After navigating through a tumultuous 2024-25 season, we set our eyes on the upcoming NHL Playoffs. Yet within two weeks, all eight matchups will be ready to roll. Isn’t it rather amazing for all the hype that’s involved that we can take a few minutes a day and speculate what each series might look like?
So, where does your team land at the moment, and does the prospective matchup work in its favor?
Eastern Conference
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
We got a bit of a shocker here, with the bottom-seeded team from 2024 squaring off against a group that just won’t give up. At this point, nobody is giving the Canadiens a fair shake here, but the Capitals seem like a group of men on a mission to give Alex Ovechkin a reason to make this season even more memorable.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
The Maple Leafs haven’t had much luck in the playoffs, and as fate would have it, they’re currently going up against the surging Senators, as I’ve called them. While the Leafs are enjoying one of their best years in recent memory, Ottawa looks like the dark horse to make a deep playoff run.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers
The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t look like a top-three team heading into the third stage of the 2024-25 season, but they reminded us why it’s always wrong to count them out. The Panthers are just holding back right now, right? Fans better hope so, because right now winning a back-to-back doesn’t look like it’s on the menu.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
The Hurricanes look like the healthier team but the Devils, despite their setbacks, look hotter. If everything remained as-is, I wouldn’t put it past these two teams to make this one the most entertaining series in Round 1 should it hold.
Western Conference
Winnipeg Jets vs. Minnesota Wild
Nobody wants to play the Jets right now, especially after they stopped the surging Blues in their tracks. Right now, the Wild may be the last team that wants to suit up and try to beat Winnipeg in a seven-game series.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. St. Louis Blues
I’d put this one on ‘upset alert,’ and it’s something Golden Knights fans don’t want to hear. But the Blues beat quite a few playoff-caliber teams during that record-setting 12-game winning streak. And if it wasn’t for another high-profile series, I’d call this one the most entertaining one in the West if it holds.
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche
Uh, for obvious reasons, we know why this one will even have non-hockey fans tuning in. Mikko Rantanen vs. Nathan MacKinnon is something every single sports fan wants to see. So, if we see this, will Rantanen exert revenge or will MacKinnon and the Avs cruise into Round 2?
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
Something tells me this series might be the blandest, with a pair of less-than-inspiring hockey teams taking the ice. But then again, this one might be the greatest shocker of them all, so maybe we shouldn’t underestimate it?