While that means we won’t get to see stars like Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Connor Hellebuyck anymore, most of the game’s biggest stars are right where they should be on the biggest stage.

Some of the second-round series have already gotten underway with the New York Rangers taking a 1-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes, but most other series start tonight. Here’s the updated NHL playoff schedule, as well as predictions from around the internet.

NHL Playoffs: Dallas Stars knock out defending champion Vegas Golden Knights with Game 7 win

Opening Round Results

Eastern Conference:

• No. 1 Florida Panthers over WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1)
• No. 2 Boston Bruins over No. 3 Toronto Maple Leafs (4-3)
• No. 1 New York Rangers over WC2 Washington Capitals (4-0)
• No. 2 Carolina Hurricanes over No. 3 New York Islanders (4-1)

Western Conference:

• No. 1 Dallas Stars over WC2 Vegas Golden Knights (4-3)
• No. 3 Colorado Avalanche over No. 2 Winnipeg Jets (4-1)
• No. 1 Vancouver Canucks over WC1 Nashville Predators (4-2)
• No. 2 Edmonton Oilers over No. 3 Los Angeles Kings (4-1)

Second Round schedule

*All times Eastern

Eastern Conference

New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes:

Rangers lead series 1-0

Game 1: Rangers 4 – Hurricanes 3

Game 2: Tuesday, Hurricanes at Rangers, 7 p.m. – ESPN

Game 3: Thursday, Rangers at Hurricanes, 7 p.m. – TNT, truTV

Game 4: Saturday, Rangers at Hurricanes, TBD – TNT, truTV

Game 5 (if necessary): May 13, Hurricanes at Rangers, TBD

Game 6 (if necessary): May 16, Rangers at Hurricanes, TBD

Game 7 (if necessary): May 18, Hurricanes at Rangers, TBD

Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins:

Game 1: Monday, Bruins at Panthers, 8 p.m. – ESPN

Game 2: Wednesday, Bruins at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. – ESPN

Game 3: Friday, Panthers at Bruins, 7 p.m. – TNT, truTV

Game 4: May 12, Panthers at Bruins, TBD – TBS, truTV

Game 5 (if necessary): May 14, Bruins at Panthers, TBD

Game 6 (if necessary): May 17, Panthers at Bruins, TBD

Game 7 (if necessary): May 19, Bruins at Panthers, TBD

Western Conference

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche:

Game 1: Tuesday, Avalanche at Stars, 9:30 p.m. – ESPN

Game 2: Thursday, Avalanche at Stars, 9:30 p.m. – TNT, truTV

Game 3: Saturday, Stars at Avalanche, TBD – TNT, truTV

Game 4: May 13, Stars at Avalanche, TBD – ESPN

Game 5 (if necessary): May 15, Avalanche at Stars, TBD

Game 6 (if necessary): May 17, Stars at Avalanche, TBD

Game 7 (if necessary): May 19, Avalanche at Stars, TBD

Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers:

Game 1: Wednesday, Oilers at Canucks, 10 p.m. – ESPN

Game 2: Friday, Oilers at Canucks, 10 p.m. – TNT, truTV

Game 3: Sunday, Canucks at Oilers, TBD – TBS, truTV

Game 4: May 14, Canucks at Oilers, TBD – ESPN

Game 5 (if necessary): May 16, Oilers at Canucks, TBD

Game 6 (if necessary): May 18, Canucks at Oilers, TBD

Game 7 (if necessary): May 20, Oilers at Canucks, TBD

NHL Second-Round Playoff Predictions:

Mike Brehm and Jace Evans, USA Today: Hurricanes, Panthers, Avalanche, Oilers

Both Brehm and Evans agree on all four conference semifinal matchups. They also agree that not a single series will go to seven games. It seems that the closest one will be the Rangers-Hurricanes though. Brehm writes, ” The teams are very evenly matched, but the Hurricanes brought in playoff performers Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the deadline to help a team that rolls four lines effectively. They could be the difference-makers in this series.”

Lyle Fitzsimmons, Bleacher Report: Hurricanes, Panthers, Oilers, Stars

Every expert for Bleacher Report in their predictions believe the Stars will take out the Avalanche in six games. Fitzsimmons writes, “No fewer than 10 players scored at least a goal for Dallas against Vegas, including seven combined from youngsters Wyatt Johnston (20) and Jason Robertson (24). Advancing will largely be up to them and their fellow 20-something on the other end, Jake Oettinger (25), who stopped 92.5 percent of the shots against him for his third career series win.”

Clearly, Fitzsimmons believes that Dallas’ youth and depth will propel them to the Western Conference Finals.

Nicholas Cotsonika, NHL.com: Hurricanes, Panthers, Oilers, Stars

Cotsonika stands out among NHL.com’s columnists as he was one of only three people to go 7-1 on series picks in the first round. In Round 2, Cotsonika has the Hurricanes, Panthers, Oilers, and Stars all advancing.

2024 NHL Championship Odds:

With just eight teams remaining in the NHL Playoffs, here are each team’s odds of winning the 2024 Stanley Cup. Odds via BetMGM.

• Edmonton Oilers (+450)
• Florida Panthers (+450)
• Carolina Hurricanes (+550)
• Dallas Stars (+550)
• New York Rangers (+550)
• Colorado Avalanche (+600)
• Boston Bruins (+900)
• Vancouver Canucks (+1600)

NHL Playoffs: Picks and predictions for every second round series

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff picture: Bracket results, schedule, and predictions

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