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2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Series Predictions (The Hockey Writers)

Raz’s Series Predictions: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 1

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Raz Devraj | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 10:44 AM ET

It came down to the wire in what was one of the more intense endings to the regular season, with the Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, and Columbus Blue Jackets battling until the end, but the best time of the year is finally here.

With all the first-round matchups set and the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs scheduled to start today, it’s time to give my predictions for what I think will happen in Round 1. The playoffs are a different beast, and every year, we are reminded of the parity in the NHL and that anything can happen, so this is the perfect time to let you know that these picks are purely opinion-based, and I’m going with my gut feeling.

Western Conference

Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)

Golden Knights in five games

The Vegas Golden Knights are such a deep team and have been one pretty much every year since their existence, and it’s hard for me to imagine the Minnesota Wild, who took forever to clinch a playoff spot, giving them much trouble. I know the Wild dealt with many injuries including to two of their best forwards in Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, and that hindered their ability to remain near the top of the standings but when you look over to the Golden Knights who hit 110 points, finished as the third-best team in the NHL, and won the Pacific Division, the Wild don’t seem like a team that is all that capable of stopping the Golden Knights from reaching the second round.

Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)

Kings in six games

Four years in a row of the same first-round matchup, but this year is shaping up to be different. The Kings have home-ice advantage for the first time, Darcy Kuemper has put up Vezina-caliber numbers while Stuart Skinner has struggled, and the Oilers are dealing with health issues along with multiple players, including Connor McDavid, who have taken steps backward with their offensive production.

I can’t imagine this series not being another tight one, and I expect it to go at least six games. The Oilers are going to have to rely not only on McDavid and Leon Draisaitl but also their depth forwards to contribute offensively because the Kings are going to do what they do best and make it extremely difficult for the Oilers to generate anything 5-on-5. Even strength is where the Kings are the better team, and the key is going to be staying out of the box as much as possible. With everything the Oilers are dealing with, from health to production levels to below-average goaltending, the Kings have no excuses not to slay their demons and make it to the second round.

Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)

Blues in seven games

The obvious choice here is that the Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets, move on to the second round, but something is telling me not to overlook the St. Louis Blues for a few reasons. They were the hottest team in the NHL since the trade deadline, and at one point, went on a 12-game winning streak. The Blues are clicking at the right time, and I’m getting 2019 vibes. Do I think the Blues make it all the way and win the Cup? No, but I do think if any series has upset written all over it, it’s this one, especially with how the Jets have performed in the playoffs in the past. Connor Hellebuyck was the most consistent goaltender this season, and his numbers usually are up there in the regular season.

It’s the playoffs where his game has been iffy, and if he’s not at that same caliber in the playoffs, that changes things a lot for the Jets. Not to mention, how Jordan Binnington has played this season, along with what he has shown in past playoff runs, obviously playing a huge part in the Blues’ 2019 Cup run, but also having that clutch gene in important moments like we saw when he went head-to-head against Hellebuyck in the 4 Nations Face-Off. It could go two ways. The Jets are the better team on paper, and either they continue their dominance this season and absolutely pummel the Blues, or the Blues drag one out with the help of Binnington and squeak past the Jets.

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)

Avalanche in seven games

It’s a shame, really, that these two teams have to play each other in the first round. The Round 1 heavyweight or Mikko Rantanen Bowl between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche is going to be pure cinema. I’d be shocked if this series doesn’t go down to the wire with how deep both of these squads are, but the Avalanche look like the scariest team in the playoffs this season, and with who the Stars will be missing, the Avalanche should be able to take care of business. The Stars’ defensive core is in shambles with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundqvist on injured reserve, and Jason Robertson, arguably the Stars’ best forward, is also unavailable.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Avalanche got the job done earlier, but playoff Jake Oettinger has the ability to put this team on his back and be the difference maker, and we saw that in 2022 against the Calgary Flames. While the absence of Robertson leaves a big void, their additions throughout the season with Mikael Granlund and Rantanen soften the blow. The biggest thing is how rough the Stars’ D-core looks, and with the weapons the Avalanche possess, it’s not going to be very hard for them to get their offense rolling unless Oettinger stands on his head.

Eastern Conference

Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)

Senators in seven games

The Battle of Ontario is back for the first time since 2004 and will probably be the most entertaining series. The Maple Leafs are the stronger team and should be the clear favorites to move on after winning the Atlantic Division, but there are a couple of reasons why I think the Senators have a real shot at pulling off the upset. The first is the fact that the Senators have had the Maple Leafs’ number for the past few seasons, going 7-3-0 in their last 10 meetings. Betting on the Maple Leafs is also the hardest thing to do after the constant disappointment and inability for them to get out of the first round. In a heated rivalry with all the pressure on the Maple Leafs to do something meaningful this season, thinking of the possibility that they choke feels more realistic than not. On the other hand, the Senators are going into this series pressure-free. They already took that next step by finally making the playoffs, and aren’t expected to go on any sort of run. It would be classic Maple Leafs to blow it to their neighbours, and in Game 7 fashion.

Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)

Lightning in seven games

The Avalanche are my favorites to come out of the West, and the Lightning are my favorites to come out of the East. We get the Battle of Florida again for the fourth time in five years, and I think whoever makes it out of this series is poised for a deep run. I’m going with the Lightning getting their revenge from last year’s first round and squeaking by with a win in Game 7 at home. Andrei Vasilevskiy is in peak form, and he only gets better during the playoffs, while Nikita Kucherov finished with the most points in the entire league. Not to mention both Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point with 40-plus goal seasons and Brandon Hagel with 35. Both of these teams have super deep forward groups, a goalie who can perform in the playoffs, and solid defensive cores. Truly, this could go either way, but the Panthers are a little more beat up and have played a lot of hockey over the past two seasons, which is why I’m giving the edge to the Lightning.

Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)

Capitals in six games

The Capitals performing the way they did this season was a shocker considering what their roster looks like on paper, but they have a tight-knit group that has played extremely well throughout the whole season, and I think they have the easiest first-round matchup in the playoffs. The Canadiens making the playoffs is a cool story, with where they were expected to finish in the standings, but the Eastern Conference was awful aside from the top three teams in each division. It took forever for the Canadiens to secure a spot, as they kept failing to clinch with every opportunity they had before almost choking it to the Columbus Blue Jackets. I don’t think this Canadiens team is built for the playoffs with how young and inexperienced they are, on top of them having to play a veteran-heavy Capitals team that has essentially looked perfect all season.

Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs New Jersey Devils (M3)

Hurricanes in six games

As far as well-rounded teams go, the Hurricanes are around the top of the list. Losing Martin Necas and Jack Drury for Rantanen, who ended up wanting out, was tough, considering the only roster player they got back was Logan Stankoven. While the Hurricanes didn’t get that game-changing, win-now player that they would have had in Rantanen, they are still one of the deepest teams in the league and are strong in all three areas.

The Devils have depth and are more than capable of beating the Hurricanes, but there are a few things that aren’t in their favor. The biggest thing is that they are missing Jack Hughes, their superstar and X-factor, and his absence undoubtedly makes them worse. They didn’t have a single player who had 20-plus goals this season other than Hughes, and Jacob Markstrom has had some inconsistency in past playoff series. The Hurricanes have been one of the best teams at home this season as well and will have home-ice advantage. This is a team that has built a winning culture and hasn’t been knocked out in the first round since 2020, and the Devils don’t seem like the team to change that.