The 2021 NHL season was a campaign the likes of which we've never seen -- and hope to never see again. The game schedule was limited (both in overall volume and variety of opponents). The fan capacity was limited. Thankfully, the permutations of how the Stanley Cup Final might play out are less limited because the NHL rebrackets the final four once we get to the semifinals.
But way before all that, we have eight fantastic first-round matchups. To help you get ready for the tournament, we tasked our panel with answering a five-pack of forward-looking questions. Click the links below to jump ahead, or read through all five.