Puck Prose
Fansided

Puck Prose round table: Picking the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

By Matt McGinnis

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche and Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands after the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche and Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands after the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 9
Next
Vegas Golden Knights, Chandler Stephenson #20, Winnipeg Jets, Nate Schmidt #88
Vegas Golden Knights, Chandler Stephenson #20, Winnipeg Jets, Nate Schmidt #88. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Vegas Golden Knights vs Winnipeg Jets

Jim Lynch

I am going to go Winnipeg in six games. I think the Jets are always a threat if Connor Hellebuyck can find a way to turn it on. He has consistently been one of the best goalies in the league and is a big reason for the Jets making the playoffs this year.

Hellebuyck will be the series MVP, and for an out-of-the-box prediction, Jack Eichel will not score a goal all series.

Matt McGinnis

This is my second sweep of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vegas has impressed me this season, while the Jets have not looked like a playoff team since Christmas, so the Golden Knights advance quickly.

Jonathan Marchessault will be the series MVP as the Golden Knights’ leading point-getter. My bold prediction here is that Connor Hellebuyck, in a losing effort, is top five in save percentage after round one.

Vinnie Parise

Jack Eichel sees how much love Connor McDavid is getting, and he is going to respond with a huge series, his first ever in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Vegas Golden Knights will beat the Winnipeg Jets in six games.

Richard Jelinek

The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Winnipeg Jets and make quick work of Winnipeg. The Golden Knights take the series in five games with the series MVP being Chandler Stephenson. Goaltender Jonathan Quick gets two shutouts in the series.

Alex Neier

I have the Vegas Golden Knights winning this series in six games. Vegas will be getting Mark Stone back, which is an absolutely huge addition. The goaltending will be the biggest question for Vegas while being the biggest plus for Winnipeg.

Hellebuyck is a fantastic goaltender, but the Jets have other issues that he’s not going to be able to save them from. My bold prediction: Hellebuyck has a .925+ SV % throughout the series and still loses.

Jaroslav Husvar

I’m still trying to decide if the Jets are good or not. They pushed so hard to earn this playoff spot (even though the Predators and Flames did little to make it more challenging), so no one can argue that making the playoffs is not deserved. Still, I’ll take Vegas in five.

Jack Eichel will be the MVP. Even if this isn’t a team ready to win it all, the Jets will not be the team to take them out.

Brad Wiszowaty

Maybe a hot take, but Winnipeg will win this series in seven games. I have a feeling that this will feel like a whole new season for the Jets, and they will play the same way they started the season.

My series MVP prediction is Hellebuyck. I think he can steal this series from Vegas. For an out-of-the-box prediction, I’ll say that Chandler Stephenson leads Vegas in points while Josh Morrisey continues his tear and finishes with the most points in the series.

Home/Boston Bruins