Have you caught your breath yet, hockey fans?
The first round of the NHL playoffs saw three Game 7s, which included the record-setting Boston Bruins and the 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche getting upset. Then, Monday concluded the first-round action with a New Jersey Devils win over the New York Rangers in a Game 7.
So what does that mean for the next round? Well, the 92-point Florida Panthers, the worst team entering the playoffs, get to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who reached the playoffs the past seven years but hadn't gotten past the first round until now. Their series starts Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken, in their second season of existence, will face the Dallas Stars (9:30 p.m., ESPN)
On Wednesday, the Devils will visit the Carolina Hurricanes, who have been resting since Friday after knocking off the New York Islanders in six games (7 p.m. ESPN) . Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers will travel to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights (9:30 p.m., ESPN).
Who will advance to the conference finals? USA TODAY Sports' experts make their picks:
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers
Maple Leafs in five. Toronto's stars came to play in the first round, but what gives me the most optimism for a long playoff run is the pushback the Maple Leafs showed. They won three games in overtime, all three on the road, and they did not crumble after a 7-3 loss in Game 1. – Jimmy Hascup
Maple Leafs in six. This certainly isn’t the second-round matchup I expected. Toronto slayed its elimination game demons against Tampa, then got to watch Florida knock off its longtime tormenter. The Panthers are no pushover (as the Bruins can attest) and found their game as that series went along, but I just think the Leafs are a little more talented – and perhaps more important that talent is producing. – Jace Evans
Maple Leafs in six. The Panthers seem a lot like the Sergei Bobrovsky-led 2019 Columbus Blue Jackets, who upset the 62-win Lightning, then lost in six games in the second round. Matthew Tkachuk will help the confident Panthers carve out a couple wins, but the Maple Leafs have more talent and went 3-0-1 against Florida this season. – Mike Brehm
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
Devils in six. The Hurricanes will play at a quicker pace than the Rangers, the Devils' first-round opponent, but they are too beat up to topple a team that has been so dominant this season. New Jersey showed that the experience (or lack thereof) factor is overrated; the Devils went down 0-2 in the series against the Rangers, made adjustments and took off in the series. Jack Hughes is also on a mission. – Hascup
Devils in six. My concerns with Carolina are pretty much the same as they were entering the first round: Outside of the brilliant Sebastian Aho, does the team have enough top-of-the-lineup offensive talent to make a deep run? We know the Devils do.– Evans
Devils in six. The Hurricanes are missing Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen and Max Pacorietty. Devils goalie Akira Schmidt shut down a more talented Rangers team. I've underestimated the Devils this season. I'm going with them this time, even though the Hurricanes have been better five-on-five and have a nearly unbeatable penalty kill. – Brehm
Dallas Stars vs. Seattle Kraken
Stars in six. The Stars bounced back after a double-overtime loss in Game 1, one that saw Joe Pavelski leave with a concussion and miss the rest of the first round against the Wild. They then turned it up a notch, scoring 19 goals and giving up 11 in the next five games. Goalie Jake Oettinger should be able to withstand the Kraken attack, and there is a chance Pavelski returns soon. – Hascup
Stars in five. I think Dallas is the most complete team left in the playoffs and should be getting Pavelski back. Oettinger has been money in the playoffs so far in his career and I think he gives the Stars the edge in net, despite how well the Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer played in their impressive upset of the Avs.– Evans
Stars in six. The Kraken have 15 different goal scorers, but none has more than two. The Stars have more offensive firepower and Oettinger has the edge over Grubauer. Dallas will have to make sure the Kraken don't score first as they did in all seven games vs. the Avalanche. The Stars picked up nine wins in the 33 games in which they gave up the first goal. – Brehm
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
Oilers in seven. I wavered on this choice, but ultimately, I'm going with the best player, and, frankly, the Oilers might have the series two best players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Based on the goalie matchup, goals should be abundant. I'll side with Edmonton, which went 3-0-1 against Vegas this season. – Hascup
Oilers in seven. This is a real heavyweight matchup but I’m betting on the combination of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – possibly the early Conn Smythe favorite after a seven-goal first round – to be the difference in the end. – Evans
Oilers in six. We get to see the first playoff matchup between McDavid and Jack Eichel, the top two picks of the 2015 draft. Special teams could make the difference in this series. The Oilers' power play is clicking at a 56.3% rate while the Golden Knights penalty kill is worst among remaining teams at 58.3%. – Brehm
