As a carrier to fanatics who’ve a common pastime within the Nationwide Hockey League however do not know what’s took place because the Colorado Avalanche raised the Stanley Cup through combating a Tampa Bay Lightning three-peat utmost yr, we’re satisfied to handover this FAQ as a information to the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.
For you die-hard puckheads: Here’s your legitimate refresher sooner than the video games start. Revel in!
Extra: Playoff Central
Full schedule
Regular-season stats
Wait, they’re preserving a event for the 2023 Stanley Cup? Shouldn’t they simply give it to the Boston Bruins?
If the NHL used to be ever taking to trim to the chase and hand the chalice over to a regular-season juggernaut, it might had been this Boston Bruins crew.
Boston entered the season with many questioning if its window to win had closed, with a untouched schoolteacher in Jim Bernard Law Montgomery and ahead Brad Marchand and defenseman Charlie McAvoy lacking the beginning on account of offseason surgical operation.
Detached agent facilities Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci believed otherwise and re-signed with the crew for every other break on the Cup. They had been, because it seems, fairly sensible to take action.
A temporary honor roll of the Bruins’ achievements this season:
NHL file for wins in one season (65), prior to now held through the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning.
NHL file for issues in one season (135), prior to now held through the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.
Went wire-to-wire in first position of the Atlantic Section.
NHL file for many consecutive house victories to begin a season (14).
Tie NHL file for many street victories (31).
First crew in NHL historical past to put up a minimum of 3 street profitable streaks of 7 or extra video games in a season.
Poised franchise data for house and away wins.
Was the 5th crew in NHL historical past to have a 60-goal scorer (David Pastrnak, 61) and the main goaltender in wins (Linus Ullmark, 40).
Completed 61 aims forward of Dallas in target differential, changing into the 3rd crew within the enlargement day (since 1967-68) to complete with a target differential of 60 aims or higher over the second-place crew in that section.
Led the NHL in wins, issues, goals-against reasonable, penalty execute, wins later main within the first or moment duration, wins when scoring first and wins when their opponent ratings first.
The Bruins additionally gained the Presidents’ Trophy — which is most definitely why they gained’t win the Stanley Cup, as a result of they’re now cursed.
What’s the Presidents’ Trophy curse?
There were 36 earlier Presidents’ Trophy winners for having the league’s excellent file. Most effective 11 of them complex to the Stanley Cup Ultimate, and handiest 8 of the ones groups hoisted the Cup. Most effective 3 groups within the wage cap day (since 2005-06) have gained the Presidents’ Trophy and complex to the Stanley Cup Ultimate.
It’s handiest gotten more difficult in recent times. For the reason that NHL modified to a wild-card structure in 2013-14, there hasn’t been a unmarried Presidents’ Trophy winner that has complex to the Stanley Cup Ultimate. That Tampa Bay Lightning crew whose issues file the Bruins crowned? It used to be swept within the first around through the Columbus Blue Jackets and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who performs for the Bruins’ first-round opponent within the Florida Panthers. (As does doable MVP candidate Matthew Tkachuk, whom the Panthers received utmost offseason in a blockbuster industry.)
Differently, seven Presidents’ Trophy-winning groups within the wild-card day misplaced in the second one around. That’s the place the Bruins may just meet both the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Lightning later their attention-grabbing first-round form.
The Leafs and Lightning within the first around once more, eh?
The wave playoff structure has deemed it so!
Tampa Bay eradicated Toronto in seven video games utmost season later every other stereotypical faint for the Leafs, who haven’t gained a playoff form since 2004. However that streak may just finish right here. Toronto used to be 13 issues higher within the standings than the Lightning. The Leafs are loaded offensively with 40-goal scorers Auston Matthews and William Nylander, Mitch Marner (99 issues) and John Tavares, who performed at a point-per-game occasion. In Ilya Samsonov, they could have discovered their resolution in target. They received Ryan O’Reilly on the industry closing date from St. Louis, a former playoff MVP whose postseason savvy may just switch to his teammates thru hockey osmosis.
The Lightning had been to the Stanley Cup Ultimate for 3 directly seasons, profitable back-to-back Cups sooner than falling to the Colorado Avalanche utmost postseason. Has roster attrition in the end stuck up with schoolteacher Jon Cooper’s squad? Tampa remains to be dealing with the losses of defenseman Ryan McDonagh (traded to Nashville) and seize ahead Ondrej Palat (signed with Unutilized Jersey). However the Lightning nonetheless have a substructure of Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and particularly Andrei Vasilevskiy. This means that they have got a probability in any form.
However generation comes for each champion. Simply ask Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as they oversee the playoffs from house this spring.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals didn’t manufacture the playoffs?
For the 1st generation since 2005-06, when Crosby and Ovechkin had been fresh-faced newbies, neither the Capitals nor the Penguins certified for the playoffs. The Capitals performed thru important shock absences of avid gamers like John Carlson and Tom Wilson to complete with their worst issues share since 2006-07. The Penguins fumbled the bag within the utmost future of the season day in regulate in their playoff destiny and watched their 16-year postseason qualification streak finish.
There already has been fallout for each groups: The Capitals “mutually parted ways” with schoolteacher Peter Laviolette, day the Penguins fired each common supervisor Ron Hextall and crew president Brian Burke in a front-office space cleansing.
With the Caps and Pens sidelined, who’re the contenders from the Metro Section?
The Carolina Hurricanes gained the Metro for the 3rd directly season and can face the wild-card New York Islanders within the first around. The Islanders are getting wholesome on the proper generation, as celebrity heart Mathew Barzal is predicted again later being out since mid-February. The Hurricanes are within the reverse boat: They’re with out injured wingers Max Pacioretty, out since January with a torn ACL, and Andrei Svechnikov, whom they misplaced in March. This is usually a grind-it-out combat between Carolina, the NHL’s second-best defensive crew, and the Islanders, who had probably the most league’s height goalies in Ilya Sorokin.
Within the alternative first-round form, we’ve were given 4 phrases for you: Combat of the Hudson.
What are we able to be expecting from a Devils vs. Rangers form?
A whole lot of blue in Unutilized Jersey and an expanding quantity of crimson at Madison Sq. Farmland.
For the 1st generation because the New Jersey Devils eradicated the New York Rangers within the 2012 Jap Convention finals, those unfriendly neighbors will sq. off within the playoffs. The Rangers made the convention finals utmost season with celebrity goalie Igor Shesterkin, Norris-winning defenseman Adam Fox and celebrity forwards Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad.
The Rangers’ celebrity ability handiest intensified on the industry closing date: They received Chicago Blackhawks celebrity Patrick Kane and St. Louis Blues scorer Vladimir Tarasenko. Kane, in search of his fourth profession Stanley Cup win, has 12 issues in 19 video games for the Rangers.
The Devils, in the meantime, ended their rebuild with their first playoff berth since 2018. The season started with fanatics chanting for schoolteacher Lindy Ruff to be fired. It ended with a franchise file for issues in a season (112) and with celebrity heart Jack Hughes environment a untouched franchise single-season scoring file (99 issues). Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt, in addition to defenseman Dougie Hamilton, gasoline the Devils’ high-tempo offense and competitive protection.
The Devils’ 49-point build up within the standings yr over yr used to be probably the most dramatic in NHL historical past … and nearly matched through the turnaround for the second-year Seattle Kraken within the West.
How did the Kraken manufacture the playoffs?
Many had been dissatisfied when the Kraken didn’t mirror the first-year luck of the growth Vegas Golden Knights, failing to manufacture the playoffs let unloved manufacture the Stanley Cup Ultimate like Vegas did. However they cracked the code in Generation 2, posting a 100-point season for a 60-point growth yr over yr.
Not like utmost season, their goaltending used to be just right when it had to be, even though in the long run the Kraken completed thirtieth in crew save share. However it used to be Seattle’s offense that made them a playoff crew, completing fourth within the NHL in aims according to match because of a 40-goal season from Jared McCann, a profession elevated in issues through defenseman Vince Dunn and most significantly a breakout season from rookie heart Matty Beniers. The Calder Trophy favourite had 57 issues in 80 video games, taking part in fat mins.
The Kraken completed within the first wild-card spot, incomes them a first-round pace with the Central Section champion Colorado Avalanche.
What’s the offer with the Avalanche?
Issues for the protecting Stanley Cup champions are … other. Closing summer season noticed the leaving of heart Nazem Kadri (Flames) and Andre Burakovsky (Kraken) — who had been each amongst their top-5 scorers — in addition to establishing goalie Darcy Kuemper (Capitals), whom they changed with Rangers alternative Alexandar Georgiev. This season noticed the shock trojan horse munching at the Avs, as handiest 8 avid gamers controlled to look in 70 video games. Captain Gabriel Landeskog neglected the season and has now been dominated out for the postseason as smartly.
Sadly for the Kraken, some issues are the similar for the Avalanche. Like winger Mikko Rantanen, who scored 55 aims this season to eager a profession elevated, and defenseman Cale Makar, who had 65 issues in 60 video games. Like the need of Nathan MacKinnon, their main scorer with 111 issues. He factored in on all 4 aims they scored in Friday’s win over Nashville to earn the Central Section name over Dallas. As we noticed utmost postseason: MacKinnon will push his crew so far as it could actually journey.
Who’re the Stars taking part in?
The Minnesota Wild, as the previous North Stars face the Shape of Hockey’s squad for simply the second one generation ever.
The Stars had their excellent issues share (.659) since 2015-16. The layout of Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz terrorized warring parties, day Dallas mainstays Jamie Benn (33 aims) and Tyler Seguin (50 issues) had robust seasons. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen shattered his earlier profession marks for issues with 73 at the season. Goalie Jake Oettinger fulfilled the agreement of his stellar playoff efficiency utmost season. All of this used to be with untouched schoolteacher Pete DeBoer at the back of the bench, who famously took the Devils and Sharks to the Stanley Cup Ultimate in his first season with the ones groups.
The Wild, in the meantime, reminded us all by no means to pass judgement on a industry sooner than it performs out. Please recall once they re-signed Marc-Andre Fleury utmost yr, which made fellow Minnesota goalie Cam Talbot fairly unsatisfied. So the Wild traded Talbot to Ottawa for goalie Filip Gustavsson in a walk that used to be universally categorized as a downgrade in target.
Speedy-forward 82 video games and “The Gus Bus” had 22 wins day completing 3rd in goals-against reasonable (2.10) and moment in save share (.931) for goalies with a minimum of 25 video games performed. The Wild have some choices in target this postseason later their goaltending faltered within the 2022 playoffs.
In the meantime, celebrity winger Kirill Kaprizov used to be magnificent once more, with 40 aims and 75 issues in 67 video games, completing 78 issues at the back of Connor McDavid within the scoring race.
How just right used to be Connor McDavid this season?
McDavid, 26, reached a untouched mode in his Pokémon-like evolution right into a hockey deity. The Edmonton Oilers‘ heart completed with 153 issues in 82 video games, the Fifteenth-highest general in NHL historical past and the most efficient offensive season since Mario Lemieux’s 161 issues in 1995-96. McDavid’s 64 aims had been the best possible since Alex Ovechkin’s 65 tallies in 2007-08.
Those profession bests for McDavid have him primed to run out with MVP and participant of the yr honors, completing 25 issues forward of the NHL’s second-leading scorer: his Edmonton teammate Leon Draisaitl.
Will the efforts of McDavid and Draisaitl as soon as once more be undermined through the residue of the Oilers within the playoffs?
No longer essentially. They have got a powerful supporting forged at ahead, together with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (a career-best 104 issues), Zach Hyman and Evander Kane. The Oilers’ acquisition of defenseman Mattias Ekholm from the Predators on the industry closing date used to be seize: He had 14 issues in 21 video games.
However their postseason fortunes may just drop down to at least one participant: rookie goalie Stuart Skinner, who gained 29 video games within the steady season and stabilized the placement later distant agent coup Jack Campbell struggled (.888 save share). Even though, in equity, the Oilers did manufacture the convention finals utmost season with completely chaotic goaltending, getting rid of the Los Angeles Kings, their first-round opponent this season, alongside the best way.
Can the Kings win every other Cup with Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty?
Completely. The Kings are an enchanting crew within the playoffs. They nonetheless have Kopitar and Doughty, two-time Stanley Cup winners. They have got a slew of more youthful homegrown abilities, from Adrian Kempe (41 aims) to 2020 Incorrect. 2 general pick out Quinton Byfield, making an have an effect on. And nearest they have got a number of veteran acquisitions that GM Rob Blake has added within the time two seasons: forwards Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson sooner than utmost season; celebrity winger Kevin Fiala sooner than this season; defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goalie Joonas Korpisalo on the industry closing date from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It would all upload as much as a Stanley Cup run for schoolteacher Todd McLellan’s membership. Or, on the very least, a second-round assembly with Jonathan Quick‘s untouched crew, the Vegas Yellowish Knights.
The Yellowish Knights are again within the playoffs?
No longer handiest that, they eager a franchise file for issues (111) in a season, which sounds notable till you take into account they’re a 6-year-old. It’s by no means black in Vegas and this season used to be refuse exception:
A untouched schoolteacher in former Bruins boss Bruce Cassidy.
The lack of establishing goalie Robin Lehner to offseason hip surgical operation that ended in the crew the usage of 5 goalies this season, from rookie Logan Thompson to Fast, whom they received from Columbus on the closing date.
The lack of captain Mark Stone to a again shock that put him at the shelf on Jan. 12.
Stone will go back for the Knights within the playoffs, bolstering a lineup that featured a powerful efficiency from celebrity Jack Eichel (66 issues in 67 video games).
Additionally they have an legitimate mascot goldfish.
Vegas has a playoff goldfish?
Some groups have legitimate canine mascots. Vegas has Goldie:
We’ve were given a untouched good friend becoming a member of us for the playoffs 👀
Introducing Goldie, our first crew puppy!!!! 😃 pic.twitter.com/4uABiZhhDd
— z – Vegas Yellowish Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 14, 2023
Howdy, if the Yellowish Knights lose to the Winnipeg Jets within the first around, a minimum of their mascot gained’t bring it to mind 5 mins after.
What’s the offer with the Jets?
Winnipeg outlasted the Calgary Flames for the general wild-card spot within the West. Tutor Rick Bowness has worn each trick within the retain to inspire his crew and spark his veteran core. Lots of them replied, together with a Norris Trophy-worthy season from defenseman Josh Morrissey (76 issues). However finally, it used to be every other “Connor Hellebuyck drags the Jets to the playoffs” season, as the previous Vezina winner began 64 video games and gained 37 with a .920 save share.
That’s the honour of the playoffs: Goaltending residue the admirable equalizer. Even if we’re obviously in an offensive day for the NHL.
Protection has refuse house within the wave NHL?
The numbers don’t lie: Next what many concept can be a brief spike because of utmost season’s COVID-related absences and postponements, the NHL noticed its offensive output build up once more to a few.18 aims according to crew according to match — the best possible reasonable scoring season since 1993-94 (3.24). One main explanation why: power-play potency. Groups transformed power-play possibilities at a 21.32% charge, which used to be the best possible since 1985-86 (22.1%).
Can we see scoring proceed like that within the playoffs? Or, finally, does protection win championships?
Excellent factor the Boston Bruins are mainly the most efficient at each.
