As tremendous NHL first round ends, who’s up for playoff seconds?

The first round of the NHL playoffs was full of ‘you-don’t- see-that-every-day’ drama.

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Published May 02, 2026  •  Last updated 26 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel. Photo by Melissa Majchrzak /The Associated Press

It is said that the safest prediction we can make about the future is that it will surprise us.

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Another highly entertaining first round of NHL playoffs is almost done, chock full of ‘you-don’t- see-that-every-day’ drama.

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The Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers, after a collective 25 years out of the tournament, all advanced.

Goaltending has been dominated by those considered past their prime or not ready for prime time: Frederik Andersen (.955 save percentage for Carolina), Dan Vladar (two shutouts for the Flyers) and the Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt (who outlasted Dallas’s Jake Oettinger). Add Carter Hart (Vegas), Lukas Dostal (Anaheim), Alex Lyon (Buffalo) and Jakub Dobes (Montreal), with Dobes in a Game 7 Sunday versus Andrei Vasilevskiy of Tampa Bay to cap the opening round.

Mitch Marner, perhaps the most scrutinized first round forward after one goal in 26 between Games 5 to 7 of every Toronto series, scored twice Friday when his Golden Knights eliminated Utah.

A preview of the three series already determined for Round Two, with Philadelphia-Carolina getting underway Saturday night:

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (defeated Utah in six games) VS. ANAHEIM DUCKS (def. Edmonton in six)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: While Marner was rather quiet up to Game 6, Jack Eichel led the playoffs with eight assists before Saturday. Centre Leo Carlsson had eight points, one of many Ducks to shine in his first NHL playoff, but Anaheim defenceman Jackson LaCombe is the biggest shocker to appear near the top of the post-season points leaderboard with nine so far.

FIRST GLANCE: Vegas opens at home, a challenging set for the Ducks. The Oilers were partly their own worst enemy and Connor McDavid played hurt at the end, but the Knights are all in, hitting stride after falling behind Utah 2-1. Both coaches made huge impacts with their new teams, Joel Quenneville making believers out of the Ducks from Day One — “we’ve got a taste of playoffs now” — and John Tortorella’s late-season hiring by the Golden Knights providing the desired effect.

SEASON SERIES: Anaheim won all three meetings, but the most recent one was on Feb. 1, when Bruce Cassidy was still the Vegas coach. All three games ended in a 4-3 score, two in overtime.

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PLAYOFF HISTORY: Anaheim hasn’t been to the playoffs since the Knights were created.

DID YOU KNOW? Quenneville, Tortorella and Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff are all in the top 25 of playoff coaching victories.

PREDICTION: Ducks in 6

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Photo by Harry How /Getty Images

MINNESOTA WILD (def. Dallas in six) VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE (def. Los Angeles in four)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Before their extended vacation after sweeping the Kings, Colorado nicely distributed its scoring, Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog all with four points. Their other forwards, such as Nazem Kadri, Brock Nelson and Nicolas Roy, will be a pain for the Wild. Matt Boldy of Minnesota leads all West playoff scorers with six goals, but the marquee match-up is the battle of mobile defencemen, Cale Makar versus the Wild’s Quinn Hughes.

FIRST GLANCE: The Central Division was the NHL’s Group of Death through the calendar, but the Avs had a week off and open at home. Wallstedt did well to contain the shooting Stars, but if the Avs get their power play going (a pedestrian 9.2 per cent against the Kings) his burden grows. The Wild can play lockdown hockey, too, giving up just four third-period goals to date.

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SEASON SERIES: Split 2-2, each team winning a 3-2 decision.

PLAYOFF HISTORY: They have met three times, but not since 2014 when Minnesota won in seven to take a 2-1 overall lead.

DID YOU KNOW? Wild centre Joel Eriksson Ek was not on for a 5-on-5 goal against in the Dallas series.

PREDICTION: Avs in six.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia Network

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (def. Pittsburgh in six) VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES (def. Ottawa in four).

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Canes’ sweep was harder than it looked because Andersen had to make 105 saves and Carolina was clobbered on faceoffs throughout. While been bolstered by Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven the past two playoffs, their many incumbents embrace head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s brand of two-way hockey. These are the new age Flyers with Vladar, play-for-keeps rookie Porter Martone, and scoring balance.

FIRST GLANCE: Carolina’s playoff savvy saw it through the rough-‘n’-tumble Sens, but Philly-Pittsburgh was no picnic. The Flyers will be knocking on Andersen’s door and while they have good penalty-killing, Carolina leads all surviving teams there with a 95.2 per cent rating.

SEASON SERIES: All games were tight, three going to overtime, the Canes winning 3-0-1. Their most recent meeting was April 13.

PLAYOFF HISTORY: First meeting.

DID YOU KNOW? Brind’Amour played in Philadelphia for nine years, four where he didn’t miss a regular season game, and made 56 playoff appearances.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes in five.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon. Photo by Joe Hrycych /Getty Images

BUFFALO SABRES (def. Boston in six) VS. winner of Montreal-Tampa Bay (Game 7 on Sunday, 6 p.m. ET)

We will have to wait until the end of Game 7 in Tampa — probably another overtime game — before setting up this series.

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