record this season…and get closer to 1,000.
It was hard to pick the fourth team. The Islanders didn’t add much in the offseason and kept Patrick Roy as their coach. Pittsburgh could get in if drastic changes are made by the trade deadline. Washington was the best choice with their offseason additions and how well they played for coach Spencer Carbery last year. Defense will be the focus again this season, but the offense should improve after trading for Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The needed roster and scoring depth will make the Capitals hard to beat throughout the year.
Atlantic
Florida Panthers
The Sunshine State is the yet again the state of hockey and champions.
The reigning champs head into the regular season with most of last year’s deep, Stanley Cup winning roster. It should be fun to watch them defend their title.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto may have named Auston Matthews the new captain, but no one’s more important to the Leafs than William Nylander.
The Leafs were great the last two years. Now they have Craig Berube as their new coach. For the first time in decades, Toronto should be a Stanley Cup contender.
Detroit Red Wings
This is the year Detroit breaks out and gets better the whole season.
At last the franchise is a playoff contender. General manager Steve Yzerman’s roster isn’t finished yet, but the depth, talent and hunger to make the postseason means this is a pivotal year for Detroit. There shouldn’t be a drop-off at any point, even if captain Dylan Larkin gets injured again.
Tampa Bay Lightning
As long as Andrei Vasilevskiy stays healthy, Tampa Bay is a constant championship threat.
Franchise great Steven Stamkos might’ve signed with Nashville in free agency, but general manager Julien BriseBois patched things up by signing Jake Guentzel and Cam Atkinson and trading for Ryan McDonagh. The deeper Lightning also have franchise goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy back to full health, something they didn’t have last year. Tampa Bay’s talent and coaching gets the nod over Boston (aging) and Ottawa’s (younger) roster.
What a year it was for the western conference. Edmonton was one win away from the conference’s third straight Stanley Cup championship. Many viewers wonder if the Oilers can make another run this year with coach Kris Knoblauch’s interim tag removed. Edmonton doesn’t have any serious injuries before the season begins, but a lot of teams built up depth and are also healthy. There will be competition and pushback from teams like Nashville, Colorado and Vegas. Los Angeles and Winnipeg have a lot to prove after last season’s playoff exits. A team like Minnesota could break out and do damage to whoever clinches a top seed, possibly throwing the playoffs into doubt. It’s time to break down which four teams in each division have the best chances to make the 2024-25 postseason.
Pacific
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes (C) had a lot of success and growth his first year as team captain. Year two should be better.
Let’s start with the easier western division. Vancouver is a sure pick to reach the playoffs with head coach Rick Tocchet back behind the bench, Kevin Lankinen replacing the injured Thatcher Demko in net, Quinn Hughes returning as captain, and roster depth at every position. The Canucks were fun to watch last year and played great start to finish. Don’t be surprised if they look better this season.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton was one game away from winning Canada’s first Stanley Cup in 30 years. Can the Oilers replicate their second half regular and postseason success this year?
It was a tale of two seasons for Edmonton. The team played better once Knoblauch became coach. The most important adjustments he made were improving the penalty-kill and getting additional scoring from the third and fourth lines. Those changes got the Oilers one win away from the Stanley Cup.
While some are unsure how Edmonton’s scoring and defensive depth will perform the whole season, having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together again means a future playoff berth.
Vegas Golden Knights
After a first round elimination against Dallas, Vegas should be back to full health once the puck drops tonight.
It wasn’t a surprise Vegas struggled the last half of the season. Injuries and some fatigue kept the Golden Knights in a lower seed. Then they were eliminated in the first round to number one seeded Dallas. Vegas should rebound this season.
The Golden Knights might not have former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault anymore, but we’ll finally see a healthy Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin play together. The addition of forward Victor Olofsson should help center Jack Eichel score more this season.
Los Angeles Kings
Despite a second half sputter, there’s optimism in Los Angeles.
There’s a lot to love with the Kings this year. Los Angeles let goaltender Cam Talbot leave in free agency and traded for Darcy Kuemper to replace him. The former champion will be hard to score against, and even if he misses time, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley have enough to hold the Kings defense together.
Barring another mid-season collapse, Los Angeles should have a breakout year with the offensive depth at center and forward.
Central
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado almost back to full health means more one-on-one scoring chances for reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon (29).
This could be the year captain Gabriel Landeskog returns from his long sustained leg injuries. For now, reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon, top scorer Mikko Rantanen, top defender Cale Makar and top five coach in the league Jared Bednar are more than enough to push Colorado into the playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets
Regardless of wherever Winnipeg lands in the playoffs, they have the talent and depth to return.
There was disappointment in Manitoba after last year’s playoff flop to the Avalanche. Poor season finale aside, no team in the central has better depth scoring than Winnipeg. The offense should be one of the league’s best again. The Jets also have a two time Conn Smythe winning goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck with at least six quality defensemen to help. It’s up to coach Scott Arniel to find ways to win this postseason.
Minnesota Wild
All Minnesota needs to make the playoffs is a better start to the regular season. The Wild can’t end goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s career with a whimper.
Minnesota missing the playoffs last year was due to a poor start that got coach Dean Evason fired. A difficult two months led to inconsistent play. While interim John Hynes did his best getting the Wild to play better defense, scoring went down. This season should be different.
It’s important Minnesota has a better start. The division is still the most competitive in the conference and most of the eight teams feel there’s something to prove. It’s also the last season for legendary goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, so the Wild have to do well if he wants to win a final championship.
Nashville Predators
(Left to right ) Nashville’s captain Roman Josi, Juuse Saros and Robby Fabbro will be playoff favorites this season.
General manager Barry Trotz is a happy and busy man. After he chose to keep the Predators core unit together after last season’s trade deadline, Nashville finished hot and almost made the second round of the playoffs.
This year it’ll be more fun in Music City. Trotz signed former champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, and added defensive depth with Brady Skjei and Scott Wedgewood. The Predators want to play lockdown defense on one end and high-scoring offense the other. It would take a lot to keep Nashville out of the 2025 postseason.
The finals are set. Florida and Edmonton are stacked with stars, deep rosters, and savvy coaches. Their power-plays and penalty kills are some of the best since playoffs began. Whoever wins the finals deserves the accolades and label of champion. It’s time to break down which team has the best chance of winning the finals and taking home both the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup.
#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #3 Florida Panthers
Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky must play the best series of his life against Oilers captain Connor McDavid if he wants to win the Stanley Cup…and maybe the Conn Smythe trophy.
There couldn’t be two, more different finals opponents. Edmonton has two league MVPs, a defensive minded coach still in his first season with an NHL team and one of the best season turnarounds this decade. Florida has the second oldest and most winningest coach who’s never won a championship, a two-time Vezina winner in net, and fulfilled expectations to repeat as eastern conference champions. The province of Alberta has its first team back in the championship since 2006 while a Florida team is back in the finals for the fifth straight year.
The Oilers love to play the middle of the ice, use speed to drive to the net, and enjoy disrupting opponents from settling into their offensive attacks. The Panthers excel at playing the middle of the ice on defense, wear down opponents with brutal forechecking and create offense with multiple scoring chances better than anyone.
Series deciding factor: Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers power-play v. Mattias Ekholm and the Oilers penalty-kill
Florida learned the valuable lessons in last year’s beat-down against Vegas. The Panthers have perfected the focused, disciplined championship mindset. It shows best on special teams, and will face its ultimate test against the best penalty killing team this entire playoffs. Edmonton gave up a shocking zero power-play goals in the conference finals against Dallas, single-handedly swinging the series in their favor. A big reason the Oilers penalty kill succeeded was coach Peter DeBoer’s stubborn mindset of having the offense pass the puck around and take shots on the outside. Too many outside shots means little rebounding opportunities for second or third scoring chances.
Florida doesn’t have that mindset. They will challenge defensemen Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard more than the trio faced at any point in previous series. The main question many wonder about is how the almost perfect Edmonton penalty-kill and coach Kris Knoblauch respond and adjust once Florida scores. Captain Aleksander Barkov has always been a bright-minded scoring threat. His added determination to break defenses in layers this season has decimated the league’s best goaltenders and most creative coaching minds. Barkov will have the league’s second best goal-scorer of 2024 in Sam Reinhart, playoff leading scorer Carter Verhaeghe, the ever-dangerous Matthew Tkachuk and either one of the best defensemen in Aaron Ekblad or former champion and star Vladimir Tarasenko each power-play opportunity.
The Panthers have shown both audiences and teams they’ve played how to dictate gamepace. It comes with brutal, physical checking into the walls and around the net while creating quality shots and rebounding opportunities in front of the goaltender. No one embodies this like former Flame and Oilers rival Matthew Tkachuk, who will have goaltender Stuart Skinner (and maybe Calvin Pickard?) on edge every minute Florida’s in the offensive zone.
Verdict: Coaching is one of the two major factors determining who wins the championship. Dating back to his Winnipeg days, Paul Maurice has played the Connor McDavid-led Oilers perfect in the postseason. No other coach has frustrated or even shut-out Edmonton in a way the Oilers appeared to quit. Maurice hasn’t coached Florida as hard as he did with the Jets for various reasons, but when he does, he’s the best voice anyone could listen to and learn from. He has a two time Vezina winning goaltender playing like his prime self again and even star goal-scorers such as Vladimir Tarasenko bought in 100% to his philosophy.
Panther right-winger Evan Rodrigues loves fore-checking opponents, using his body to shot-block and make opponents like Edmonton’s Warren Foegele (37) commit more turnovers before they settle into their offense.
The other factor will be which team physically batters the other. The Stars decided not to rough up the Oilers in the conference finals, and it might have cost them the series. Florida is one of the meanest teams on ice, baiting opponents and initiating fights. Captain Connor McDavid is not a star player who likes to fight nor get physically assaulted during a game. The Panthers will have plenty of opportunities to establish their dominance by causing altercations after the whistle. Florida fan-favorite Ryan Lomberg alone could throw half the Edmonton roster off their focus.
Prediction: Florida Panthers defeat the Oilers 4-1 and win their first championship in franchise history.
What a fun end to the second round. Edmonton barely beat a desperate Canucks team in seven games. Kris Knoblauch implementing better defensive schemes further shows why general manager Ken Holland made the right move in firing Jay Woodcroft early in the season. The Oilers stars are playing some of their best hockey and Stuart Skinner’s goaltending was better after a two game benching. In what could be a last gasp attempt to win and hold the Stanley Cup, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin lead Dallas’ return to the conference finals. Both teams will have their hands full, and many believe whoever wins this series has a great chance to win the championship. Time to break down which one the best shot to win the western conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #1 Dallas Stars
Edmonton role players like Sam Carrick (39) will struggle to get past Jake Oettinger (29) and a suffocating Dallas defense.
Both teams have great offenses, stout defenses and dangerous special teams units. Both coaches are meant to counter the other (Kris Knoblauch’s defensive tactics counter a good number of Peter DeBoer’s offensive barrages). Edmonton’s power-play is always a threat to opposing defenses while Dallas’ scoring depth is a big reason they have home ice advantage.
At first glance, it appears both teams are equal. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Oilers stole their second round series versus Vancouver with Brock Boeser injured after game six. Despite the Canucks playing without Boeser (their leading postseason scorer) and having a third string goaltender the entire series, Edmonton won by one goal. The Stars are well rested after eliminating Colorado in six games and don’t play their best players over 24 minutes a game like the Oilers. That’s a major factor if this series goes more than five games.
Dallas also has better depth scoring and defensive tactics. General manager Jim Nill made the best trade at the March eighth deadline, acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev from Calgary. Tanev shut down Jack Eichel (46:34) and Hart trophy (MVP) favorite Nathan MacKinnon (68:43) at five-on-five for a combined 115:17. Both Edmonton stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have shown fatigue after two series and now have to deal with the physical, determined Tanev, and fellow Stars defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.
Depth scoring cements who wins this series. Forwards Evgenii Dadonov, Ty Dellandrea, Radek Faksa, Mason Marchment and centers Sam Steel and Matt Duchene will be harder for the Oilers defense and goaltender Stuart Skinner to stop. Don’t be surprised if DeBoer’s veteran coaching tactics make this a quick conference finals.
Prediction: Stars win the western conference and the series 4-1
Western conference playoff predictions after two rounds: 3-3
What a round! The two best teams in the east are in the conference finals. On one side, the well designed, balanced and deep New York Rangers. Led by coach Peter Laviolette, captain Jacob Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider, the Rangers are the best and most complete of the remaining four postseason teams. Their opponent is last year’s eastern conference champion Florida Panthers. Defensive leader Aaron Ekblad, two time Vezina winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and captain Aleksander Barkov lead Florida’s return to the ECF. All three are Conn Smythe worthy after their team ousted two deep, well built division rivals. Both squads will have their hands full and many believe whoever wins this series is the favorite to win the championship. Time to break down who has the best chance to win the eastern conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
#2 Florida Panthers v. #1 New York Rangers
This could be the best series in the entire 2024 NHL playoffs. Both teams have great coaches, great offenses and scoring depth, strong physical presences around the net and shutdown defenses. Florida and New York have some of the best special teams (power-play and penalty-killing) units in the league and make some of the quickest adjustments each game. Unlike last year’s conference finals matchup between the aforementioned Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes, this series shouldn’t be a four game sweep.
Physical play and depth scoring from talented players such as Florida’s Sam Bennett (left) and New York’s Barclay Goodrow (right) will determine who wins this thrilling series.
The Rangers drastically improved under coach Peter Laviolette and remain a threat even if they’re down three goals on the road. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin’s given up more than three goals in the postseason once in the last three years. A deep defense led by captain Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox makes this hard for the Panthers to consistently score.
New York loves to play an aggressive 1-3-1 formation that overwhelms opposing defenses. It’s deadlier when New York’s on the power-play with their top scorers. However the Panthers defense has improved and gave up one power-play goal last series, frustrating the veteran Boston Bruins. A major reason comes from their brutally physical 2-1-2 style of play where an extra player is left higher/further up on the ice as an offensive option while the other four forecheck opponents at the walls. Florida’s mastered how and when to dump the puck into an offensive zone, hit an opponent near the boards, and pass it to an area close to the net giving a player a good shot on goal. This wears down an opponent over time faster than a typical bump-and-skate approach. The Rangers playing an aggressive version of 1-3-1 means a smarter veteran team like the Panthers can exploit more holes in the defensive end and play more transition offense once forcing more turnovers.
Florida has a major advantage over New York with not just their physical play, but their determined mindset. In both the playoffs and regular season, the Panthers lost only three games where they had a lead in regulation or went to overtime. That means their opponent has to score and overwhelm them early. While it can be done a few games at a time, doing it four times in a series is close to impossible. The Rangers have great roster depth, a tight playing style and a bastion of scoring options, but they don’t have the determination to play mean and physical like Florida. The longer this series goes (and it will be long), the more Florida breaks down New York in every facet.
Prediction: Panthers win the eastern conference and the series 4-2
Eastern conference playoff predictions after two rounds: 5-1
The first round of the NHL playoffs intrigued and entertained many viewers. In the west, the reigning Stanley Cup champions were eliminated after a seven game series versus Dallas. After a wild game one 7-6 loss, Colorado crushed Winnipeg on every side of the puck. Vancouver keeps winning even if Thatcher Demko or Casey DeSmith doesn’t start in net, and the Oilers power-play stayed hot against one of the league’s best defenses in Los Angeles. Four fantastic teams will show audiences why they made it this far, but only two will advance to the conference finals. It’s time to predict which two have the best chance of advancing to the conference finals.
#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #2 Vancouver Canucks
Both Canadian teams play more physical while retaining a top ten offense.
Both western Canadian teams in this series have top ten scoring offenses and are dangerous on the power play. They’re both great on the penalty kill and play lockdown, physical defense. Vancouver proved last round they can hang with and play better against aggressive veteran teams like Nashville. The Canucks also won by getting depth scoring from players like Nikita Zadorov. Likewise, Edmonton’s progress under coach Kris Knoblauch continued after the regular season. The Oilers improved their 1-4 defensive “trap” coverage (a conservative forecheck strategy involving one forechecker in deep and four skaters along the blueline. The one center forechecker, pressures the puck while both forwards and defensemen hang back ready to defend. This formation is designed to prevent rushes and breakaways towards your goaltender), leading to a more aggressive defense. This frustrates opposing offenses used to playing at a faster pace.
Despite the number of offensive playmakers on both teams, this should be a defensive series that again requires depth scoring from third and fourth lines. Both teams are aggressive, but Vancouver can switch their offensive tempo from fast to slow better than Edmonton. The Oilers have struggled against the better constructed Canucks before and after Knoblauch’s promotion. Coach Rick Tocchet also knows how to get the most out of his roster and get his team to switch up their coverages to maximize the defensive pairings. This should work well against the Oilers offense and special teams.
Prediction: Canucks win series 4-1
#4 Colorado Avalanche v. #1 Dallas Stars
Miles Wood (28) and the Avalanche struggled to score against Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (29) in the regular season.
This is the best matchup in the conference. Colorado surprised viewers with their scoring barrage against the best defense in the league last round. Dallas played one of the best series in the round one, knocking off the defending champs in a full seven games.
One of the best changes Avalanche coach Jared Bednar made in round one was having the offense play a north-south game against Winnipeg’s defense. Surrounding and boxing in the Jets defense led to a barrage of goals, half of which Vezina candidate Connor Hellebuyck couldn’t see. The defense around Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger can play with better spacing, but that technique won’t work on a defense that faced a more deeper, physical offense last round. Colorado needs more depth scoring from Zach Parise, Casey Mittelstadt, Ross Colton and former Star Andrew Cogliano to get past a more veteran Dallas defense.
Depth scoring could show which team wins this series. The above names are solid players, but the Stars had eight 20+ goal scorers for many reasons. This is the most balanced team on both sides of the puck remaining in the west and unlike Winnipeg, Dallas will make quicker changes to stay ahead of Colorado.
Prediction: Stars win series 4-2
NHL western conference first round playoff predictions: 2-2
The first round of the NHL playoffs intrigued and entertained many viewers. The President’s trophy winning New York Rangers were the first team to advance to the second round after sweeping Washington (the only first round sweep). Boston became the first NHL team to win four straight game sevens over a single opponent. Florida won their first Battle of Florida matchup against Tampa Bay. Carolina proved they can take care of business with depth scoring and goaltender Frederik Andersen still finding his groove. Four fantastic teams will show audiences why they made it this far, but only two will go to the conference championship. It’s time to predict which two have the best chance of advancing to round three.
#3 Carolina Hurricanes v. #1 New York Rangers
Mika Zibanejad (left) and Sebastian Aho (center) will have a lot of scoring opportunities this series.
Almost everyone who watches the NHL knew this would be a second round matchup once the Rangers clinched first in the Metropolitan. Obvious or not, Carolina versus New York will be one of the funnest series. Both teams are loaded with scoring and defensive depth, play well on special teams and are led by great veteran coaches. The Hurricanes and Rangers mostly mirror each other and are even in many categories.
The tipping point will be goaltending. Former Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin isn’t just the better of the two starting netminders in the series, he’s also the healthiest and plays better. The Hurricanes Frederik Andersen can steal wins and give Carolina a deep run, but he’s not playing at Shesterkin’s level and still needs to find his rhythm after missing half the regular season with deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolisms.
Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2
#4 Boston Bruins v. #2 Florida Panthers
Despite a re-match from last year’s series, Florida is the stronger, deeper team.
This is a re-match of last year’s first round series where Florida overcame a 3-1 series deficit and shocked the sports world, pulling off the biggest upset in NHL history. This year the Panthers won the atlantic division and the Bruins are the underdogs.
Many believe this will be an easier series for Florida after they eliminated Tampa Bay. It’s important to remember Boston swept the Panthers in their four game regular season series. Yes, Florida brings a different level of physical play and has a better coach than Toronto, but the Bruins are the best veteran team remaining in the east that can counter the aggressive Panthers.
If Boston wants to make this a long, close series, they need to attack Florida’s defense in the first two periods each game. The Panthers have yet to blow a lead in the third period (regular or postseason) this season. They also play better if there’s overtime. Don’t be surprised if the Bruins tire easily after game four.
Prediction: Panthers win series 4-2
NHL eastern conference first round playoff predictions: 3-1
The NHL’s western conference was the first to have every playoff spot clinched. However, seeding was finished after the last game of the regular season. Many wonder if either of last year’s conference finals participants can replicate their success and represent the west in a championship slugfest. The conference wants to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row. Winnipeg improved this season and drew an easier first round opponent. Vancouver and Edmonton have enough balance on offense and defense to shake a series in their favor.Finally, Vegas has returned to their Stanley Cup champion selves after serious roster moves before their playoff run. Only four teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#6 Los Angeles Kings v. #4 Edmonton Oilers
For the third year in a row, captains Connor McDavid (left) and Anze Kopitar (right) square off in the first round.
It’s the third year in a row these teams will play each other in round one. Los Angeles has a top three defense and penalty kill but the offense has struggled to play past quick transition. That’s a bad game-plan against the improved Oilers defense.
The Kings have struggled this season to consistently beat Edmonton’s goaltender duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. While Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has improved the defense, the offense isn’t one dimensional scoring from captain Connor McDavid and former MVP Leon Draisaitl anymore. Forward Zach Hyman and defenseman Evan Bouchard will frustrate the Los Angeles defense.
Prediction: Oilers win series 4-2
#5 Colorado Avalanche v. #3 Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg showed audiences in their April 13th 7-0 thumping over the Avalanche that Colorado’s depth on both offense and defense is strained.
This pick will either be bullseye accurate or stunningly wrong due to how the Jets mauled Colorado in Ball Arena April 13th. Winnipeg’s mindset has shifted and they looked ready for the playoffs after their remaining regular season games. The Jets are getting depth scoring from centers Sean Monahan and Adam Lowry, forwards Tyler Toffoli, Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi, and defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo.
Colorado’s scoring depth fizzles out once the first line of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen don’t tally points. It’s concerning goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has played tired most of April. Winnipeg has to take advantage of these weaknesses and quickly eliminate the Avalanche.
Prediction: Jets win series 4-1
#7 Nashville Predators v. #2 Vancouver Canucks
Hits reminiscent of Dakota Joshua’s on Alexandre Carrier in the regular season will be a common theme in this playoff series.
Vancouver surprised many with their consistent, quality play even when starting goaltender Thatcher Demko was injured the last few months of the regular season. Their reward: drawing the hottest wildcard team in either conference.
Nashville’s been one of the league’s best teams since the March seventh trade deadline. More importantly, the pairing of Ryan McDonagh and Roman Josi has both stabilized the defense and opened up scoring opportunities in transition offense. McDonagh’s playoff success on defense combined with former captain and Stanley Cup champion center Ryan O’Reilly on offense presents more of a challenge to the Canucks.
Vancouver can counter some of the Predators optimism with the return of Demko in net. Playoff-mode Thatcher Demko was feared after his 2020 miracle series loss against Vegas. Coach Rick Tocchet’s mentality mirrors former coach and current general manager Barry Trotz. Nashville knows how to play with and against this thought process well. Coach Andrew Brunette will challenge and want his players to hit and bully the Canucks stars. The physical play will throw Vancouver’s scoring leaders off their game and make them play a brand of hockey no one’s challenged them to all season.
Western conference upset prediction: Predators win series 4-2
#8 Vegas Golden Knights v. #1 Dallas Stars
Dallas is the favorite this time but the return of playoff-mode Jonathan Marchessault (81) does boost Vegas’ championship chances.
The best first round matchup in the conference. In a rematch of last year’s conference finals, this time Dallas has home ice and touts both a top five offense and top ten defense. The Stars might be the most complete team in the league with eight 20+ goal scorers on the roster.
The Golden Knights are fortunate to have the defensive depth to counter. Captain Mark Stone returns and the newly acquired Tomas Hertl is playing better since he returned from injuring his left knee. Similar to last year’s postseason matchup, Vegas has bigger defensemen and more overall depth than Dallas, but the goaltending has been inconsistent for the Golden Knights. Jake Oettinger might be the best netminder in the conference while Logan Thompson and Adin Hill could split starts, throwing off Vegas’ defensive rhythm.
Prediction: Stars win series 4-2
Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2
Every playoff series in the eastern conference was set almost a week before the regular season ended. In a surprising twist, Pittsburgh misses the playoffs for the second straight year and Detroit came up short despite a thrilling overtime win. Only Carolina and Tampa Bay acquired more than one major player by the trade deadline. The other six will rely on scoring depth and coaching changes to get through another tough postseason. Each team has their hands full against veteran playoff franchises wanting a championship appearance. It’s time to break down which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.
#7 New York Islanders v. #2 Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina’s Seth Jarvis (24) was fun to watch throughout the regular season. He’ll have a tough time keeping up with New York’s Mathew Barzal (13).
Two months ago, it was inconceivable the Islanders wouldn’t just make the playoffs, but get as high as the seventh seed. New York won eight of their final ten regular season games and have adjusted to a postseason mindset led by center Mathew Barzal.
Unfortunately for the Islanders, they drew the red-hot Hurricanes. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is back to full health and the acquisitions of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov are another layer of playoff depth few teams can counter. New York had a great run to end the regular season, but Carolina’s depth will overwhelm them early and often.
Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1
#8 Washington Capitals v. #1 New York Rangers
Jimmy Vesey and the Rangers offense will give Washington’s defense and Charlie Lindgren (79, white) problems.
The Capitals almost drew a favorable first round matchup against Carolina. Instead they drew the President’s Trophy winning (awarded to the team with the league’s best record) New York Rangers. The Rangers have a top five offense, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin is among the best at shutting down opposing offensive playmakers.
Washington coach Spencer Carbery has proven resourceful and will find ways to frustrate a deep, veteran New York offense to take some pressure off goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper. Don’t be surprised if this series lasts longer due to the Capitals new, scrappy mindset.
Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2
#5 Toronto Maple Leafs v. #4 Boston Bruins
Two original six franchises in another physical and mean first round series. This will be a ratings success.
The last power rankings discussed Toronto’s disadvantages facing any atlantic division rival in round one. Auston Matthews didn’t even get 70 goals in the regular season and the celebratory gift for the team is another first round matchup against their long-time rival Boston.
The Bruins have many advantages over their Canadian rival, but the big ones are the goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, and their home play versus their rivals. The Leafs netminder duo of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll are streaky and not ready to face a veteran team like Boston.
The latter advantage cements this pick. The Bruins are 7-0 against the Leafs (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games. Toronto’s also lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden. While this series might go seven games, it’s clear who advances.
Prediction: Bruins win series 4-3
#6 Tampa Bay Lightning v. #3 Florida Panthers
The 1980s-1990s had the Battle of Alberta. The 2010s-2020s have the Battle of Florida. Like the winner of those glorious western conference series, the winner of these eastern matchups are favored to represent the conference in the Stanley Cup finals.
There’s nothing better than a state or provincial rivalry in the NHL playoffs. It’s juicier if both teams are heavily favored to reach the championship.
Coaching doesn’t get better than Jon Cooper versus Paul Maurice. Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky will have games where they frustrate opposing offenses and give up four or more goals depending on how both teams attack the net. Both Florida teams again feature the best forward and center depth in the conference. One could say it’s a deadlock and the winner might be decided in game seven.
If there’s a decisive factor for which team advances, it’s defensive depth. Both Aaron Ekblad and Victor Hedman will return, but Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh, Erik Cernak, Matt Dumba and Calvin de Haan are a better core than Florida’s Gustav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers core defensive players will struggle whenever the Lightning have power-play opportunities.
Eastern conference upset prediction: Lightning win series 4-2
Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2
Left winger Anthony Duclair won’t be an MVP candidate but he’s having another solid season. Duclair’s been an important player and face in the media.
After Wayne Simmonds retired last month, there are currently 34 black players in the NHL. Some notable players and starters include former 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield, K’Andre Miller and Seth Jones. A good number such as Ryan Reaves, Matt Dumba, Jordan Greenway and Kyle Okposo are found on third or fourth lines to provide stronger, physical presences or defend on the penalty kill.
There’s one who stands out the last five years in a class of his own. That would be forward Anthony ” “The Duke” Duclair. Duclair’s been on eight teams (including two this season) and has impressed on each one. From setting a franchise scoring record in 2019 with Ottawa to making a Stanley Cup finals appearance last year in Miami, Anthony Duclair is a hot name because of what teams look for and want in a forward.
After last year’s finals appearance with the Florida Panthers, Duclair was traded to San Jose for Steven Lorentz and a fifth round draft pick. Most NHL teams in a long-rebuild don’t trade draft picks unless it’s for a quality player. Anthony Duclair was a bright spot for San Jose despite the team’s offensive and defensive woes. He tallied 16 goals and eleven assists, averaging 16 minutes of ice time in 56 games on the worst team in the league. Cup contenders took note of Duclair’s efforts and many hockey news outlets had him going somewhere needing both scoring depth and veteran presence for deep playoff runs. Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois traded Jack Thompson and a 2024 third round pick for San Jose’s only quality player (who wasn’t injured) a day before the trade deadline.
The Lightning made one of the best trades at the deadline. Anthony Duclair has scored five goals and added four assists in the ten games played since March seventh. Coach Jon Cooper put Duclair on the first line with MVP favorite Nikita Kucherov and phenom center Brayden Point. They’ve won all but two games since the move, and one of the losses took overtime in Los Angeles. When coach Cooper was asked by the TNT panel before Tampa’s 3-1 home win against Boston on March 27th about what Duclair brought to the team Cooper replied, “He (Duclair) slots all the guys in spots they should be.” The most tenured coach in the NHL added that the Lightning looked at and heavily considered trading for him months ago. The decision has Tampa Bay six points back of Toronto for third in the Atlantic and at fifth place in the eastern conference. If the playoffs were held today, the Lightning would play the Leafs and possibly take the series to seven games.
It’s a big deal Anthony Duclair is coveted by multiple playoff contenders wanting a finals appearance. I wrote at the beginning there are 34 black players in the NHL, and while some of them are or will become stars, none of them have the unique career trajectory as Duclair. Quinton Byfield will probably be a star, but right now he’s injured while Los Angeles sputters. K’Andre Miller takes a backseat to multiple stars in New York while Ryan Reaves is known for physical play and fighting. There’s Seth and Caleb Jones, who are afterthoughts in Chicago. Most black players such as the aforementioned Okposo, Greenway and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are depth players. Matt Dumba is the closest to receiving similar attention as Duclair, but he’s also on Tampa Bay and takes a backseat to defenseman Darren Raddysh.
Many black viewers have wanted to watch ice hockey for a long time but sadly haven’t been able to watch someone who looks like them elevate a team’s performance the way Matthew Tkachuk or Valeri Nichushkin have on Florida or Colorado. It’s why Anthony Duclair is a big deal. He’s been on title contending teams, makes everyone around him better while growing his game and sometimes sets a record. The NHL’s return to ESPN and ABC means more audiences are finally watching the first black hockey star in over a decade. Duclair’s 28 years old, so expect continued, growing interest from all kinds of viewers.
Forward Anthony Duclair (10) and center Brayden Point (21) lead a red-hot Tampa Bay power-play at 29%.
Here’s the April 2024 power rankings. These will be the last power rankings for the season due to the playoffs starting April 20th.
#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)
Many knew San Jose would be awful this season with a continued roster teardown. We’re witnessing a full rebuild that will take at least five years to construct. The Sharks best players are Logan Couture and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and they might not be around after 2024 with how San Jose needs high draft picks. This will be a long, painful process for northern California hockey fans.
#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)
Chicago’s had one of the best power-plays since March began. Number one overall pick Connor Bedard returning is a big factor for the team’s improvement, but Ryan Donato and Philipp Kurashev are peaking at a good time. Coach Luke Richardson might have saved his job for the rest of the calendar year.
#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)
General manager Pat Verbeek has a lot to consider once the season ends (if owner Henry Samueli doesn’t fire him). Many expect starting goaltender John Gibson to finally be traded, but who else will go before the 2024 draft? Coach Greg Cronin is probably done and free agency always has a lot of valuable talent wanting to sign with warmer climate teams. Anaheim has to get better than this season’s disaster.
#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 29)
Like the Ducks, Columbus will be a name to watch in the draft. As written last month, a new general manager means a new vision and ideas. The Blue Jackets could retool most of the roster centered around rookie center Dmitri Voronkov. We’ll find out what kind of revamp Columbus will have at the start of free agency.
#28 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 27)
This is a good time to look back to the 2018 draft where Montreal picked Jesperi Kotkaniemi ahead of Brady Tkachuk. How big was that move? To start, Kotkaniemi isn’t with the Canadiens anymore while the younger Tkachuk brother is Ottawa’s captain. It didn’t matter when Montreal made the 2020-2021 Stanley Cup finals, but every season besides that one shows how the Canadiens could use the extra goal scoring. Montreal is currently 27th in goals scored with 201. Ottawa is 15th with 235, and Tkachuk is the leading scorer with 33. If we wanted to transfer all 33 over, it would give Montreal 236 and place them between Vegas and Ottawa. The Canadiens would have more goal scoring than the Capitals, Penguins, Flyers, Wild, Kings, Jets and hilariously, one more than the Senators. They’d also be closer in the playoff race.
#27 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 28)
It’s a shame Arizona had a winless February. The Coyotes could’ve ended some conference rivals playoff chances with their play in March. Instead they have to add more scoring depth while bolstering the defensive lines. Maybe we’ll look back a year or two from now and consider February 2024 a turning point for a more competitive team clinching a playoff berth.
#26 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 26)
Management has to be careful about who to move once the season ends. If we were to start a list by position on who the Senators should keep we’d start with:
Defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson.
Centers Shane Pinto, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris and Ridly Greig.
Forwards Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk and Boris Katchouk.
Goalie Mads Sogaard
If new management decides to keep these players while adding roster depth and doubles down better defensive play, then more free agents will see Ottawa as an attractive destination. Most of the Senators listed are still young and seen as high-grade offensive playmakers eager to make the postseason.
#25 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 23)
That eight game losing streak pretty much eliminated the Kraken from postseason contention. Bummer for a top ten scoring defense that got little help. Seattle scored four goals once during the slump and averaged one goal a game in seven of the eight losses. General manager Ron Francis still has an ongoing plan for how this team should look, but it still feels disappointing after last year’s postseason success.
#24 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)
Trading Jake Guentzel to Carolina ended their season. There are more difficult decisions that will be made after the season ends from who to keep, who to trade and if there will be a retooling versus a rebuild. It will be a long offseason.
#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 20)
Another team that has a lot of hard decisions to make once the regular season ends. While the Flames had an ok March, they didn’t have enough to close the gap in the wildcard race. That could lead to goaltender Jacob Markstrom getting traded in the offseason. If Calgary moves Markstrom, then the team could regress at a pace many expected before the 2023 season began.
#22 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 25)
Buffalo’s nemesis for the second straight year is the number of remaining games on their schedule. The Sabres are close to being a playoff team but can’t pull out big wins when it matters most. It’s not all on coach Don Granato either, but management could stick him with the blame once the season ends. A lingering issue Buffalo has to address is the struggling play from rookie and younger players when they’re brought up from minor league systems compared to their opponents.
#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 21)
The trade for goalie Jake Allen could work well next season. Right now there aren’t enough games nor easier opponents for New Jersey to get many quick points over and leapfrog into the eighth seed. It would be smart to retain interim coach Travis Green for next season and implement more of his schemes with a young, determined roster.
#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 24)
New York started March hot and then reality set in. They’ve lost eight of the last eleven and all were ugly. Three were shutouts and then an angry Red Wings getting captain Dylan Larkin back drove home how poor the Islanders decisions have been the past few years. The genius of Lou Lamoriello will cost them another shot at the playoffs.
#19 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 10)
Wow. Sometimes a player can be what holds a team together but nobody thought Detroit would tumble without captain Dylan Larkin. General manager Steve Yzerman’s plan was revealed when Larkin wasn’t playing: continue developing young talent in the minor leagues while finding who works best with the current roster.
#18 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 17)
Nashville’s ascent probably sinks Minnesota’s season. The Wild have to play Colorado twice and face Vegas, Winnipeg and Los Angeles one more time. Minnesota needs a lot of help to get into the eighth seed. The Wild have San Jose twice and Chicago in their remaining games but it won’t be enough.
#17 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 19)
The Blues are five points ahead of Minnesota and three behind Los Angeles for the last wildcard spot. They’re 25-1-0 in games where they score four or more goals, and 16-3-4 in one goal games (with a win percentage over .700). Finally, the Blues have the second highest winning percentage when scoring first this season at .882 (behind only Winnipeg). St. Louis has a good chance at squeaking into the eighth seed with the Kings falling apart. If the Blues make the playoffs, it will be a headache for whoever has the top seed in the west.
#16 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 13)
Washington will surpass Philadelphia in the standings if the Flyers keep playing down to their competition. Coach John Tortorella already let his players and media know the last two weeks have been awful. Philadelphia needs to improve on defense and create better scoring chances on the power-play. Bringing in goalie Ivan Fedotov after the Russian KHL rescinded his contract could bring spark the change Tortorella’s looking for.
#15 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 22)
All the thought pieces on captain Alex Ovechkin being too old to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record and Washington being eliminated from the playoffs were useless. As I wrote in previous power rankings, no team in the east wants to face the Capitals if they somehow clinch a playoff berth. Well, they’re a top eight team in the east and are one of the hottest since the trade deadline. Washington has the fifth best winning percentage when scoring first this season at .759 and the highest win percentage in one goal games at 17-2-10. The Capitals are also playing their best against the hardest part of their schedule. Coach Spencer Carbery should be considered for coach of the year.
#14 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 16)
Los Angeles was in a better position to seal a playoff berth until their current three game losing streak. It would be disheartening for one of the league’s best defenses to miss the postseason due to a second half collapse. The Kings also can’t play down to their competition. They’re under a lot of pressure to have a strong finish when many didn’t expect them to be in this position at the start of 2024.
#13 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 11)
It’s easy to make excuses for Vegas regarding their health, defense and roller coaster performances but remember, this was the last team to lose a game starting the 2023-2024 regular season. The Golden Knights were the best team in the league for almost two months. They’ve followed up impressive wins with deflating losses. Yes, Vegas is a big name contender if they make the postseason, but they haven’t played like the reigning champions enough and probably wouldn’t be favored in a first round matchup against any of the central division teams trying to clinch the first seed.
#12 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 9)
Toronto’s in a sticky spot. Right now they’re the atlantic’s third seed, which is great until one factors the Maple Leafs will play either the Bruins or Panthers in the first round. Given how Boston is 7-0 against Toronto (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games, Toronto’s lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden, and the first round game seven PTSD against the Bruins lingers over a decade, this isn’t a matchup the franchise wants. However the Maple Leafs would get mauled by Florida if they decide playing the Panthers is the better option. One could say if Toronto lost a good amount of games to drop down to the seventh seed, that would improve their postseason outlook. That means Auston Matthews could miss the 70 goal mark to remain a top MVP candidate. No matter the choice made, the result won’t end well.
#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 14)
If you wanted to know how better Anthony Duclair has made Tampa Bay’s offense, here’s a comparison with him being on the first line with Kucherov and Point compared to when Brandon Hagel was partnered with the duo during the Lightning’s March 14th 6-3 home win against the Rangers:
with Hagel
Time on ice: 4:40
0-4 on shots
0-2 on slot shots
0-2 on goals
With Duclair
Time on ice: 4:43
7-1 on shots
5-0 on slot shots
3-0 on goals
Brandon Hagel’s a good player, but he’s doesn’t elevate a playoff veteran offense versus some of the league’s best teams like Duclair will.
#10 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 15)
Until Arizona routed them last Thursday, Nashville had a franchise best run in points at 18 games going 16-0-2. Filip Forsberg had a seven game goal streak going until Saturday’s wild loss in Colorado, surpassing captain Roman Josi’s by three games. Goalie Juuse Saros has the second most shutouts in franchise history with 22 despite him being a starter less than five seasons. We’ll see how the Predators respond later into the month after three straight losses but right now, this is the team no one wants to face heading into the postseason. General manager Barry Trotz would be a solid pick at winning the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award.
#9 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)
Despite some mediocre streaks, the two players who have improved most since Kris Knoblauch’s taken over are Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard. We’re seeing Hyman’s improvement each week even if we looked past his career high 52 goals. He’s fourth in team points with 72 and has the team’s most shot attempts and game-winning goals. Bouchard has tied Paul Coffey’s 1984-85 franchise record for most game winning goals by a defenseman in a single season with six. He’s also ahead of Hyman in team points this season while anchoring an improving penalty-kill. Whoever Edmonton draws in round one will have headaches trying to contain them while defending captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
#8 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 3)
The NHL Network’s John Torchetti and Billy Jaffe made a great point on Winnipeg’s slump; the Jets have to start resting starters such as goalie Connor Hellebuyck before the postseason. Winnipeg’s dealing with both coach Rick Bowness coming back and finally snapping a six game losing streak. The Jets aren’t out of the central division race yet, but they should focus on preserving the health of their main core before the postseason begins. If nothing else, Winnipeg can see how good their depth and minor league stars are while trying to get as many points possible.
#7 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 6)
Famous goaltender and TNT panel guest Henrik Lundqvist had an eye-opening take in the middle of March: Colorado’s a great team at home (now having a record of 28-7-1), but on the road, they’re mediocre at best (posting a record of 18-15-5). It’s fine for one round if the Avalanche stay at three in the west, but that’s not an encouraging number if they play in a loud arena in Edmonton, Vegas or Nashville.
#6 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 1)
The Panthers clinched a playoff spot but you wouldn’t know it given how they’ve played the last eight of ten games. Poor performances led to coach Paul Maurice going on a tirade inside Florida’s locker room after an ugly loss to the Islanders. Then the Panthers lost in spectacular fashion against Montreal. There’s enough time to make a determined push but keep an eye on how well Florida plays the next week and a half.
#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 4)
Boston’s knocked down a spot due to a small goalie controversy regarding Jeremy Swayman being the long-term starting option and the other four teams ahead in the rankings. The Bruins also have a brutal remaining schedule and finish the regular season with one more game against Washington. If Boston struggles before April 20th, it might determine how they fare in the first round.
#4 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)
It would be a surprise if Rick Tocchet doesn’t win the Jack Adams award for best coach in 2023-2024 with how Vancouver wins. Starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is out the rest of the season with a knee injury and the Canucks went 8-4 in March with Casey DeSmith starting most of the games. They might not make it past the second round against teams that can take advantage of the goaltending weakness, but Vancouver’s offense can make a series just as difficult with their offense. It also depends on the opponent the Canucks draw in the first round (should they remain the second seed in the west).
#3 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 7)
The Hurricanes clinched their sixth straight postseason berth and goalie Frederik Andersen is gradually getting back to playing his best. There are a handful of teams that know how to slow down Carolina and none of them will face Rod Brind’Amour’s team in round one. The Hurricanes will be a hard out for whoever makes it to the later rounds.
#2 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)
The main concern with Dallas was how they would separate themselves from Jared Bednar’s Avalanche and the resurgent Jets later in the season. The Stars have been the most consistent of the three and is the only team that regularly pummeled the red-hot Predators. Dallas is peaking at the best time and they should clinch the top seed in the western conference.
#1 New York Rangers (last ranking: 5)
New York became the first team of the season to clinch a playoff spot and have more than 100 points. They finished March at 10-3-1 and averaged four goals a game while averaging three a game on defense. The power-play was over 31% and the penalty kill shut down opponents 85% of the time.
If you don’t find that impressive, then you must watch what the Rangers did to Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche in Ball Arena on March 28th. Goalie Igor Shesterkin made sure to shut the MVP favorite out of the scoring column, breaking his 35 home game point streak in over four periods of play. New York’s the team to beat unless injuries take a toll.
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck nets the game-winning shootout goal past Colorado goalie and former Ranger Alexandar Georgiev in Ball Arena. New York’s playing their best hockey just before the playoffs.
