16 writers, editors pick Cup, Conn Smythe winner, all 8 opening-round series
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When it comes to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the West is best according to NHL.com writers and editors.
Of the 16 staff members who made their predictions for the postseason, 13 picked a team from the Western Conference to hoist the Stanley Cup.
The Colorado Avalanche got the most picks, with four, followed by the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars (three each).
The two East teams to be chosen to win it all were the Tampa Bay Lightning, who got two picks, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, who got one.
The two Florida teams will play each other in the first round.
When it comes to the Conn Smythe Trophy for the most valuable player of the playoffs, forward Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche got four picks, while forward Jack Eichel of the Golden Knights and Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck each got three picks. For Dallas, goalie Jake Oettinger got two picks and forward Mikko Rantanen got one. The Stars and Avalanche also play each other in the first round.
Last season, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers won the Conn Smythe despite being on the losing side of the Cup Final.
Here are the picks for this year’s playoffs, which begin Saturday:
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Jets over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
Eastern Conference First Round
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Dallas Stars
VGK vs MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Stars over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Mikko Rantanen, Stars
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Stars over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jake Oettinger, Stars
WSH vs. MTL: Montreal Canadiens
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Eastern Conference First Round
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference First Round
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Panthers over Kings
Conn Smythe Trophy: Aleksander Barkov, Panthers
Eastern Conference First Round
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
Western Conference First Round
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Golden Knights over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jack Eichel, Golden Knights
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Golden Knights over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jack Eichel, Golden Knights
WSH vs. MTL: Montreal Canadiens
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jake Guentzel, Lightning
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Stars over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jake Oettinger, Stars
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Jets over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Tampa Bay Lightning
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Jets over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
WSH vs. MTL: Washington Capitals
CAR vs. NJD: Carolina Hurricanes
TOR vs. OTT: Toronto Maple Leafs
TBL vs. FLA: Florida Panthers
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
DAL vs. COL: Colorado Avalanche
VGK vs. MIN: Vegas Golden Knights
LAK vs. EDM: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Golden Knights over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jack Eichel, Golden Knights
