Stanley Cup Playoffs staff predictions
Experts from NHL Network, NHL.com favor Capitals, Blackhawks to win Stanley Cup
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Experts from NHL.com and NHL Network have made their Stanley Cup Playoff picks, and the winner will be the Washington Capitals. Or the Chicago Blackhawks. Or maybe even the Montreal Canadiens.
A total of 21 analysts, writers and editors made their predictions; 11 picked the Capitals to win it all, and nine picked the Blackhawks. LNH.com Senior Managing Editor Arpon Basu picked the Canadiens to win.
Of the 21 experts, 16 picked a Stanley Cup Final between the Capitals and Blackhawks.
Here are the first-round picks for the experts from NHL Network and NHL.com:
EJ Hradek, NHL Network Analyst
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Braden Holtby, Capitals
Brian Lawton, NHL Network Analyst
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Duncan Keith, Blackhawks
Tony Luftman, NHL Network Host
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
Michelle McMahon, NHL Network Host
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
MTL vs. NYR: New York Rangers
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
Dave Reid, NHL Network Analyst
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
Video: Capitals clinch the Presidents' Trophy, top seed
Kevin Weekes, NHL Network Analyst
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
Arpon Basu, LNH.com Senior Managing Editor
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Nashville Predators
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Canadiens over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Carey Price, Canadiens
Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com Staff Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Wild
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
Tim Campbell, NHL.com Staff Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Penguins
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks
Brian Compton, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: New York Rangers
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Braden Holtby, Capitals
Nick Cotsonika, NHL.com Columnist
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Braden Holtby, Capitals
Matt Cubeta, Director, NHL.com International
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: New York Rangers
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Wild
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
Lisa Dillman, NHL.com Staff Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Braden Holtby, Capitals
Tom Gulitti, NHL.com Staff Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
Video: CHI@LAK: Panarin finishes Kane's cross-ice dish
Adam Kimelman, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: New York Rangers
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
Robert Laflamme, LNH.com Senior Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
Mike Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: New York Rangers
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Braden Holtby, Capitals
Bill Price, NHL.com Editor-in-Chief
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Canadiens
Conn Smythe Trophy: Corey Crawford, Blackhawks
Shawn P. Roarke, NHL.com Director of Editorial
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Duncan Keith, Blackhawks
Dan Rosen, NHL.com Senior Writer
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Blackhawks over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
Dave Stubbs, NHL.com Columnist
Round 1: Eastern Conference
WSH vs. TOR: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. CBJ: Pittsburgh Penguins
MTL vs. NYR: Montreal Canadiens
OTT vs. BOS: Ottawa Senators
Round 1: Western Conference
CHI vs. NSH: Chicago Blackhawks
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
ANA vs. CGY: Anaheim Ducks
EDM vs. SJS: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Capitals over Blackhawks
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals