Mikko Rantanen will be the center of attention when the Dallas Stars meet the Colorado Avalanche meet in the first round because he starred for the Avalanche before they shockingly traded him. He didn’t go straight to the Stars, but the Carolina Hurricanes moved him before the trade deadline and he signed long-term with Dallas.

Rantanen is a playoff standout with 101 points in 81 games, the type of production that the Stars hope get them beyond the conference final this year. But first Dallas will have to get past the Avalanche, no small task, even though it did last season. Colorado has reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon and 30-goal defenseman Cale Makar, the 2022 playoff MVP. They added Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle at the trade deadline, and captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee) could be back for the first time since the 2022 championship.

The Stars have difficulties beyond their opponent. They followed a seven-game winning streak with a season-ending 0-5-2 slide. No. 1 defenseman Miro Heiskanen remains out and leading goal scorer Jason Robertson limped off the ice Wednesday.

The Stars-Avalanche series leads USA TODAY’s power rankings of the NHL’s eight Stanley Cup playoffs first-round matchups. Here are the rest:

2. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers

One of these teams has reached the Stanley Cup Final the past five seasons. Tampa Bay has two titles and Florida is the defending champion. The Lightning beat the Panthers twice in the playoffs and Florida won last year’s series. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy is a clutch goalie, Brayden Point is a clutch scorer and Nikita Kucherov has won the last two scoring titles. This might be the deepest Lightning team since the Stanley Cup days. The Panthers, though banged up and missing suspended Aaron Ekblad for Games 1 and 2, are also loaded with talent. Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk and newcomer Brad Marchand could make life miserable for Lightning players.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators

You know a series will be intense when it’s called the ‘Battle of Ontario.’ This will be the first time the teams have met in the playoffs since 2004. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is making his playoff debut a year after brother Matthew won a Stanley Cup. Toronto always faces pressure in the playoffs. Can pending free agent Mitch Marner follow his 100-point season with a big playoff performance? And will new coach Craig Berube, a former Stanley Cup winner, help the Maple Leafs avoid another early exit?

4. Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues

Remember the 4 Nations Face-Off final, when Canada’s Jordan Binnington made several spectacular saves in overtime before Connor McDavid scored on the USA’s Connor Hellebuyck for a 3-2 win? Well, they’ll be in opposite creases again in this series. Winnipeg’s Hellebuyck is favored to win a second consecutive Vezina Trophy, but he was rocked last season in the playoffs (5.23 goals-against average, .864 save percentage) by the Avalanche. Binnington won the Stanley Cup in 2019 but has missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

5. Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens

Washington’s Alex Ovechkin drew plenty of attention because he broke Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. But that overshadowed the fact that the Capitals had a tremendous season after retooling on the fly. Coach Spencer Carbery made all the new veterans mesh properly, leading to numerous personal bests. The Capitals slipped a little down the stretch, so we’ll see if they can turn things around against the Canadiens, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Lane Hutson tied a rookie defenseman record with 60 assists, Nick Suzuki scored 30 goals and Ivan Demidov has shown impressive skills in his two games in the league.

6. Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers

This will be their fourth consecutive first-round meeting. Edmonton has won the previous three series, needing seven games the first time, then six, then five last season as the Oilers went on to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. But something feels different this year. The Kings have home-ice advantage and were 31-5-4 at Crypto.com Arena before Thursday’s game. Former Stanley Cup winner Darcy Kuemper has provided steady goaltending and the Kings have good secondary scoring, including former Oiler Warren Foegele. Los Angeles won the season series 3-1 and shut out Edmonton twice. The Oilers have star power in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl but those two had some injury issues down the stretch and defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss the first round. Considering the series history, though, don’t count out Edmonton until the handshake line.

7. Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild

The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, dipped the following season and won a division title this year, despite losing Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others to free agency. Pavel Dorofeyev took advantage and jumped from 13 goals to 35. This is a deep, dangerous team, especially with Jack Eichel returning from injury on Wednesday. The Wild have one of the league’s top players in Kirill Kaprizov, who missed half a season with injury. He scored three points in his return. This will be the last time to watch future Hall of Fame goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, though Filip Gustavsson likely will see nearly all of the action.

8. Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

This series lost some luster because Devils star Jack Hughes had season-ending surgery. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour’s teams are a near lock to advance to the second round. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe got out of the first round only once when he was with the Maple Leafs. Carolina beat New Jersey two years ago in the playoffs.

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Although she hasn’t played a competitive match since the 2022 U.S. Open, tennis legend Serena Williams still follows the sport with a passion.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is a big fan of No. 1-ranked men’s player Jannik Sinner, the defending U.S. Open champion who won his second consecutive Australian Open in January. However, Sinner is currently serving a three-month suspension after testing positive last year for a performance-enhancing substance.

In a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine – the publication that just named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world – Williams said Sinner is a ‘fantastic personality’ and is ‘great for the sport.’

But she also made a point to mention, ‘if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.’

As a way of explanation, Williams points to one of her contemporaries on the WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova, who received a two-year ban for doping in 2016 – even though the circumstances surrounding her positive test were similar to Sinner’s.

‘I can’t help but think about Maria all this time,’ Williams said.

Both Sharapova and Sinner said they were unintentionally given the banned substances that led to the failed tests. Sharapova had her suspension eventually reduced to 15 months, while Sinner is currently serving a three-month ban that will not force him to miss any of this year’s Grand Slam tournaments.

Lee Corso is hanging up his headgear.

The legendary former college football coach and ESPN ‘College GameDay’ fixture for the past five decades announced Thursday that his final appearance on the show would be during the Week 1 episode of the 2025 college football season. ESPN has billed it as Corso’s final headgear pick, a nod to his signature closing move on ‘College GameDay’ when he dons mascot headgear to signal his pick for the game at the site in which the show is being broadcast from that week.

ESPN said a location for Corso’s final ‘College GameDay,’ scheduled for Saturday, August 30, will be determined at a later date. ESPN will also present special programming to honor Corso in the days leading up to his last show.

Corso, who turns 90 in August, debuted on ESPN’s college football pregame show in 1987. His first headgear pick – Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye in Columbus, Ohio – happened on Oct. 5, 1996.

Corso joined ESPN following a 28-year coaching career at the college and professional levels, including 17 seasons as a head coach at Louisville (1969-72), Indiana (1973-82), Northern Illinois (1984) and with the USFL’s Orlando Renegades (1985). He is the only personality from the original ‘College GameDay’ cast still with the show.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years. I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement,’ Corso said in a statement. “ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years. They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay. Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans…truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.”

Corso became a revered figure in college football and the face of ‘College Gameday’ over the years by mixing commentary with catchphrases like ‘Not so fast, my friend,’ and costume changes that turned into highly anticipated moments during the lead up to the first college football games every Saturday.

Corso remained a constant presence on the show throughout the past 38 years, although he has taken on a more limited role and missed several episodes for health reasons in recent seasons. Corso had a stroke in May 2009 that impacted his speech, but he made a full return to ‘College GameDay’ for the following college football season.

Corso has been on more than 70 campuses as part of ‘College GameDay,’ according to ESPN, and donned 69 different mascot headgear in order to make game picks. He has made 430 headgear picks all-time entering his final broadcast, with the Ohio State Buckeyes being his choice a record 45 times.

This story has been updated to include new information.

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Shedeur Sanders drew Daniel Jones comparisons from Colorado’s offensive coordinator. His teammate Travis Hunter may be happier with the one he received from Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

Berry was asked at a pre-draft news conference whether Hunter would be worth the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if he didn’t become a two-way star at the NFL level.

Berry evoked the name of two-way Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani while explaining Hunter’s upside at both positions.

‘It’s a little bit like Ohtani. If he’s a pitcher or he’s a hitter, he’s an outstanding player,’ Berry explained, in reference to Hunter. ‘You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.’

Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy after starring at both receiver and cornerback for Colorado. He has stated he would rather retire than limit himself to playing one side of the ball at the NFL level, so it appears the 21-year-old will get a chance to prove himself at both positions.

Still, Berry made it clear the Browns view Hunter’s best position as receiver and cornerback as his ‘second home.’ That said, the general manager was also clear that Cleveland wouldn’t limit him to one side of the ball if they selected him.

‘What he would attempt to do has not really been done in our league,’ Berry said. ‘But we wouldn’t necessarily put a cap or a governor in terms of what he could do. We would want to be smart in terms of how we would start him out.’

What would being smart look like? Berry conceded it would be a learning process, even if Hunter could handle a larger snap share than expected since his contact would be minimized playing on the perimeter.

‘It’s something that 32 teams are would have to figure out as they think through his profile,’ Berry said of Hunter. ‘There would probably be some learning on the fly if he were here.’

The Browns have been increasingly tied to Hunter ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. He is presently expected to be the team’s pick at No. 2 overall, so it may fall on Kevin Stefanski and his staff to figure out the best way to use the talented top prospect.

The NHL playoff bracket offers plenty of intriguing matchups.

There’s the Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. The always-intense Battle of Ontario (Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators) returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers meet for the fourth year in a row.

The Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche series features winger Mikko Rantanen, who was traded by the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season and will now face his former team after a trade to the Stars.

Here are the playoff matchups and schedule for the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs (all times p.m. ET, series are best of seven):

Eastern Conference

Key: M-Metropolitan; A-Atlantic; WC-wild card; x-if necessary

Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games

Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)

Game 1: Canadiens at Capitals, Monday, April 21, 7, ESPN
Game 2: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 23, 7, ESPN
Game 3: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, April 25, 7, TNT, truTV, Max
Game 4: Capitals at Canadiens, Sunday, April 27, 6:30, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
x-Game 6: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, May 2, TBD
x-Game 7: Canadiens/at Capitals, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New Jersey Devils (M3)

Game 1: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, April 20, 3, ESPN
Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 22, 6, ESPN
Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, April 25, 8, TBS, Max
Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Sunday, April 27, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
x-Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, May 2, TBD
x-Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)

Game 1: Senators at Maple Leafs, Sunday, April 20, 7, ESPN2
Game 2: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Game 3: Maple Leafs at Senators, Thursday, April 24, 7, ESPN2
Game 4: Maple Leafs at Senators, Saturday, April 26, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
x-Game 6: Maple Leafs at Senators, Friday, May 1, TBD
x-Game 7: Senators at Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)

Game 1: Panthers at Lightning, Tuesday, April 22, 8:30, ESPN
Game 2: Panthers at Lightning, Thursday, April 24, 6:30, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 3: Lightning at Panthers, Saturday, April 26, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 4: Lightning at Panthers, Monday, April 28, TBD
x-Game 5: Panthers at Lightning, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
x-Game 6: Lightning at Panthers, Friday, May 2, TBD
x-Game 7: Panthers at Lightning, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Western Conference

Key: C-Central; P-Pacific; WC-wild card, x-if necessary

Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games

Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)

Game 1: Blues at Jets, Saturday, April 19, 6, TNT, truTV, Max
Game 2: Blues at Jets, Monday, April 21, 7:30, ESPN2
Game 3: Jets at Blues, Thursday, April 24, 9:30, ESPN2
Game 4: Jets at Blues, Sunday, April 27, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Blues at Jets, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
x-Game 6: Jets at Blues, Friday, May 2, TBD
x-Game 7: Blues at Jets, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)

Game 1: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, April 19, 8:30, TNT, truTV, Max
Game 2: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 21, 9:30, ESPN
Game 3: Stars at Avalanche, Wednesday, April 23, 9:30, ESPN
Game 4: Stars at Avalanche, Saturday, April 26, 9:30, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 27, TBD
x-Game 6: Stars at Avalanche, Thursday, May 1, TBD
x-Game 7: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)

Game 1: Wild at Golden Knights, Sunday, April 20, 10, ESPN
Game 2: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 22, 11, ESPN
Game 3: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, April 24, 9, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 4: Golden Knights at Wild, Saturday, April 24, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
x-Game 6: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, May 1, TBD
x-Game 7: Wild at Golden Knights, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)

Game 1: Oilers at Kings, Monday, April 21, 10, ESPN2
Game 2: Oilers at Kings, Wednesday, April 23, 10 p.m. ET, TBS, Max
Game 3: Kings at Oilers, Friday, April 25, 10, TNT, truTV, Max
Game 4: Kings at Oilers, Sunday, April 27, 9:30,TBS, truTV, Max
x-Game 5: Oilers at Kings, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
x-Game 6: Kings at Oilers, Thursday, May 1, TBD
x-Game 7: Oilers at Kings, Saturday, May 3, TBD

There’s something to be said about taking the road less traveled. The back roads, the scenic route.

It strays from conventional wisdom, defies all sense of time and urgency and proves there are always multiple ways to arrive at the destination.

Ashton Jeanty’s journey was far from normal – and he decided to elaborate on that in a letter he wrote for The Players’ Tribune ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The son of a military father, Jeanty didn’t have the luxury of playing football like most prospects. His family didn’t settle down in an area and dedicate all of its time to turning Jeanty into a future NFL star.

Bouncing around the world, the running back has no shortage of confidence heading into the pros, comparing his potential impact to what Saquon Barkley did for the Philadelphia Eagles.

‘Most people, they watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl a couple of months ago, they watched Saquon run through everyone in the playoffs, and they thought to themselves, ‘This is amazing,” Jeanty wrote. ‘I watched it and I thought something different. I thought, ‘That can be me.”

He wrote about the impact of getting into football after playing soccer and basketball, explaining the impact of moving to Italy just after finding his way on the field.

Jeanty had to pause his football dream, resuming it when the family moved to Texas during his sophomore year of high school. The running back didn’t start again until his senior year and led to the absence of offers from the top college programs, which he chalked up to bad timing.

Instead, the Boise State star celebrated his journey of playing many different positions against all levels of talent across the world.

‘I’ve gone from Jacksonville, to Chesapeake, to Naples, to Frisco, to Boise … all these places. I’ve played defensive end, safety, outside linebacker, special teams, slot receiver, lead running back, backup running back, backup everything. I’ve played street football, rec league football, road trip to a small town in Belgium football, 5A Texas high school football, college playoff football and no football. I’ve played with the older kids, with the military kids, with the European kids, with the zero-star kids, the five-star kids and everyone in between. I’ve played under those Friday Night Lights, and I’ve played on that Bronco Blue. My journey to the NFL, it’s definitely been different.’

The road less traveled is Jeanty’s street and he seems to prefer it that way.

Expected to be a first-round pick in next week’s NFL draft, the Heisman Trophy runner-up had one last selling point for the teams he hopes to soon play for.

‘It’s TACKLE football … you know what I’m saying?’

‘I’d draft the guy they can’t tackle.’