Tank's Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Predictions

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

• (A1) Florida Panthers vs. (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning
• Panthers in Five

A cold sweat breaks out every time the Florida Panthers see the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa defeated their Sunshine State rivals on the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 and 2022. Last year, the Panthers made the run to the Final without facing the Lightning. That Tampa team is a fading memory, as they are now a team in sunset after winning two Stanley Cups at the start of the decade. The Panthers are young and hungry, and Sergei Bobrovsky showed that he could carry them to greatness last season by helping them stun the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes. The only chance Tampa has is for Andrei Vasilevskiy to match the Panthers' netminder and for Nikita Kucherov to remain red-hot after winning the scoring title. Though, with Sam Reinhart scoring 57 goals, the Panthers are poised for a big playoff run. 

• (A2) Boston Bruins vs. (A3) Toronto Maple Leafs
• Bruins in 7

Autumn has arrived in Toronto; it was another fine regular season for the Maple Leafs, and there was another matchup with the Boston Bruins to end their season in ruins. The Maple Leafs have yet to figure out how to win in the postseason. They won their first series in nearly two decades last year, only to fall in the second round against the Panthers. Now they face the Bruins, a team that has delivered the biggest heartbreaks to Toronto, with three Game 7 victories in the past decade. The Bruins are playoff-tested and playoff tough, despite last year's stunning loss to Florida. Out for redemption, expect the Bruins to deliver a seven-game heartbreak to Toronto again, as the Bruins' defense led by Charlie McAvoy will be able to shut down Auston Matthews when it is needed the most, with David Pasternak getting the clutch goals to take the Bruins on to the second round. 

Metropolitan Division 

• (M1) New York Rangers vs. (WC 2) Washington Capitals
• Rangers in Five

Late in the season, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals found the fountain of youth and made a second-half run to get the second Wild Card spot. The New York Rangers were red hot all season, capturing the dreaded President's Trophy as the NHL's best team in the regular season. The President's Trophy is usually a curse, though the Blue Shirts won the Stanley Cup in 1994 after the President's Trophy. However, it has been 11 years since the best team in the regular season won the Stanley Cup and 16 years since a team did it in an 82-game season. The Rangers' defense will be able to shut down Ovechkin, as Artemi Panarin leads the offense for an easy win for the Rangers. 

• (M2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (M3) New York Islanders
• Hurricanes in Six

These teams are matched up for the second straight season in the first round. The Hurricanes narrowly missed the President's Trophy, winning 52 games for the second year in a row. The New York Islanders had a solid second half to claim third place in the Metro despite inconsistent play throughout the season. The Islanders have gotten strong goaltending down the stretch, with Semyon Varmalov coming off the bench to win some clutch games. After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hurricanes are healthy and ready for a long playoff run. Look for a big series from Sebastien Aho as Carolina upends the Islanders again. 

Western Conference 

Central Division

• (C1) Dallas Stars vs. (WC 2) Vegas Golden Knights
• Golden Knights in Six

A rematch of the 2023 Western Conference Finals sees the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Dallas Stars. The Stars posted the top record in the West, winning a scramble in the Central Division, while the Knights, after winning the Stanley Cup, dealt with injuries and a hangover but managed to snag the last playoff spot in the West. Expect the best from Vegas in this series, as they spent the final months getting healthy and set to defend their crown. This should be a good series, but the Knights, hearing the bell ring, will be ready to go. I expect a big series from William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault as Vegas upends the Stars again.

• (C2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (C3) Colorado Avalanche
• Avalanche in Six

There is not much separation between these teams, as the top three teams in the Central Divison all finished with in six points. The Winnipeg Jets are backed by strong goaltending as Connor Hellebuyck is a favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup two years ago and are looking to regain the crown, with Cale Makar having another strong season. The Jets have an edge in the net, but the Avalanche are the more talented team on the attack, with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each topping 100 points, along with Makar's 90-point season. The Jets will not have an answer for the Colorado attack, as the Avalanche take the series.

Pacific Division

• (P1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (WC 1) Nashville Predators
• Canucks in Five

It was a magical season for the Vancouver Canucks, as they won the Pacific Division backed by one of the strongest blue-line units in the NHL. Leading the way for the Canucks was Quinn Hughes, who emerged as a star in the Pacific Northwest after being named captain before the season. The Predators clawed their way into the wild card with a strong season by Juuse Saros. If Nashville is to win this series, they will need a superhuman effort from Saros in goal. The Canucks are loaded and can move the puck on both sides of the ice. Expect J.T. Miller and Hughes to dominate, as Vancouver wins the series easily. 

• (P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings
• Kings in Seven

The Edmonton Oilers got another big season from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatl, each topping 100 points. The Oilers' issue remains to find a consistent goalie, as neither Stuart Skinner nor Calvin Pickard has been able to play at a high level. The Kings overachieved all season, winning enough to grab third place in the Pacific. The Oilers have been down this road before and have stumbled in playoffs. Kings goalie Cam Talbot, having a strong season, could be the difference in this series. Talbot once played in Edmonton and would deliver a devastating blow to Edmonton if he has a strong series to deliver an upset win for Los Angeles.