We saw it coming from miles away, but now that it's here, let's take a moment to appreciate the potential greatness of the second-round series between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.

The Western Conference juggernauts were the league's top two teams at the end of the regular season, and battled tooth and nail for the Central Division crown (the Predators ultimately prevailed by a three-point margin). It's a shame this clash of titans couldn't come one round later, but the Preds and Jets each have what it takes to win the Stanley Cup.

Here's why this will be the playoffs' best series:

The rosters

Looking at the weapons and balance at all positions on both rosters, it's easy to see why the Predators and Jets finished where they did.

Each team employs a Vezina Trophy finalist in goal. It's nearly impossible to determine who has the edge between Pekka Rinne and Connor Hellebuyck, but the Jets' netminder had the better start to the postseason, recording a .924 save percentage in five games versus the Minnesota Wild.

On the blue line, the Predators are widely considered to have the deepest defensive corps in the league thanks to the vaunted foursome of P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis. But the Jets are no slouches in this department either, surrendering just 25.2 shots per game in the first round.

Up front, both sides consistently roll four lines that all boast scoring threats. The Predators had six 50-point scorers - although two came from the back end - this season, while the Jets' offense had four players reach at least 60 points.

The matchups

The emphasis on matchups in the playoffs is one of the most common talking points, and it's the primary focus for each coaching staff. While it will be much more stressful for Peter Laviolette and Paul Maurice to find ways to exploit and take advantage of their opponents, from a fan's perspective, watching the Josi-Ellis pairing try to shut down Patrik Laine's group, or Subban taking a tall order of Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler for four-to-seven games, should provide excellent entertainment value.

In addition to keeping an eye on the personnel chess match, it'll be interesting to monitor which side can make the right adjustments to win the series. What makes the Predators and Jets so difficult to contain is their ability to beat opponents multiple ways. Each roster has a terrific blend of size, speed, skill, and game-changing special teams, so the margin for error is going to be razor thin as they look to expose their counterparts.

The budding rivalry

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Predators-Jets series is that it could be the beginning of a rivalry. The NHL isn't interested in changing the playoff format, so these two could meet in the postseason for years to come - a la the Penguins and Capitals, who are set to renew hostilities for the third consecutive season on the Eastern side of the bracket.

The Predators and Jets didn't get here by chance. Both teams have assembled young, cost-efficient rosters that have almost all the key contributors locked in long-term. The Preds earned contender status with a Cup run last season and followed up this year by claiming the Presidents' Trophy. The Jets, meanwhile, have developed a championship-worthy roster that's only in its first year of contention. The Cup window for both teams is more open than it is closed.

They say true rivalries aren't formed until a playoff series is had, but in terms of this year's regular-season matchups, the Predators came away with the advantage, winning three of five contests. If those games serve as an indicator of what's to come, the hockey world is in for a treat, as two games were decided by one goal, while four had eight or more goals combined.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Montreal Canadiens signed free-agent centerman Alexandre Alain to a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday, the team announced.

Alain is a 21-year-old undrafted forward and captain of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in his fifth season in the QMJHL. He finished the 2017-18 regular season as the third-highest scoring player, finishing with 44 goals and 43 assists in 65 games.

The Quebec City native is also currently tied for the team lead in postseason scoring with 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 11 contests.

Montreal's 2017-18 campaign did not exactly go to plan for general manager Marc Bergevin and Co., so it should continue to be an active offseason for the Canadiens' front office.

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The dates and start times for the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs were announced Tuesday.

Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Pittsburgh Penguins series is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, while Game 1 of the San Jose Sharks-Vegas Golden Knights series gets going later that evening at 10 p.m. ET.

The showdown of Western Conference juggernauts between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday from The Music City.

As for the second Eastern Conference series, the Tampa Bay Lightning await the winner of Wednesday's Game 7 matchup between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. If Boston advances, Game 1 between the Bruins and Lightning will start Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. If the Leafs move on, the game will start at 8 p.m. ET instead.

The complete second-round schedule will be announced when available. All times are subject to change, per the NHL.

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New Jersey Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen confirmed Tuesday that he suffered a concussion on the hit from Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov in Game 4, according to Devils beat reporter Amanda Stein.

Kucherov delivered the devastating blow late in the first period. The hit went unpunished and sidelined Vatanen for the remainder of the game and the decisive Game 5, in which the Lightning won the series.

In his three playoff games prior to the injury, Vatanen had scored one goal and averaged over 23 minutes.

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Thanks, but no thanks.

New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall has declined the opportunity to suit up for Team Canada at the World Championship, Devils reporter Amanda Stein announced Tuesday.

The invitation was extended after Hall and the Devils were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

Hall has previously suited up for three world championships, with his most recent appearance coming in 2016.

The 2018 World Championship begins in Denmark on May 4.

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Jeff Vinik likes multi-overtime games, especially when they involve his next opponent.

The Tampa Bay Lightning owner, whose club is waiting for its second-round matching after knocking out the New Jersey Devils in Round 1, hopes whichever team the Lightning ultimately face won't have the easiest time getting there.

"I hope they go four overtimes and beat the crap out of each other," Vinik told Joe Smith of The Athletic when asked for his thoughts on the upcoming Game 7 between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Lightning wrapped up their first-round series in five games, meaning the team has had plenty of down time to rest and prepare for the next matchup. Clearly, neither the Bruins nor the Maple Leafs have enjoyed the same luxury.

The three clubs were separated by just eight points in the regular season.

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As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 16th edition focuses on the Los Angeles Kings.

The Good

Career years from Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Drew Doughty. Kopitar was the Kings’ leading scorer during the regular season and playoffs. His 92 points were 40 better than his total in the 2016-17 season, and a career high. His 22:05 average ice time was also a career high, and helped him earn yet another Selke Trophy nomination. Brown established personal bests in assists (33) and points (61), while Doughty topped off a 60-point career year by being named a Norris Trophy finalist for a fourth time.

Jonathan Quick's amazing season. Quick won his second Jennings Trophy by helping backstop the Kings to a 2.46 team goals-against average. Their penalty kill finished at an NHL-best 85 percent, thanks in large part to Quick. In the playoffs, he posted his best numbers since the Kings’ 2012 Stanley Cup-winning campaign, with a 1.55 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. He also set a franchise record by making 54 saves in Game 2's double-overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Daniel Brickley’s dynamic debut. Brickley made his NHL debut for the Kings on April 5, a week after signing a two-year entry-level contract. The defenseman recorded his first NHL point that night against the Minnesota Wild; it was a fitting milestone for Brickley, who had just finished his junior year at Minnesota State and also played for the U.S. at the world championships. He scored 10 goals and 35 points last season and finished with 20 goals and 77 points in 107 career games with the Mavericks.

The Bad

A lack of postseason offense. The Kings scored just three goals in their four-game sweep at the hands of the Golden Knights. Two of those goals came in one game; they were shut out in Games 1 and 4. And the Kings’ most important players didn’t show up. Brown had just one point in the series. Doughty missed Game 2 with a suspension, but it didn’t really matter - he, Jeff Carter, Adrian Kempe, Tyler Toffoli, and Tanner Pearson combined for zero points. Suffice to say it’s impossible to win any game, much less a playoff series, if you can’t score goals.

Missing Derek Forbort and Jake Muzzin. With Muzzin, third on the team with 34 assists, out with an upper-body injury for two games and Forbort out with a lower-body injury for the entirety of the Kings’ short playoff run, coach John Stevens was forced to lean on relatively inexperienced defensemen Oscar Fantenberg, Paul LaDue, and Kevin Gravel. Considering the Kings’ goal-scoring woes in their first-round series, they almost certainly would have fared better had Muzzin been available the entire time.

That dismal home record. The Kings had the second-fewest regular-season home wins of any playoff team with a 23-15-3 record. They lost both home playoff games too, sinking their postseason home record to 0-5 over the last two years.

The Questions

Does Doughty sign another extension in L.A.? Doughty’s eight-year, $56-million deal doesn’t expire until after next season, but he’s allowed to start discussing an extension with the Kings on July 1. Soon after the Kings were eliminated from the playoffs, Doughty made it clear he wants to stay and finish his career in L.A. General manager Rob Blake said negotiating an extension with Doughty is a top priority.

How do they improve? Offensive depth is a major concern for the Kings this offseason. To keep up in today’s NHL, they need scorers beyond Kopitar, Brown, and Carter; only five of their players notched 15 or more goals last season. Center Gabriel Vilardi, the Kings’ first-round pick in 2017, could make the jump next year, among other prospects in the system. Whatever they do, they need to get younger and faster.

Should they rebuild? The Kings were one of the oldest teams in the NHL last season. Their stars aren’t getting any younger, but it doesn’t make sense to tear it all down. Many NHL teams have rebuilt on the fly - keep the core players together, maybe add a couple pieces down the stretch, and make way for younger talent. The Kings would do well to get away from the heavy, Darryl Sutter hockey they played when they won the Cup in 2012 and 2014 and focus on what it takes to win now.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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In the weeks leading up to the 2018 NHL Draft, theScore NHL prospect writer Hannah Stuart breaks down 10 of the most notable draft-eligible players. The second edition focuses on Andrei Svechnikov.

Comparing Barrie Colts forward Andrei Svechnikov to Alex Ovechkin is easy; Svechnikov is a pure sniper who's seemingly able to score on any shot and often intimidates his opponents. But that comparison would be lazy, and the weight of it would do Svechnikov a disservice. The 18-year-old is his own player - not just an elite goal scorer, but someone who's also put work into improving his playmaking over the last year, and someone who will enter the NHL as a highly skilled and well-rounded forward.

After spending the previous season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, Svechnikov was selected first overall by the Colts in the CHL Import Draft. He sits atop NHL Central Scouting’s North American Rankings, and every independent scouting service that combines North American and international skaters has him second, behind only Rasmus Dahlin.

Year in review

Svechnikov's first season with the Colts did not get off to an ideal start. A broken hand in late October required surgery and kept him out until the beginning of December. His 44 regular-season games, however, were enough to lead all OHL rookies with 72 points, including 40 goals. He received the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year, and was named to the OHL All-Rookie first team.

He also recovered in time to join Team Russia for the world juniors. Russia’s coaching staff doesn’t typically give Under-18 players much ice time, so Svechnikov had less of an opportunity to impress than fellow prospects Brady Tkachuk and Filip Zadina, who played prominent roles on their respective teams and saw their draft stocks rise because of it. That being said, Svechnikov looked good when he saw the ice and finished the tournament with five assists in five games.

Like Dahlin, Svechnikov isn't playing at the U18 World Championship. After the Colts were eliminated from the OHL playoffs, it was revealed he'd been playing through an injury of some kind. The Colts and the Russian Hockey Federation agreed he was too injured to be effective, and would be better served by resting.

Areas of strength

Svechnikov is an offensive dynamo. He’s an elite goal scorer, with an arsenal of shots that seem NHL-ready. He can score from far out, or from in tight. He’s also a skilled playmaker who's able to stickhandle through traffic and make passes that confuse opponents, and he noticeably improved in that area in the second half of this season.

His hockey sense and vision is top end, allowing him to seemingly score at will because he can read the ice and find the right play. He’s also a good skater - not elite, but good. He’s agile, especially for someone his height, and his stride is strong. He uses his physicality to win battles, and that physicality - combined with his strong balance - makes it difficult to knock him off the puck.

Areas of improvement

One standout issue with Svechnikov is discipline. In addition to earning a four-game playoff suspension during the Colts' first-round series against the Mississauga Steelheads for a hit to the head, he finished the regular season with 67 penalty minutes in 44 games. Last season with the Lumberjacks, he had 68 PIM in 48 games. Svechnikov is going to be a key offensive weapon for the NHL team that drafts him, but to do that, he needs to stay out of the box. His aggressive style of play is a strength when he doesn’t cross the line - he just needs to find that balance.

Otherwise, there are no glaring issues with Svechnikov’s game right now. He could stand to improve his play in his own end, and while he’s a good skater, he certainly isn’t the best in his class. Right now, however, his offensive prowess is such that it often makes up for what he lacks. Moreover, those lacking areas can be improved with commitment (which he’s shown he has) and focused development.

Scouting reports

“Physically ready for the NHL, Svechnikov blends world-class finishing ability with hard-nosed and defensively responsible play. A goal scorer who can impact the game in all situations. Terrific blend of speed, power, and precision. He’ll be a front-line threat for years to come.” - Cam Robinson, DobberProspects.com

“Svechnikov plays a responsible game without the puck, has a strong stride with good top-end speed, good instincts at reading the play to set up or be open for chances. He also has an excellent finishing touch to bury his chances." - Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting

Did you know?

• Svechnikov’s 1.64 points per game was the highest mark among OHL rookies since the 2006-07 season.

• He's expressed his desire to one day play in the NHL with his brother, Evgeny, a Detroit Red Wings prospect (and depending on the outcome of the draft lottery, he might get his wish).

• In addition to being named OHL Rookie of the Year this season, Svechnikov was the Rookie of the Year in the USHL last year.

• 64 of his 72 points were primary points, and he averaged 3.95 shots per game.

Other entries in this series:

• Rasmus Dahlin

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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theScore imagines what the cast of The Avengers would look like if it were comprised entirely of NHL stars.

Thor - Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Dude's got blonde flow and lightning bolts pasted all around him at all times. Sprinkle in the fact that Hedman also lays people out with thunderous hits on a nightly basis, and he might as well trade in his stick for a hammer to complete the ensemble.

Plus, we already know he loves to dress up.

Hulk - Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets

Speaking of laying people out, both Byfuglien and the Hulk make a living off smashing their opponents. A task that the Jets' blue-liner has seemingly perfected over recent weeks, handing out a bevy of punishing hits while leaving his enemies in a crumpled heap.

Word to the wise: Do not get Byfuglien angry. We all know what happens when he gets angry.

Iron Man - Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Ovechkin and Tony Stark sometimes find themselves in the unfortunate scenarios of trying to play the hero while instead becoming villainized for their shortcomings and ego-driven behaviors.

And while Ovechkin has come a long way in terms of shedding the bad rep of being a selfish player, he's short on rings, and still operating in the shadow of some of the more accomplished players in the NHL. A feeling similarly shared by Iron Man when fighting alongside some of the more wholesome and popular Avengers like Captain America or Thor.

Hawkeye - Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Even if you don't watch hockey on the regular, you watch enough highlight shows to know that McDavid makes a living out of threading needles, picking corners, and finding the slimmest of spaces to operate in. And, if you've been following the exploits of Clint Barton - aka Hawkeye - over the last handful of years, you're well aware he operates in a very similar manner.

McDavid uses a carbon fiber stick, whereas Hawkeye gets his job done with a carbon fiber bow and arrow. But both men are surgical with their precision.

Captain America - Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets

The Jets captain might not have the ravishing good looks of the current version of Captain Steve Rodgers, as portrayed by actor Chris Evans, but the rest of Wheeler's attributes make him the perfect player to lead the NHL's band of Avengers.

Strength, leadership, a willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of his squad, both Cap and Wheeler do it all, and all in the name of others. Oh, don't forget, despite playing north of the border in Winnipeg, Wheeler's still a good ol' American boy, obviously a necessary trait to fill this role.

Ant-Man - Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

Let's not overthink this one: Ant-Man and Gaudreau go to their utility belt of tricks to fool their enemies, and both are effective at what they do despite being limited by their relatively small frames.

Gaudreau might only stand 5-foot-9 and 157 pounds, and much like Ant-Man, that doesn't stop him from being larger than life once the pressure is on.

Spider-Man - Andrei Vasilevksiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Not only does Vasilevskiy spend a lot his nights sitting in a web of netting, but his freakish athleticism and seemingly supernatural flexibility are surely the result of a bite from some kind of radioactive arachnid.

And while the young Russian will likely leave the professional photography to the real Spidey, his innate sixth sense and ability to contort his body are remarkably similar.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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After falling down 2-0 and 3-1 to the Boston Bruins in their opening-round series, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock wants his crew to relish the opportunity that didn't seem possible only a few days ago.

The Leafs staved off elimination for the second time on Monday night, forcing a Game 7 with a 3-1 win on home ice. Now, it's winner take all between the Atlantic Division rivals, and Babcock didn't mince his words on the magnitude of the situation.

"We've been talking about it all along, we're playing a really good team in Boston and this series is fun, it's high-end, there’s no room, they've got high-end players," Babcock said. "But, we think we're going to win. We've thought that all along, we started poorly and crawled our way back. Now, you have the opportunity of a lifetime."

The situation mirrors that of the 2013 postseason, when the Maple Leafs clawed back from a 3-1 deficit versus the Bruins in Round 1, only to infamously watch their 4-1 lead slip away in the third period of the series-deciding contest.

Toronto will once again travel to Boston carrying the momentum, but this time will seek to flip the script and finish the job in the only first-round series to go the distance.

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