Puck Prose
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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) /
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Colorado Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Seattle Kraken, Alex Wennberg #21
Colorado Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Seattle Kraken, Alex Wennberg #21. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Colorado Avalanche vs Seattle Kraken

Jim Lynch

I predict Colorado will make it to the second round, but it is not going to be as easy as last year’s sweep against Nashville. The Kraken are going to give the Avalanche a run for their money with Colorado winning the series in six games thanks to a great series from Cale Makar.

My bold prediction here is the Kraken will win the first two games in the series.

Matt McGinnis

The Seattle Kraken have a pesky group that will not go quietly in this series. With that said, they will indeed go eventually, as the defending champs will be too much for the Kraken to overcome in their Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. I’ll take the Avs in six games.

Nathan MacKinnon will fill the net against Seattle’s subpar goaltending to be the MVP. As a team, Colorado will score five goals per game in this series.

Vinnie Parise

The defending champion Colorado Avalanche will sweep the Seattle Kraken and make them wait another year for their first-ever Stanley Cup Playoff win. Expect a huge series from Nathan MacKinnon who was the second-best NHL player this year.

Richard Jelinek

The Colorado Avalanche take on the second-year Seattle Kraken. The Kraken are defensively responsible, but the Avalanche have too much offense and depth.

The Avalanche take this series in five games with Cale Makar being series MVP. Nathan MacKinnon does not lead the team in scoring in the series.

Alex Neier

I have the Avalanche winning this series in six games. Colorado will be without Gabriel Landeskog for the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which will make this series more competitive than it probably would be with him.

Seattle made tremendous progress in their second season by making the playoffs, but I think the difference in Stanley Cup Playoff experience between these two teams is ultimately going to be the difference maker.

For my out-of-the-box prediction, I’m going to say that Matty Beniers will lead all forwards in points in this series, but still not win.

Jaroslav Husvar

This is the tough one, with a newbie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the defending champions. This could be the most exciting series, as the Kraken win in seven games.

Rantanen is the MVP in a losing effort as special teams decide this series.

Brad Wiszowaty

I have to pick Colorado over Seattle in four games. I think the injuries throughout the season actually end up helping the defending champs by allowing a handful of players to be well-rested after going all the way last season.

This may not be very original, but I predict Nathan MacKinnon will be the series MVP. He shows every year how a true star player is supposed to perform in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

My out-of-the-box prediction for this series is that Eeli Tolvanen finishes the series with more goals than Mikko Rantanen.

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