2023 NHL Playoffs: B/R Staff 1st-Round Predictions
And onto the postseason.
After 82 grueling regular-season games, we're down to the 16 best teams in the NHL as they all attempt to be the last squad standing in June.
The first round features rematches, rivalries and the league's best stars going head-to-head. Will the Devils' speed prove to be too much of an obstacle for the star-studded Rangers? Can the Oilers get by the Kings once again?
And yes, Maple Leafs fans, the question needs to be asked: Will Toronto finally find a way to get past the Lightning and advance to the elusive second round?
Our team of B/R NHL experts got together to provide series picks for every matchup.
The matchup between last year's Presidents' Trophy winner and this year's favors the deep Boston Bruins roster, which set single-season records for wins (65) and points (135). The Panthers possess a strong offense, but their defense isn't good enough to contain the Bruins.
Prediction: Bruins in five
—Lyle Richardson
The Panthers are a sneaky team that just hasn't gotten results from their power play nor goaltending until late in the season. If those two get hot, then they have a chance to stun Boston. But let's not overthink this. This Bruins team is arguably the best of the salary-cap era. If they hold up their end of the bargain, then this should be over quickly.
Prediction: Bruins in four
—Adam Herman
I cannot wait to watch Matthew Tkachuk drive the Bruins bonkers only to have Brad Marchand show him the true meaning of menace. This series will be feisty, but a lot is being asked of Florida to keep up with the B's. Boston is stacked and (likely) has multiple season award winners on the roster. Florida desperately needs its goaltending to steal games, and I'm not feeling it.
Prediction: Bruins in five
—Joe Yerdon
Ask me if the Bruins will win the Stanley Cup, and the answer, in spite of ridiculous numbers, will be a hard no. But the roadblock that'll keep Boston from a season-ending parade won't be encountered in Florida. In fact, it feels like a stretch to suggest the Panthers will even get a single game.
Prediction: Bruins in four
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
It's been 19 years since the Leafs last won a playoff series, so they're beyond overdue. The Lightning have looked battered and beatable down the stretch. The pressure is always high in Toronto, but Tampa's depth is depleted—see Tanner Jeannot's late-season leg injury—and a breakthrough might finally be in the cards.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in six
—Lyle Richardson
This series is defined by the word "resolve." Do the Lightning have the resolve to push through another gauntlet on tired legs and with suboptimal skill? Do the Leafs have the resolve to block out the noise and finally persevere in a first-round series? Most importantly, do I have the resolve to yet again put my faith in a team that continually finds a way to blow it? I am ready to be hurt again.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in five
—Adam Herman
Once more with feeling for these two—only this time around, the Maple Leafs are better equipped to handle the Lightning, and Tampa Bay is not playing well headed into the playoffs. If the Leafs can't get out of the first round this time, I'm not even sure how you go about addressing it in the offseason. Fortunately, they won't have to worry about it.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in six
—Joe Yerdon
The Maple Leafs are good. They're deep. They're hungry. And yeah, in case you haven't been paying attention, they haven't lost much lately. The Lightning reached last season's Cup Final, their third straight, on muscle memory. That won't be enough this year. Toronto makes itself a valid alternative to the Bruins with a statement-making win.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in five
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
The Carolina Hurricanes offense should give them the edge in this series between two of the league's top defensive clubs. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (.924 save percentage, 2.34 GAA) could backstop his team to an upset, but it lacks the scoring punch to pull it off.
Prediction: Hurricanes in six
—Lyle Richardson
This will be a battle of attrition. Both teams are built to keep the puck in the offensive zone, forecheck and wear the opposition down over 60 minutes. Only one team does it much better than the other. Sorokin can steal a series and Andrei Svechnikov's absence (knee) hurts, but the Hurricanes should prevail.
Prediction: Hurricanes in five
—Adam Herman
Even though the Islanders are getting a lot of help from Mathew Barzal and others returning for the playoffs, they'd also need Pierre Turgeon, Pat LaFontaine and Mike Bossy in their primes to deal with the Hurricanes. Carolina's pace of play will only slightly get slowed down by the Isles' brand of hockey. The one thing that can flip this series on its head is Sorokin stopping everything thrown at him.
Prediction: Hurricanes in five
—Joe Yerdon
Here's the first series where it seems a goalie might be capable of a steal. Sorokin is that good. But his supporting cast isn't. And the Hurricanes are simply too strong at every other competitive point. They may not have the horses to get through the entire Eastern Conference gauntlet, but a first-round exit seems highly unlikely.
Prediction: Hurricanes in six
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
This will be the seventh installment of the Battle of the Hudson River and the first since 2012. The Devils are an exciting young team with a lethal offense, but the Rangers' experience, defensive depth and goalie Igor Shesterkin give them the edge in this series.
Prediction: Rangers in seven
—Lyle Richardson
A true toss-up series. The Devils are the better possession team, but the Rangers thrive off counterattack offense. The Rangers have an elite power play, but the Devils are tremendous when short-handed. The Rangers defense will have trouble with the Devils' speed, but Shesterkin erases problems. This could go either way, but I'll give a razor-thin edge to the team with home-ice advantage.
Prediction: Devils in seven
—Adam Herman
This series is going to be an absolute treat, and that's not just my East Coast bias speaking. The Devils and Rangers play super-fun hockey, both teams can't stand each other and the fans like each other even less. This Devils group is new to this, and the Rangers should still be sore about not taking out Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Final last year. Shesterkin gives the Rangers an edge at the most important position.
Prediction: Rangers in seven
—Joe Yerdon
I agree with my esteemed colleagues. This should be fun from the opening puck drop to the final horn. I see overtimes. I see scraps. I see a lot of competitive venom thanks to proximity and its contempt-breeding familiarity. Look for Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko to earn the headlines that Shesterkin doesn't grab for himself.
Prediction: Rangers in six
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
The Las Vegas Golden Knights have been through so much this season, and they've persevered through all of it. The Winnipeg Jets, meanwhile, went and made their season way too interesting at the end by allowing the field to catch up to them before ultimately locking down a playoff spot. Seeing Jack Eichel in the playoffs for the first time leading Vegas will be fascinating (and fun) to watch. The Jets will need goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to go off to make it past the first round.
Prediction: Vegas in six
—Joe Yerdon
There's no goalie in the West more capable of snatching a series from a favorite than Hellebuyck. And the version of the Jets that was performing during the first half of the season wouldn't require much of a theft. But they were a .500 commodity for the last 30 games, and Hellebuyck can't do it all by himself.
Prediction: Vegas in five
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
The Golden Knights' experienced roster depth enabled them to top the Western Conference despite their injury-ravaged goaltending. However, Hellebuyck carried the inconsistent Jets into the playoffs and gives them a chance at pulling off an upset here.
Prediction: Jets in seven
—Lyle Richardson
Vegas is very unlucky to get Winnipeg in the first round, as the Jets are much better than their wild-card slotting implies. The Jets were largely limited by a shooting slump in February. They're back to playing high-end hockey and, whomever the Golden Knights put in net for Game 1, he won't come within shouting distance of Hellebuyck.
Prediction: Jets in seven
—Adam Herman
It's not the Western Conference playoffs unless the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings are duking it out, and this one times out poorly for L.A. The last month or so for the Kings has seen them stack up wins against lottery teams, while the Oilers have beaten just about everyone since the start of March (18-3-0 since March 1). Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and friends are licking their chops for the postseason.
Prediction: Oilers in five
—Joe Yerdon
I said it in October. I'll say it again in April. The Oilers will come out of the Western Conference. No one in the Pacific, the West or the entire NHL has been better than them since the March 3 trade deadline. The Mattias Ekholm deal was a franchise game-changer, and Stuart Skinner deserves the Calder Trophy as the No. 1 goalie on a 50-win team. Book it.
Prediction: Oilers in five
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
A rematch of last year's first-round series pits the Oilers' high-octane offense against a Kings squad that has improved and is better balanced since their previous matchup. It should be another close, entertaining tilt, but the Oilers' one-two punch of McDavid and Draisaitl should carry them through.
Prediction: Oilers in six
—Lyle Richardson
For years, the Oilers' Cup hopes depended on McDavid and Draisaitl outweighing the rest of the team's incompetence. Now, the defense is shored up thanks to the trade-deadline addition of Ekholm, while the depth forwards can put together a respectable shift. There is reason to worry that goaltending will once again sink this ship, but the Oilers look like the West's best hope for a Stanley Cup.
Prediction: Oilers in six
—Adam Herman
Here's where we'll begin to see how much, or if, the Colorado Avalanche may be vulnerable to not escaping the Western Conference. Seattle has flipped the script this season with a consistent top-10 offense that's carried the load for a middle-of-the-road goals-against clip. Colorado is dinged up, too, though it's played very well down the stretch. Interesting, but not to the level of upset.
Prediction: Avalanche in six
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
I had confidence the Avalanche would be able to handle their first-round matchup with relative ease while they sorted through injuries, but the Kraken are different kind of threat. They're a true four-line-attack team, and they're opportunistic as well. The Avs have a decided edge in goal with Alexandar Georgiev, but this is going to be tough for both teams.
Prediction: Avalanche in seven
—Joe Yerdon
Improved play at both ends of the rink enabled the Kraken to reach the playoffs in just their second NHL season. However, they're no match for the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche and their superstar trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar.
Prediction: Avalanche in four
—Lyle Richardson
This is going to be a good series. Both teams play structured hockey. The Avalanche have far superior high-end talent, but they come nowhere close to matching Seattle's robust depth on all four lines and three defensive pairings. Colorado's Georgiev is untested, but he's the better option than either of Philipp Grubauer or Martin Jones, whom Seattle will have to hope don't implode their chances.
Prediction: Avalanche in seven
—Adam Herman
How about a good, old-fashioned goaltending duel? The Dallas Stars have Jake Oettinger, who's a top-10 commodity in all important statistical categories. And the Minnesota Wild have a playoff-proven performer in three-time Cup winner Marc-Andre Fleury. Both teams played well down the stretch, so we'll break the tie with Jason Robertson over Kirill Kaprizov. But it's no gimme.
Prediction: Stars in seven
—Lyle Fitzsimmons
The Stars are among the most balanced teams in this postseason and are led by rejuvenated captain Jamie Benn and rising young stars Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy provide the Wild with solid scoring punch, but the absence of Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body injury) leaves a big hole at center.
Prediction: Stars in five
—Lyle Richardson
This will be an incredible series. The Stars can score in bunches and Oettinger can keep the puck out of his net quite well. But the Wild excel at preventing goals thanks to Fleury and Filip Gustavsson in net. If the Wild can turn the series into one where goals are at a premium as opposed to one with a boatload, they can handle the Stars, but Eriksson Ek's absence is a crusher because they'll need him to slow Robertson and the horde of Dallas goal scorers.
Prediction: Stars in six
—Joe Yerdon
This should be a cool series featuring teams that rely on dominant first lines and a cornerstone No. 1 defenseman. If you want to see highlight-reel offense, then it's going to be hard to beat the likes of Robertson and Roope Hintz in Dallas or Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello in Minnesota. But things fall apart quickly for Minnesota once one goes beyond Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin on defense; trade-deadline pickup John Klingberg certainly hasn't helped the cause. Oettinger was brilliant in net for Dallas during the playoffs last season, and he's now a top-10 NHL goaltender.
Prediction: Stars in six
—Adam Herman
Staff members from the B/R Open Ice and editorial teams also provided their picks for the upcoming first round.
Evan Sporer, B/R Brand Strategy Manager, Open Ice
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers - Bruins in 6
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning- Maple Leafs in 6
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Hurricanes in 7
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - Rangers in 6
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets - Golden Knights in 5
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings - Kings in 6
Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken - Avalanche in 5
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild - Wild in 6
Mathieu Schneider, B/R Open Ice Social Programmer
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers - Bruins in 5
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Lightning in 6
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Islanders in 7
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - Rangers in 7
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets - Golden Knights in 7
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings - Oilers in 5
Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken - Avalanche in 6
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild - Stars in 6
Lucky Ngamwajasat, B/R NHL Assignment Editor
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers - Bruins in 5
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Maple Leafs in 7
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Islanders in 7
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - Devils in 6
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets - Golden Knights in 6
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings - Oilers in 5
Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken - Avalanche in 6
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild - Wild in 6
Rick Seto, B/R NHL Quality Control Editor
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers - Bruins in 6
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Lightning in 7
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Hurricanes in 6
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - Devils in 7
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets - Jets in 7
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings - Oilers in 7
Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken - Avalanche in 6
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild - Stars in 5
Rachel Butensky, B/R Open Ice App Programmer
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers - Bruins in 7
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Lightning in 6
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Hurricanes in 6
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - Devils in 7
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets - Golden Knights in 4
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings - Oilers in 7
Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken - Avalanche in 5
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild - Wild in 6
