Mar 18, 2025, 07:30 AM ET
There may be lower than one month left within the 2024-25 NHL season however a lot is still made up our minds:
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Which groups will safe spots within the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs?
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Which crew is beneath essentially the most power within the ultimate stretch?
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Who will earn the Hart Trophy as league MVP?
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And which two golf equipment will likely be squaring off within the Stanley Cup Ultimate?
Learn on as our ESPN hockey circle of relatives debates the ones key questions.
Which crew recently outdoor of the playoffs makes it?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Let’s move with the St. Louis Blues. Understanding a defensive id has been a subject the previous few years. That is why they employed Jim 1st viscount montgomery of alamein, and that resulted in development. Since they employed 1st viscount montgomery of alamein in overdue November, the Blues are simply outdoor the highest 10 in fewest aims allowed, aims allowed according to sport and photographs allowed according to sport. They’ve been probably the most NHL’s extra constant defensive groups in that point, and feature gained seven in their most up-to-date 10 video games.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Glance out for the Utah Hockey Membership. Using a 9-4-2 document since Feb. 4, Utah hasn’t misplaced two immediately in legislation since Jan. 26. Out of doors of the crease — Connor Ingram is out indefinitely after getting into the NHL’s participant help program — this is without doubt one of the healthiest groups within the NHL.
Clayton Keller is scoring, as standard. The second one line duo of Dylan Guenther and Barrett Hayton is contributing. Utah’s 0.33 line — Jack McBain, Lawson Crouse, Josh Doan — is proving tricky to play opposed to. Sean Durzi’s long-awaited go back bolsters the blue line in tangible style. If goaltender Karel Vejmelka can carry out to near-optimal skill, this membership has the wherewithal to sneak into that 2nd wild-card spot within the West.
Editor’s Selections
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Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Give me the Columbus Blue Jackets. They have been in the second one wild-card spot within the East, however after dropping to the New York Rangers on Saturday, the ones two groups swapped puts.
The East is a gauntlet and would possibly not be determined till the remaining sport. In step with Stathletes, Columbus has the Tenth-easiest agenda the remainder of the way in which and fourth simplest within the East. The Jackets have an important 20-8-4 document at house, and play 9 in their ultimate video games at National Area. Plus a playoff berth would cap off a shockingly emotional season.
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Let’s move with the Montreal Canadiens. There is such spirit to that crew, and the avid gamers radiate trust in themselves. It’s been obvious in how the Canadiens are hitting a stride at this vital juncture. Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine were particularly robust main the way in which on offense, and it’s been encouraging to look the intensity Montreal has exhibited.
GM Kent Hughes did not make changes on the business time limit. Obviously he too had religion in Montreal to be a playoff crew with out making additions. The Canadiens have a robust energy play — Laine is the purpose guy there, too — and their goaltending has progressed. If Montreal can navigate a heavier agenda down the stretch — together with two extra conferences with the Florida Panthers — they are able to punch a postseason price ticket.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: I predicted the Utah Hockey Membership would make the playoffs earlier than the season and I’m going to stick with that, as a result of we are after all seeing what this crew used to be meant to seem like. The Hockey Membership is 6-3-2 since defenseman Sean Durzi returned to the lineup from damage. They ignored him and John Marino for a majority of the season. Their returns have reset the Utah blue line, and the crew’s even-strength protection has been higher for it: 1.50 aims opposed to according to sport in its previous 10 video games, 2nd most effective to the Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes.
Utah is most sensible 10 offensively at 5-on-5 in that extend — but when it’ll make the lower, it wishes extra from younger big name Logan Cooley, whose target on March 16 ended a six-game scoreless streak. Utah will additionally must trip Karel Vejmelka down the stretch, with the hopes that he continues his sensible bounce-back season … and that 25-year-old rookie Jaxson Stauber can produce the spot begins wanted with Ingram within the participant help program.
Which crew is beneath essentially the most power within the ultimate month?
Clark: It is the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks’ adventure to the second one spherical remaining season raised questions. Particularly, used to be this only one robust season, or may it’s the beginning of one thing extra considerable?
Achieving the playoffs for a consecutive season would a minimum of identify that the Canucks generally is a constant postseason player, which hasn’t been the case in additional than a decade. However lacking the playoffs would most effective magnify the troubles about what occurs going ahead.
Matiash: The Edmonton Oilers want to get their collective act in combination earlier than the postseason, or it’ll be a brief trip opposed to whomever they face (the Los Angeles Kings, most definitely) within the first spherical. And that’s the reason no longer going to chop it with the Edmonton devoted, by no means thoughts stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Whilst Draisaitl and McDavid have a mixed 46 issues since Jan. 30, the remainder of the Oilers’ ahead corps has a complete of 48. Everybody else wishes to determine how you can successfully pitch in, and shortly. In the meantime, the Oilers have allowed a fifth-worst 3.41 goals-against according to sport over that very same stretch, in part because of Stuart Skinner’s sub-mediocre play. Using a 7-9-1 document because the finish of January, Kris Knoblauch’s squad wishes to mend all that ails it in a rush.
Öcal: If the Rangers fail to make the postseason, after making the convention finals two out of the previous 3 years, it’s a must to marvel what sort of adjustments we will be able to see in Long island over the summer season. It’s been a tumultuous season for the Blueshirts already, with such a lot of issues — memos to 31 different groups, captain trades, Ilya Sorokin scoring a goalie target earlier than Igor Shesterkin — for enthusiasts to indicate to as the explanation why the membership took a step backward.
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0:37
Braden Schneider’s OT attractiveness wins it for Rangers
Braden Schneider dangles thru and rankings a sexy backhand target to raise the Rangers.
Shilton: The Toronto Maple Leafs have spiraled in recent times, and want to end up it is only a transient glitch. The Leafs have been driving prime going into the 4 International locations Face-Off wreck however have stumbled badly opposed to just right groups since, with losses opposed to the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators.
Toronto’s offense has stalled, the ability play is sputtering and their goaltending — a energy all season — seems headed towards reasonable (at supreme). Each crew is going thru tough patches, however this can be a specifically poorly timed span of deficient play by way of the Leafs. If it is not anything to fret about, they might higher get started stringing some victories in combination earlier than the postseason hits.
Wyshynski: The Detroit Crimson Wings. Groups hearth coaches for quite a few causes. For instance, the Blues fired Drew Bannister as a result of they are the NHL embodiment of the “man taking a look on the different lady” meme when it got here to Jim 1st viscount montgomery of alamein’s unexpected availability. The Crimson Wings, in the meantime, fired Derek Lalonde and employed Todd McLellan for one particular explanation why: to make the playoffs for the primary time since 2016, finishing the longest playoff drought on this Authentic Six franchise’s historical past and providing a scintilla of credibility to GM Steve Yzerman’s imaginative and prescient for his or her revival, a.ok.a. “The Yzerplan.”
However they have got remained a wildly inconsistent crew beneath McLellan, who in brief controlled to show their season round earlier than a disastrous stretch during which the Wings gained two times in 10 video games across the 4 International locations match. There is nonetheless a possibility that Cam Talbot and Petr Mrazek may drag their anemic offense to the playoffs. However there is a better probability they omit once more, resulting in but some other offseason with extra questions than solutions
Identify your Stanley Cup Finalists with one month left.
Clark: Dallas Stars vs. Carolina Hurricanes. Deep down in all people lies pettiness and a Hurricanes-Stars Cup Ultimate with Mikko Rantanen on the proper wing of all of it, offering a degree of drama that simply cannot be manufactured.
Matiash: Winnipeg Jets vs. Florida Panthers. I’m going to take the league’s stingiest protection and third-best offense, buttressed by way of the sport’s largest netminder, opposed to a Florida squad that looks much more unhealthy than remaining yr’s Cup winners following the important thing acquisitions of Brad Marchand and Seth Jones. Why overthink it?
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Öcal: Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. A 2022 rematch is not out of the world of chance. Each groups leveled up in key spaces on the business time limit. The Bolts picked up Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand and now the highest 9 is stacked. They nonetheless have probably the most supreme goalies within the league in Andrei Vasilevskiy. In the meantime, Colorado added Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, Erik Johnson, Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey. I really like the desires the Avs addressed earlier than the time limit, and so they glance authentic.
Shilton: Dallas Stars vs. Washington Capitals. Ahead of the season started, there used to be a nil p.c probability I’d have recommended Washington used to be in place to succeed in the 2025 Stanley Cup Ultimate. The Capitals are simply having a different season, and the ones are uncommon. All issues being equivalent, Washington must be capable of translate its regular-season good fortune into a protracted playoff run.
As for Dallas — it is simply time. The Stars were circling a Ultimate date for too lengthy to not get there. Mikko Rantanen is on board. Miro Heiskanen will likely be again. Dallas must be bold in each and every recognize. It is their second to polish.
Wyshynski: Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers. The Stars have been my Stanley Cup pick out earlier than the season. Assuming it is all-systems-go for his or her wounded avid gamers — Heiskanen, particularly — I am nonetheless on them to damage thru after consecutive journeys to the convention finals. Give me Jake Oettinger, Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston in any collection; most significantly, give me Rantanen with one thing to end up on a degree he has owned for the previous a number of postseasons.
Initially, I had them enjoying the New Jersey Devils, however that is not taking place with out Jack Hughes. So give me the Panthers’ 0.33 immediately go back and forth to the Stanley Cup Ultimate. Their core is constructed for playoff glory. They’ve Playoff Bob. GM Invoice Zito has achieved a pleasant activity addressing intensity considerations. And including Brad Marchand to a crew that already has Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett is, ahem, a tactical merit no different crew can boast. Deliver your earplugs.
Who is your pick out for Hart Trophy at the moment?
Clark: Connor Hellebuyck. It’s been precisely a decade since Carey Worth used to be the remaining goaltender to win the Hart. Worth used to be past a very powerful to his crew’s good fortune, whilst additionally main the NHL in wins, goal-against reasonable, save share and goals-saved above anticipated reasonable. He used to be additionally within the most sensible 5 in mins performed and saves.
Hellebuyck is atop the league in wins, GAA, save share, GSAA and shutouts, and has been going backward and forward with Andrei Vasilevskiy for the lead in mins performed. There is no denying what forwards comparable to Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon have achieved. It is simply that what Hellebuyck stands to succeed in is on par with what we think out of a goalie being Hart-worthy.
Matiash: Leon Draisaitl. Stubbornly siding with Nikita Kucherov — nonetheless underrated as a game-changing asset to his crew — for a just right a part of this season, I will be able to’t assist however now shift to the one projected 50-plus-goal scorer of 2024-25.
In step with Evolving Hockey, Draisaitl boasts a league-leading 24.6 aims above alternative (GAR), 4.0 wins above alternative (WAR), and a whopping 7.6 standings issues above alternative (SPAR). If that does not outline “Most worthy to their crew,” I am not positive what does.
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1:01
Draisaitl’s 2d target of the sport wins it for Oilers in OT
Leon Draisaitl rankings his 2nd target of the sport in additional time to assist the Oilers defeat the Islanders.
Öcal: For sure Leon Draisaitl. He and MacKinnon will likely be neck and neck on issues all of the method to the remaining video games of the steady season, however Draisaitl is working away with the Rocket Richard (49), recently 13 aims above William Nylander in 2nd (36). Draisaitl additionally leads the league in even-strength aims (34). Plus, he is incomes his Hart Trophy votes on a crew that has Connor McDavid.
I am selecting Leon to win his 2nd Hart in 5 years. Leon has been so just right this season he can have helped Kino Loy swim clear of Narkina 5.
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Shilton: Nathan MacKinnon. Sure, we are speaking back-to-back Hart Trophy wins. The remaining participant to do it? Alex Ovechkin, in 2009. It does not occur ceaselessly.
However MacKinnon has undeniably dragged Colorado again into the combat this season. Consider after we have been counting out the Avalanche? MacKinnon by no means relented. Colorado misplaced Rantanen, and as devastating as that used to be, it nearly appeared to mild a bigger hearth beneath MacKinnon to stay Colorado in contending place. Now, if Hellebuyck takes it from MacKinnon that is extremely genuinely-earned, too. However for me, it is MacKinnon, for the way he has been the Avs’ Most worthy participant nearly each and every unmarried sport.
Wyshynski: Connor Hellebuyck. Let’s no longer overcomplicate issues. As of Monday, Hellebuyck had 39 of the Jets’ 47 wins. He led the league in save share, and his goals-against reasonable had dipped underneath two aims according to sport — whilst that is regarded as a crew stat reasonably than a person one, it is reasonably evident who is liable for it when backup Eric Comrie’s GAA is part a target upper.
There are unquestionably different worthy applicants: Draisaitl has an out of this world case this season, and Zach Werenski merits a shoutout for what he has achieved for Columbus. (And a louder shoutout to Quinn Hughes, who would possibly were the selection have been it no longer for his damage.) However the Jets were probably the most NHL’s supreme groups this season, and the whole lot tracks to Hellebuyck as the root for that.
