Initial registration for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoff Bracket Challenge is now open at NHL.com/Bracket. can. The Panthers created a "goaltending excellence department" this season, headed by Roberto Luongo, and have seen 26-year-old Chris Driedger totally overachieve. (But not adjusted for division, detractors will say.) Series pick: Islanders in seven. The winners of those series will square off in the Stanley Cup Final. Next game: vs. DAL (May 9) Advantage: Toronto. The #1 bracket app is back and better than ever for the 2023 NCAA Men's and Women's College Basketball tournaments! Can Barca overcome on-field fatigue, off-field chaos to beat Real Madrid in Copa del Rey? Dayton has the chance to earn a "home" NCAA tournament game. Joe Lunardi provides his latest Bracket Math update, looking at where every team in the NCAA tournament mix stands right now. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum. Regulation wins: 12 North: TOR-MTL | EDM-WPG ET (TBS) Game 5:. Catch NHL games streaming live every night (and on replay) this season on ESPN+. Advantage: New York, Health: The Islanders' biggest loss is captain Anders Lee, who has been out since March (ACL). Playoff position: N/A Lunardi lays out how UNC can still earn an at-large bid. The Wild are relatively healthy. Advantage: Washington, Make picks throughout the postseason for a chance at $14,000 in prizes. Adam Larsson has been a mainstay on the second pairing, playing with Kris Russell, Caleb Jones and Dmitry Kulikov at different times this season. Advantage: Even, Health: Boston had to shuffle its lineup quite a bit this season due to injuries and COVID-19 absences. Are PSG better off without Neymar in big games? Playoff chances: 0% Can the Lions fix their defense? No. Game 1: Monday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. Next game: vs. PHI (May 8) Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Modern international region, with players from outside of North American who were active for NHL franchises in the past dozen years. Minnesota's forward depth is highlighted by the defensive wizardry of Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno, who have an outstanding 65.7% expected goals percentage at 5-on-5. Playoff position: N/A Here are our expert picks for the winners of all of the 2022-23 men's college basketball . Let's take an in-depth look at each first-round matchup and make our picks for which teams will advance. Sam Bennett has been a seamless fit since coming over from Calgary, specifically thriving alongside Jonathan Huberdeau. Regulation wins: 19 Get the latest NHL hockey news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ESPN. That means the four divisions the. Advantage: Even, Special teams: The Maple Leafs had the 16th-best power play in the NHL (20.3%) and the 24th-best penalty kill (77.7%) through 54 games. Advantage: Winnipeg, Coaching: Two veteran coaches squaring off here. Your US State Privacy Rights An old, reliable trio that can produce offense but has been rolled defensively at 5-on-5 this season, giving up over 3.5 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time. ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Tournament! Tragic number: E, Points: 45 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Advantage: Tampa Bay, Forward depth: When the Lightning won the Stanley Cup last year, they were lauded for their trade deadline acquisitions of Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow. Rod Brind'Amour is a favorite to win the Jack Adams as Coach of the Year in 2021, as he had the Canes operating on a high level for the entire season. While the Penguins' speed could present challenges for New York -- as it did in the regular season -- the Islanders' defensive structure thrives at this time of year. Goaltending: The Panthers might have committed $70 million to Sergei Bobrovsky, but the Lightning have the best goalie in the game, full stop. 1 too. Florida is in better shape. Play Tournament Challenge The past few years have spoiled us with an exuberance of blue-chip talent . Note: Emily Kaplan previewed the East and Central, while Greg Wyshynski did the honors for the North and West. The NHL's 2023 trade deadline is March 3. Playoff position: N/A Advantage: Colorado, Health: MacKinnon's health is the biggest issue facing the Avalanche. Around him, Florida's defensmen have all leveled up, including Brandon Montour, who looks revived after coming over in trade from Buffalo. Gretzky. Regulation wins: 28 Playoff chances: 100% With the NHL playing in a four-division format this year for the regular season, the playoffs for the first two rounds, anyway will be intra-division. The X factors: As always, one is Alex Tuch, who had 18 goals in 55 games this season and has 15 goals in 47 career playoff games. Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? Advantage: Colorado, Coaching: Jared Bednar is one of the most underrated coaches in the NHL. Entries Per User The amount of brackets each member is allowed to enter into your group. | Children's Online Privacy Policy Advantage: Carolina, Forward depth: The Hurricanes have enviable depth. He has had procedures now on his knee, leg and core. Already an ESPN+ subscriber? Advantage: New York, Coaching: This matchup pits two of the best bench bosses in the game against each other. The 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoff field is set. Advantage: Edmonton, Health: The Jets have been without Ehlers since April 26, but he's skating again and could be back for this series. Series pick: Lightning in seven. Playoff position: E2 While they are great complements, they're not necessarily game-breakers. 2 facing No. At risk of incurring another analytics rant from coach Paul Maurice, Wheeler has been sub-replacement (negative-2.6 goals scored above average) level this season. Play Tournament Challenge Second Chance. The ESPN Men's Tournament Challenge brackets will be available Sunday, March 14, at 7 p.m. Games left: 4 You don't need to know fancy stats to understand that is quite good. He's been great in the playoffs, too: .923 save percentage and four shutouts in 25 career appearances. Regulation wins: 19 Their offense was the Leafs' best defense, too: Toronto goalies had a .932 save percentage when the line was on the ice. For Montreal, Gallagher, Price and Weber could all return for the start of the series. But Tampa Bay has already been through its growing pains; its time is now. Every postseason for Toronto centers around the new and exciting ways it's going to blow it -- this is a team that hasn't won a playoff series since 2004. Next game: vs. OTT (May 8) Petr Mrazek has been excellent, but missed two months in the middle of the season with a thumb injury. The Pittsburgh Penguins have a two-point lead in the standings over the Washington Capitals, and play their final regular-season tilt this afternoon against the Buffalo Sabres. Race for the No. The Predators are comfortable starting either goalie, but Saros (.945 save percentage at 5-on-5, best among goalies with at least 15 starts) is the No. Advantage: Vegas. David Savard hasn't yet made the impact Tampa Bay had hoped, but he was acquired to make a difference in the playoffs, and he still can (and has the experience). Playoff chances: 0% Paul Byron, Artturi Lehkonen, Michael Frolik and Jake Evans play their roles. Tragic number: E, Points: 55 Advantage: Vegas, Health: Pacioretty, Martinez, Nosek and Reaves all missed time down the stretch for Vegas, but all should play in the first round. What will the defending champs do? First line: Florida's top line is all about Aleksander Barkov, one of the best two-way players in the game -- but really, just one of the best players in this game. Minnesota doesn't generate offense from this group like Vegas does -- the Wild don't have a defensemen in the top 40 in points per game, while the Knights have three in the top 30 -- but it's a solid group. Finally, the New York Islanders need a lot of help to move out of fourth into third, but one part of the process would be a win in their game against the New Jersey Devils tonight. The Panthers were one of the best stories of the 2021 season, and have all the right pieces in place to have sustained success. ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back, giving you the chance to fill out up to 10 brackets and compete against friends, family, coworkers, professional athletes and celebrities for bracket glory. Champ Week begins Monday and runs through Selection Sunday. To mark the ninth straight year of the Bracket Challenge, the NHL is introducing two new exciting elements to the program. First line: The Golden Knights have two lines that qualify here, but for the purposes of the exercise let's go with Mark Stone's line with Chandler Stephenson and Max Pacioretty. Advantage: Carolina, Postgame analysis and highlight show airing each night throughout the season from Barry Melrose and Linda Cohn. Playoff chances: 100% Playoff position: W1 Playoff position: N/A The Badgers are one of the last teams in the bracket and are projected to play in First Four after losing to the Wolverines Hedman's health is of concern, especially after a precipitous drop off in performance to end the season. A guy like Daniel Sprong could be sneaky-impactful for Washington this postseason. For the third straight season, Hellebuyck led the NHL in shots faced and saves made. The Wild's defense corps is one of the deepest in the NHL. Tragic number: E, Points: 43 2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. No. Tragic number: E, Points: 37 East: PIT-NYI | WSH-BOS Fill out your bracket and compete against friends, ESPN personalities and celebrities for your shot at. Regulation wins: 31 Stone led the Knights with 61 points in 55 games, skating to a plus-26. The Oilers captain is a clear-cut No. In 2021, ESPN Men's Tournament Challenge collected 16.2 million brackets, surpassing 16 million for the fourth consecutive year. Nor as talented. On Tuesday, we'll have staff picks and winners. The Blues earned one point for their overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, and with the Los Angeles Kings' regulation loss to the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis is now locked in to the No. How will the matchups play out? Tragic number: E, No. The #1 bracket app is back and better than ever for the 2022 NCAA Men's and Women's College Basketball Tournaments! The Lightning's penalty kill is marginally better than the Panthers' (84.2% versus 79.8%). Make Your Picks, Points: 75 The Penguins are bottom-six in penalty kill (77.4%), which is where the Isles thrive, finishing in the top six (83.7%). Series pick: Jets in seven. More: Check out the full NHL postseason schedule here. Advantage: Vegas. For Montreal, Tyler Toffoli brought as much joy to the Canadiens as his departure brought pain to Vancouver, scoring 28 goals this season. | Tragic number: 1, Points: 47 1 Calgary Flames vs. Wild Card 1 Dallas Stars (Calgary wins 4-3) No. Bracket Analyzer How far can your bracket go?. Playoff position: N2 Washington's penalty kill is also very good, ranking fifth in the league. The B's are on pace for NHL records in wins and points, along with some individual superlatives as well. Regulation wins: 15 Full details on the process can be found here. McDavid hasn't won a playoff round since 2017. Series pick: Hurricanes in five. Florida at Washington, Saturday, 1 (ESPN/BSF); . Lee won't be back for the postseason, but New York added Palmieri and Zajac at the deadline to help replace him. . Games left: 3 scores. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl continued their strong play that began last season. He has had linemates ranging from Dominik Kahun and Jesse Puljujarvi (an effective 61.8% expected goals percentage) to Leon Draisaitl to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to Kailer Yamamoto. There is no penalty for not filling-out all of your created brackets/entries with team selections or using them to enter into a group. Six players have double-digit power-play points, with Aho, Trocheck and Hamilton leading the pack with 18 apiece. On the second pairing, Brett Pesce has quietly been outstanding for the Canes, with nearly the same expected goals for percentage at 5-on-5 as Hamilton. Playoff position: C1 To calculate you'd simply subtract the lower scores from the higher scores to get the number of total points you were away from getting the score exactly correct. Advantage: Even, Defense: Cale Makar finished the season as the only regular NHL defenseman who averaged a point per game. Playoff position: E3 Next game: vs. NJ (May 8) When McAvoy was on the ice against Ovechkin at 5-on-5, the Bruins outscored Washington 5-0 and had a plus-12 edge in shot attempts. Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle have seen a rotating cast of wingers, with Barry Trotz turning to Leo Komarov often. Malkin returned to get four regular-season games in (and notched four assists). Pacioretty led the Knights with 24 goals this season.The Wild's top line has featured rookie of the year favorite Kirill Kaprizov (51 points in 55 games) paired with winger Mats Zuccarello. Forward depth: The Avs' second line features Nazem Kadri flanked by Andre Burakovsky and either Joonas Donskoi or Brandon Saad, the latter of whom is working back from a lower-body injury. Zach Bogosian last played on April 22, and the prognosis was he would return in four weeks with a shoulder injury; we're coming up on that benchmark. ET (ESPN) Game 2: Wednesday, May 4 at 9:30 p.m. John Carlson and T.J. Oshie might also be nursing minor injuries. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL. Games left: 4 He has been solid the last two months of the season. 4 Nashville Predators Advantage: Boston, Forward depth: The best pickup for any team at the trade deadline was Boston landing Taylor Hall for a second-round pick. Playoff position: N3 Games left: 4 Log in here. Carson Soucy and Ian Cole are the other duo. Series pick: Maple Leafs in four. This series is going to be a tight one. Since entering the league, Kucherov is top 10 in power-play points -- and that's despite missing this entire season. But another thing that sets hockey apart are the names that are memorable not because of the player's goal total or championship wins, but because this actual living breathing person is named Zarley Zalapski or Miroslav Satan. While the Blues are locked into the No. Tyler Bozak can move up and down the lineup. Privacy Policy No. Regulation wins: 11 Given the strides Erik Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev continue to make, the Lightning's group is stronger overall. Regulation wins: 17 Regulation wins: 27 In New York, the top line is not as defined. Games left: 1 You can download the bracket here and play along. Meanwhile, Cassidy has been coaching this group since 2016, including 55 playoff games and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Privacy Policy Jeff Petry was a revelation for Montreal this season, with 42 points in his first 55 games, skating 22:44 per game on average. Forward depth: The Jets were dealt a massive loss when Nikolaj Ehlers suffered an upper body injury in late April, as he was having a career year. ; Pick the correct champion for a chance to win a share of $50,000 in prizes!Fill out 25 brackets to compete for more cash! Advantage: New York, Goaltending: The Islanders' tandem of Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin have the third-best 5-on-5 save percentage in the league (.931), which is about what you'd expect from a team coached by Barry Trotz and Mitch Korn. Next game: vs. ANA (May 8) Regulation wins: 22 Playoff chances: 0% About Nielsen Measurement. Who voted for Messi, Mbappe, Putellas in The Best FIFA Awards? Sullivan did a wonderful job with the injury-riddled Penguins this season, but given that Pittsburgh has won only one postseason game over the past two years, the edge goes to Trotz. Joe Lunardi breaks down North Carolina's rsum and how the Tar Heels can earn a berth to the NCAA tournament. Games left: 1 It's going to be a treat watching it operate against Washington's usually potent power play -- where Oshie and Ovechkin have combined for 22 power-play goals -- which is third in the league at 24.8%. The player in the contest with the most points in their bracket at the end of the tourney gets a guaranteed grand prize of $1 million! Next game: @ NYI (May 8) 2 facing No. While NBC covered the league at various points in its history, the network's last relationship with the NHL is the result of NBC Sports acquiring the league's broadcast . He had a .915 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average in winning 23 of 44 games. Forward Matt Calvert is out long term while goalie Pavel Francouz is done for the season. Wheeler, who reportedly played through a rib injury earlier this season, in particular, has struggled. He has also managed a packed roster well. With the Caps, Ovechkin was resting toward the end of the season thanks to a minor injury, which also might have been precautionary. The Penguins have a solid defense, but not quite as strong as New York's. Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Advantage: Even, Goaltending: The passing of the torch is finally happening in Nashville. Josh Anderson and Corey Perry chip in offensively -- Anderson, a key offseason pickup, is a negative-3.1 goals scored above average. Barzal and Eberle are solid but can't keep up with the production of Pittsburgh's trio. Playoff chances: 100% On paper, the Lightning should have a big edge, but injuries are a concern for two of their top defensemen, Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh. Tournament Challenge: Check your brackets! Let's take an in-depth look at each first-round matchup and make our picks for which teams will advance. Laviolette has the Stanley Cup (with the Hurricanes, in 2006), but Cassidy has familiarity with his team. Regulation wins: 17 Nashville boasts a top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and reigning Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi. Games left: 2 Can the red-hot Hurricanes topple the Bruins at No. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 57 His team, however, isn't nearly as unstoppable. Playoff chances: 96% Fans can submit up to 25 brackets and join up to 10 groups each for the men's tournament at ESPN.com/bracket and the women's tournament at ESPN.com/tcwomen, Make sure to tune-in and watch who will. Playoff chances: 0.4% Regulation wins: 27 The infusion of reinforcements to the Canadiens' lineup, especially Gallagher, will be a boost to Montreal. Games left: 1 Tragic number: N/A, Points: 71 Verhaeghe (upper body injury) missed 13 games but got a regular-season game in before the playoffs. In his absence, his regular linemates Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov posted a 56.00% expected goals for percentage. (Spoiler: He does, as he should.) Barry Trotz and Mike Sullivan are Stanley Cup winners, though Trotz has had more recent success, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 (with the Capitals), earning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2019 and taking the Isles deep in the bubble last summer. How aggressive will the surprising Kraken be? McDonagh and Palat are also nursing injuries, while Jan Rutta is on injured reserve. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 68 But the Leafs are rolling, and are clearly the better of the two teams here. | In another season, the Jets' line gets the nod. Central: CAR-NSH | FLA-TB He posted a .913 save percentage in the 2021 season but was limited to only 24 games because of injury. Checking-line players Ryan Reaves and Tomas Nosek are working back from injury, and the Knights have relied on their trio with William Carrier for multiple seasons. | Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? How long will Chelsea give Potter in charge? Advantage: Florida, Special teams: Not a huge difference between the power play for the Panthers (20.5%) and the Lightning (22.4%), though Kucherov's presence could be an X factor. You only need 5 minutes to fill out your bracket and then compete against friends, family, and other fans. Welcome to the bracket challenge. First line: The Jets' top line is well established: center Mark Scheifele (61 points in 55 games), flanked by wingers Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler. Advantage: Colorado, Goaltending: When Philipp Grubauer left Game 1 against the Dallas Stars last postseason, the Avs' Stanley Cup hopes left with him. Logan Stanley, Tucker Poolman, Derek Forbort, Sami Niku and trade deadline addition Jordie Benn are options. Advantage: Pittsburgh, Defense: The Islanders are known for their defensive structure -- often playing in low-scoring games, with forwards always coming back to help on the backcheck -- but they also have a true No. Here are some notable tools and articles to check out as the tournament moves along: Pick the correct champion for a chance to win a share of $50,000! $20 per entry. Your US State Privacy Rights : LOADING BRACKET. It's a different story for rookie Peyton Krebs, who is out indefinitely with a fractured jaw. Winnipeg's Maurice is sixth in career wins and has done a solid job with a team that has had its share of change and challenges. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas. 3 Los Angeles Kings (Edmonton . Playoff position: N/A 1 role. Aho had 16 goals and 37 points over his final 33 games. Games left: 3 Interest-Based Ads ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Tournament! Who is the player of the year in every women's college basketball conference? Thirty-two NCAA Division I men's basketball conferences will crown champions over a nine-day stretch that begins Saturday, March 4, with the Ohio Valley Conference tournament final and comes to an . Games left: 2 ET (TBS) Game 5: Tuesday,. -- but before we get there, it's time for eight divisional series to kick things off, starting on Saturday. The Caps were feeling out Laviolette to begin the season, adjusting to a new system -- which is predicated on getting defensemen involved and more pucks to the net. In the North Division, the Montreal Canadiens can move closer to punching their playoff ticket with a win in their contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. First line: Teuvo Teravainen missed a bulk of the season as he recovered from a concussion, but now he's back. No. Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences. Florida might have made its own shrewd move this time around. If you have erroneously created a bracket, you can simply. And the Jayhawks did it unlikely. Can the Lions fix their defense? He went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Devils in his first full season in New Jersey. The Greatest NHL Name Bracket - Bronco Horvath, Hakan Loob, Jaromir Jagr and more. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. NFL; NBA; NHL; NCAAM; NCAAW; Washington Capitals (FLA 4-2) A2. After missing eight games, forward Jordan Martinook got a regular-season game in and should be good for the playoffs. The offseason free-agent addition played 41 games due to injury and a stint in the COVID protocols, and ended up with his lowest points-per-game rate (0.56) since 2015-16. 329m goal: Felix the only men's contender for Chelsea's Goal of the Month, UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, A battle for No. 4 New York Islanders Note: Playoff chances are via Money Puck. While we agree that Lorne "Gump" Worsley, George "Punch" Imlach, Joseph "Toe" Blake, Harold "Punch" Broadbent, Modere "Mud" Bruneteau, Aubrey "Dit" Clapper, Elmer "Moose" Vasko, Eldon "Pokey" Reddick and others are stone-cold classic hockey names, we've taken them out of the tournament field. Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: N/A, Points: 60 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. Advantage: Tampa Bay, Coaching: Typically, Joel Quenneville -- a three-time Stanley Cup winner, who ranks second all time in coaching wins, behind only Scotty Bowman -- is the automatic choice here. Fill out your bracket and compete against friends, ESPN personalities and celebrities for your shot at $100,000 in prizes. Advantage: Nashville, Coaching: The Predators went on a remarkable run to even make it to the playoffs, going 19-7-1 since March 15. Advantage: Even. Tragic number: E, Points: 46 Advantage: Tampa Bay. The phenom had 104 points through 55 games this season, one of the most dominant runs for an offensive player in NHL history when adjusted for era. Use the NFL Playoff Machine from ESPN to predict the NFL Playoff matchups by generating the various matchup scenarios based on your selections. Against most teams, the Caps would have an edge on the top line, but the Bruins have arguably the best trio in the entire league in Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. Yzerman. Complete your bracket by selecting the winner for each game of the 2023 men's NCAA tournament. -- but before we get there, it's time for eight divisional series to kick things off, starting on Saturday. Games left: 2 Playoff position: N/A Next game: @ NSH (May 8) Select the teams you think will win each tournament game from the first round all the way through the championship game. Meet the next wave of top picks Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? 4 and No. Reclamation success story Alex Galchenyuk is in the mix too. Washington also got a trade deadline addition in Mantha, who has been solid, with eight points in 14 games, albeit not as productive as Hall. Make Your Picks, Defense: In a season when the Bruins' defense was supposed to regress -- thanks to significant turnover -- it didn't really. Did we mention it's completely free to play, and that you can win $100,000 in each game? Playoff chances: 100% Travis Dermott has been a constant on the third pairing, with Rasmus Sandin, Ben Hutton and Zach Bogosian, working back from a shoulder injury, in the mix. Tragic number: N/A. Defense: It has not been the smoothest transition for Alex Pietrangelo. Dayton has the chance to earn a "home" NCAA tournament game. Plus, he has this Panthers group overachieving, despite modest expectations, and very well could win the Jack Adams Award. Playoff chances: 100% Veterans Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter join with Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba to make up the top two pairings. Games left: 5 Advantage: Even. 2021 NHL playoff series previews: First-round matchups, picks, The triumph of Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in Creed III, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, Out of dark, Rodgers vows decision coming soon, Survey: Vikes, Fins, Raiders top FA report cards, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Kings deal Cup-winning G Quick to Blue Jackets, Eagles defend QB-push tactic as NFL set to revisit, Chargers GM halts speculation: Allen staying put, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, A new home for Michael Thomas? After the NHL staged a 24-team, bubble-based tournament to determine the Stanley Cup winner in 2020, we're back to a more traditional 16-team event in 2021 -- with a significant twist. | Bear saw time with Nurse this season too. Playoff chances: 4% Six players outside of their top line hit double-digit goal totals. First line: Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen: a trio that has proved, over multiple seasons, that it's perhaps the best line in the NHL. Tanner Jeannot, Mathieu Olivier, Eeli Tolvanen and Yakov Trenin have proved that the Preds do have some talent in the pipeline, but they're just not as seasoned as Carolina's group. O'Reilly and Perron were the leading scorers for the Blues, and no one else was close. Advantage: Carolina, Health: Viktor Arvidsson missed the final five games of the season, though Nashville lists him as "day-to-day" with an upper-body injury. Robert Bortuzzo anchors the third pairing. Playoff chances: 0% NCAAM Video. Advantage: Winnipeg. Advantage: Edmonton, Goaltending: Connor Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender last season, and has once again carried the defensive load for the Jets. More than 11 million people participated in ESPN's NCAA tournament bracket challenge, and the winner is a sixth-grader. His partner Torey Krug, who supplanted Pietrangelo this season, saw his offensive numbers decline across the board, especially on the power play, compared to his work in Boston. Playoff chances: 100% Patrik Nemeth and Conor Timmins round out the group. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.