The 2024-25 NHL season is formally within the rearview mirror. Sixteen of the league’s groups have made the postseason bracket, and 16 have been eradicated.
Earlier than the first-round collection begins, ESPN’s specialists have recognized their picks for every matchup, together with the staff that can win the Stanley Cup in June and the participant who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP).
Extra: Full schedule
Megapreview
Lapsed fan’s information
Betting intel
Contender flaws
Atlantic Division
Sean Allen: Maple Leafs in seven
Blake Bolden: Maple Leafs in six
John Buccigross: Maple Leafs in seven
Ryan Callahan: Maple Leafs in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Maple Leafs in 5
Sachin Chandan: Senators in six
Meghan Chayka: Maple Leafs in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Senators in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Maple Leafs in six
Ray Ferraro: Maple Leafs in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Maple Leafs in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Maple Leafs in 5
Vince Masi: Senators in seven
Victoria Matiash: Maple Leafs in six
Sean McDonough: Senators in six
Mark Messier: Maple Leafs in six
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs in six
Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs in six
Bob Wischusen: Maple Leafs in six
Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs in 5
Consensus prediction: Maple Leafs (16 of 20 picks)
Sean Allen: Panthers in six
Blake Bolden: Lightning in seven
John Buccigross: Lightning in seven
Ryan Callahan: Lightning in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Panthers in six
Sachin Chandan: Lightning in 5
Meghan Chayka: Lightning in six
Ryan S. Clark: Panthers in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Lightning in seven
Ray Ferraro: Lightning in six
Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning in seven
Vince Masi: Lightning in six
Victoria Matiash: Panthers in six
Sean McDonough: Lightning in seven
Mark Messier: Lightning in seven
Arda Öcal: Panthers in six
Kristen Shilton: Lightning in seven
Bob Wischusen: Lightning in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Lightning in seven
Consensus prediction: Lightning (15 of 20 picks)
Metropolitan Division
Sean Allen: Capitals in six
Blake Bolden: Canadiens in six
John Buccigross: Capitals in seven
Ryan Callahan: Capitals in 5
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Capitals in 5
Sachin Chandan: Capitals in 5
Meghan Chayka: Capitals in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Capitals in six
Rachel Doerrie: Capitals in 5
Ray Ferraro: Capitals in 5
Tim Kavanagh: Capitals in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Capitals in 5
Vince Masi: Capitals in six
Victoria Matiash: Canadiens in seven
Sean McDonough: Canadiens in six
Mark Messier: Capitals in six
Arda Öcal: Canadiens in seven
Kristen Shilton: Capitals in seven
Bob Wischusen: Canadiens in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Capitals in 5
Consensus prediction: Capitals (16 of 20 picks)
1:58
Ovechkin tells McAfee his chase for the aim report was nice for hockey
Alex Ovechkin joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to debate his achievement of surpassing Wayne Gretzky because the all-time objectives chief and the impression on the sport.
Sean Allen: Hurricanes in 5
Blake Bolden: Devils in seven
John Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven
Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes in 5
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in six
Sachin Chandan: Devils in six
Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Hurricanes in six
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in six
Tim Kavanagh: Devils in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in six
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in seven
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in six
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in seven
Mark Messier: Hurricanes in seven
Arda Öcal: Devils in six
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in 4
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes in six
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in six
Consensus prediction: Hurricanes (16 of 20 picks)
Central Division
Sean Allen: Jets in 5
Blake Bolden: Jets in six
John Buccigross: Jets in seven
Ryan Callahan: Jets in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Jets in 5
Sachin Chandan: Jets in 4
Meghan Chayka: Blues in six
Ryan S. Clark: Jets in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Blues in seven
Ray Ferraro: Jets in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Jets in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Jets in six
Vince Masi: Jets in seven
Victoria Matiash: Jets in six
Sean McDonough: Jets in 5
Mark Messier: Jets in six
Arda Öcal: Blues in six
Kristen Shilton: Jets in six
Bob Wischusen: Jets in six
Greg Wyshynski: Jets in 5
Consensus prediction: Jets (17 of 20 picks)
Sean Allen: Stars in seven
Blake Bolden: Avalanche in six
John Buccigross: Avalanche in seven
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in seven
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche in six
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche in six
Ryan S. Clark: Stars in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Avalanche in six
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche in six
Tim Kavanagh: Stars in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche in seven
Vince Masi: Avalanche in 5
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche in six
Sean McDonough: Avalanche in six
Mark Messier: Avalanche in 5
Arda Öcal: Avalanche in seven
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche in six
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche in six
Greg Wyshynski: Stars in seven
Consensus prediction: Avalanche (16 of 20 picks)
Pacific Division
Sean Allen: Wild in seven
Blake Bolden: Golden Knights in 5
John Buccigross: Golden Knights in seven
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Golden Knights in six
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights in 5
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights in six
Rachel Doerrie: Golden Knights in six
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in 5
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in 5
Vince Masi: Golden Knights in six
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in six
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in 5
Mark Messier: Golden Knights in 5
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights in 5
Kristen Shilton: Golden Knights in 5
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in six
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights in 5
Consensus prediction: Golden Knights (19 of 20 picks)
Sean Allen: Kings in six
Blake Bolden: Kings in seven
John Buccigross: Kings in seven
Ryan Callahan: Kings in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Oilers in seven
Sachin Chandan: Kings in seven
Meghan Chayka: Oilers in six
Ryan S. Clark: Oilers in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Kings in seven
Ray Ferraro: Kings in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Kings in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Kings in seven
Vince Masi: Oilers in seven
Victoria Matiash: Kings in six
Sean McDonough: Kings in seven
Mark Messier: Oilers in six
Arda Öcal: Oilers in six
Kristen Shilton: Oilers in six
Bob Wischusen: Kings in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers in six
Consensus prediction: Kings (12 of 20 picks)
1:05
Mark Messier: The Kings are going to be an issue for the Oilers
Mark Messier explains why the Kings are a special staff this yr and current an even bigger problem to the Oilers.
Stanley Cup
Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights
Rachel Doerrie: Avalanche
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights
Vince Masi: Lightning
Victoria Matiash: Jets
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights
Mark Messier: Oilers
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche
Bob Wischusen: Jets
Greg Wyshynski: Stars
Prediction breakdown: Golden Knights (7), Avalanche (5), Maple Leafs (2), Jets (2), Lightning (1), Oilers (1), Stars (1)
Conn Smythe (playoff MVP)
Sean Allen: Mitch Marner
John Buccigross: Brock Nelson
Ryan Callahan: Jack Eichel
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Cale Makar
Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon
Meghan Chayka: Jack Eichel
Ryan S. Clark: Jack Eichel
Rachel Doerrie: Nathan MacKinnon
Ray Ferraro: Jack Eichel
Tim Kavanagh: Jack Eichel
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Jack Eichel
Vince Masi: Brayden Level
Victoria Matiash: Connor Hellebuyck
Sean McDonough: Jack Eichel
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
Arda Öcal: William Nylander
Kristen Shilton: Nathan MacKinnon
Bob Wischusen: Connor Hellebuyck
Greg Wyshynski: Jake Oettinger
Prediction breakdown: Jack Eichel (8), Nathan MacKinnon (3), Connor Hellebuyck (2), Mitch Marner (1), Brock Nelson (1), Cale Makar (1), Brayden Level (1), Connor McDavid (1), William Nylander (1), Jake Oettinger (1)
