The Carolina Hurricanes, by finishing second in the Metropolitan Division, earned home-ice advantage for the first-round series against New Jersey.

The Devils enter their first round playoff series against the Hurricanes as heavy underdogs. Betting lines favor the Hurricanes, and prediction models gives Carolina the stronger chance to beat the Devils. The Athletic’s preview has the Hurricanes winning in five games as the most likely outcome of the series.

In a different timeline — one in which Jack Hughes stays healthy and Mikko Rantanen stays in Carolina — this matchup would’ve been a heavyweight tilt. That’s not the timeline we live in, unfortunately,