The 2025 NHL playoffs start on Saturday, and 16 groups have hopes of lifting the Stanley Cup on the finish of it. Will probably be a protracted, arduous and worthwhile journey for the final group standing.
Which group will that be? There are a selection of reputable Cup contenders in a moderately broad open playoff discipline, so this postseason might break any variety of methods. Right now, our NHL consultants have logged their predictions for which groups will go the space and have their names etched onto the Stanley Cup.
The favorites coming into the playoffs, in accordance with SportsLine, are the Colorado Avalanche (+750), Florida Panthers (+750), Dallas Stars (+800) and Vegas Golden Knights (+800). Will one among them ship on these expectations or will an underdog just like the St. Louis Blues (+3500) or Montreal Canadiens (+6000) put collectively a miraculous run?
The following a number of months will probably be stuffed with the perfect hockey gamers on the planet preventing for the sport’s most coveted prize. With a lot on the road, our consultants determined to make some early picks as to which group will hoist the Cup when the ultimate horn sounds on the finish of the postseason beneath.
Stanley Cup Playoffs 2025: Picks, predictions for each first-round collection, together with Panthers vs. Lightning
Austin Nivison
Stanley Cup picks
Nivison: I sincerely imagine the winner of the collection between the Avalanche and Stars will win the West, and I’ve the Avs taking that one. Within the final two postseasons, Colorado hasn’t had the middle depth needed for a deep run, however that has modified now with Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle behind Nathan MacKinnon. That’s greater than sufficient to navigate a troublesome discipline within the West. Within the East, the Lightning will show that they’re nonetheless a playoff juggernaut. The Bolts get classic Andrei Vasilevskiy, they usually seize one other convention title.
That units up a rematch of the 2022 Stanley Cup Ultimate, which the Avalanche gained in six video games. This time, Tampa Bay will be capable to cling on slightly longer, however the velocity and talent of the Avs proves an excessive amount of for the Lightning’s veteran-anchored blue line to deal with. Decide — Avalanche def. Lightning 4-3 (Avalanche future odds: +750)
Bengel: The Lightning noticed franchise icon Steven Stamkos stroll out the door and signal with the Predators in free company this previous summer time. Nevertheless, the Lightning have been geared up for that loss as they acquired Jake Guentzel forward of free company. That addition arguably might have been the lacking piece as he compiled a career-best 41 objectives in the course of the common season. Guentzel’s presence together with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Level, and Brandon Hagel gave Tampa Bay one among most harmful ahead teams throughout the league.
As ought to come as no shock, the Lightning ended up main the NHL with 3.56 objectives per contest and possess among the best power-play items that the league has to supply. Kucherov, who led the NHL in factors, continues to be an elite playmaker that may assist carry the offensive load, regardless that he would not even should. On prime of the offensive energy, maybe the perfect factor that the Lightning have going for them is the playoff expertise of Andrei Vasilevskiy. This can be a goaltender that has thrived on the massive stage previously. Vasilevskiy coincidentally tallied a 1.90 goals-against-average in every of Tampa Bay’s Stanley Cup-winning seasons in 2020 and 2021. When Vasilevskiy is on the prime of his sport, there’s few netminders which might be higher.
After shedding within the first spherical in every of the previous two seasons, the Lightning reloaded their roster with the likes of Guentzel and Ryan McDonagh (for a second time). The offensive firepower, Victor Hedman main the again finish, and Vasilevskiy in purpose is a recipe for a Stanley Cup, and this group is battle-tested. Decide — Lightning def. Golden Knights 4-3 (Lightning future odds: +900)
