It’s officially playoff beard season.
The 2019 NHL playoffs are set to start on April 10, as 16 hockey clubs size up their shot at hoisting the most prestigious trophy in American sports – the Stanley Cup. Throughout a grueling two months and as many as 105 playoff games, a champion will be crowned.
With multiple-overtime bouts and epic seven-game series sure to be on the horizon, the Stanley Cup playoffs provide one of the most intense postseasons that sports can offer. Fans who don’t watch hockey all year tend to tune in for no other reason than to experience the unmatched adrenaline and passion that’s encapsulated by the pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Now that the regular season has come to a close and the 2019 NHL playoff bracket is all that matters, let’s take a closer look into the complete NHL playoff picture and the big storylines coming in.
NHL Playoff Schedule
All times ET
Western Conference
(1) Calgary Flames vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche
- Game 1: Thurs., 4/11 at 10 p.m.
- Game 2: Sat., 4/13 at 10:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Mon., 4/15 at 10 p.m.
- Game 4: Wed., 4/17 at 10 p.m.
- Game 5*: Fri., 4/19 TBD
- Game 6*: Sun., 4/21 TBD
- Game 7*: Tue., 4/13 TBD
(2) Nashville Predators vs. (7) Dallas Stars
- Game 1: Wed., 4/10 at 9:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Sat., 4/13 at 6 p.m.
- Game 3: Mon., 4/15 at 9:30 p.m.
- Game 4: Wed., 4/17 at 8 p.m.
- Game 5*: Fri., 4/19 TBD
- Game 6*: Sun., 4/21 TBD
- Game 7*: Tue., 4/23 TBD
(3) Winnipeg Jets vs. (6) St. Louis Blues
- Game 1: Wed., 4/10 at 8 p.m.
- Game 2: Fri, 4/12 at 9:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Sun., 4/14 at 7:30 p.m.
- Game 4: Tue, 4/16 at 9:30 p.m.
- Game 5*: Thu., 4/18 TBD
- Game 6*: Sat., 4/20 TBD
- Game 7*: Mon., 4/22 TBD
(4) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Vegas Golden Knights
- Game 1: Wed., 4/10 at 10:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Fri, 4/12 at 10:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Sun., 4/14 at 10 p.m.
- Game 4: Tue, 4/16 at 10:30 p.m.
- Game 5*: Thu., 4/18 TBD
- Game 6*: Sun., 4/21 TBD
- Game 7*: Tue., 4/23 TBD
Eastern Conference
(1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (8) Columbus Blue Jackets
- Game 1: Wed., 4/10 at 7 p.m.
- Game 2: Fri, 4/12 at 7 p.m.
- Game 3: Sun., 4/14 at 7 p.m.
- Game 4: Tue, 4/16 at 7 p.m.
- Game 5*: Fri., 4/19 TBD
- Game 6*: Sun., 4/21 TBD
- Game 7*: Tue., 4/23 TBD
(2) Washington Capitals vs. (7) Carolina Hurricanes
- Game 1: Thurs., 4/11 at 7:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Sat., 4/13 at 3 p.m.
- Game 3: Mon., 4/15 at 7 p.m.
- Game 4: Thu., 4/18 at 7 p.m.
- Game 5*: Sat., 4/20 TBD
- Game 6*: Mon., 4/22 TBD
- Game 7*: Wed., 4/24 TBD
(3) New York Islanders vs. (6) Pittsburgh Penguins
- Game 1: Wed., 4/10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Fri, 4/12 at 7:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Sun., 4/14 at 12 p.m.
- Game 4: Tue, 4/16 at 7:30 p.m.
- Game 5*: Thu., 4/18 TBD
- Game 6*: Sat., 4/20 TBD
- Game 7*: Mon, 4/22 TBD
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) Toronto Maple Leafs
- Game 1: Thurs., 4/11 at 7 p.m.
- Game 2: Sat., 4/13 at 8 p.m.
- Game 3: Mon., 4/15 at 7 p.m.
- Game 4: Wed., 4/17 at 7 p.m.
- Game 5*: Fri., 4/19 TBD
- Game 6*: Sun., 4/21 TBD
- Game 7*: Thu., 4/23 TBD
Can Anyone Stop the Lightning?
Assessing the hierarchy of the NHL as we enter the playoffs is quite simple. It’s the Tampa Bay Lightning, and then everyone else.
The Bolts won the President’s Trophy in stunning fashion, claiming the best record in the league way back on March 18, when they also won the Atlantic Division title. Their 62 wins tied the all-time record for most wins in a season, where the 95-96 Detroit Red Wings were previously alone.
Wins are the ultimate metric, but a team’s “goal differential” (their total goals for, subtracted by the goals against) better illustrates a team’s sheer dominance. The Lightning light up that stat as well, as their goal differential of 103 is the largest a team has ever recorded in the salary cap era (since 2005-06).
Skeptics will rightfully point to Tampa Bay’s recent postseason success, or lack thereof, as they’ve failed to reach a Stanley Cup Final since their title in 2004 despite constantly threatening the top of the standings. But the reality is that no Lightning team has entered the postseason with quite this much momentum, and that should terrify the rest of the league.
Who’s the Best of the West?
Nobody has been able to come close to Steven Stamkos‘ Lightning in the Eastern Conference this season, but the same can’t be said of the West, where the top five clubs are separated by just 8 points.
The Calgary Flames have been the biggest surprise as they claimed the No. 1 spot out West – more on that later – but behind them is a log-jam of proven contenders. The Nashville Predators claimed the Central Division for a second-straight year, but they’re on a collision course with the Winnipeg Jets again in a potential second-round matchup. The Jets toppled the Preds in the playoffs last season, and the two clubs were neck-and-neck all regular season as they seem to be inevitably building toward a rematch.
Brent Burns and the San Jose Sharks have remained a potential Stanley Cup Final team all season, finishing second in the Pacific, but face a team in Round 1 who knows all about making a deep run. The Sharks will face the Vegas Golden Knights, who aren’t quite as strong as last season points-wise but enter these playoffs with a very similar roster to the one that won the Western Conference in 2018.
Between the Preds, Jets, Flames, Sharks, Knights and a couple of sleepers, the West is nothing short of wide open with a combination of proven playoff performers and streaking teams. Sifting through the weeds right now leaves no conclusion other than the fact that virtually any playoff team out West could make a Cup run.
Islanders & Flames: Which Sleeper is for Real?
Just several months ago, the status of both the New York Islanders and Calgary Flames looked drastically different.
The Flames came into 2018-19 having missed the playoffs in seven of the last nine seasons. Then, everything clicked. Led by Johnny Gaudreau and a roster that came together perfectly, the Flames posted just their second 50-win season in history and their first since 1988-89.
Over in Long Island, the club’s woes were a bit more publicized. After years of teetering on the verge of a playoff run, superstar John Tavares left in free agency to join the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their captain’s exit seemingly triggered a rebuilding phase, before the Islanders started hot and maintained it en route to finishing second in the Metropolitan Division.
The Flames are undoubtedly less proven than three or four Western contenders, but their goal differential of +62 more than doubled any other team out West. When the increased physicality of the postseason kicks in and experience matters more, can Calgary take it a step up as well?
As for NY, it will be thrust straight into the fire of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to town for Games 1 and 2. What the Islanders are able to do against Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and a seasoned championship squad will provide a lot of clarity as for their chances at making a deep run.
Don’t forget to gear up with the latest 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs apparel at Fanatics, to ensure you have the officially licensed looks going into your team’s Cup run.
