We have finally reached the playoffs after what has been an amazing season. We saw so many records being broken and we hope we get to see some more thrilling action before the end of the Stanley Cup Finals in June. We are predicting who we think will win their round 1 match-ups below.
Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues
Winnipeg has been so strong this season, we don’t see them losing to St. Louis so early on in the Playoffs. The President’s Trophy winners have dominated the league this season and have already beaten St. Louis including being the team that ended their 12 game winning streak. The hiring of Jim Montgomery as head coach on November 24th was a pivotal moment for the Blues. The team’s record improved dramatically under his leadership. Their 12-game winning streak was a franchise best and showcased their resilience and improved team play. Also, remembering Binnington’s performance at the 4 Nations shows that he isn’t to be underestimated.
Winner: Winnipeg
Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars
Back in October, I predicted that the Stars would reach the Stanley Cup finals. However recent performance, 3 wins out of their last 10 games, has made it hard to see them win against the Avalanche who have been consistently strong this season. The Avalanche head into the playoffs as a strong contender, mostly led by MacKinnon and Makar. Their goaltending improved significantly after acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood and the potential return of Landeskog could be difference-makers. The absence of Miro Heiskanen for the Stars, at least in the initial games, is a significant loss on the defensive end.
Winner: Colorado Avalanche
New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes
While the regular-season performance was pretty even, the Carolina Hurricanes enter this matchup with a stronger overall regular-season record, a more consistent performance throughout the year, and a historical edge in playoff series against the Devils. The Devils have the offensive power to make this a competitive series, but the Hurricanes’ overall team structure, defensive strength, and playoff experience are likely to prevail.
Winner: Carolina Hurricanes
Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have a historically terrible record once it comes to the playoffs. It’s been 58 years since they reached the Stanley Cup finals. They have been strong all season even with Matthew’s injury trouble. However, they did lose to the Sens at each meeting this season. The “Battle of Ontario” is sure to be intense and could have some unexpected moments!
Winner: Ottawa Senators
Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights won all three games against the Wild in the 2024-2025 regular season. In their only previous playoff meeting in 2021, the Golden Knights defeated the Wild in seven games. Given Vegas’s strong regular-season performance, their dominance in the season series against Minnesota, and their deeper playoff experience, they enter this series as the favorites. While the return of Kirill Kaprizov is a significant boost for the Wild, it might not be enough to overcome the Golden Knights’ overall strength.
Winner: Vegas Golden Knights
Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
At the end of December, the Habs sat at 31st in the league and what a performance they have put in to secure the final playoff spot. Lane Hutson has had a record breaking season for the Canadiens and they have beaten the Capitals in one of the 3 meetings this season. However, the Capitals enter this series as the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a significantly better regular-season record, a much stronger goal differential, and a higher-scoring offense. They are coming off the high of Alex Ovechkin breaking the all time-scoring record and are probably looking to keep this going by adding a Stanley Cup win to their already monumental season. While we would love to see a Canadian team progress in the playoffs, we have to go with the Capitals.
Winner: Washington Capitals
Edmonton Oilers vs. LA Kings
The first-round playoff series between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the fourth consecutive year these Pacific Division rivals have met in the opening round. Edmonton has won the previous three series (4-3 in 2022, 4-2 in 2023, and 4-1 in 2024). The Kings won the 2024-2025 regular-season series 3-1-0 against the Oilers. For the first time in their recent playoff matchups, the Kings have home-ice advantage and a strong regular-season record against the Oilers. Their improved defense and goaltending, coupled with Edmonton potentially missing key defensive players, could shift the series’ momentum. The Oilers still possess the star power of McDavid and Draisaitl, who are always capable of taking over a game. Their playoff experience, despite the recent losses to Vegas in the Final, could also be a factor. I’m gonna go with the Oilers based off their playoff history.
winner: Edmonton Oilers.
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