NHL Playoffs 2015: Stanley Cup Bracket, 1st-Round Schedule
The 2015 NHL playoffs are set to start on Wednesday, and among all the capable contenders for the Stanley Cup, the New York Rangers stand out as the Presidents' Trophy recipients.
After falling short in the Stanley Cup Final last year, New York has the look of a potential championship club. The Blueshirts headline the Eastern Conference, as can be viewed in the NHL's official bracket below:
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Competition in both conferences is quite heated, but the West is a bit harder to gauge since both Anaheim and St. Louis finished the regular season with 109 points apiece.
Read on for the complete first-round schedules, followed by a prediction for the grand finale.
Eastern Conference Schedule
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 7 p.m. | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC, TVA Sports, NHL Network |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 7 p.m. | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC, TVA Sports, CNBC |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Detroit at Tampa Bay | CNBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 3 p.m. | Detroit at Tampa Bay | NBC, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Thursday, April 23 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 6* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Tampa Bay at Detroit | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 7 p.m. | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 8 p.m. | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | NBC, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | TBD |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 7 p.m. | NY Islanders at Washington | USA, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 7 p.m. | NY Islanders at Washington | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | Noon | Washington at NY Islanders | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Washington at NY Islanders | USA, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Washington at NY Islanders | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
Western Conference Schedule
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 9:30 p.m. | Minnesota at St. Louis | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 3 p.m. | Minnesota at St. Louis | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 8 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | CNBC, SN1, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | St. Louis at Minnesota | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Chicago at Nashville | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 9:30 p.m. | Chicago at Nashville | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 3 p.m. | Nashville at Chicago | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 9:30 p.m. | Nashville at Chicago | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Nashville at Chicago | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 10:30 p.m. | Winnipeg at Anaheim | CNBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 10:30 p.m. | Winnipeg at Anaheim | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 9 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 10 p.m. | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 10 p.m. | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC, TVA Sports, CNBC |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
Stanley Cup Prediction: New York Rangers (4-2) over Chicago Blackhawks
Pittsburgh may have needed a victory in the final game of the season just to make the playoffs, but the Penguins can't be discounted when they take on New York in the opening round.
The Blueshirts should be up to the task of defeating them, though. With Henrik Lundqvist in goal and plenty of scoring production up front, New York should find a way to advance with home-ice advantage.
It's well known that All-Star forward Rick Nash has struggled in past postseasons. Nash has potted a career-high 42 goals in 2014-15, and head coach Alain Vigneault is confident Nash can continue building on last year's run, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen:
"You mention last year during the playoffs, even though he might not have been on the scoresheet as far as goals he was doing a lot of the right things, a lot of the things that needed to happen so that we'd get a chance to win. Well, this season he came in great shape, great attitude, carried it over and he's playing well at both ends of the rink. That's what we want from all of our players.
"
If Washington gets past the New York Islanders to play the Rangers in the second round, it could be a tough team for Nash and Co. to get by. Superstar Alex Ovechkin headlines the Capitals' league-best power play, while the Islanders aren't quite as formidable with their 26th-ranked penalty-killing unit.
With that said, the Rangers' nucleus has the collective experience necessary to get by either of those adversaries, and the team is simply better as a whole than Detroit, Montreal and even Tampa Bay with its No. 1-ranked offense.
The best record in the league doesn't guarantee success, but ESPN Stats & Info provides interesting context with regard to New York's franchise history:
Why Chicago in the Stanley Cup? Because the Blackhawks have won twice in the Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane era. By the time a prospective second-round encounter with St. Louis rolls around, provided Chicago takes care of Nashville, Kane ought to have brushed off any lingering rust from his injury.
Kane is returning from a long hiatus due to a fractured clavicle, although Matt Larkin of The Hockey News is taking a cautious approach:
There is some uncertainty regarding Kane's status. The team announced on Monday that he has been cleared for full participation in practice.
Nevertheless, it's a big boost for Chicago and a source of momentum and morale the team can draw on to make a deep run. With stellar goaltending and the second-fewest goals allowed this season, the Blackhawks stayed afloat in the 21 games Kane missed.
One might be inclined to give Chicago the edge against the Rangers based on how seasoned Toews, Kane and other key contributors are, not to mention the repeated struggles Nash has had on the big stage.
Well, this is the year that Nash breaks his spell. After elevating his goal production to an unprecedented level this season, he will find a way to get to an extra gear in these playoffs.
With plenty of complementary pieces around Nash and Cam Talbot as a strong insurance option between the pipes, New York has the ingredients to avenge last year's five-game exit in the Stanley Cup Final and get the job done. Doing so against such a respectable foe in the Blackhawks would make it even sweeter.
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