Hockeywiztalks Hockey Blog

Here is the schedule for the conference finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The winner of each best-of-7 series will advance to the Stanley Cup Final. In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes, the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division, will play the Florida Panthers, the second wild card. In the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights, the No. 1 seed from the Pacific Division, will face the Dallas Stars, the No. 2 seed from the Central. All times listed are ET and subject to change. Eastern Conference Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. Florida Panthers (WC2) GM 1: Thu., May 18: Panthers at Hurricanes, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS GM 2: Sat., May 20: Panthers at Hurricanes, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS GM 3: Mon., May 22: Hurricanes at Panthers, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS GM 4: Wed., May 24: Hurricanes at Panthers, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS GM 5: *Fri., May 26: Panthers at Hurricanes, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS GM 6: *Sun., May 28: Hurricanes at Panthers, 8 p.m.; TNT, SN,...

The Western Conference Playoffs picture has changed since my podcast was earlier released on Friday. Here are the updated Western Conference Matchups: Colorado Avalanche vs Nashville Predators Key Players: COL: N.MacKinnon, M.Rantanen, G.Landeskog, N.Kadri, A.Burakovsky, A.Lehkonen, V.Nichushkin, C.Makar, D.Toews, S.Girard, J.Manson NSH: F.Forsberg, M.Duchene, R.Johansen, M.Granlund, L.Kunin, C.Sissons, T.Trenin, R.Josi, M.Ekholm, D.Fabbro, A.Carrier X-Factors: COL-A.Newhook, NSH-P.Tomasino Goalie Matchup: D.Kuemper vs D.Rittich The Colorado Avalanche faced the Nashville Predators 4 times in the regular season, but they only managed to win 1 game against the Predators. It's a good thing that Colorado has home-ice advantage because the Avs have allowed an average of 5 goals against on the road in the season series with Nashville. Colorado faced Nashville 6 times in the playoffs, but they have lost 4 times to them in the postseason. Even though Colorado is going to be heavily fav...

 The Dallas Stars are sitting just outside the final playoff spot in the Western Conference but I think it would be better for them to be sellers at the deadline, so they can rebuild and retool their team a bit. This is why the Dallas Stars should be Sellers and what they should do at the NHL trade deadline. Trades Dallas Stars trade Joe Pavelski, Jani Hakanpaa to the New York Rangers for Filip Chytil, Nils Lundkvist, 2022 1st round pick. Pavelski would add a veteran goal scorer with plenty of playoff experience to a team that is still pretty young; On the Dallas side of the trade, they would get Filip Chytil and Nils Lundkvist, two talented young players and a 1st round pick. Dallas Stars also trade Alex Radulov to the Boston Bruins for Craig Smith, 2022 2nd round pick. If the Bruins make the 2nd round of the playoffs, the 2nd round pick becomes a 1st round pick. Dallas will also retain $1.5 million of Radulov's contract as part of the deal. The Stars sway Radulov for Craig Smith ...

 The Dallas Stars are an aging team, and with the injuries to Seguin and Bishop, the Stars should consider rebuilding. The Stars would benefit in the long run if they were to move some of the older veteran players for some picks and prospects. At the trade deadline, the Dallas Stars make a few trades: Dallas Stars trade Ben Bishop to the St.Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou, and a 2022 2nd round pick.  Ben Bishop is a great goalie when healthy but with Khudobin and Oettinger on board, the Stars no longer need Bishop. The Stars also trade Alex Radulov to the Detroit Red Wings for Vladislav Namestnikov, 2021 2nd round pick (from NYR), and a 2nd round pick (from EDM). The Red Wings acquire a marquee player to bolster their lineup for Vladislav Namestnikov and two 2nd round picks. The Dallas Stars finish the 2020-21 season with the 12th worst record in the league but end up with the 3rd pick in the draft. Before the 2021 draft, the Dallas Stars make one major trade: Dallas Stars trade ...

 The Dallas Stars had a really good playoff run last season and made it to the Stanley cup finals without Jamie Benn or Tyler Seguin doing that much. If the Stars want to remain a playoff team, they might have trade one of the two because it is clear that they aren't as effective as a duo anymore. Jamie Benn is the Captain of the Dallas Stars and still has plenty of value even if he isn't scoring; Tyler Seguin on the other hand is purely a goal scorer and doesn't do much anything else, so it would make sense to trade Tyler Seguin. Dallas Stars trade Tyler Seguin to the Carolina Hurricanes for Vincent Trocheck, Martin Necas, Nino Niederreiter, 1st round pick 2021. The Hurricanes get Tyler Seguin, a very good scorer, while the Stars get Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter, two top 6 forwards along with Martin Necas, a talented young forward and a 1st round pick. Dallas also trades Alex Radulov to the New Jersey Devils for Pavel Zacha, Jesper Boqvist, 2nd rd pick 2021.  The...