Puck prognosticators make their playoff picks

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This article was published 20/04/2024 (507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It all came down to the final night of the NHL regular season — and the final minutes of the final game — for the full playoff picture to become clear.

Now that it has, we here at Dump & Chase are ready to dust off the ol’ crystal ball and offer our two cents on how we see the first round playing out. There’s no shortage of compelling matchups and juicy storylines in play, which should make these next two weeks must-see TV for every hockey fan.

Here are our fearless predictions:

WEST

1. Dallas Stars (52-21-9) vs. WC2. Vegas Golden Knights (45-29-8)

This figures to be the most intriguing series, and it’s a shame this rematch of the 2023 Western Conference final will be staged in the first round. But that’s the luck of the draw and fans in both markets should be in for a real treat. The Golden Knights should be getting a few key players back in the lineup — including Winnipegger and captain Mark Stone — either in Game 1 or at some point in the series. But the Stars finished atop the conference and second overall in the NHL with 113 points. Dallas has eight players with 20 or more goals and Logan Stankoven might have joined that list if he’d played an entire season. Goalie Jake Oettinger has elevated his game down the stretch and Chris Tanev bolstered the defence corps. Both teams have tremendous depth up front and on the back end. The Golden Knights know what it takes to win and the defending Stanley Cup champions will still be a tough out.

MIKE SAYS: Golden Knights in 7
KEN SAYS: Stars in 7

2. Winnipeg Jets (52-24-6) vs. 3. Colorado Avalanche (50-25-7)

Call this series the irresistible force vs. the immovable object. The highest-scoring team in the NHL (Colorado) against the team that allowed the fewest goals (Winnipeg). A top-heavy club against one that features some of the best depth in franchise history. A Hart Trophy candidate (Nathan MacKinnon) going up against the favourite to win the Vezina Trophy (Connor Hellebuyck). Two blue-liners who figure to be on a number of Norris Trophy ballots in Josh Morrissey and Cale Makar. Can Jets captain Adam Lowry and company find a way to limit the production of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen? Will the Jets be able to take advantage a clear edge between the pipes? What role will special teams play? And is this the year the Jets go on their first extended run since 2018? There will soon be answers to all of these questions.

MIKE SAYS: Avalanche in 7 (sorry, folks!)
KEN SAYS: Jets in 6

1. Vancouver Canucks (50-23-9) vs. WC1. Nashville Predators (47-30-5)

Be careful what you wish for? Plenty of Canucks fans were openly rooting for a first-round meeting with Nashville, rather than the alternatives which were in play down to the wire (Vegas or Los Angeles). The thinking was it would simply be easier. The Canucks have taken big strides since the arrival of head coach Rick Tocchet and have one of the best goalies in the NHL in Thatcher Demko and the presumed Norris Trophy winner in captain Quinn Hughes, so why do they look a bit vulnerable? Well, the Predators were one of the hottest teams in the NHL down the stretch and play a relentless style that perfectly fits the playoffs. If Ryan O’Reilly, Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh can help neutralize Elias Pettersson and netminder Juuse Saros stands tall, the Predators can pull off the upset and advance.

MIKE SAYS: Canucks in 6
KEN SAYS: Predators in 6

2. Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6) vs. 3. Los Angeles Kings (44-27-11)

The Oilers have their flaws, for sure. But they also have the world’s best player in Connor McDavid, as well as Leon Draisaitl who isn’t that far behind him. They also have history on their side, after eliminating the Kings in two consecutive playoffs. Will third time be the charm for Los Angeles? They’re going to need exceptional goaltending from the streaky Cam Talbot, some timely scoring and their depth to take over — we’re looking at the likes of you, Pierre-Luc Dubois — to have any kind of chance. Edmonton’s defence and goaltending is always an issue.

MIKE SAYS: Oilers in 6
KEN SAYS: Oilers in 6

EAST

1. New York Rangers (55-23-4) vs. WC2. Washington Capitals (40-31-11)

The biggest mismatch, at least on paper, pits the NHL’s No. 1 regular-season club against the winner of the Turtle Derby that was the Eastern Conference wildcard “race.” Congratulations to the Washinton Capitals, who edged out the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers despite having a minus-37 goal differential (one of the worst in league history for a playoff team). It’s always fun to watch Alex Ovechkin on a big stage, and he (and a handful of remaining teammates) won it all in 2018. Still, this would be an enormous upset, as the Broadway Blueshirts are built for the long haul led, by Hart Trophy candidate Artemi Panarin, an elite D-core led by Adam Fox and one of the best goaltenders in Igor Shesterkin.

MIKE SAYS: Rangers in 5
KEN SAYS: Rangers in 5

2. Carolina Hurricanes (52-23-7) vs. 3. New York Islanders (39-27-16)

Here’s another seemingly lopsided series, considering the Islanders won less than 50 per cent of their games but managed to bank enough “loser points” in overtime/shootouts to finish third in the division. The Hurricanes have been regular-season darlings for a few years now but unable to get to the promised land. Is this their year? The addition of Jake Guentzel has given them another offensive weapon. Head coach Patrick Roy got the Islanders turned around after taking over from Lane Lambert (20-12-5), and he certainly has his group playing a hard-nosed style, in addition to having high-end talent like Mat Barzal leading the way. In a series where goals could be at a premium, they’ll put up a good fight.

MIKE SAYS: Hurricanes in 6
KEN SAYS: Islanders in 7

1. Florida Panthers (52-24-6) vs. WC1. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-29-8)

The battle for state bragging rights is an outstanding rivalry featuring the past two Stanley Cup finalists representing the Eastern Conference. Nikita Kucherov is a Hart Trophy finalist and he’ll see plenty of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart during the coming weeks. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is on an expiring contract, which provides an additional layer of motivation. The goaltending battle is also an intriguing one, with Sergei Bobrovsky going up against Andrei Vasilevskiy. It also features two head coaches who are as eloquent as they are intense in former Jets bench boss Paul Maurice and Jon Cooper. The Panthers are trying to get where the Lightning went in 2021 and 2022, which is the top of the mountain. Tampa simply doesn’t have the depth they used to possess.

MIKE SAYS: Panthers in 7
KEN SAYS: Panthers in 6

2. Boston Bruins (47-20-15) vs. 3. Toronto Maple Leafs (46-26-10)

There’s recent history here and the Maple Leafs will be looking to turn the tables. The Bruins have some scar tissue from last year’s opening-round exit, when the top seeds were bounced in the seventh game by the wild-card winning Panthers. There’s a genuine dislike between these two teams. The Bruins look to have a decided edge in the crease with the tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, but who will head coach Jim Montgomery go with in Game 1 and beyond? The Maple Leafs finally won a round last spring, but can they advance further with the Core Four this spring? Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews is looking to deliver on the big stage after a fantastic regular season. But can he outperform the likes of David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand? Stay tuned.

MIKE SAYS: Maple Leafs in 7
KEN SAYS: Bruins in 6

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
X: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca
@WiebesWorld