‘Giving him the business’: College football’s most iconic call
“You’re a football ref, an ordinary man, 60, 65 years old. You’re not making the big millions like the football players, but you’ve got one thing. You’ve got a button on a belt. And you know that all you’ve got to do is click that puppy on and for the first time in your whole stupid life, the entire country is listening to every word that comes out of your mouth.” — comedian Richard Jeni at the 1995 ESPY Awards
The job of an official is to blend into the scenery. Manage the game, throw the flags and, unless you make a particularly egregious mistake, you’re forgotten. There are moments in every game, however, when the referee flicks a switch on his belt, activating a microphone, and the entire audience — thousands in the stands and perhaps millions more on TV — hang on his every word.
This is the story of how former ACC referee Ron Cherry used one of those moments in an otherwise forgettable 2007 game between Maryland and NC State to make arguably the most famous call in college football history …
Ron Cherry, former ACC referee
Going into Raleigh was always one of my favorite places to officiate a football game. But this was a dreary Saturday, and Maryland was putting the wood to them.
Tom O’Brien, former NC State coach
We were 5-6 with a chance to maybe get to a bowl game, which would’ve been a pretty big accomplishment. We’d lost nine starters. But we just played a lousy game. We acted like we didn’t even want to win that game.
Kalani Heppe, former NC State offensive lineman
It was senior day. We were supposed to win, and for whatever reason, nothing worked.
Steve Martin, play-by-play broadcaster for Lincoln Financial Network
Ron Cherry was one of the top officials in the ACC, and I questioned, why did he get this game? Wasn’t Clemson playing somebody that day?
Mike Wooten, ACC official
Usually when you have games that are lopsided like that you have to interject yourself a lot more because there’s some extracurricular activities.
Cherry
We get a little later into the ballgame and I hear someone saying, “Ref, dammit, he can’t do that.” I looked down in the pile and I didn’t see it, but I told the player, “Maybe I missed that.”
Kevin Barnes, former Maryland defensive back
I remember it got a little chippy maybe two plays prior to it. At least seven or eight people got into it a little.
Heppe
Old Kevin, every time we’d run a sweep to the left, he’d come up and cut my knees out.
Cherry
Sure as hell, a play or two later, they get started again, and this time I saw it. So I threw the flag.
Andre Brown, former NC State running back
This was such a crappy game, but then you had to laugh. Like, what did Ron Cherry just call? It was the most ridiculous thing we’d ever heard.
Cherry
I flipped the mic and made the announcement, I just said, “Personal foul, No. 69, offense. He was giving him the business.” … And once you communicate it out, it’s out there and you can’t get it back. And it was out there and got a lot of mileage.
1:21
During Maryland’s game vs. NC State in 2007, referee Ron Cherry explained a penalty by saying a player was giving an opponent “the business.”
Cherry was in the Air Force when he officiated his first football game. When he was discharged and returned home to Virginia, he took a job with Norfolk Southern railroad and found extra work calling high school games for $2 or $3 a night. “I was on Cloud Nine,” Cherry said, “because it was an opportunity to be part of the game.” Cherry began his ACC career in 1993, and served as referee for the first time in Georgia Tech‘s 1994 game against Western Carolina, a day so hot Cherry thought he might pass out on the field, and a game so wild that “every penalty in the book, we called.”
Cherry
I came in as a side judge. The second season we had this roundtable meeting in Charlottesville with all the officials assembled. At the end of the meeting, [Brandon Faircloth] walked out and said, “Walk with me, Ron.” I said, “Oh hell, I’m about to get fired.” He said, “Ron, I want to make you a referee.” I don’t know if all the color drained out of my body.
John Swofford, former ACC commissioner
He could manage his crew, deal with coaches, knew the rules tremendously well but, beyond that, you really have to have common sense and know how to manage situations, and over the years, he just developed such a rapport with people and a respect from people.
Cherry
I talked to a lot of players, just as I would anybody else. I tried to call them by name if I could, and they called me Ron. It wasn’t “Mr. Ron.” It was, “Hey Ron.” And I was happy with that because it made us equal components in a lot of ways.
Brown
I did not like Ron Cherry. I felt like he was always out to get me. Like, “We’ve got Ron Cherry here, I’ve got to make sure my uniform’s right. I’ve got to make sure I get back to the huddle in a calm manner.” My cheerfulness and all the swag I claimed I had at the time, I had to straighten up and fly right around him. If I was cursing, “Hey buddy, that’s enough of that.”
Pat Ryan, ACC official
Let me tell you, he expected excellence on the field. I saw him undress officials. I saw him undress people that were auxiliary. We were at TCU one time and he ran the alternate box guy out. That’s the guy on the other side of the chains that keeps track of where the ball is. He wasn’t doing his job, and right in the middle of the game, Ron said, “OK, you’re out of here.” He ran the guy off and they stopped the game until they could find another guy.
Swofford
I would tell young officials, “Go watch and listen to Ron Cherry and do your best to emulate him and you’ll be a heck of an official.”
Ryan
There was a coach from Boston College, and they said, “Be ready. He’s going to be ornery.” Sure enough, Ron goes over there, and the first thing he says, “I’m going to have five captains.” Ron says, “No, you can only have four captains.” I got away from it, and then next thing I know, I look over, and they’re arm-in-arm, hugging and giggling. And guess what? They only brought out four captains.
If Cherry was known as a no-nonsense official on the field, off it, he was the closest thing referees had to a rock star. He was well known as one of the first and most prominent Black officials for a major conference, and his style — a Southern twang and sharp, emphatic signals — made him a household name.
Cherry
In the early days, I always wanted to be talking to the television, to the person that’s at home, since they didn’t have the benefit of being here in the stadium, giving them some clarity in a brief, concise way.
Doc Walker, TV analyst
I looked forward to his games because he had a personality. He wasn’t a clone or a cyborg.
Barnes
He was always a cool ref, always very animated every game. I don’t know every ref I played, but he’s definitely one that stood out, so the fact that he was the one to make that call, I’m not surprised at all because he has that type of personality.
Mack Brown, former Texas head coach and current North Carolina head coach
He had the best voice that there has ever been for a college official.
Rick Page, ACC official
He had that enunciation that seemed to stand out more than anybody else. And he wasn’t showboating, that was just his natural way of addressing the fouls.
Cherry
My girls would tell me, “Daddy you sound so country” and I’d say, “What? No way.”
Ryan
Ron was a character of the game, and he loved it. We’d walk through airports, and he’d split the crowds — just, “That’s Ron Cherry, that’s Ron Cherry.” People loved him. Everybody knew him. A lot of the African-American people that worked at the stadium would come down and hug him.
Cherry
We can’t all be clones. I’m over 6 feet, African-American, long arms and long legs. There’s not a lot of places I can hide once I get out there. So you accept what you have.
Swofford
He was a bit of a trailblazer. From a minority standpoint, he was, relatively early on, one of the most visible and prominent and respected minority officials on the field, which I’m sure inspired many others. His leadership in that aspect of it is really immeasurable.
Cherry
I never thought of myself as being anything other than an official. I was doing a job. It wasn’t that I was Ron, the Afro-American referee. That wasn’t how I saw myself. I knew that there was not a lot of minorities, when I first started, that had those opportunities. And it wasn’t always easy for me, but if I made it look easy, maybe it would give them some confidence to make them think they could do the same. But it wasn’t just African-Americans. It was anybody. I’m just a football official. I don’t have time to sort out all that other stuff, not during this game.
Cherry simply liked people, and because of that, he made friends quickly. Nearly everyone who worked with him has a Ron Cherry story.
Cherry
My personality, you could turn the switch — Clark Kent into Superman and then turn back. I felt like my part was, maybe it’s like a guy who does the news or a disc jockey on a radio station, where every day he’s just happy-go-lucky, which I was. I liked to cut up and mean mug and do all those crazy things, but when it was time to turn the mic on, hell, I can remember thinking, “Why am I looking so serious all of a sudden?”
Dr. Jerry McGee, former official
Ron was really, really serious about the job at hand, but he also had some fun with it. We had a really bang-bang play downfield and I didn’t have any help, and it went against the home team. The crowd was going nuts. I was standing 40 yards downfield, and I cut my eyes back to Ron, and he blew me a kiss. Like 80,000 fans here are mad but I still love you.
Bill LaMonnier, former Big Ten official and current ESPN analyst
My granddaughter was watching a game and when I came on, she said, “There’s grandpa.” Then the next game comes on, and that’s Ron’s game. When he gets on the mic, sure enough, she yells, “There’s grandpa.” So I called Ron up and told him about it. “She called you grandpa. Can you explain that to me?” He said, “Well, I’m just going to take that as a compliment, Bill, and if you have any other questions, you can contact my lawyer.” We had a good laugh over that and we’ve even told it when we’ve done some clinics together that he was my granddaughter’s real grandpa.
Ryan
He was the type of guy, the people cleaning our rooms, he’d talk to them like they were his brother. And then we’d go to a game at SMU and George Bush would show up with Laura, and he could just swoon them. He can relate to anybody. That’s his biggest forte, and that helped him on the field, too.
Cherry
George Bush and his wife were going to walk out to midfield with me and we sat there and talked with the president for more than 30 minutes. … [After the coin toss], I got the coin off the ground and presented it to the president and said, “Thank you for what you do, and thank you for your service.” And this is true. He says, “Right on, brother.” I had goosebumps.
If his colleagues were familiar with his quirks and charm before, the rest of the country learned on Nov. 24, 2007. With Maryland leading 37-0, Cherry flipped on the mic at Carter-Finley Stadium and delivered a call for the ages.
It was second-and-7, and Andre Brown took the pitch for a sweep to the left. Heppe was the pulling guard on the play, and once again, he was met by Barnes in the backfield and then “The business” ensued.
Andrew Redfern, former NC State offensive lineman and Heppe’s roommate
It couldn’t have happened to a more perfect teammate.
Heppe
My roommate was on the bench, and I was like, “You know, I’ve done about everything you can on a football field. I’ve gotten interceptions, recovered fumbles, sacks, touchdowns. I’ve never been kicked out of a game. I’m getting kicked out.”
Redfern
He was getting pretty irate. He’d come to his wit’s end and was ready to go.
Heppe
The parents section is right behind the away team’s bench. After the last game, you go over and give your mom flowers and your jersey. And Fern says, “If you get kicked out, you’re not going to be able to give your mom your jersey.” No, I’m getting my mom my jersey, and furthermore, I’m walking back to the tunnel wearing my knee braces and my girdle and everything else is going up in the stands. This is going to be a production.
Ralph Friedgen, former Maryland head coach
We blitzed the guy off the edge. They ran a sweep and pulled the guard, and our guy cut the guard, which he’s supposed to do — take out the interference so someone else can make the play.
Andre Brown, NC State running back
The sweep play was my play. That’s how we were getting yardage for most of the season, and Kalani was a pulling guard.
Heppe
I see Kevin kind of scooting up a little bit and I think, “Game time. Here we go.”
Barnes
I’m a corner and if you’re pulling on me, our job was to take out their knees or they would essentially run through us and pancake us. I’m not going to let you pancake me.
Heppe
We snap the ball, I pull, he goes straight for the knee. And I just reach back and right hook straight up in the jaw line. It was blatant. And I looked straight up at Ron. Ron kind of always had my number anyway. He’s funny as hell, don’t get me wrong, but for whatever reason, Ron really enjoyed throwing flags on me. So this happens, I jack him in the jaw, get up and try to act like nothing’s happened, all nonchalant.
Barnes
I try to roll over, and I couldn’t get up. I’m literally looking at the sky. It’s a cloudy Saturday afternoon. And I can’t get up. I give him credit. He kept it PG-13 and above the waist. He’s giving me body shots and I’m like, “Ref, I really can’t get up.” And I’m just thinking, there’s no way possible they can’t see this.
Cherry
I had a flashback to the late 1950s and early ’60s, there was a series, “Leave It to Beaver” and Wally always used to tease The Beaver about giving him the business. And without even thinking, I said, “Well, that’s the business down there.”
Wooten
He would use that phrase a lot in our pregames — like, “If somebody’s giving him the business, we need to catch that” — and I guess in that moment of deciding what to announce, he used that phrase, and it was kind of poetic.
Walker
Some of the best things are ad-libbed. They’re floating around. They don’t come from nowhere. But the moment comes up and then you put it all together.
On the TV broadcast, Martin notes a flag in the backfield, but quickly switches gears to discuss the litany of injuries sustained by NC State that season. Barnes listens in on the discussion between officials and walks away clapping, knowing Heppe has finally been caught. Cherry steps forward, clicks on his mic, and out it comes: “Personal foul. 69. Offense. He was giving him the business. Replay the down.” The crowd goes wild, and Martin begins cackling and quips, “Ron Cherry with the quote of the year.”
O’Brien
The announcers on the call, I thought, did a great job. “Where’s that in the rule book?” I thought that was good.
Gary Hahn, NC State radio voice
Nobody’s ever heard an official say that before, or at least I never had. He explained it but he didn’t explain it. I heard the crowd chuckling a little bit. The first thing that came to my mind was somebody’s either biting or kicking or gouging.
Friedgen
I had my family ask me after the game, “I never heard that penalty called before.” I said, “Neither did I.”
Johnny Holliday, Maryland radio voice
Both of us just kind of said, “Did we hear what we thought we heard?” And it’s all we could do to contain ourselves because I thought it was great.
Barnes
I walk away clapping because they caught him in the act. I was literally getting the business. That’s the great thing about the call is it fit the description perfectly. Growing up in football, coaches always tell you when there’s a scrum at the bottom of a pile, you’ve got to protect yourself. And at that moment, I remember thinking, “This is what they were talking about.”
Heppe
I came off after that three-and-out and Fern was just laughing his ass off — just this uncontrollable chortle coming out of him. Our coach comes up — it was Don Horton. Don comes up and says, “Hep, what do you have to do to give someone the business?”
Andre Brown
I just remember that baffled moment in the huddle. We were all talking like, “What just happened?”
Cherry
I turned the mic off and thought, “Why are those people laughing up in the stands?” It just didn’t register. Guys in the crew were looking at me and I was thinking, “What the hell is going on?”
Wooten
After he announced the penalty, I heard the crowd react, but I didn’t listen because I was walking off the yardage. When I got to the locker room, my phone was blowing up with messages like, “I can’t believe he said that.” I look at Ron and asked, “What did you say?” He told me, and I about fell out of my chair.
Heppe
I’m waiting for “player is ejected,” but then he comes out with “giving him the business.” And apparently the whole crowd is chanting “Giving him the business! Giving him the business!” I hear none of this because I am calling Ron every name in the book besides an upstanding gentleman. I completely ransacked Ron Cherry.
Andre Brown
Adrenaline going, all that stuff, and I just remember Kalani saying explicit words.
Heppe
We go three-and-out like we had most of the afternoon, and then we go to punt, and I just started in on him again. And he starts trotting off the field. We’re stride for stride, and he looks at me and says, “6-9, you can say whatever you want to me, but you’re finishing this game, son.” Well, s—. It wasn’t his first rodeo.
Cherry
I wouldn’t throw him out. When you’re in a ballgame, you feel the emotions — the ebbs and flows. To me, it was one of those situations where the foul, in my opinion, the score, the time in the ball game, it wasn’t something I wasn’t going to do.
O’Brien
That was the good thing about the call and one thing about Ron. He looked at the situation and saw a knucklehead doing a knucklehead thing and decided, “I’m not going to throw him out. I’m just going to penalize him and tell him to get back in the huddle,” which he did.
The game ended with Maryland winning 37-0. NC State’s season was over, but the legend of Cherry was just beginning.
Heppe
I was in there first thing Sunday morning to watch film. I was a little hungover. And actually one of my family friends came with me and was like, “Bro, just go straight to the play. We can always rewind it back.” You can see it a little bit on the YouTube clip. You see that right hand come back and his head jerk. But on the south end zone view, it’s pretty rough.
Barnes
That Monday, it was a big joke — especially in the DB room. It’s hard to keep a lot of DBs serious at one time.
Cherry
The next morning, we go to the airport, get on the airplane and this lady sitting up front is saying, “That’s him! That’s him! That’s the guy who said ‘Giving him the business.'” I thought, what is she talking about? Because it still didn’t register. I get home and my daughter calls me and said, “Daddy, it’s on YouTube.” And I said, “What is YouTube?”
Ryan
Next thing I know, on Sunday, I get a call from one of the guys and they go, “It’s got 2 million hits already.”
Cherry
I went to the damn link and said, “Oh s—.” Then it started. People were wearing me out with it.
Holliday
I’m sure he didn’t do it for attention, that’s the last thing on his mind. But he did it because that’s what came to his mind, and nobody else in the country did what he did, and it made national news.
Heppe
It was on VH-1’s “Best Week Ever.” Jimmy Kimmel talked about it. Jim Rome. The press it got, and this is before everybody had camera phones and social media around the world and everything else. I can’t imagine what it would be like now, but it was crazy.
Mack Brown
We all got a big chuckle out of it, especially from him because he was just being Ron Cherry.
Cherry
The next morning, I’m in the office, and one of my clients calls and says, “Ron, you’re all over the place.” I said, “It’ll go away by day’s end. Nobody will stay with that thing.” And sure enough my boss calls on the football side of things and asks what was that all about.
Swofford
I was asked, “Should we do something about it?” I said, “What do you mean do something about it? That’s one of the great descriptions on television ever. We’re going to applaud him.”
Cherry
The next weekend’s assignment, I couldn’t go anywhere — the hotel, restaurants, on the radio they were saying it.
Heppe
A friend of mine was working the sidelines for a game the following year. [Cherry] was working the game, and she went up to him and said, “You don’t know me but I believe you know one of my friends.” And he said, “Let me guess: Mr. Business.”
Cherry was actually not the first official to use “Giving him the business” during a call. That distinction belongs to former NFL referee Ben Dreith, who flagged Marty Lyons for “Giving him the business down there” during a 1986 game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. But if Cherry’s version wasn’t the first, it remains the most iconic.
Cherry
I knew Ben from television but I never had occasion to be in his presence. It’s not like a thief in the night or anything. My reaction was pure without any premeditation or thought. When you attempt to premeditate something like that, it blows up on [you].
Wooten
They’ll compare the two, but I know for a fact it wasn’t a copycat issue. It was a favorite phrase of Ron’s. That was Ron Cherry at his best.
Page
If somebody else tried to do it, it would almost be like an imitation of Ron. I don’t think they could ever get the same effect out of it that he got.
Swofford
In my entire career, I don’t recall any on-field description from an official that I have any recollection of other than that one.
Ryan
We had the Fiesta Bowl one year and we had a very odd play. It was an extra point that got tipped, went into the end zone, the linebacker picked it up and threw it forward. And Ron announced, “We have a very unusual play.”
Cherry
It was one of those situations where you try to use the simplest expression to explain it, and they didn’t know it was unusual, so I said it was unusual and set it up that way.
Page
[Giving him the business] got him somewhat noticed, but as the story built, people listened more to what his announcements might be. I don’t think he came out with anything quite so dramatic after that, but they listened.
Cherry’s officiating career came to an abrupt end on Nov. 25, 2016 during a game between Notre Dame and USC. Cherry had planned to retire the following season, but a collision with Trojans linebacker Michael Hutchings knocked him out cold on the field. Cherry went through concussion protocols and was allowed to fly home to Atlanta the next day. But a month later, he was still experiencing symptoms, and ultimately required two surgeries to relieve pressure on his brain.
Cherry
What I remember was being in a dressing room and an ambulance. … I finally went to the hospital] the day after Christmas. I was playing macho man around the house and not letting my family know about it, but I was having trouble.
Hutchings
My helmet hit him right under his chin. I tried to catch him to brace his fall, but he fell so quickly. And right afterward, I was in shock. Right as I hit him, I knew it wasn’t good.
Ryan
That brings up some strong emotions right now. I thought he had a heart attack. I mean, I was scared to death. And I’m a firefighter, and I said, “It’s going to be tough if I’ve got to do CPR on my good buddy.”
Cherry
I was going to [retire] the next year anyway, but you get knocked on your a–. I remember going into a deep kind of depression — not because I got hurt, but I didn’t get to say goodbye to the game the way I came in, on my two feet.
Hutchings
The refs are in such tough positions. You think about an umpire that’s in the middle of the play. It’s such a freak accident and I hated that his career had to end that way.
Cherry
It took a year and a half, two years — maybe three now — before I finally had enough courage to sit down and look at it. And it just made me cry. Being injured wasn’t it. I had a lot of people to help me recover and get my life back in order. It was more emotional because of not being able to say thank you.
Cherry officiated more than 300 Division I games in his career and helped influence a generation of officials. He helped create opportunities for Black officials, and he continues to work with the ACC to recruit new talent. He remains beloved by coaches, players and his fellow officials, but, for better or worse, he’ll always be best remembered for that one call 15 years ago.
Barnes
It’s a very small play between Maryland and NC State in 2007, a game that didn’t have too much significance, and it’s been able to live on this long. That’s pretty special.
Swofford
That’s one of the many beauties of college football. It’s not entirely corporate and it’s not entirely perfect and those are the reasons it’s loved the way it is.
Heppe
ESPN put it back on their Instagram, and I had three or four people send it to me. But there was a picture of me doing something with my daughter and somebody posted that I was teaching her the ways of giving the business. Or at work, people will be like, “Boy you really gave that guy the business for being late this morning.”
Barnes
It’s funny because maybe about a month ago, one of my teammates, JJ Justice, just randomly sent it to me on IG. I remembered it right away. The copy on YouTube is pretty bad, so nobody really knows it’s me. One time in the comments I said, “Yeah, that was crazy I got the business.”
Redfern
I still see highlights of it and it’s fun to reminisce even though it was a pretty awful game for us. It wasn’t the best way to finish a senior year, but it was still hilarious.
Andre Brown
Me and my family have a group chat, and my cousin just posted it in the group chat.
Heppe
Nobody will remember I was All-ACC, but everybody knows I gave somebody the business. Ron’s kind of immortalized me, and I appreciate that.
Cherry
If this is a part of my legacy, so it is. But so is everything else — the ton of snaps I saw and officiated. It’s the funny things, the crazy things, the stupid things, the camaraderie. The best thing that ever happened was I got to meet people from all walks — from university presidents to the officiating staff to doctors to lawyers to the FBI. It was just the whole gamut. It was the experience of a lifetime, and to that end, I’m humbled and gracious that I got to wear stripes.
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Greg Wyshynski
As a service to fans who have a general interest in the National Hockey League but have no idea what has happened since the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup by defeating the Edmonton Oilers last June, we’re happy to provide this FAQ as a guide to the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
And for you die-hard puckheads: Here is your official refresher before the games begin Saturday. Enjoy!
Read more:
Full schedule
Megapreview
Playoff Central
Contender flaws
Where did all the usual suspects go?
History was made in the NHL this season, but not the kind that its most storied U.S. franchises wanted. The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs mark the first time that the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers have all missed the cut in the same postseason:
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Detroit was supposed to finally emerge from one but missed the playoffs for the ninth straight season, despite an in-season coaching change — the sixth season without a postseason berth under GM Steve Yzerman
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The Bruins fired their coach 20 games into the season, only to eventually ship out a number of veteran players at the trade deadline while missing the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons
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The Rangers went from the league’s best record to finishing eight points out of the playoffs, and could see major changes in the offseason
The New York Islanders, Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks were all 2024 playoff teams that didn’t make it back this season. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs for the third straight season.
So the 2025 postseason won’t have a number of glamour franchises and superstar players. But that just creates room in the spotlight for others to emerge.
Can the Panthers repeat?
The Stanley Cup champion Panthers finished third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points, down significantly from their 110-point season a year ago. Injuries were a factor: Captain Aleksander Barkov was limited to 67 games, and spiritual leader Matthew Tkachuk played only 52 games and hasn’t been in a game since the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Top defenseman Aaron Ekblad was also limited to 56 games after being suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program. The earliest he can return is Game 3 of the Panthers’ Battle of Florida first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
All of this is to say that we haven’t really seen what this version of the Panthers is going to look like with all systems go. There are some constants from last year’s Cup-winning roster: Sam Reinhart was brilliant again, with 81 points in 79 games and could win the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward. Clutch playoff performers Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett, as well as defensive rock Gustav Forsling, are back for another run.
But it’s a different supporting cast. Defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Kevin Stenlund moved on after last season. Florida made two blockbuster additions to bolster their group before the trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Seth Jones from the Blackhawks and Bruins captain Brad Marchand.
The Panthers certainly have the players for a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final and a repeat as champions. It’s just a matter of whether they all fit as snugly as they have previously under head coach Paul Maurice. If nothing else, the first round should give us our first look at Marchand and Tkachuk both yapping on the same team. Humanity might never be the same.
If they win the Battle of Florida, can the Lightning win the Cup?
The Lightning finished second in the Atlantic with around the same record as last season, but they feel like a much more dangerous team.
Tampa Bay led the NHL in goals per game, powered by winger Nikita Kucherov, who was the league’s top point scorer this season (121) while setting up Brayden Point (42 goals) and Jake Guentzel (41 goals) for dominant seasons. Winger Brandon Hagel had 90 points in 81 games, and was one of the NHL’s best all-around players; ditto center Anthony Cirelli (27 goals), who’s in the conversation for the league’s top defensive center this season.
On the blue line, former Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman led his teammates in average ice time by nearly two minutes.
But it’s the reemergence of star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy that has bolstered the Bolts’ Stanley Cup chances. He had his best season since 2020-21, and was recently named the league’s top goalie in a survey of his peers. If Vasilevskiy can carry that over to the postseason, where he always has been at his best, the Lightning could be in business.
Tampa Bay hasn’t escaped the first round since losing in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final to Colorado, which followed consecutive Cup wins for the Lightning. Perhaps seeking to recapture that magic, GM Julien BriseBois reacquired two players from their title reign: defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who has been outstanding this season after being traded from Nashville; and center Yanni Gourde, a trade- deadline pickup from Seattle who has fit right back in with the Lightning.
If they can get past their archrivals — admittedly, a big “if” — the potential for another boat parade in the bay isn’t out of the question.
What can we expect from the Battle of Ontario?
The NHL wild-card format exists to maximize the potential for rivals to meet in the postseason, and it worked like a charm in the Eastern Conference: Not only is there another Battle of Florida, but the Battle of Ontario has been reignited between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, the latter of whom finished in the first wild-card spot to end a seven-year playoff drought.
These rivals met four times between 2000 and 2004, with Toronto winning each time. We don’t want to say Senators fans are salivating at the chance to take down the Atlantic Division-leading Leafs, but the streets of Ottawa are currently flooded.
The Maple Leafs are still on their quixotic mission to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967. As usual, there are reasons to believe. Winger Mitch Marner, an unrestricted free agent this summer, had 100 points in 80 games. Forwards William Nylander (45 goals) and Auston Matthews (77 points in 66 games) were dominant, while pending free agent John Tavares regained his point-per-game form.
Toronto’s hopes rest on the pads of goalies Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, who led the Leafs to the fourth-best team save percentage in the NHL in the regular season. But questions about their lack of playoff experience (a combined eight games) and ability to remain healthy linger.
The Senators’ playoff berth marks the first time Brady Tkachuk has participated in an NHL postseason — other than being a spectator at his brother’s games. He’s the driving force behind an Ottawa team with strong young talents in forward Tim Stutzle (76 points) and defenseman Jake Sanderson (55 points).
But the key is goaltender Linus Ullmark, acquired from the Bruins last summer. He had a solid regular season but has a career postseason record of 3-6 with a .887 save percentage, all with Boston. He has something to prove.
When Ovechkin re-signed with the Capitals, there was a promise made by Washington to remain a playoff contender around him as he chased down Gretzky so Ovechkin wasn’t just compiling goals in meaningless games. No one could have predicted the Capitals would retool to the point where they finished atop the Eastern Conference.
The Capitals were the second-best team offensively and finished in the top 10 defensively this season. Offseason bets on players such as forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, defenseman Jakob Chychrun and goalie Logan Thompson paid off, while homegrown talents Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael thrived — as did star defenseman John Carlson, who had his best season in years.
But the Capitals are a mystery in the playoffs. When they play coach Spencer Carbery’s system to perfection, they can beat anyone in the league. But beyond Ovechkin, there isn’t another established star difference-maker in the lineup. That has made some observers skeptical that their regular-season success could transfer over the playoffs. But what an incredible cap to an all-time season it would be if Ovechkin raised his second Stanley Cup — and his first as the NHL’s goal-scoring GOAT.
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Ovechkin tells McAfee his chase for the goal record was great for hockey
Alex Ovechkin joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his achievement of surpassing Wayne Gretzky as the all-time goals leader and the impact on the game.
Are the Devils toast without Jack Hughes?
New Jersey was well on its way to returning to the playoffs when it lost leading scorer and No. 1 center Hughes to a shoulder injury, which is expected to keep him out until next season’s training camp.
Hughes had 70 points in 62 games. Since Hughes went out, the Devils are 9-10-1 for a .475 points percentage, 23rd in the NHL in that span. They were also without top defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was injured one game after Hughes went out. Hamilton returned to the lineup in their regular-season finale.
It’s hard to conceive that the Devils could win the conference without Hughes, but players such as center Nico Hischier and winger Jesper Bratt stepped up significantly in his absence. Whether the Devils make any noise in the playoffs comes down to their goaltending, and specifically Jacob Markstrom, who has the ability to steal games but hasn’t consistently shown this season — much like the team in front of him.
Is this the year Carolina breaks through for a championship run?
For years, the Hurricanes have fallen just short in the playoffs, losing in the conference finals twice and the second round three times under coach Rod Brind’amour. Usually the culprit has been their inability to get a key goal at a key time in a series.
Last season, they traded for Jake Guentzel, a proven playoff performer, but Carolina stalled out in the second round and Guentzel walked as a free agent. This season, they made a blockbuster trade with Colorado that saw the Hurricanes ship leading scorer Martin Necas to the Avs for Mikko Rantanen … only to then trade Rantanen to Dallas before the deadline, after the star winger declined to sign a contract extension in Raleigh. Carolina acquired 21-year-old forward Logan Stankoven in the deal, a talented scorer but not one yet on the level of Rantanen or Guentzel.
So the Hurricanes are right back where they’ve been: a grinding, aggressive puck possession team with an offense and defense both in the top 10 and the best penalty kill in the league. They have some offensive pop from players such as Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, but it’s saying something that Necas is still their third-leading scorer. They also have goaltenders in Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen that led the Canes to finishing 23rd in team save percentage (.889).
Yet a bounce here, a break there and a key goal in a key moment, and no one would be surprised to see Brind’Amour’s team break through in the East. It just seems a little less possible after the Rantanen revolving door.
Is Dallas vs. Colorado peak postseason drama?
With due respect to the geographic rivalry series in the Eastern Conference, no series has more compelling storylines than the Stars vs. the Avalanche in a matchup of Central Division rivals.
Consider that the Stars were picked by many to win the Stanley Cup this season, while the Avalanche have aggressively retooled their team from the crease out after losing to Dallas in the second round last season, seeking another Cup win after raising it in 2022.
Consider that the Avalanche decided Rantanen was not in their long-term plans, traded him to Carolina and then watched as the Hurricanes traded him to Dallas, where he signed an eight-year, $96 million deal. Rantanen has forged a reputation as one of the NHL’s top postseason scorers. He’d like nothing more than to remind the Avalanche why that is.
Consider that the Stars are taking on one of the best teams in the NHL with two major injury concerns. Top defenseman Miro Heiskanen hasn’t played since Jan. 28 because of a knee injury. There has been speculation out of Dallas that he could sit out this series, but GM Jim Nill seemed to indicate recently that there was a chance he could return in the first round. Meanwhile, star winger Jason Robertson sustained a lower-body injury in the Stars’ regular-season finale. His status was unclear for the Avalanche series. According to Betalytics, Colorado’s chances to win the series increase by over two percentage points if Robertson can’t play;
Finally, consider that Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog is in the midst of one of the NHL’s greatest comebacks in recent memory. His most recent game in the league was June 26, 2022, when he and the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. He sat out the following season after right knee surgery. He underwent cartilage transplant surgery and sat out 2023-24 and most of this season. Landeskog had been skating with the Avalanche and then returned to competitive play with the AHL Colorado Eagles. This incredible comeback journey could see him return to NHL action in Game 1 against Dallas.
This matchup has enough storylines for 10 series. It’s also a battle that could easily produce this season’s eventual Stanley Cup winner.
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Tyler Seguin assists on goal 16 seconds into return from injury
Tyler Seguin sets up Mason Marchment’s goal in his first NHL action since December 1.
Besides Rantanen, who are the other familiar faces in new places who could affect the playoffs?
As mentioned, the Avalanche aggressively added to their group all season, including a total makeover of their goaltending that saw former Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood take over the crease. They also added forwards Brock Nelson (Islanders) and Charlie Coyle (Bruins), as well as defensemen Ryan Lindgren (Rangers) and former Avalanche player Erik Johnson (Flyers) before the trade deadline.
In addition to trading Coyle and Marchand, the Bruins also sent veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Maple Leafs.
Ottawa bolstered its team for now and in the future by acquiring center Dylan Cozens from Buffalo. Tampa Bay added forward Oliver Bjorkstrand in the trade with Seattle that also got them Gourde.
Which rookies could make an impact in the playoffs?
If the Montreal Canadiens are going to upset the Washington Capitals, two rookies are going to have to make a major impact. Defenseman Lane Hutson is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year after 66 points in 82 games, leading all first-year players. Forward Ivan Demidov, a dynamic offensive star in the KHL, signed with Montreal late in the season and made an immediate impact. He’s one to watch.
Among the other rookies who’ll be counted on in the playoffs are Stankoven, who had 37 points in 77 games with Dallas and Carolina; forward Zack Bolduc (36 points) of the St. Louis Blues; forward Jackson Blake (34 points) of the Hurricanes; forward Mackie Samoskevich (31 points) of the Panthers; and center Mavrik Bourque (25 points) of the Stars.
Can Winnipeg break the Presidents’ Trophy curse?
The Jets finished with 116 points to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NHL and with it the Presidents’ Trophy. Congratulations, and we’re sorry.
The Presidents’ Trophy curse is well-known hockey lore among players and fans. There have been 39 winners of the hardware since it was introduced in 1985-86. Only eight teams that finished first overall went on to win the Stanley Cup. For context, seven Presidents’ Trophy winners lost in the opening round. It has only gotten worse since the NHL moved to a wild-card format in 2013-14: No Presidents’ Trophy winner has gone on to play for the Stanley Cup, let alone win it, while two teams (Tampa Bay in 2019 and Boston in 2023) lost in the opening round.
The Jets are on a mission after two straight seasons of losing in the first round in five games. They talked down regular-season accomplishment all season, with a focus on the postseason. Winnipeg had the fourth-best offense in the NHL, powered by the league’s best power play. More importantly, they had the NHL’s best goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck, last year’s Vezina Trophy winner who finished atop the league in both traditional stats and analytics. Like the rest of his team, Hellebuyck wants to flip the script on his own underwhelming numbers from last postseason.
The Jets face a Blues team that made the playoffs after a torrid 12-game winning streak in March, as part of an 18-3-0 run. The Blues fired coach Drew Bannister after 22 games, when Jim Montgomery became available after Boston fired him. After the 4 Nations Face-Off, St. Louis finally found its stride under Montgomery: first in 5-on-5 offense and second in defense during the winning streak.
St. Louis won’t be an easy out for Winnipeg. As Blues goalie Jordan Binnington showed at 4 Nations for Canada, he can rise to meet the moment.
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Cole Perfetti goes five-hole to win shootout for Jets
Cole Perfetti seals the victory for the Jets with a sweet shot against the Blackhawks.
Is the fourth time the charm for the Los Angeles Kings?
The Kings had an outstanding regular season under new coach Jim Hiller, who guided L.A. to a .648 points percentage, the second highest in franchise history. They found a goalie in Darcy Kuemper, who had some of the best numbers of his career in back of the second-best defensive team in the NHL.
And what did all of this earn the Kings? A fourth straight first-round matchup against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The Kings lost in seven games in 2022, six games in 2023 and five games last season. Obviously, L.A. fans would like that trend to end. If the Kings finally get past the Oilers, their combination of defensive dominance and offensively opportunistic veterans such as Adrian Kempe (35 goals), Anze Kopitar (67 points) and Kevin Fiala (35 goals) could be a force in the West.
Will Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl finish the story?
The Edmonton Oilers came within one victory from hoisting the Stanley Cup last season, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7 before losing to the Panthers.
This season has had its challenges for Edmonton. Evander Kane sat out the regular season because of knee injury. McDavid and Draisaitl both sat out because of injuries, but Draisaitl was the league’s top goal scorer with 52 in 71 games. Steady defenseman Mattias Ekholm will sit out the Kings series because of an injury. The Oilers played inconsistent defense in front of goaltending that ranked 16th in team save percentage.
If the Oilers are going to get back to the Stanley Cup Final, they’ll need their stars to carry them, their supporting cast to step up and goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard to play well enough not to cost Edmonton a series. A lot broke the Oilers’ way last season. The road’s even tougher in the West this postseason.
Which team is the X factor in the 2025 playoffs?
The Vegas Golden Knights‘ ceiling might be the Stanley Cup, which they won for the first and only time in 2023. But it has been difficult to get a handle on how good they can be given some of their lineup absences: Only five Vegas players played over 80 games this season. But the Knights made it work: They finished third in team defense, fifth in offense and first in the Pacific Division.
There are difference-makers all over the lineup. Jack Eichel had a career season, with 93 points in 77 games. Pavel Dorofeyev had a breakout with 35 goals, with Tomas Hertl — always a postseason standout — right behind him, with 32 goals. Mark Stone played 66 games but had 67 points in them. Vegas has as solid a defense corps as you’ll find in the West, in front of goalie Adin Hill, who overcame a slow start to have a solid season.
The Knights draw a Minnesota team in the first round that clinched a playoff spot in their last game of the season, and are riding some good vibes now that Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are both healthy. There’s always a chance that Marc-Andre Fleury helps author an upset against his former team in the last playoff run of his career. But more likely, it’ll be Vegas moving on — it’s just a question of how long their run will last.
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Jack Eichel lights the lamp
Jack Eichel lights the lamp
So who wins the Cup?
There’s no juggernaut ready to slice through the playoffs to the Cup Final. A handful of teams have a rightful claim to the throne and none would be surprising should they ascend to it.
According to ESPN BET, the Avalanche are the favorites to win it all, followed by the Panthers, Hurricanes, Golden Knights, Oilers and Jets.
The Leafs have the longest Stanley Cup drought, having not won since 1967. The Oilers actually have the second longest, having last won the Cup in 1990.
There are 10 current NHL teams that have yet to win the Stanley Cup. Three of them are in this playoff bracket: Wild, Senators and Jets.
Will it be a team that has never hoisted the Cup before? Will it be a team that has been on the precipice of a championship like Carolina and Dallas? Will it be a recent winner, cycling back to another title? Your guess is as good as ours.
Enjoy the Stanley Cup playoffs, everyone — the best postseason in sports.
Sports
Stanley Cup playoffs mega-preview: Stanley Cup cases, X factors, bold predictions for all 16 teams
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Ryan S. Clark
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Kristen Shilton
The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs are here! Unlike in some recent years, the bracket was known a few days in advance, as the Montreal Canadiens clinched the final spot — and a first-round matchup against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Division lined up for the Battle of Ontario (Toronto Maple Leafs–Ottawa Senators) and Battle of Florida (Tampa Bay Lightning–Florida Panthers).
In the West, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets open against the resurgent St. Louis Blues, while Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars face his former team, the Colorado Avalanche. And for the fourth straight postseason, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers square off in Round 1.
We’ve got all the angles covered to get you ready for the playoffs as ESPN hockey reporters Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton take a look at each of the 16 postseason teams, offering the reasons each team could win it all, along with the biggest X factor, players to watch and a bold prediction for every team.
Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Metropolitan playoff brackets were written by Shilton, while Clark analyzed the Central and Pacific clubs. Also note that wild-card teams are listed according to the playoff bracket in which they’re playing (so the Canadiens are in the Metro, and the Minnesota Wild are in the Pacific).
Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey.
Full schedule
Bracket, schedule
Contender flaws
0:30
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 20 on ESPN
Get hyped for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, beginning April 20 on ESPN.
Atlantic Division
Record: 51-26-4, 106 points
First-round opponent: Senators
Case for a Stanley Cup run: If not now … when? The Maple Leafs are arguably the deepest, most complete team they’ve been in the Core Four (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander) era. First-year coach Craig Berube’s north-south style took some getting used to, but the Leafs have thrived in it. Toronto is top 10 in league scoring without being top-heavy. The stars (especially Marner and Tavares) are pumping in goals, but the Leafs get solid contributions throughout the lineup.
Defensively, Toronto has buckled down, allowing fewer than three goals per game and their top-four rotation is stronger than ever. And the Leafs’ goaltending? Locked in, with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll both pulling their weight as a tandem of No. 1s with a collective .916 save percentage.
X factor: The Leafs have serious postseason demons to overcome. How much does Toronto’s history of first-round failure hang over the team going into another playoffs? The Leafs have basically been through it all the past decade — they’ve earned series leads and blown them, come back from the brink (and still fallen short) and experienced every high and low in between.
The belief that Toronto can not only get through one round, but many rounds, has to start with the players. And for some reason, that swaggering confidence the Leafs have in the regular season dies out like a candle in the wind by playoffs. How Toronto manages its emotions and allows this season to be its own adventure — without influence from past failings — could determine just how many days or weeks this postseason lasts.
Player to watch: Marner. The Leafs’ top winger has had a sensational regular season, pacing his club with 26 goals and 99 points. Marner must translate that success to the postseason and in a timely fashion. Marner has 11 goals and 50 points in 58 postseason tilts to date, but what’s often been lacking are timely contributions, those big-time plays at critical moments. The Leafs have seen opportunity slip away when their best players like Marner (and Matthews) can’t produce. This is a contract year for Marner, too. An impactful playoff performance could add some serious dollars onto his next deal.
Bold prediction: The Leafs sweep their way to a first-round series win and don’t look back. Toronto bullies the competition en route to a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Record: 47-26-8, 102 points
First-round opponent: Panthers
Case for a Stanley Cup run: It’s easy to cite Tampa Bay’s recent success as the reason it could add another banner to the rafters. But this Lightning team is built differently. Tampa Bay is not just relying on its elite goal scorers (ahem, Nikita Kucherov) to carry the day. The Lightning are well established defensively, and that’s been a driver of their success the second half of this season. Since Feb. 1, Tampa has allowed the sixth-fewest goals in the league (2.40), with an impressive top-10 penalty kill (80.3%).
Andrei Vasilevskiy has been terrific in the crease, collecting the second-most wins among league starters (37) with a .921 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average. Oh, and Kucherov? He only leads the league in scoring with 37 goals and 121 points. With Jon Cooper — fresh off guiding Canada to victory at the 4 Nations Face-Off — managing this lineup, the sky’s the limit for Tampa Bay.
X factor: The Lightning have enviable scoring talent in Kucherov, Jake Guentzel (40 goals), Brayden Point (41 goals) and Brandon Hagel (35). But does Tampa have the depth to compete when offense is at a premium? In the past it’s been unsung heroes like Nick Paul who come through when the Lightning’s best skaters are neutralized.
This season, most of Tampa Bay’s output is coming from a handful of exceptional players. The Lightning’s ability to tap into the power of their bottom six will be critical. That doesn’t negate how strong Tampa Bay’s defense has been or the benefit in having Vasilevskiy back there guarding the cage. It’s just a reality in the postseason that star contributions dwindle and have to be supplemented from somewhere else.
Player to watch: Victor Hedman. The Lightning’s top blueliner took over his team’s captaincy when Steven Stamkos left in free agency. Keeping Tampa Bay even-keeled in the postseason will fall on him. Hedman plays more than 23 minutes per game in every situation and it often feels like where he goes, the Lightning follow. Setting that example again and ensuring Tampa Bay doesn’t lose track of its freshly ingrained defensive mindset will give the Lightning their best chance of a long spring.
Bold prediction: Tampa Bay’s scoring stars are silenced early in the first round. Every game is decided by a single goal and ultimately the Lightning fall in six to face a swift summer break.
Record: 47-31-4, 98 points
First-round opponent: Lightning
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Who wants to bet against the reigning Stanley Cup champions? Especially when it’s a Florida team that reached the final the year before finally earning the franchise’s first title.
The Panthers are seasoned winners. They know what it takes to navigate the physical and emotional toll of a long playoff run. That’s not easy. But Florida’s potential to repeat goes beyond what they’ve shown in the past. This season’s Panthers are stingy (giving up just 2.72 goals per game), striking (particularly with their 12th-ranked power play) and seemingly deep as ever (with five 20-plus goal scorers). Considering Florida will also have Aaron Ekblad back from a 20-game suspension and Matthew Tkachuk returning from injury by the postseason? Watch out.
X factor: Will fatigue become a factor for Florida after two straight short summers? The Panthers did weather some injury issues down the stretch of this season, but their record over the past month (at just 10-10-1) and downturn in scoring production (32nd with only 2.19 goals per game) suggests the Panthers could be feeling the effects of limited downtime. They wouldn’t be the first champions to go through it, either. What will play a role in Florida’s success — or failure — is how it manages the inevitable wear and tear of this season with any lingering weariness.
Player to watch: Seth Jones. The Panthers won’t have Ekblad back until Game 3 of their first-round series. That puts additional pressure on Jones — along with the Panthers’ entire back end — to keep stepping up in his absence. Jones has already taken on a larger role than Florida likely anticipated when trading for him because of Ekblad’s suspension; he paces the team in ice time at nearly 25 minutes per game. But Jones is short on postseason experience — he hasn’t skated in the playoffs since 2020 — and he will be counted upon to have a significant impact from the back end. Florida will find out fast if he’s up to the task.
Bold prediction: The Panthers rely on physicality and defensive effort to get past the first round, but without enough scoring, they’re swept out of the second round into an early offseason.
Record: 44-30-7, 95 points
First-round opponent: Maple Leafs
Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Senators have been underrated for too much of this season. It’s in the playoffs that they can prove why. Ottawa’s defense is vastly improved — allowing just 2.80 goals per game — and it gives up fewer than 30 shots per game. First-year starter Linus Ullmark has been sensational for the Senators in net (with a .911 SV% and 2.67 GAA) and deserves ample credit for where Ottawa is, but it’s the full team buy-in that’s made a true difference.
The Senators are stacked with scoring talents — headlined by Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk — and deep on the back end, where a terrific Jake Sanderson is having his own unheralded campaign. The Senators have endured enough frustration in recent seasons to be slightly hardened, too. There’s a belief that this is their moment and the time has come to show it.
X factor: How will Ottawa leverage its special teams in the playoffs, especially in the first round? The Senators have a solid power play (23.5%) and decent penalty kill (77.9%). Will they make the most of those units? This is the first postseason experience for all of Ottawa’s most important skaters, and it would be natural to try to do too much to have an impact.
The Senators know (logically) to avoid that going in. Easier said than done. Even-strength scoring dries up quickly in the postseason. Ottawa’s key openings could be with the extra man — and its power play has been particularly good in recent weeks (compared to their first-round opponent’s penalty kill, which has not). The Senators must own the special teams battle as best they can.
Player to watch: Tkachuk. The captain has been sidelined since March 30 with an upper-body injury, but he is expected to be back at full strength for the postseason. Will that be the case? It’s tough enough stepping back in from an ailment at any time of year; rust is inevitable after sitting out 11 games. But the Senators need Tkachuk’s contributions out of the gate to match up with the star power Toronto will wield. Tkachuk led the Senators with 29 goals this season and he’s the spark plug on their power play. No doubt all eyes in Canada’s capital will be watching to see if Tkachuk’s injury will impact what he can do straight away.
Bold prediction: Ottawa gives its all in the first round, but an avalanche of rookie mistakes provew too costly to overcome. The Senators can’t score when it counts and are swept from the first round.
Metropolitan Division
Record: 51-21-9, 111 points
First-round opponent: Canadiens
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Washington was the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot. And the Capitals could easily be the last one standing, too. They’re dynamic offensively (averaging the second most goals in the league), play a tight defensive game (giving up fewer than three goals per night), have a lights-out goaltender in Logan Thompson (owner of a .910 SV% and 2.49 GAA) and have the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin hanging out in his office. What more could the Capitals possibly need to push their way toward a championship?
Spencer Carbery has rightfully earned Jack Adams chatter for the way he’s built this Washington team into a true contender. There aren’t many flaws to pick at when you’ve shown the type of consistency this crew has. Washington’s skids have been few and far between, and it has rarely lost two in a row. That regular-season success should segue nicely into what’s next.
X factor: It’s true Washington has a reliable No. 1 in Thompson — but he may not be available to start the postseason while rehabbing an upper-body injury. The Capitals have leaned on Charlie Lindgren in Thompson’s stead and project to keep doing so until Thompson is healthy.
Will Lindgren be able to stand tall early in the first round? Lindgren (.896 SV%, 2.73 GAA) hasn’t produced the same numbers as Thompson (.910 SV%, 2.49 GAA). Suddenly, goaltending becomes a serious potential roadblock for Washington. If the Capitals want to see their season extended for weeks — and not days — they’ll have to support Lindgren even more than they would Thompson with a defense-first mindset. Because even with the likes of Ovechkin up front, it’s nearly impossible to outscore your own defensive woes come the playoffs.
Player to watch: Tom Wilson. There’s something about Wilson and the postseason. He’s always been the Capitals’ heavy, but there’s an extra pep in Wilson’s step when the playoffs roll around. He’s going to make the other team uncomfortable, getting under guys’ skin and generally causing the sort of chaos that can throw things off. Washington needs that energy. The Capitals have plenty of finesse elsewhere, and while Wilson can score with the best of them — he has 33 goals this season, after all — it’s the extra punch (sometimes literally) Wilson can provide that makes him a standout this time of year.
Bold prediction: Washington’s offense is slowed in the first round when Ovechkin fails to score a single goal. Its heated second-round series ends in frustration when Washington’s defense can’t hold up and it is sent packing.
Record: 47-29-5, 99 points
First-round opponent: Devils
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Carolina has its identity and sticks to it. The Hurricanes are a perennial contender because they’re elite at 5-on-5, consistently stifle their opponents (by allowing the fewest shots in the league), while simultaneously making the competition uncomfortable (by peppering in the second-most shots on goal this season). Carolina has improved its play off the rush and remains as stout as ever on defense. It has received strong goaltending from Frederik Andersen (.907 SV%, 2.29 GAA) and has the league’s best penalty kill.
It has been Carolina’s defensive details that set it apart, and those are never more valuable than in the playoffs. The Hurricanes have also leaned on a breakout offensive performance from Seth Jarvis. (He has a team-leading 32 goals.) Carolina has done the work to set itself up for success.
X factor: Is Carolina deep enough to actually go deep in the playoffs? The Hurricanes do an excellent job offensively of generating opportunities, but too often aren’t cashing in on them from enough players throughout the lineup. If Carolina can rely only on Jarvis and Sebastian Aho to consistently light the lamp then they become an easier team to pick off (especially considering their power play is 26th in the league, at 18.6%).
And what about the goaltending depth? Andersen has been good since coming back from injury, but his young partner Pyotr Kochetkov has struggled (.898 SV%, 2.59 GAA). Andersen is always at risk of getting hurt and Carolina would be in lesser hands with Kochetkov taking over the crease. How the Hurricanes respond to potential adversities — and who can fill in the gaps — is key.
Player to watch: Logan Stankoven. Carolina may not have Mikko Rantanen anymore, but it does have a player who came on board when Rantanen was traded to Dallas. Stankoven, a rookie, has been an impressive fit for the Hurricanes, with five goals and eight points in 17 games. And it feels like he’s hitting a stride at the right time. Stankoven can create chances for himself and teammates with an underrated playmaking ability and he’s an energy guy, too. That can go a long way in the close, tense games that Carolina projects to find itself in soon enough.
Bold prediction: Despite Carolina’s decided edge in the first round, it falters too many times to recover. The Hurricanes fail to advance for the first time since 2020 and for just the second time under coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Record: 42-33-7, 91 points
First-round opponent: Hurricanes
Case for a Stanley Cup run: New Jersey has the ingredients to be a surprise success story in the postseason. The Devils’ special teams are among the league’s best, with a third-ranked power play (28%) and second-ranked penalty kill (82.4%). New Jersey is tough to crack all around though, allowing the fifth-fewest goals this season (2.65) and sixth-fewest shots (26.3).
The Devils’ solid goalie tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen should leave them feeling confident that whoever is back there will be steering enough pucks aside. And if New Jersey can make life hard on the opponent and wear them down with a strong defensive effort, then it will take some of the sting out of not having top scorer Jack Hughes available due to injury.
X factor: All of that said, Hughes isn’t easily replaceable (as we’ve seen in New Jersey’s struggles since Hughes underwent surgery in March). The Devils are 30th in 5-on-5 scoring without Hughes, and replacing his contributions in the playoffs is critical to how far they can advance. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt are averaging over a point per game following Hughes’ departure, and having Dougie Hamilton back for the playoffs should help generate more scoring opportunities from the back end.
The first round will pit New Jersey against a sturdy defensive club in Carolina. It’ll take all the firepower these Devils can muster to make up for Hughes’ absence and every single opportunity to use that vaunted power play can’t be taken for granted.
Player to watch: Hischier. It’s easy for Hischier to fly under the radar when Hughes is around. Now, consider Hischier in the spotlight. His ability as a two-way center will carry the Devils’ top-heavy attack, but Hischier will also have a target on his back. Ultimately, slowing him down will make New Jersey that much more one-dimensional. How Hischier handles the hurricane ahead will decide whether the Devils sink or swim.
Bold prediction: New Jersey plays fast and loose and it pays off against a stiff Carolina team in the first round. The Devils glide through the second round as one of the playoffs’ best offensive teams and wind up another Cinderella story (this time, playoff edition).
Record: 40-31-11, 91 points
First-round opponent: Capitals
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Montreal found its mojo at the right moment. Who would have thought as the Canadiens endured a five-game slide through the end of March that they’d follow it up with six straight wins to put a playoff berth back on the table?
The postseason is all about momentum and confidence. The Canadiens may have needed a few extra games to ultimately secure their spot but what does Montreal have to lose, really? While other clubs are saddled with pressure to win now, the Canadiens can truly be happy just having their seat at the party. And that’s a good thing.
Montreal stepped up in the second half of this season, averaging over three goals per game since late February while allowing fewer than three across the line. Nick Suzuki has averaged over a point per game, and Cole Caufield has collected an impressive 37 goals. Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson is having a Calder Trophy-worthy season, and the Canadiens have continuously shown they have sound depth. Montreal has made it this far. There’s reason to believe it can keep the good times rolling.
X factor: The Canadiens will be taking on a high-flying Washington team out of the gate. Can Montreal’s goaltending keep things from getting out of hand? Sam Montembeault was great during that five-game stretch to put the Canadiens in playoff position, and he, like the rest of the team, was better in the season’s second half. Now, Montreal just needs Montembeault to hold the Capitals’ elite offense at bay long enough for the Canadiens’ own snipers to get on the board. Montembeault has carried a heavy load already for Montreal this year (with 60 starts) and his stats are good (.901 SV% and 2.83 GAA). The Canadiens will need greatness from their goaltenders if they expect to move on.
Player to watch: Ivan Demidov. Name the last player who arrived in Montreal to Demidov-level fanfare? (We’ll wait). Turns out, though, the hype was real. Demidov stepped into his first NHL game last week and was on the scoresheet with a goal and an assist. Montreal may have lost that night to Chicago, but Demidov was an undeniable boost for the group as they searched for that eventual clinching victory. And considering how unfazed Demidov appears at the NHL level, it’ll be fascinating to see what he can provide for Montreal in the postseason.
Bold prediction: Montreal takes Game 1 to win their first playoff game in four years and put some doubt into the Capitals. The Canadiens hold off Ovechkin the entire way in a six-game series they eventually lose.
Central Division
Record: 56-2-4, 116 points
First-round opponent: Blues
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Few teams are as complete as the Jets have been this season, one in which they won the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record. They took a step forward in their evolution in the first season under Scott Arniel, who was an associate coach with the Jets for the past two campaigns.
They get consistent offensive contributions from their forward lines, while also getting scoring from defensemen. Their defensive structure is among the best in the league at limiting scoring chances, while they have what might be a future Hall of Famer in Connor Hellebuyck in net.
X factor: Can their regular-season continuity translate to playoff success? This is, once again, the biggest question facing the Jets heading into the postseason. They won 52 games last season, faced the Avalanche in the first round — and were eliminated in five games for a second consecutive postseason.
Fast forward to this year. They’ve won more than 50 games for a second straight season, while having personnel who look as if they can be trusted in every situation. Does it lead to them getting out of the first round? Or will it be a third straight early exit?
Player to watch: Hellebuyck. He’s in line to win a second consecutive Vezina Trophy, which would be his third overall. That would place Hellebuyck among Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy. But any time there’s a discussion about Hellebuyck’s status among all-time greats, it includes his relative lack of success in the postseason. That came up last season, when he had a personal-low .870 save percentage in the Jets’ five-game series loss. On the whole, he’s 18-27 with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in his postseason career. Is this the year he turns it around?
Bold prediction: Gabriel Vilardi, who has only two goals in 12 career playoff games, will lead the Jets in goals this postseason.
Record: 50-26-6, 106 points
First-round opponent: Avalanche
Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Stars are certainly in a championship window, having advanced to three Western Conference finals in the past five years. But there’s more to it than that. The core of those teams remains in place. They’ve found ways to add to that core, and newcomers assimilate quickly.
Despite already having one of the most talented teams in the NHL, the Stars traded for one of the game’s best players in Mikko Rantanen, who has won a Stanley Cup. Adding Rantanen only heightens the expectations this could be the year for the Stars.
X factor: Can they be stopped in a Game 7? You may have heard that Stars coach Peter DeBoer is quite adept at Game 7s. His teams are 8-0, which is not only the best all-time record for Game 7s in NHL history, but it’s the best mark of any coach in North American men’s pro sports history.
While he’s been with the Stars for only two seasons, each postseason has seen the Stars tap into what has made DeBoer so crucial in those winner-take-all games. And with a first-round date against the Avalanche? It’s possible DeBoer’s Game 7 tactics could come into play again.
Player to watch: Mikko Rantanen. There’s the theatrical aspect — watching a player who never thought he was going to leave the franchise that drafted him play a role in eliminating them months after being traded. But what’s greater than the drama is the fact that the Stars altered their entire team-building philosophy by dealing draft picks and a rookie roster player to get him, because they believe someone who has 101 points in 81 career playoff games can lead to them winning the second title in franchise history.
Bold prediction: Rantanen will either score or set up two of the game-winning goals in the first round against the Avalanche.
Record: 49-29-4, 102 points
First-round opponent: Stars
Case for a Stanley Cup run: What’s essentially doomed the Avs since they won the Stanley Cup back in 2022 is a lack of consistent secondary and tertiary scoring. It’s something they’ve tried to fix on multiple occasions, only to end up course correcting. But, the trades they’ve made this season have given them not only their strongest roster since they won the Cup, but a group that has the potential to be just as good as that title-winning team. That group will be put to the test quickly in the first round against the Stars.
X factor: Their supporting cast. Relying on their role players was crucial to why they averaged more than four goals per game en route to knocking out the Jets in five games in the opening round last spring. But that changed against the Stars in Round 2. A lack of consistent secondary scoring, among other items, resulted in the Avs notching six total goals in the four games they lost to the Stars in the second round.
Player to watch: Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche captain played his first professional game in nearly three years for the Avs’ AHL affiliate this past weekend. After logging 15 minutes in his first game, he scored a goal and had an assist in his second game, while his surgically repaired knee didn’t give him any issues. It sets the stage for Landeskog returning this postseason, and not only providing the Avs with a two-way net front presence who plays a responsible game, but someone who provides a calming influence in difficult situations.
Bold prediction: Landeskog will score three goals in the first round against the Stars.
Record: 44-30-8, 96 points
First-round opponent: Jets
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Since they hired Jim Montgomery in November, the Blues have talked about the adjustments they could make, and it led to an openness that led to contributions throughout their lineup. That became evident during a 12-game win streak across March and April that saw them catapult from wild-card hopeful to being in control of the wild-card race.
Oh, and an in-season coaching change followed by a strong run to the playoffs and then a Stanley Cup for St. Louis? Yeah, we’ve seen that before.
X factor: How far will their defensive structure take them? One of the biggest challenges facing the Blues before they hired Montgomery was the need for defensive consistency. They hired assistant Mike Weber to focus on defense, and added two-way forwards to help address the problem.
Following Montgomery’s arrival, the Blues have steadily improved to the point where they’re among the best in the NHL in allowing high-danger chances per 60 minutes, while being in the top 13 in fewest shots allowed per 60 and scoring chances per 60.
Player to watch: Jordan Binnington. For months ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off, much was made about Canada’s relative weakness in goal. The team turned to Binnington, who was instrumental in helping the nation win February’s best-on-best tournament. His exploits since have translated into success for the Blues. Given the changes under Montgomery coupled with what Binnington has done, could it lead to the Blues going on a run this postseason?
Bold prediction: Despite the Jets having the NHL’s top power play, the Blues will limit them to only two goals with the extra-skater advantage.
Pacific Division
Record: 50-22-10, 110 points
First-round opponent: Wild
Case for a Stanley Cup run: By Vegas standards, this team has been quiet — but it has also been rather productive.
Jack Eichel is no longer just an offensive threat. He’s developed into a complete, two-way forward who can be used in any situation. They’ve empowered Pavel Dorofeyev into becoming a 30-goal scorer. Goaltender Adin Hill went from being in a tandem to making more than 50 starts for the first time in his career. Those individual exploits are part of a collective that once again has the Golden Knights in a position to challenge for a second Stanley Cup in three years.
X factor: Their strength in numbers. Winning that title in 2023 was largely made possible by the Golden Knights’ depth. That’s what made last offseason so jarring, because quite a bit of that depth left in free agency. The response? Eleven players finished 2024-25 with 10 or more goals. That group includes Dorofeyev but also Brett Howden, who went from 39 career goals in 351 career games entering this season to 23 goals in 2024-25.
Player to watch: Tomas Hertl. Hertl had a difficult time after coming over via trade at the tail end of last season, as he was coming back from injury. That extended into the postseason, in which he finished with one point in seven games. But in his first full season with the club, Hertl has looked the part of a legitimate top-six forward, reaching the 30-goal mark for the third time in his career. Getting that version of Hertl means the Golden Knights could also get “Playoff Hertl,” who scored 16 goals and had 24 points in 29 games during his final two postseason campaigns with the San Jose Sharks.
Bold prediction: Not only will Dorofeyev lead the Golden Knights in goals after the first round, but he will lead the Western Conference in goals.
Record: 48-24-9, 105 points
First-round opponent: Oilers
Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Kings have gone through a few iterations over the last four years once their rebuild was complete. They’ve made big trades, spent quite a bit of money in free agency, shuffled through goaltenders, and fired and hired coaches only for it to all end in the same place the past three seasons: getting knocked out by the Oilers in the first round.
This season, they’ve attained a level of consistency — both with their structure under Jim Hiller and in having roster continuity — that could make this spring end differently. And it helps that the goalie on whom they finally landed has shown up in a big way — even earning some Vezina consideration.
X factor: Can their identity be the difference? A former assistant coach who went from interim coach to head coach this season, Jim Hiller has developed the Kings into one of the more consistent teams in the NHL. Their underlying offensive metrics have them in the top 10 or just outside the top 10 in most shots per 60 minutes, goals per 60, scoring chances per 60 and high-danger chances per 60.
Defensively, they’re in the top three in fewest opportunities allowed in those same categories, while also being top three in team save percentage.
Player to watch: Darcy Kuemper. All the changes the Kings have made in net have come with the intention of getting to the second round. So far, none of those adjustments have worked, which led them to get Kuemper. In only 34 career playoff games, he’s done quite a bit: helping the Arizona Coyotes win a round in the Edmonton bubble in 2020 and backstopping the Avs to a Stanley Cup in 2022. Does he add getting the Kings (finally) past the first round and the Oilers to his list of achievements?
Bold prediction: Warren Foegele, who scored three playoff goals for the Oilers last season, will have a hat trick in the first round against his old team.
Record: 48-29-5, 101 points
First-round opponent: Kings
Case for a Stanley Cup run: The Oilers were a game away from winning the Stanley Cup last year after falling into a three-game series hole against the Panthers. The entirety of their run reinforced the notion that they were more than just Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. That they had the support cast who could be counted upon in critical sequences, while coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff seemingly had an adjustment for every situation.
Even though the Oilers enter the playoffs facing a long list of injuries, they’re in a championship window — and have shown they can figure it out when needed.
X factor: Can they fix the disconnect with their defense and goaltending? Everything about the Oilers’ underlying metrics suggests they’re one of the stronger defensive teams in the NHL this season. They’re in the top 10 in fewest scoring chances allowed per 60 minutes and the fewest high-danger scoring chances allowed per 60. They’re also 11th in shots allowed per 60.
And yet, they are in the bottom 10 in team save percentage. How is it that the Oilers have been consistent with their structure but inconsistent in net? Answering that question could play a role in an early exit versus a protracted one.
Player to watch: Stuart Skinner. Not that a team’s playoff fate hinges entirely on the actions of one player, but there’s attention on Skinner for a reason (in addition to everything in the previous section). The benching during last year’s playoffs seemed to be a wake-up call; thereafter, he was a consistent presence that played a significant role in the Oilers’ Cup Final run.
But, this season has arguably been his most difficult since becoming the Oilers’ No. 1. His .894 save percentage is his lowest in that time, while Skinner’s minus-10.34 goals saved above expected (per Natural Stat Trick) is the worst of any goalie who could potentially start for a playoff team.
Bold prediction: Should the Oilers get past the Kings in the first round, they’ll return to the Stanley Cup Final.
Record: 45-30-7, 97 points
First-round opponent: Golden Knights
Case for a Stanley Cup run: Just look at what they’ve been through this season. Kirill Kaprizov was having the best season of his career before he sustained a long-term injury, limiting him to 41 games. The Wild also had to navigate injuries to Joel Eriksson Ek, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin. They were in the bottom 10 of goals per game, shots per 60 minutes, scoring chances per 60 and high-danger chances per 60.
If they made it this far in a season in which they’ve played many tight games, shouldn’t playing those games now provide a sense of normalcy — especially with all of those players back in the lineup?
X factor: Comfort in one-goal games. Yes, playoff games are different because one mistake can make the difference between winning a game or losing a series. But as noted above, the Wild know that concept all too well this season. They’ve played in 28 one-goal games and have won 18 of them. There was even one stretch in which they won four consecutive one-goal games.
And for a team that was the worst in goals per game among Western Conference playoff teams? Those one-goal games could be crucial toward their aspirations.
Player to watch: Zeev Buium. Although the Wild have a number of players who could be in this space, what makes Buium the pick here is the intrigue. From the moment they drafted him last summer, it created an expectation that he and Brock Faber could usher the Wild’s blue line into a new era. But above all, it gave the Wild another young, puck-moving defenseman who could play heavy minutes — and important minutes — when the time came. Buium has already filled that role with the University of Denver and the two-time gold-medal winning U.S. team at the World Juniors. He could be the next young blueliner who is asked to do the same in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Bold prediction: Marc-Andre Fleury will get at least one win against the Golden Knights, and if so, it will come at T-Mobile Arena.
As spring practices continue to wind down with an assortment of fan fests and spring showcases, some programs are sticking with tradition and hosting spring games.
Among those hosting games this weekend are Michigan, which features ballyhooed quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood, and Colorado, where coach Deion Sanders remains but his biggest stars from last season, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, will be stepping onto a much bigger stage at next week’s NFL draft.
Here’s a look at the power-conference programs hosting spring games this weekend, including positions of intrigue and players to watch for each team.
All times Eastern.
Game time: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: Shane Beamer became only the second coach at South Carolina in the past 40 years to win nine regular-season games last season. (Steve Spurrier was the other.) The Gamecocks played their best football down the stretch and were a couple of plays and questionable calls away from making the College Football Playoff. They return two of the best young players in the country in redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers and sophomore edge rusher Dylan Stewart, but the key to the season will be how well the other players around those two stars develop.
Position of intrigue: Even with All-America defensive end Kyle Kennard headed to the NFL, South Carolina’s defensive front seven should again be stout. The Gamecocks finished in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense, yards per play and rushing defense. Stewart’s ability to get to the passer will be a major part of the 2025 defense, but Bryan Thomas Jr. also had 4.5 sacks last season. Transfers Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy at tackle (Texas A&M), Jaylen Brown at end (Missouri) and Justin Okoronkwo (Alabama) and Shawn Murphy (Florida State) at linebacker are on their way.
Player to watch: Being able to run the ball last season made a huge difference for South Carolina, and Sellers was a big part of that running game. But with Rocket Sanders gone, the Gamecocks needed a go-to running back, which is where Utah State transfer Rahsul Faison fits in. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Faison rushed for 1,109 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per carry last season. — Chris Low
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: Is Duke ready to push into the ACC’s upper echelon? Here’s a fun fact: The only teams with more conference wins in the past three years than Duke (14) are Clemson and Louisville. After last season’s surprising 9-4 finish, Duke spent big to land transfer Darian Mensah at QB, and expectations are incredibly high in Durham for the first time in — well, it’s been a while.
Position of intrigue: Mensah was the big offseason splash, but there remains a question as to who he’ll be throwing the ball to. The Blue Devils’ top two receivers and their leading pass catcher at tight end from 2024 are all gone. In their wake, Duke will rely on third-year option Que’Sean Brown, who emerged late in the season, and a pair of transfers in Andrel Anthony (from Oklahoma) and Cooper Barkate (from Princeton).
Player to watch: Jaquez Moore was supposed to be a centerpiece to Duke’s offense in 2024, but an early injury upended his season, and he finished with just 32 carries. He’s healthy again, and if he can get back into the form he showed as an all-around playmaker in 2022 and 2023, the Blue Devils should have a nicely balanced attack. — David Hale
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 4-8
Spring storyline: Willie Fritz begins his second season at Houston with two new coordinators: His first hire on offense, Kevin Barbay, was fired after the Cougars ranked last in the FBS in scoring offense and replaced by Fritz’s former Tulane OC, Slade Nagle. Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood departed for a big raise at Texas Tech and was replaced by Austin Armstrong, formerly Florida’s DC.
Position of intrigue: Offensive line. The Cougars’ struggles on offense last season started up front, and Fritz, who had arrived in December after Dana Holgorsen was fired, had to patch plenty of holes. This year, the Cougars landed five offensive linemen in the portal to help bolster their protection.
Player to watch: Former Texas A&M starter Conner Weigman, a five-star recruit when he signed with the Aggies, was a high school star in the Houston area and will get a fresh start after a coaching and scheme change in Aggieland. — Dave Wilson
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey arrives with a mandate to overhaul a passing game that finished above only the three service academies in 2024 in terms of passing yards per game. His development of incoming national No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood at quarterback will be closely watched, but Lindsey must take a global approach to getting more production from an offense that is also losing its top two running backs.
Position of intrigue: Defensive tackle. No FBS team is losing a better tandem of interior defensive linemen, as Michigan must replace Mason Graham, a projected top-five NFL draft pick, and Kenneth Grant, a possible late first-round pick. Rayshaun Benny‘s return is significant, and Michigan must build depth around him with transfers Damon Payne (Alabama), Tre Williams (Clemson) and others.
Player to watch: Running back Justice Haynes. Even with a talent like Underwood at quarterback, Michigan will always lean on its run game, which loses Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards to the NFL. Haynes, a transfer from Alabama, has impressed his new coaches and teammates with his leadership and conditioning. Now he tries to become a featured back after averaging 5.9 yards per carry in limited work for the Crimson Tide. — Adam Rittenberg
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 7-6
Spring storyline: After the Razorbacks lost six games or more for the third straight season in 2024, it seems like another important year for embattled coach Sam Pittman. It won’t be easy against one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS — road games at Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU and Texas and home contests against Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Auburn and Missouri. There was plenty of turnover on the roster, with 25 scholarship players leaving, including several key contributors. The Hogs’ focus this spring is finding their 22 best players and building depth behind them.
Position of intrigue: Pittman is an old-school offensive line coach at heart, and he knows Arkansas is going to have do a better job protecting quarterback Taylen Green, who was sacked 32 times in 2024. The Hogs gave up 36 overall, which ranked 114th in the FBS. The Razorbacks brought in five FBS transfers and another lineman from junior college. Tackles JacQawn McRoy (Oregon) and Corey Robinson II (Georgia Tech) might be the biggest additions. McRoy is nicknamed “Shaq” because of his towering 6-foot-8, 375-pound frame. Fernando Carmona, who moved from left tackle to guard, told reporters this week that the unit will be better than last year. “And I know that for a fact,” he said. “Just the way the group is, the way we’ve meshed.”
Player to watch: The Razorbacks need help at wide receiver after Andrew Armstrong departed for the NFL and Isaiah Sategna transferred to Oklahoma. Arkansas added four transfer receivers, and former UAB standout Kam Shanks led the FBS with 329 punt return yards and two punt return touchdowns in 2024. He also added a team-high 62 receptions for 656 yards and six scores. The Hogs will also get their first looks at receivers Courtney Crutchfield (Missouri), Raylen Sharpe (Fresno State) and O’Mega Blake (Charlotte). — Mark Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 2-10
Spring storyline: The Bulldogs went 2-10 and didn’t win an SEC contest in coach Jeff Lebby’s first season, so there’s plenty of work to do in Starkville, Mississippi, this spring. The Bulldogs have to figure out a way to improve their porous defense, which ranked 118th in scoring (34.1 points), 130th against the run (216.9 yards), 105th in passing defense (239.5 yards) and 126th in total defense (456.4). The offense also took some heavy portal losses, including quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (LSU) and receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. (Missouri) and Mario Craver (Texas A&M).
Position of intrigue: The Bulldogs’ problems on defense started up front, and that’s the reason Lebby and his staff added seven defensive linemen in the portal. State’s defense generated only 10 sacks in 2024, second fewest in the FBS. Red Hibbler had 6½ sacks at NC State in 2023, then redshirted after four games last season. Will Whitson had 8½ tackles for loss and five sacks in two seasons at Coastal Carolina, and Malick Sylla had four sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M. Adding former FBS head coaches Mike MacIntyre and Paul Rhoads as senior defensive analysts can’t hurt.
Player to watch: Quarterback Blake Shapen returned to Mississippi State after missing the final eight games with a shoulder injury. In four starts in 2024, he threw for 974 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. After Van Buren transferred to LSU, the Bulldogs signed former Florida State backup Luke Kromenhoek, who started two games in 2024. — Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
2024 record: 3-9
Spring storyline: Coach Mike Gundy responded to the worst finish of his tenure (and a contract-related standoff with the university) by hiring an entirely new staff of assistants and he’ll enter 2025 with an equally unfamiliar roster. TCU transfer Hauss Hejny is the favorite to emerge from a crowded quarterback room, and Oklahoma State must replace the production of Ollie Gordon, De’Zhaun Stribling and a handful of key defenders if the Cowboys want to execute a quick turnaround in 2025.
Position of intrigue: Offensive line. Oklahoma State is replacing its top six snap-getters from an offensive line that allowed 13 sacks last fall, 10th fewest nationally. In 2025, the Cowboys’ blocking unit projects to be transfer-heavy following the portal arrivals of Tyler Brumfield (Snow Junior College), Louie Canepa (New Mexico State), Kasen Carpenter (Tulsa), Lavaka Taukeiaho (Weber State) and the recent transfer commitment of Appalachian State offensive tackle Markell Samuel. Alongside them, redshirt junior Austin Kawecki is the only returner who played more than 100 snaps last fall.
Player to watch: Defensive line transfer Kyran Duhon was a second-team All-CUSA selection after he totaled 43 tackles and seven sacks in his freshman season at UTEP. His ability to get into the backfield will be critical for a defense that lost a series of impact defenders this season, including Collin Oliver and Nick Martin. — Eli Lederman
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m., SECN+
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: Last impressions always seem to count for more in college football, and Texas A&M in its first season under Mike Elko lost four of its last five games a year ago. It was a disappointing close to the season after the Aggies won seven straight heading into November and were seemingly in position to make a playoff run. Look for Elko to take on a heavier role on defense. He wasn’t pleased with the way the Aggies played down the stretch a year ago and brought in several newcomers on the defensive line, which is losing three of its top players to the NFL.
Position of intrigue: The Aggies are set to return all five starters in their offensive line, a unit that could use a boost from the running backs staying healthy this season. Despite knee injuries to both Rueben Owens and Le’Veon Moss last season, Texas A&M still finished second in the SEC in rushing with an average of 195.5 yards per game. Owens didn’t play until the last two games of the season after being injured in preseason camp, and Moss missed the last month of the season. Amari Daniels also returns at running back, meaning the Aggies’ running game could flourish in 2025.
Player to watch: This will be Marcel Reed‘s third year on campus, and the redshirt sophomore is Texas A&M’s future at quarterback. He had his ups and downs a year ago after shuffling between backup and starter, but played big on some big stages. Reed has said he wants to be more of a leader on this team, which starts in the spring. — Low
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m.
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: The Red Raiders were the talk of the college football personnel world this offseason, going big in the portal, spending more than $10 million to sign 17 new players, including seven on the offensive and defensive lines. But the expectation that go along with that, of course, is that Joey McGuire, 23-16 in his three seasons in Lubbock, wins the Big 12 and makes a run at the College Football Playoff.
Position of intrigue: Shiel Wood arrives as the new defensive coordinator after the Red Raiders finished 126th in total defense in 2024. The secondary was particularly troubling, giving up 308.1 passing yards per game, 132nd nationally. Five members of that transfer haul are defensive backs.
Player to watch: Romello Height is an interesting prospect. The 6-3, 240-pound edge rusher spent two seasons at Auburn out of high school, transferred to USC, then Georgia Tech and now Texas Tech. In 36 career games, he has 73 tackles (15.5 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. — Wilson
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m., ESPN+
2024 record: 5-7
Spring storyline: Utah is turning to first-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck and a cast of newcomers to revamp an offense that finished 115th nationally in yards per game last season. Beck brought transfer quarterback Devon Dampier with him from New Mexico, and the Utes will hope that eight new additions across their running back and wide receiver rooms can lift Utah back to Big 12 contention following the program’s first losing season since 2013.
Position of intrigue: Cornerback. After leading the Utes to the conference’s fifth-ranked pass defense in 2024, the cornerback unit projects to be a strength again in the fall despite the departure of former all-conference defender Zemaiah Vaughn. Upperclassmen Smith Snowden and Elijah Davis are back in 2025, and the Utes have reinforced at the position with the portal additions of Donovan Saunders (Texas A&M), Blake Cotton (UC Davis) and Rock Caldwell (Garden City Community College).
Player to watch: Transfer running back Wayshawn Parker carried 137 times for 735 yards as Washington State’s second-leading rusher in his freshman season last fall. He’s primed to take on an even bigger workload with Utah in 2025 stepping in to replace 1,000-yard rusher Micah Bernard. — Lederman
Game time: Saturday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN+
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: As Colorado prepares to retire the numbers of Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter this weekend, the question remains: Can the Buffaloes remain Big 12 contenders without them? Colorado found an experienced replacement for Sanders in Liberty quarterback transfer Kaidon Salter, though the 29-game starter is expected to face competition from five-star freshman Julian Lewis. Defensive backs DJ McKinney, Carter Stoutmire, Preston Hodge and Colton Hood return to a secondary that finished 40th in passing yards per game last season.
Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. Between the departures of Hunter and fellow pass catchers LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn, Colorado entered the spring down 255 receptions, 3,251 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns of production from a year ago. Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller remain the program’s only returning receivers who hit double-digit receptions in 2024. Tulsa transfer Joseph Williams — the reigning AAC Freshman of the Year — should be in position to produce, and spring portal transfer commit Sincere Brown (Campbell) presents another intriguing option for the fall.
Player to watch: Alabama defensive tackle transfer Jeheim Oatis started 13 games and recorded 52 tackles, five pass breakups and 1.5 sacks in two-plus seasons with the Crimson Tide. He could emerge as a key piece at the heart of a new-look interior defensive line unit at Colorado this fall. — Lederman
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