NHL Playoffs 2023: What Top Stars Are Saying Ahead of Stanley Cup Race

The 2022-23 NHL regular season is over. The battle for the Stanley Cup is on.

With the playoffs set to get underway Monday, 16 teams have the goal of winning the 16 necessary postseason games to end the season with a championship victory. Only one will be successful in doing so.

The Boston Bruins have been the best team in the NHL all season. Their regular-season performance was historic, as they set league records for points (135) and wins (65). But anything can happen now that playoff time has arrived.

Here's a look at several top storylines to watch for in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, along with the latest comments from some of the NHL's top stars.

Bruins Aiming to Cap Historic Season with Cup

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BOSTON, MA - APRIL 11: Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) takes a shot during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals on April 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Bruins have faced little adversity this season. They endured only two losing streaks all season, and neither was longer than three games. And they enter the postseason with a ton of momentum, having won 15 of their last 16 contests.

Boston will open the playoffs with a first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers, the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. While the Bruins will be heavy favorites, they aren't overlooking any opponent, even a Panthers squad that has been a bit streaky at times.

"They're a great team," Boston forward David Pastrňák said, per Matt Porter of the Boston Globe. "It's going to be a fun series. They've been playing playoff hockey for a while now, so I'm excited to get things going."

If all goes to plan, the Bruins likely won't have much trouble getting past the Panthers. But the competition will grow tougher as the postseason goes on, so Boston is sure to get tested at some point.

How Far Can McDavid, Draisaitl Power Oilers?

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EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 01: Connor McDavid #97 and Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers have a conversation while awaiting a face-off during the game against the Anaheim Ducks on April 1, 2023 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Edmonton Oilers had the top two scorers in the NHL this season: Connor McDavid (153 points) and Leon Draisaitl (128). They'll need both to play well in order to make a deep postseason run, especially McDavid, who is becoming one of the league's all-time greats.

However, McDavid has made it past the second round of the playoffs only once during his previous seven seasons, and that was when the Oilers got swept by the Colorado Avalanche in last year's Western Conference Final. The 26-year-old center knows he needs better team success to cement his legacy.

"I think the biggest compliment in this game is to be known as a winner, right?" McDavid said, per NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "You know, you look at Sidney Crosby, you look at Jonathan Toews, Gretz, all these guys, I mean, they're winners. ...

"You've got to be a winner to be up there with the best of the best, and ultimately, like I said, that's where I want to be."

Edmonton is aiming to win its first Stanley Cup since 1990 and to become the first Canadian team to capture it since 1993.

Lightning Ready to 'Flip a Switch' as Postseason Begins

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TAMPA, FL - APRIL 11: Head coach Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning during an interview with Leah Hextall against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Amalie Arena on April 11, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

Even when the Tampa Bay Lightning don't have their best regular season, they can't be counted out in the postseason. So despite them finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference with 98 points, they could still make a deep playoff run.

"All 16 teams in the playoffs flip a switch," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, per Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times. "There's no doubt in every locker room; it goes on. You've just got to hope it's coinciding with you playing well. When those two things mirror each other, it's usually pretty good for your team."

Tampa Bay won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 then lost to Colorado in last year's Stanley Cup Final. So many of the players on the Lightning's roster know what it takes to have postseason success.

It won't be easy this year, though, starting in the first round. Tampa Bay has a challenging opening assignment, as it will begin with a matchup vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose 111 points ranked fourth in the East.