from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,

The NHL will release its 16-team playoff schedule Sunday morning, with the Bruins and Maple Leafs inked in to play their first two games at the Garden on Thursday and Saturday....

As we await the schedule maker’s machinations, 10 story lines to ponder as the greatest playoff season in all of sports is about to unfold:

- Will Brad Marchand hold his tongue? Absolutely. The Li’l Ball o’Hate whistled by the front door of NHL Department of Player Safety all season and in so doing became the fifth guy to reach the 100-point mark in 2018-19. Duly contrite over his kissing/licking antics last season in the Toronto and Tampa Bay series. Lived up to his promise to be a better Ball o’Hate in 2018-19.

- The Capitals finished third in the East and have all the resources to repeat as Cup champs. But history alone says it’s unlikely. Some 30 years post the Oiler dynasty, we’ve seen only three back-to-back titles: Pittsburgh (1991-92), Detroit (1997-98), and Pittsburgh (2016-17). History aside, the view from here is Tampa Bay is just too good.

more plus other hockey topics...