NHL Playoff Bracket 2018: Latest Schedule Details, TV Coverage and Picks

The remaining contenders for the Stanley Cup aren't what you would've expected at the start of the NHL season. 

Two-time defending champion Pittsburgh is out of the mix in the Eastern Conference, which allows Tampa Bay and Washington to fight it out for a return to the championship series. 

Of the five teams still alive, Tampa Bay is the only team with a Stanley Cup, as it won in 2004 behind Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier.  

Washington's lone Stanley Cup Final came in 1998, while Nashville is searching for a return after losing to Pittsburgh in 2017. Vegas and Winnipeg have not played in the Final. 

The level of competitiveness is expected to tick up another notch in the conference finals given the stakes, but there are two teams that have stood out during the postseason that should prevail. 

NHL Playoff Bracket

Eastern Conference Final

Washington vs. Tampa Bay 

Western Conference Semifinal

Winnipeg vs. Nashville (Series tied 3-3) 

Western Conference Final

Vegas vs. Nashville/Winnipeg winner 

TV Schedule

All Times ET

Thursday, May 10

Game 7: Winnipeg at Nashville (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Friday, May 11

Game 1: Washington at Tampa Bay (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Saturday, May 12

Game 1: Vegas at Nashville/Winnipeg (7 p.m., NBC) 

Sunday, May 13

Game 2: Washington at Tampa Bay (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Monday, May 14

Game 2: Vegas at Nashville/Winnipeg (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Tuesday, May 15

Game 3: Tampa Bay at Washington (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Wednesday, May 16 

Game 3: Nashville/Winnipeg at Vegas (9 p.m., NBCSN) 

Thursday, May 17

Game 4: Tampa Bay at Washington (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Friday, May 18

Game 4: Nashville/Winnipeg at Vegas (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

Saturday, May 19

Game 5: Washington at Tampa Bay (7:15 p.m, NBC)*

Sunday, May 20

Game 5: Vegas at Nashville/Winnipeg (3 p.m., NBC)*

Monday, May 21

Game 6: Tampa Bay at Washington (8 p.m., NBCSN)*

Tuesday, May 22

Game 6: Nashville/Winnipeg at Vegas (9 p.m., NBCSN)*

Wednesday, May 23

Game 7: Washington at Tampa Bay (8 p.m., NBCSN)*

Thursday, May 24

Game 7: Vegas at Nashville/Winnipeg (8 p.m., NBCSN) 

*if necessary 

Picks

Nashville over Winnipeg

Nashville and Winnipeg produced plenty of fireworks through six games of their Western Conference second-round series, and Thursday's Game 7 should feature more of the same. 

The Predators come into Bridgestone Arena with all the momentum after they earned a 4-0 win in Winnipeg to force Game 7. 

Pekka Rinne's shutout was the first by either goalie in the series, which has included 40 goals. 

Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson were the stars of Game 6 for Peter Laviolette's side, as they produced two goals each.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

On a team with a wealth of Game 7 experience, Nashville knows anyone is capable of stepping up Thursday, as defenseman Yannick Weber noted, per Brooks Bratten of the team's official website: 

"The game has its own story, and you can't really control that; the only thing you can control is how well you execute the game plan, how well you play in your own shift. Everybody knows his role at this point and everybody knows how we need to play tomorrow to have success. If everybody has that mindset, we'll have a lot of heroes tomorrow."

The same can't be said for the Jets, who are in search of their first conference final appearance in franchise history. 

The Jets have a few experienced players with playoff pedigree like Dustin Byfuglien and Paul Stastny, but for the majority of the stars on the roster, Thursday will be the biggest game of their careers. 

When it comes to a Game 7, experience is key, and that'll push the Predators into the Western Conference Final. 

Tampa Bay over Washington

The postseason paths of the Capitals and Lightning couldn't be more different. 

Tampa Bay dominated the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins by winning each series 4-1, making it the team with the freshest legs in the conference final. 

Success on the road has been key for Jon Cooper's team, and it has a well-rounded offense featuring Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos. 

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

At times during the second-round series win over the Bruins, the Lightning were able to silence the top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. 

Tampa Bay should put the same emphasis on stopping Washington's top line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alexander Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. 

If the Lightning are able to stop the Ovechkin line from making an impact in Friday's Game 1, they'll set themselves up for what could be another short series. 

With Wilson back from his three-game suspension, the Capitals should receive a boost on each end of the ice. 

Wilson is second on the team in playoff plus-minus at plus-seven, while Brooks Orpik leads the team at plus-nine. 

Although the Capitals get Wilson back for Game 1, Nicklas Backstrom's status is up in the air for Game 1, as he is day-to-day, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: 

If Backstrom, who has three goals and 10 assists in the postseason, is unable to go, it's a massive blow for the Capitals and they'll be forced to rearrange their assets in order to find the perfect line matchup against Tampa Bay. 

With Backstrom not at 100 percent, the Lightning could be poised to take advantage of that and get out to an early series lead. 

The ultimate difference-maker for Tampa Bay could be its away form, as it had the best regular-season road record in the East at 25-13-3 and won three of its four postseason contests at New Jersey and at Boston. 

Vegas over Nashville 

After cruising through the first round with a strong defensive performance, Vegas came to life offensively in the second round to continue its improbable run as an expansion team. 

Just because the Golden Knights are in the Western Conference Final doesn't mean they're done stunning most outside observers. 

Much like Tampa Bay, Vegas proved over the course of the regular season it's capable of producing road results, and it showed once again versus the Sharks in the second round. 

William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault have been the offensive catalysts for the Golden Knights, as they were the top two scorers in the regular season and each have more than 10 points in the playoffs. 

Steve Marcus/Associated Press

As long as Vegas continues to receive contributions from players like Alex Tuch, who emerged with key goals against San Jose, it should have enough to test the Predators. 

Vegas is also in possession of the most experienced goalie left in the playoffs in Marc-Andre Fleury. Although he conceded 14 goals to San Jose, Fleury still has a 1.53 goals-against average and .951 save percentage in the postseason. 

Nashville is going to be a worthy foe for the Golden Knights since it was the Western Conference representative in the Stanley Cup Final a year ago. 

The Predators should enter the West final with a full steam of momentum following a Game 7 win at home, where they'll play the first two games against Vegas. 

However, the series will turn when it reaches Las Vegas, as the Golden Knights win Games 3 and 4 and steal Game 5 in Nashville to set up a clinching opportunity in Game 6.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.