NHL Playoff Schedule 2016: 1st-Round Slate, Ranking Top Stanley Cup Contenders

As we have seen countless times in the past, a great regular season in the NHL doesn't mean anything once the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

Even with a new postseason format over the last few years, there is still plenty of parity with any team in danger of being upset in the first round. This leaves a whole bunch of squads in the running to bring home the trophy, although a few stand above the rest.

Here is a breakdown of the top contenders in the field along with a full schedule for the opening round of the 2016 playoffs.

	Eastern Conference
	Western Conference
	Florida Panthers (A1) vs. New York Islanders (WC1)
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)
1	NYI at FLA	4/14	8 p.m.
2	NYI at FLA	4/15	7:30 p.m.
3	FLA at NYI	4/17	8 p.m.
4	FLA at NYI	4/20	8 p.m.
5	NYI at FLA	4/22	TBD
6	FLA at NYI	4/24	TBD
7	NYI at FLA	4/26	TBD
	Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Detroit Red Wings (A3)
1	DET at TBL	4/13	7 p.m.
2	DET at TBL	4/15	7 p.m.
3	TBL at DET	4/17	7 p.m.
4	TBL at DET	4/19	7 p.m.
5	DET at TBL	4/21	TBD
6	TBL at DET	4/24	TBD
7	DET at TBL	4/26	TBD
	Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (WC2)
1	PHI at WAS	4/14	7 p.m.
2	PHI at WAS	4/16	7 p.m.
3	WAS at PHI	4/18	7 p.m.
4	WAS at PHI	4/20	7 p.m.
5	PHI at WAS	4/22	TBD
6	WAS at PHI	4/24	TBD
7	PHI at WAS	4/27	TBD
	Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. New York Rangers (M3)
1	NYR at PIT	4/13	8 p.m.
2	NYR at PIT	4/16	3 p.m.
3	PIT at NYR	4/19	7 p.m.
4	PIT at NYR	4/21	TBD
5	NYR at PIT	4/23	TBD
6	PIT at NYR	4/25	TBD
7	NYR at PIT	4/27	TBD
	Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC2)
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)
1	MIN at DAL	4/14	9:30 p.m.
2	MIN at DAL	4/16	8 p.m.
3	DAL at MIN	4/18	8:30 p.m.
4	DAL at MIN	4/20	9:30 p.m.
5	MIN at DAL	4/22	TBD
6	DAL at MIN	4/24	TBD
7	MIN at DAL	4/26	TBD
	St. Louis Blues (C2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (C3)
1	CHI at STL	4/13	9:30 p.m.
2	CHI at STL	4/15	8 p.m.
3	STL at CHI	4/17	3 p.m.
4	STL at CHI	4/19	9:30 p.m.
5	CHI at STL	4/21	TBD
6	STL at CHI	4/23	TBD
7	CHI at STL	4/25	TBD
	Anaheim Ducks (P1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)
1	NSH vs. ANA	4/15	10:30 p.m.
2	NSH vs. ANA	4/17	10:30 p.m.
3	ANA vs. NSH	4/19	9:30 p.m.
4	ANA vs. NSH	4/21	8 p.m.
5	NSH vs. ANA	4/23	TBD
6	ANA vs. NSH	4/25	TBD
7	NSH vs. ANA	4/27	TBD
	Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. San Jose Sharks (P2)
1	SJS vs. LAK	4/14	10:30 p.m.
2	SJS vs. LAK	4/16	10:30 p.m.
3	LAK vs. SJS	4/18	10:30 p.m.
4	LAK vs. SJS	4/20	10:30 p.m.
5	SJS vs. LAK	4/22	TBD
6	LAK vs. SJS	4/24	TBD
7	SJS vs. LAK	4/26	TBD

Top Contenders 

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The Washington Capitals might have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but the Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly the hottest team. After an up-and-down year, they have turned things on as of late with 14 wins in their final 16 games, including a loss on the last day of the year when they rested key players.

When healthy, this is a group that has a star player in Sidney Crosby and tons of talent around him to go with an emerging star in goaltender Matt Murray.

The problem is health is a major question right now with Murray—who had a 2.00 goals-against average and 9-2-1 record as a replacement for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury—currently day-to-day with an upper-body injury, per Jenn Menendez of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Evgeni Malkin and a few others are also questionable to play.

Although the uncertainty makes this team a tough one to trust, the recent play still shows the Penguins have what it takes to challenge for a title.

4. Los Angeles Kings

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Kings will try to continue the even-numbered-year trend after winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. As long as Jonathan Quick is in net, this is always a possibility.

Other goalies might have had better numbers, but Quick still had a respectable 2.22 goals-against average to go with a career-high 40 wins. He has also shown the ability to step up in the playoffs when it matters most, earning the Conn Smyth award in 2012.

If you need any more proof of his clutch play, check out this save with time running out in the final game of the year:

The Kings might not have many go-to scoring options like other teams in the playoffs, but Anze Kopitar and others do a great job of distributing the puck and keeping a balanced attack. If the team can get past a tough first-round opponent in the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles could make a deep run in this tournament.

3. Chicago Blackhawks

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

After what we have seen the last few years, you can never count out the Chicago Blackhawks. They finished third in the Central Division, creating an incredibly difficult set of series throughout the playoffs.

The St. Louis Blues had one of the best defenses in hockey this year and will be a major challenge in Round 1. If Chicago can survive, a potential matchup against the Dallas Stars looms in Round 2 before facing the best remaining teams in the ensuing rounds.

However, this is still the squad that won it all last year from the exact same spot in the bracket. With three Stanley Cup titles in the last six years, this is clearly an organization everyone should fear.

Meanwhile, it's not just history that makes Chicago such a threat. The squad has Patrick Kane, the league's leader in points this season (106), as well as a perfect mix of veterans and youngsters capable of beating anyone in the field.

There are major question marks about Corey Crawford and whether he is healthy enough to play in net during the playoffs, but if he is plays to his ability, this squad is a major threat.

2. Dallas Stars

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen between the pipes is a weak spot, but the Stars can make up for it with the top attack in all of hockey. Dallas led the NHL with 267 goals scored this season with Jamie Benn leading the way with 41 goals and 48 assists. Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza also finished with at least 30 goals on the year, showing the depth available even if one of those players isn't able to perform.

Meanwhile, clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference could end up being huge based on the team's success at home this year. Only the Capitals (29-8-4) were better on home ice than the Stars (28-11-2), while the goaltending has also been better, as noted by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News:

Dallas will have to get through a handful of Central Division opponents if it wants to advance, but this is something the squad has done successfully all year long. No matter who is in net, the offense will keep coming after the opposition and provide some exciting action as it contends for a title.

1. Washington Capitals

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The end of the regular season wasn't great for the Caps. The squad lost four of its final five games and six of the last nine with three of those defeats being shutouts in regulation. The entire final month was a bit of a disaster.

Head coach Barry Trotz said earlier in the week that the pressure will be on the players to turn things around in the playoffs, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: 

"

I’ve got to trust the group that they’ll perform, but I need some guys to start being productive. We’ve got some players that haven’t done much for us in the last little while. They’ll have to figure it out. When you get to the playoffs—I mean, we’re two games from the playoffs—when we start, if you’re not going, you’ll probably be out or moved down the lineup.

"

On the other hand, Trotz still isn't exactly panicking as the postseason gets set to begin.

"It feels like we're in a total free fall, and it's really not that way at all. And I think (the players) have a good perspective on it," Trotz after the 82nd game, per John Wawrow of the Associated Press. "There's a lot of great reasons to feel good about going forward to the playoffs right now."

Among those reasons is the fact the team led the NHL with 120 points and was the clearly the best in the sport for pretty much the entire season. The Capitals finished second in both goals scored and goals against and have three players who tallied at least 70 points on the year.

The talent is there throughout the lineup to win the Stanley Cup. The challenge for the team will be to figure out how to reach its peak performance on a consistent basis. 

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