The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are ready to start. Here’s a 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Primer exclusively at Inside The Rink.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
The Eastern Conference is the easier of the two conferences in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. It will still be as hard-hitting as the Western Conference, but not every single team in the East is as much of a wagon as the eight in the West.
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 1: Lightning at Panthers: Sunday, April 21, 11:30 am CST.
Game 2: Lightning at Panthers: Tuesday, April 23, 6:30 pm CST.
Game 3: Panthers at Lightning: Thursday, April 25, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 4: Panthers at Lightning: Saturday, April 27, 4:00 pm CST.
Game 5*: Lightning at Panthers: TBD
Game 6*: Panthers at Lightning: TBD
Game 7*: Lightning at Panthers: TBD
Florida Panthers
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 52 wins – 24 losses – 6 overtime losses, 110 points.
Division Finish: 1st Atlantic.
Highest Scoring Player: Sam Reinhart, 94 points (57G, 37A)
Wildcard Players: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Kyle Okposo and Carter Verhaeghe.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Sergei Bobrovsky
Tampa Bay Lightning
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 45 wins – 29 losses – 8 overtime losses, 98 points.
Division Finish: 4th Atlantic, 1st wildcard.
Highest Scoring Player: Nikita Kucherov, 144 points (44G, 100A)
Wildcard Players: Brandon Hagel, Anthony Duclair and Matt Dumba.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 1: Maple Leafs at Bruins: Saturday, April 20, 7:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Maple Leafs at Bruins: Monday, April 22, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 3: Bruins at Maple Leafs: Wednesday, April 24, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 4: Bruins at Maple Leafs: Saturday, April 27, 7:00 pm CST.
Game 5*: Maple Leafs at Bruins: TBD
Game 6*: Bruins at Maple Leafs: TBD
Game 7*: Maple Leafs at Bruins: TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 46 wins – 26 losses – 10 overtime losses, 102 points.
Division Finish: 3rd Atlantic.
Highest Scoring Player: Auston Matthews, 107 points (69G, 38A)
Wildcard Players: Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves, Nick Robertson and Simon Benoit.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Ilya Samsonov
Boston Bruins
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 47 wins – 20 losses – 15 overtime losses, 109 points.
Division Finish: 2nd Atlantic.
Highest Scoring Player: David Pastrnak, 110 points (47G, 63A)
Wildcard Players: Morgan Geekie, Pat Maroon and Andrew Peeke.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark
New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals
Game 1: Capitals at Rangers: Sunday, April 21, 2:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Capitals at Rangers: Tuesday, April 23, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 3: Rangers at Capitals: Friday, April 26, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 4: Rangers at Capitals: Sunday, April 28, 7:00 pm CST.
Game 5*: Capitals at Rangers: TBD
Game 6*: Rangers at Capitals: TBD
Game 7*: Capitals at Rangers: TBD
New York Rangers
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 55 wins – 23 losses – 4 overtime losses, 114 points.
Division Finish: Presidents Trophy, 1st Metropolitan.
Highest Scoring Player: Artemi Panarin, 120 points (49G, 71A)
Wildcard Players: Erik Gustafsson, Barclay Goodrow and Matt Rempe.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin
Washington Capitals
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 40 wins – 31 losses – 11 overtime losses, 91 points.
Division Finish: 4th Metropolitan, 2nd Wildcard.
Highest Scoring Player: Dylan Strome, 67 points (27G, 40A)
Wildcard Players: Max Pacioretty, Hendrix Lapierre and Sonny Milano.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Charlie Lindgren
Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders
Game 1: Islanders at Hurricanes: Saturday, April 20, 4:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Islanders at Hurricanes: Monday, April 22, 6:30 pm CST.
Game 3: Hurricanes at Islanders: Thursday, April 25, 6:30 pm CST.
Game 4: Hurricanes at Islanders: Saturday, April 27, 1:00 pm CST.
Game 5*: Islanders at Hurricanes: TBD
Game 6*: Hurricanes at Islanders: TBD
Game 7*: Islanders at Hurricanes: TBD
Carolina Hurricanes
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 52 wins – 23 losses – 7 overtime losses, 111 points.
Division Finish: 2nd Metropolitan.
Highest Scoring Player: Sebastian Aho, 89 points (36G, 53A)
Wildcard Players: Evgeny Kuznetsov, Martin Necas and Tony DeAngelo.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen
New York Islanders
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 39 wins – 27 losses – 16 overtime losses, 94 points.
Division Finish: 3rd Metropolitan.
Highest Scoring Player: Matthew Barzal, 80 points (23G, 57A)
Wildcard Players: Alexander Romanov, Kyle Palmieri and Pierre Engvall.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Ilya Sorokin
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights
Game 1: Golden Knights at Stars: Monday, April 22, 8:30 pm CST.
Game 2: Golden Knights at Stars: Wednesday, April 24, 8:30 pm CST.
Game 3: Stars at Golden Knights: Saturday, April 27, 9:30 pm CST.
Game 4: Stars at Golden Knights: Monday, April 29, 9:30 pm CST.
Game 5*: Golden Knights at Stars: TBD
Game 6*: Stars at Golden Knights: TBD
Game 7*: Golden Knights at Stars: TBD
Dallas Stars
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 52 wins – 21 losses – 9 overtime losses, 113 points.
Division Finish: 1st Central.
Highest Scoring Player: Jason Robertson, 80 points (29G, 51A)
Wildcard Players: Jamie Benn, Chris Tanev and Matt Duchene.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Jake Oettinger
Vegas Golden Knights
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 45 wins – 29 losses – 8 overtime losses, 98 points.
Division Finish: 4th Pacific, 2nd Wildcard.
Highest Scoring Player: Jonathan Marchessault, 69 points (42G, 27A)
Wildcard Players: Adin Hill, Anthony Mantha and Mark Stone.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Adin Hill
Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche
Game 1: Avalanche at Jets: Sunday, April 21, 6:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Avalanche at Jets: Tuesday, April 23, 8:30 pm CST.
Game 3: Jets at Avalanche: Friday, April 26, 9:00 pm CST.
Game 4: Jets at Avalanche: Sunday, April 28, 1:30 pm CST.
Game 5*: Avalanche at Jets: TBD
Game 6*: Jets at Avalanche: TBD
Game 7*: Avalanche at Jets: TBD
Winnipeg Jets
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 52 wins – 24 losses – 6 overtime losses, 110 points.
Division Finish: 2nd Central.
Highest Scoring Player: Mark Scheifele, 72 points (25G, 47A)
Wildcard Players: Cole Perfetti, Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stanley.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Connor Hellebuyck
Colorado Avalanche
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 50 wins – 25 losses – 7 overtime losses, 107 points.
Division Finish: 3rd Central.
Highest Scoring Player: Nathan Mackinnon, 140 points (51G, 89A)
Wildcard Players: Casey Mittelstadt, Andrew Cogliano and Miles Wood.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Alexandar Georgiev
Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators
Game 1: Predators at Canucks: Sunday, April 21, 9:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Predators at Canucks: Tuesday, April 23, 9:00 pm CST.
Game 3: Canucks at Predators: Friday, April 26, 6:30 pm CST.
Game 4: Canucks at Predators: Sunday, April 28, 4:00 pm CST.
Game 5*: Predators at Canucks: TBD
Game 6*: Canucks at Predators: TBD
Game 7*: Predators at Canucks: TBD
Vancouver Canucks
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 50 wins – 23 losses – 9 overtime losses, 109 points.
Division Finish: 1st Pacific.
Highest Scoring Player: J.T. Miller, 103 points (37G, 66A)
Wildcard Players: Conor Garland, Elias Lindholm and Sam Lafferty.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Thatcher Demko
Nashville Predators
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 47 wins – 30 losses – 5 overtime losses, 99 points.
Division Finish: 4th Central, 1st Wildcard.
Highest Scoring Player: Filip Forsberg, 94 points (48G, 46A)
Wildcard Players: Tommy Novak, Alex Carrier and Colton Sissons.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Juuse Saros
Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings
Game 1: Kings at Oilers: Monday, April 22, 9:00 pm CST.
Game 2: Kings at Oilers: Wednesday, April 24, 9:00 pm CST.
Game 3: Oilers at Kings: Friday, April 26, 9:30 pm CST.
Game 4: Oilers at Kings: Sunday, April 28, 9:30 pm CST.
Game 5*: Kings at Oilers: TBD
Game 6*: Oilers at Kings: TBD
Game 7*: Kings at Oilers: TBD
Edmonton Oilers
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 49 wins – 27 losses – 6 overtime losses, 104 points.
Division Finish: 2nd Pacific.
Highest Scoring Player: Connor McDavid, 132 points (32G, 100A)
Wildcard Players: Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, and Stuart Skinner.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Stuart Skinner
Los Angeles Kings
2023-24 NHL Season Record: 44 wins – 27 losses – 11 overtime losses, 99 points.
Division Finish: 3rd Pacific.
Highest Scoring Player: Adrian Kempe, 75 points (28G, 47A)
Wildcard Players: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Trevor Lewis and Arthur Kaliyev.
Projected Starting Goaltender: Cam Talbot
