NHL Playoffs 2019: Stanley Cup Bracket, Schedule and Predictions

For hockey fans, this is the best time of the year. The NHL playoffs begin Wednesday, and for the next roughly seven weeks, the league's best teams will battle it out to try to win the Stanley Cup.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to continue their strong season after winning the Presidents' Trophy for finishing with the most regular-season points, while the Washington Capitals are looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

Plus, there are other strong teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences that could compete for the Stanley Cup this year. So, there are sure to be some thrilling matchups on the way.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket

First-Round Schedule (All Times ET)

*If necessary

Games can be live-streamed on NBC Sports Live

Wednesday, April 10

Game 1: Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., USA Network

Game 1: Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 1: St. Louis at Winnipeg, 8 p.m., NHL Network

Game 1: Dallas at Nashville, 9:30 p.m., USA Network

Game 1: Vegas at San Jose, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Thursday, April 11

Game 1: Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 1: Carolina at Washington, 7:30 p.m., USA Network

Game 1: Colorado at Calgary, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Friday, April 12

Game 2: Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., CNBC

Game 2: Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 2: St. Louis at Winnipeg, 9:30 p.m., CNBC

Game 2: Vegas at San Jose, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Saturday, April 13

Game 2: Carolina at Washington, 3 p.m., NBC

Game 2: Dallas at Nashville, 6 p.m., CNBC

Game 2: Toronto at Boston, 8 p.m., NBC

Game 2: Colorado at Calgary, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Sunday, April 14

Game 3: N.Y. Islanders at Pittsburgh, 12 p.m., NBC

Game 3: Tampa Bay at Columbus, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 3: Winnipeg at St. Louis, 7:30 p.m., CNBC

Game 3: San Jose at Vegas, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Monday, April 15

Game 3: Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 3: Washington at Carolina, 7 p.m., CNBC

Game 3: Nashville at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 3: Calgary at Colorado, 10 p.m., CNBC

Tuesday, April 16

Game 4: Tampa Bay at Columbus, 7 p.m., CNBC

Game 4: N.Y. Islanders at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 4: Winnipeg at St. Louis, 9:30 p.m., CNBC

Game 4: San Jose at Vegas, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Wednesday, April 17

Game 4: Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 4: Nashville at Dallas, 8 p.m., USA Network

Game 4: Calgary at Colorado, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Thursday, April 18

Game 4: Washington at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Game 5: Vegas at San Jose, TBD*

Game 5: St. Louis at Winnipeg, TBD*

Game 5: Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, TBD*

Friday, April 19

Game 5: Columbus at Tampa Bay, TBD*

Game 5: Toronto at Boston, TBD*

Game 5: Colorado at Calgary, TBD*

Saturday, April 20

Game 5: Carolina at Washington, TBD*

Game 5: Dallas at Nashville, TBD*

Game 6: Winnipeg at St. Louis, TBD*

Game 6: N.Y. Islanders at Pittsburgh, TBD*

Sunday, April 21

Game 6: Tampa Bay at Columbus, TBD*

Game 6: Boston at Toronto, TBD*

Game 6: San Jose at Vegas, TBD*

Game 6: Calgary at Colorado, TBD*

Monday, April 22

Game 6: Washington at Carolina, TBD*

Game 6: Nashville at Dallas, TBD*

Game 7: St. Louis at Winnipeg, TBD*

Game 7: Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, TBD*

Tuesday, April 23

Game 7: Columbus at Tampa Bay, TBD*

Game 7: Toronto at Boston, TBD*

Game 7: Vegas at San Jose, TBD*

Game 7: Colorado at Calgary, TBD*

Wednesday, April 24

Game 7: Carolina at Washington, TBD*

Game 7: Dallas at Nashville, TBD*

First-Round Predictions

Eastern Conference

Tampa Bay over Columbus in four games

Boston over Toronto in six games

Washington over Carolina in five games

Pittsburgh over N.Y. Islanders in seven games

Western Conference

Calgary over Colorado in five games

San Jose over Vegas in seven games

Nashville over Dallas in six games

Winnipeg over St. Louis in seven games

First-Round Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in the NHL, and they're going to roll through the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the playoffs. However, there will be some competitive series in the opening round of the postseason.

In the Eastern Conference, one series to watch is New York-Pittsburgh. The Islanders and Penguins split their regular-season series, 2-1-1, and while New York finished with more points, Pittsburgh has had more recent playoff success.

Since 1993, the Islanders have won only one playoff series—a first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers in 2016. However, New York's coach is now Barry Trotz, who led the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup last year.

But Trotz has struggled against the Penguins in past postseasons, losing to the Mike Sullivan-led squad in both 2016 and 2017, as Pittsburgh went on to win the Stanley Cup both years.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Islanders and Penguins will go to seven games, but the veteran leadership of Pittsburgh, anchored by Sidney Crosby, will push it into the next round.

Two Western Conference series that could potentially go to seven games are San Jose-Vegas and Winnipeg-St. Louis.

After reaching the Stanley Cup finals in their first season, the Golden Knights are back in the playoffs again this year, but they face a difficult first-round matchup against the Sharks.

Veteran Joe Thornton is back after missing last year's playoffs, and San Jose isn't going to lose in the first round in what could potentially be Thornton's last chance to win his first Stanley Cup.

The Jets and Blues each had 99 points in the regular season, and they played some close matchups early in the campaign. However, Winnipeg won three of its four games against St. Louis, and it will get the upper hand again in a competitive first-round series.