Who Will Move On to the Divisional Round?
Hurricanes vs. Devils: Carolina has the clear advantage. A healthier and more consistent team will make this a quick series. The Devils are without their best player, Jack Hughes, and their two top defensemen, Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton.
Personal prediction: Carolina in 7.
Realistic prediction: Carolina in 5.
Lightning vs. Panthers: The battle of Florida! Both are incredibly talented teams, both have won the Cup in the 2020s, and both have what it takes to go all the way. I think the Panthers have the edge. They’re incredibly hard to beat in the playoffs and have a stellar core all around. Tampa is great too, but it’ll be tough to beat players like Matthew Tkachuk. If Tampa wins, it will likely be thanks to Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Vezina Trophy favorite this year.
Personal prediction: Panthers in 5.
Realistic prediction: Panthers in 6.
Stars vs. Avalanche: Two teams that are perennial Cup contenders. The Avs look stellar as always, but I’m giving the edge to Dallas. Mikko Rantanen and Jake Oettinger have looked phenomenal, even if Colorado has the best defensemen in the league.
Prediction: Dallas in 6.
Kings vs. Oilers: The Oilers made it to the Cup Final last year, and despite their lower seed, I think they can beat the Kings. LA has a strong defensive team, but with the way McDavid and Draisaitl are playing, I think Edmonton takes this hard-fought series.
Both predictions: Oilers in 6.
Leafs vs. Senators: This one’s tough—a first seed vs. a wild card. But the wild card has been hot, and the first seed has a poor playoff track record. I want to give it to the Leafs. I really do. But Ottawa has been playing great hockey lately. Still, I’ll give Toronto the realistic pick so I don’t look incompetent if they win.
Personal prediction: Ottawa in 7.
Realistic prediction: Toronto in 5.
Wild vs. Golden Knights: The Wild started the season strong but have had the worst record in the league since January 5th. Vegas sits atop the Pacific and is the second-best team in the Western Conference. Minnesota has talent, but I don’t think they can match Vegas’s consistency.
Both predictions: Vegas in 5.
Jets vs. Blues: The Jets have been dominant all season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy and boasting the league’s best goalie in Connor Hellebuyck. On paper, it should be an easy win, but no Presidents’ Trophy winner has gone the distance since the 2013 Blackhawks. The Blues have also been red hot recently, so I’m taking a risk.
Personal prediction: Blues in 7.
Realistic prediction: Jets in 4.
Capitals vs. Canadiens: Montreal just edged out Columbus for a playoff spot, but they’ve been inconsistent. That’s a problem Washington doesn’t have. With a stellar offensive push and the best goal scorer in NHL history, Alex Ovechkin, the Caps are in strong form. And since they missed out on the Presidents’ Trophy, they actually have a chance.
Both predictions: Capitals in 4.
