The 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun with an impressive slate for first-round matchups. What has been a great 2021-2022 NHL season now sees the league go from 32 to 16 playoff teams competing for the greatest trophy in all of sports Lord Stanley’s Cup.
As we do every year, The Hockey Fanatic likes to make our picks for the teams that will have the greatest success in the playoffs. Who is the team to beat in the East? What about the West? Every team that qualified for the playoffs in the Eastern conference had 100 or more points.
2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round One Schedule
Before we get to our predictions, here is a look at the schedule for round one of the 2022 NHL playoffs.
2022 NHL playoff schedule: First Round – Eastern Conference
FLORIDA PANTHERS v. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Game 1: May 3, 7:30 p.m. ET – Capitals at Panthers (ESPN2, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 2: May 5 7:30 p.m. ET – Capitals at Panthers (TBS, SN360, TVA Sports )
Game 3: May 7, 1 p.m. ET – Panthers at Capitals (ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 9, 7 p.m. ET – Panthers at Capitals (TBS, SN1, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 11, TBD – Capitals at Panthers (TBD)
*Game 6: May 13, TBD – Panthers at Capitals (TBD)
*Game 7: May 15, TBD – Capitals at Panthers (TBD)
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS v. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (TOR leads 1-0)
Game 1: Maple Leafs 5, Lightning 0
Game 2: May 4, 7:30 p.m. ET – Lightning at Maple Leafs (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2)
Game 3: May 6, 7:30 p.m. ET – Maple Leafs at Lightning (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 8, 7 p.m. ET – Maple Leafs at Lightning (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Lightning at Maple Leafs (TBD)
*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Maple Leafs at Lightning (TBD)
*Game 7: May 14, TBD – Lightning at Maple Leafs (TBD)
CAROLINA HURRICANES v. BOSTON BRUINS (CAR leads 1-0)
Game 1: Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1
Game 2: May 4, 7 p.m. ET – Bruins at Hurricanes (ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 3: May 6, 7 p.m. ET – Hurricanes at Bruins (TNT, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 8, 12:30 p.m. ET – Hurricanes at Bruins (ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Bruins at Hurricanes (TBD)
*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Hurricanes at Bruins (TBD)
*Game 7: May 14, TBD – Bruins at Hurricanes (TBD)
NEW YORK RANGERS v. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Game 1: May 3, 7 p.m. ET – Penguins at Rangers (ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 2: May 5, 7 p.m. ET – Penguins at Rangers (TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 3: May 7, 7 p.m. ET – Rangers at Penguins (TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 9, 7 p.m. ET – Rangers at Penguins (ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 11, TBD – Penguins at Rangers (TBD)
*Game 6: May 13, TBD – Rangers at Penguins (TBD)
*Game 7: May 15, TBD – Penguins at Rangers (TBD)
2022 NHL playoff schedule: First Round – Western Conference
COLORADO AVALANCHE v. NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Game 1: May 3, 9:30 p.m. ET – Predators at Avalanche (ESPN, SNE, SN360 [JIP], TVA Sports)
Game 2: May 5, 9:30 p.m. ET – Predators at Avalanche (TNT, SNE, SN360 [JIP], TVA Sports)
Game 3: May 7, 4:30 p.m. ET – Avalanche at Predators (TNT, Sportsnet, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 9, 9:30 p.m. ET – Avalanche at Predators (ESPN, SN1, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 11, TBD – Predators at Avalanche (TBD)
*Game 6: May 13, TBD – Avalanche at Predators (TBD)
*Game 7 May 15, TBD – Predators at Avalanche (TBD)
MINNESOTA WILD v. ST. LOUIS BLUES (STL leads 1-0)
Game 1: Blues 4, Wild 0
Game 2: May 4, 9:30 p.m. ET – Blues at Wild (ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 3: May 6, 9:30 p.m. ET – Wild at Blues (TNT, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 8, 4:30 p.m. ET – Wild at Blues (TBS, SN360, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Blues at Wild (TBD)
*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Wild at Blues (TBD)
*Game 7 May 14, TBD – Blues at Wild (TBD)
CALGARY FLAMES v. DALLAS STARS
Game 1: May 3, 10 p.m. ET – Stars at Flames (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2)
Game 2: May 5, 10 p.m. ET – Stars at Flames (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, TBS)
Game 3: May 7, 9:30 p.m. ET – Flames at Stars (TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 9, 9:30 p.m. ET – Flames at Stars (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 11, TBD – Stars at Flames (TBD)
*Game 6: May 13, TBD – Flames at Stars (TBD)
*Game 7 May 15, TBD – Stars at Flames (TBD)
EDMONTON OILERS vs. LOS ANGELES KINGS (LAK leads 1-0)
Game 1: Kings 4, Oilers 3
Game 2: May 4, 10 p.m. ET – Kings at Oilers (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2)
Game 3: May 6, 10 p.m. ET – Oilers at Kings (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4: May 8, 10 p.m. ET – Oilers at Kings (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)
*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Kings at Oilers (TBD)
*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Oilers at Kings (TBD)
*Game 7: May 14, TBD – Kings at Oilers (TBD)
Hockey Fanatic’s 2022 Stanley Cup Playoff Predications
Ok here we go. Beggining in the Western Conference.
Round One:
Colorado Avalanche vs. Nashville Predators – We are taking the Avs in six games.
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues – We like the Wild in seven games.
Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars – Calgary in five games.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings – tough series but we are going with the Oilers in six games.
In the Eastern Conference:
Florida Panthers vs. Washington Capitals – we like the Panthers in five games.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – while the Leafs come close, we are going with the Bolts in seven games.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins – We like Boston in six games.
New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins – we have a sneaky feeling like the Pens are going to win this series but the Rangers have better goaltending so we will take the Rangers in sevem.
Western Conference – Round Two
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild – the Wild could take this series but we like the Avs in seven games.
Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers – finally a Battle of Alberta. How we wish the Oil would snuff out the Flames, they just don’t have the goaltending to do so. Not to mention the Flames are built for playoffs. Flames in seix games.
Eastern Conference – Round Two
Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – we are taking the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning in six games.
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins – Bruins in six games.
Conference Finals
Western Conference: Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames – Colorado in six games.
Eastern Conference: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins – Tampa Bay in six games.
Stanley Cup Finals
Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – sorry Lightning fans the three-peat will be halted by strong performances by Cale Makar, Nathan McKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and a surprising Darcy Kuemper. Colorado in six games.
Dark Horse Final Four Picks
We always like to pick a couple of “dark-horse teams” from each conference that could make the final four and possibly make it to the finals. Here are our dark-horse picks:
Western Conference
Minnesota Wild – a really strong season and Marc-Andre Fleury has won it all before. They have built a very solid team in Minnesota.
Edmonton Oilers – you have to think at some point connor McDavid will simply will his team to the final four and a Stanley Cup final appearance. Could it be this year? Perhaps but they are going to need some help from their goaltending tandem.
Eastern Conference
Toronto Maple Leafs – if the Leafs can finally win a playoff series, they just might keep going for a couple of rounds.
Florida Panthers – not a lot of playoff experience on this team, but they won the President’s trophy… not sure if that makes them a dark-horse or not.
