 | Edition #1244 Apr 19, 2025 |
| From The GIST Team |
Howdy! | ||
| After grinding through 82 regular-season games, it's time to wipe the slate clean. Sixteen NHL playoff teams are contending for the Stanley Cup, the hardest trophy to win in sports.
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| Quote of The Day |
 | If you want me, you'll have to work for it. |
 | — The official Stanley Cup, giving "if he wanted to, he would" energy in its Instagram bio. That social team deserves a raise. |
| The Breakdown |
⚙️ How it works Source: NHL The Stanley Cup Playoffs feature 16 of the league's 32 teams — eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference.
Each of the four playoff rounds is a best-of-seven series. In each conference's first round, the second wild card team (the one with the worse record) takes on the division winner with the best record, while the first wild card team (the better record) faces the conference's other division winner. The remaining two series pair the No. 2 and No. 3 teams from the same divisions.
And all teams are playing for one thing: the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup. No guts, no glory.     |
🏆 The top teams Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Washington Capitals (Metropolitan): The Caps silenced the haters in resounding fashion, unexpectedly ascending to the top of the conference standings. And while history-making captain Alex Ovechkin has been the lightning rod, this squad's biggest strength is their depth — the power of friendship (and seven players with 50+ points on the season) is always a recipe for success. Dallas Stars (Central): The (victory) green come stumbling into the postseason, losing seven straight games. That's certainly not ideal, but this group is, ahem, star-studded from top to bottom, especially after the blockbuster deal that landed them dynamic right winger Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline. It's Cup or bust. Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan): The storm is once again surging — but regular-season wins haven't translated to playoff success for the Canes. Their last Stanley Cup appearance was nearly twenty years ago, despite the franchise being one of the winningest teams of the last decade. Led by center Sebastian Aho, it's time for this bunch of jerks to shed the bridesmaid title once and for all. Florida Panthers (Atlantic): The defending champs have played a lot of hockey lately, lacing up their skates 290 times (!!!) in 916 days after competing in the last two Stanley Cup Finals. Whether it's goalie Sergei "Brick Wall" Bobrovsky or the league's most infuriating forward line, these Cats are hungry for a repeat. Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific): Death, taxes, and Vegas in the postseason. The perennial powerhouse Knights have only missed the playoffs once in their eight-year existence, winning their first Cup just two seasons ago. Conspiracy theories be damned, captain Mark Stone and Co. just keep on rolling. |
🤝 The contenders Source: Getty Images Winnipeg Jets (Central): Why are we ranking the Presidents' Trophy–winning Jets as a contender and not a top team? For starters, the Presidents' Trophy curse: The league's best regular-season team hasn't won the Cup since 2013.
Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic): The Leafs are desperate to win it all for the first time since 1967, the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history. With a high-scoring season in the books, they've proven they're an offensive powerhouse, but they'll need a show-stopping performance from tendy Anthony Stolarz to finally be considered a postseason threat. Edmonton Oilers (Pacific): Oil Country finds itself in a similar position as last year, snagging a playoff spot despite an underwhelming regular season. Fearless leader and team captain Connor McDavid hasn't been his best this season, but he's known to find another gear come playoffs. Can he peak at the right time to lead Edmonton back to the Stanley Cup Final? Colorado Avalanche (Central): If defense wins championships, the Avs need to step up their game. They allowed 231 goals this season, good for second-worst of the West's playoff-contending teams. That said, the Avs retooled at the trade deadline, including picking up goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks. Let's see if those moves pay off. |
| The GIST's Bracket Challenge ‼️ Tight turnaround — fill out your bracket now! Source: The GIST 🚨Stop scrolling! Before you return to the teams and players to watch, why not put a little skin in the game? In honor of the postseason, The GIST is hosting our very own Pro Men's Hockey Bracket Challenge, and you're invited.
⏱️ But there's still not much time to make your picks.Once you finish reading this Special Edition, fill out your bracket ASAP. Time to do that hockey. |
🐎 The dark horses Source: Getty Images LA Kings (Pacific): The major key for the Kings? Home-ice advantage. The royal lads boast the league's best home record this season, establishing Crypto.com Arena as a formidable venue for their foes. If LA can properly leverage their fans' raucousness and maintain their steadfast defense, they could upend McDavid and the Oilers in the first round. Ottawa Senators (Atlantic): Look away, Leafs fans. The Buds have only advanced to the second round once in their last nine playoff appearances, and the Sens have a good shot of making that one in 10. Buoyed by the energy of feisty captain Brady Tkachuk (pronounced kuh-CHUCK) and a solid one-two punch in net, the Sens could capitalize on their underdog billing. New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan): The Devils' promising season took a turn after their top scorer, Jack Hughes, went down with a shoulder injury. Though Jack will be out for the postseason, his younger brother Luke and the rest of the squad are still optimistic. Their head-to-head with the aforementioned Canes was an even split this season — anything can happen. |
📺 How to tune in Source: AP Photo/David Zalubowski There'll be near-daily playoff hockey for the next month and a half, leading to the start of the Stanley Cup Final in early June. The puck drops on two series tonight before the rest get underway tomorrow and early next week.
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| The GIST's Picks |
Peep our squad's MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🏠 Who moonlights as an interior designerThe aforementioned McDavid. This Architectural Digest tour of his Edmonton home is mesmerizing and packed with inspiration for when you eventually land that $100M contract. |
💦 How to hydrateWith your own Stanley cup. It doesn't hold quite as much liquid as the NHL's version, but it comes close. |
💗 What to supportHockey Fights Cancer, the NHL's initiative to raise research funding to fight the disease. So much more than a game. |
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