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2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Starting to Take Shape As Teams Qualify

By Richard Jelinek

New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Stanley Cup (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Stanley Cup (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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With little over a week until the 2022/23 NHL season is complete, the Stanley Cup playoffs are starting to take shape. Match ups and wild cards are still to be determined but things are coming along nicely as the seeding of the teams are becoming official.

The Stanley Cup playoffs picture becoming clearer as season winds down

For the Eastern Conference, teams that are currently in the NHL playoffs include the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs , and the Tampa Bay Lightning.  In the hunt for the Western Conference wild cards are the Florida Panthers (87 points), New York Islanders (87 points), and the Pittsburgh Penguins (86 points).

In the Western conference, the team currently in the NHL playoffs include  the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild. The teams in the wild card hunt include the Seattle Kraken (94 points), Winnipeg Jets (89 points), and the Calgary Flames (87 points).

The President’s Trophy has been claimed by the Boston Bruins, who have a record of 60-12-5 for 125 points. For the record, the President’s Trophy has been awarded 36 times, yet only eight of them have won the Stanley Cup. The 2022/23 NHL season concludes on April 13, 2023 with a slew of games and 30 of the 32 teams in action. Although the playoff dates have not yet been set, the will began shortly after the regular season ends.

There are still many battles to be won to occupy those remaining spots for the playoffs. The last week of the regular season will be a dog fight as teams look to either clinch a spot or to move up in the standings. The Eastern Conference is loaded with superstar filled teams that will likely take a beating on the way to the Stanley Cup finals. The Western Conference is a lot like the Eastern Conference, yet lacks the true superstar and eye appeal. Will the Toronto Maple Leafs make it to the second round this year? Will the Seattle Kraken shock everyone and make it to the Stanley Cup finals? Lots of fun scenarios to think about as we head to the most grueling part of the 2022/23 NHL schedule, the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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