Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st round predictions by NHL.com writers, editors

Avalanche, Lightning, Stars, Hurricanes among the favorites to win it all

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By NHL.com
@NHLMedia

The Colorado Avalanche are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to NHL.com staff writers and editors who made their predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the field appears to be wide open.

Of the 16 staffers who made their predictions, seven went with the Avalanche to win it all, but five other teams were also selected, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes getting two votes each. The Vegas Golden Knights and Buffalo Sabres got one vote each. 

Here are the picks from NHL.com staff writers and editors for the first round of the playoffs, the Stanley Cup Final and the Conn Smythe winner as playoffs MVP.

Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Boston Bruins 
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Anaheim Ducks

Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

Brian Compton, managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Anaheim Ducks

Stanley Cup Final: Stars over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jake Oettinger, Stars

Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

William Douglas, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Sabres
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Tom Gulitti, senior writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes 
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche 
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

Pete Jensen, senior director, fantasy

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Ottawa Senators
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Sabres
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Stars over Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jake Oettinger, Stars

Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief 

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars 
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Sabres over Stars 
Conn Smythe Trophy: Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres

Tracey Myers, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Montreal Canadiens

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars 
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Sabres
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Shawn P. Roarke, Senior Director of Editorial

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes

Dan Rosen, senior writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Montreal Canadiens

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Golden Knights over Canadiens
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jack Eichel, Golden Knights

David Satriano, assistant day editor

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Anaheim Ducks

Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes over Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy: Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes

Derek Van Diest, staff writer 

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs. OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
BUF vs. BOS: Buffalo Sabres 
TBL vs. MTL: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs. LAK: Colorado Avalanche 
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars 
VGK vs. UTA: Utah Mammoth
EDM vs. ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Cale Makar, Avalanche

Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round

CAR vs OTT: Carolina Hurricanes
PIT vs PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins 
BUF vs BOS: Buffalo Sabres
TBL vs MON: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference First Round

COL vs LAK: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs UTA: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs ANA: Edmonton Oilers

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Lightning 
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

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