Wild aim to end playoff woes vs. Dallas | News, Sports, Jobs

AP photograph: Referee TJ Luxmore (21) seems on as fights escape between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild within the third interval of an NHL hockey recreation Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.

As playoff races have been raging down the stretch, Commissioner Gary Bettman identified that the NHL in years previous has had first-round matchups selected the ultimate day of the season.

Needing till the ultimate day is true as soon as once more, with three matchups but to be decided earlier than the playoffs start this weekend. A take a look at the matchups (division and seeding famous):

West: Dallas (Central 2) vs. Minnesota (Central 3)

Dallas (50-20-12, 112 factors): The Stars will not have injured heart Roope Hintz for no less than the primary two video games and high defenseman Miro Heiskanen’s return timing can be unsure however Dallas remains to be stacked. Strengths: Jake Oettinger generally is a wall in web, particularly within the third interval, and winger Mikko Rantanen has proven he is a confirmed playoff performer. Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnson each scored greater than 40 objectives. Weaknesses: Injuries could be an excessive amount of for Dallas, taking out too many key gamers towards one other high crew.

Minnesota (46-24-12, 104 factors): The Wild are 0-9 of their previous 9 playoff sequence and haven’t superior previous the primary spherical since 2015, though this time they’ve elite D-man Quinn Hughes after a December commerce. Strengths: Top wingers Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy are dominant forces, as is Hughes again on the blue line with Brock Faber. Weaknesses: Depth down the center at heart stands proud like a sore thumb, as does Minnesota’s inconsistent goaltending because the Olympic break in February.

Whyno’s decide: Dallas (-100) is a slight favourite however is banged up on the flawed time for this type of sequence. Wild in seven.

West: Vegas (Pacific 1) vs. Utah (wild card 1)

Vegas (39-26-17, 95 factors): Firing Bruce Cassidy and hiring John Tortorella with eight video games left labored out after which some because the Golden Knights received seven of them to win the Pacific Division. Strengths: The high-end expertise of Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone makes Vegas championship caliber, and this core is not far faraway from successful the Stanley Cup in 2023. Tortorella can’t be thought of something however a energy, too. Weaknesses: Goaltending is an issue after the fourth-worst crew save proportion within the league this season; Carter Hart is probably going to be the man in web.

Utah (43-32-6, 92 factors with 1 recreation remaining): The Mammoth qualifying within the franchise’s second season in Salt Lake City is trigger for celebration, and taking that step reveals proof of GM Bill Armstrong and the entrance workplace constructing to contend. Strengths: Their high forwards are glorious, from captain Clayton Keller and budding younger star Logan Cooley to Nick Schmaltz and JJ Peterka. Mikhail Sergachev is a real No. 1 defenseman who can produce offense. Weaknesses: Like numerous groups, Utah has relied on lots on its beginning goaltender, with Karel Vejmelka beginning essentially the most video games of anybody on the place within the league.

Whyno’s decide: Vegas (-190) ought to have the opportunity to trip expertise into the second spherical and presumably past. Golden Knights in 4.

What is left to decide

The closing two matchups within the West shall be settled Thursday night time.

Colorado, the Presidents’ Trophy winner, will face Los Angeles, Anaheim or two-time defending convention champion Edmonton. The different two groups will play one another.

East: Carolina (Metropolitan 1) vs. Ottawa (wild card 2)

Carolina (53-22-7, 113 factors): The Hurricanes are within the postseason for an eighth consecutive yr since Rod Brind’Amour took over as coach, and because the high seed within the East they’ve home-ice benefit via the convention closing. Strengths: They have expertise, with three journeys to the East closing over the previous eight years and have seven 20-goal scorers led by Seth Jarvis with 32. Weaknesses: Goaltending remains to be a query mark, as is the status the crew has developed for being unable to rating when the competitors will get more durable.

Ottawa (44-27-11, 99 factors) The Senators have been fifteenth out of 16 groups within the East on Jan. 25. They received 20 of their subsequent 29 video games to clinch a spot. Strengths: Travis Green’s crew performs onerous, and when Linus Ullmark is on his recreation in web they will beat anybody. Injuries down the stretch solely confirmed how a lot organizational depth they’ve. Weaknesses: Ottawa has taken the seventh-most penalties of any crew within the league and is the fourth-worst at killing them off. They additionally expended numerous vitality making up floor.

Whyno’s decide: Carolina (-175) is a justified favourite based mostly on expertise discrepancy however will probably be a grind. Hurricanes in six.

East: Pittsburgh (Metropolitan 2) vs. Philadelphia (Metropolitan 3)

Pittsburgh (41-25-16, 98 factors): The longshot Penguins are giving the trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang one other likelihood after three years with no postseason berth. Strengths: Erik Karlsson has been nice at 35, and rookie coach Dan Muse performs a mode that enables his crew to rating in bunches and switch the tide on opponents rapidly. Weaknesses: Defending is not the Pens’ robust swimsuit, and neither is their goaltending, so that they usually want to outscore their issues.

Philadelphia (43-27-12, 98 factors): The Flyers have been the NHL’s greatest crew since March 7, going 15-5-1 to make it in for the primary time since 2020. Strengths: They can lean on skilled elders like Sean Couturier however are within the playoffs due to younger, rising stars Tyson Foerster, Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov. Weaknesses: Goalie Dan Vladar performed a ton down the stretch as a result of he wanted to, and he and his lots of his teammates are largely new to this type of strain.

Whyno’s decide: Pittsburgh (-160) has too many gamers who’ve been there, finished that and will make a longer-than-expected run. Penguins in 5.

East: Buffalo (Atlantic 1) vs. Boston (wild card 1)

Buffalo (50-23-9, 109 factors): The Sabers bounced again from dropping 18 of their first 29 video games to end the longest playoff drought in league historical past and win the division, with Lindy Ruff changing into the front-runner for coach of the yr within the course of. Strengths: Unlike final yr, the gamers are accustomed to tight video games and successful them as a substitute of folding. Tage Thompson can rating from anyplace. Weaknesses: A scarcity of expertise tends to present this time of yr and the way gamers reply to playoff hockey shall be important.

Boston (45-27-10, 100 factors): Back within the playoffs after a one-year blip, the Bruins relied on 100-point scorer David Pastrnak, goaltender Jeremy Swayman and high defenseman Charlie McAvoy to regular the ship. Strengths: They’re well-coached by Marco Sturm, and Swayman has had a superb season. Weaknesses: They are a strong if not spectacular crew that wants to depend on Pastrnak and the highest scorers just a little an excessive amount of.

Whyno’s decide: Buffalo (-190) will get it finished after getting pushed to the sting. Sabers in seven.

East: Tampa Bay (Atlantic 2) vs. Montreal (Atlantic 3)

Tampa Bay (50-26-6, 106 factors): The Lightning toughened accidents to the likes of defensemen Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh to high facilities Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, and but they’re among the many Stanley Cup favorites thanks to winger Nikita Kucherov, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and roster depth. Strengths: Vasilevskiy provides them an opportunity to win each recreation, and the prolonged absences have proven why coach Jon Cooper is likely one of the greatest. Weaknesses: Hedman has not performed since mid-March and his standing is unsure.

Montreal (48-24-10, 106 factors): The Canadiens received eight in a row down the stretch and 15 of their closing 21 video games, with Cole Caufield changing into the group’s first 50-goal scorer since 1990 and heart Nick Suzuki crashing the MVP race. Strengths: They transfer the puck extraordinarily properly and rapidly and might strike at 5 on 5 or the ability play. Weaknesses: They could have to show they will play playoff-style hockey by defending and getting some stops in web.

Whyno’s decide: Tampa Bay (-235) has the pedigree, however Montreal is sizzling on the proper time. Canadians in six.