2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st-round predictions

The Boston Bruins had a record-setting regular season, winning 65 games and collecting 135 points, but only eight of 16 NHL.com staff writers and editors think they will finish off the season with a Stanley Cup championship.

In addition to the eight who picked the Bruins, four believe the Edmonton Oilers will take home the Cup, while two each picked the Carolina Hurricanes and defending champions Colorado Avalanche.
Of the eight who predicted the Bruins would win it all, four picked forward David Pastrnak as the Conn Smythe winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs, while two picked forward Patrice Bergeron and two picked goalie Linus Ullmark.
The four who picked the Oilers had the Conn Smythe going to forward Connor McDavid, the two who picked the Avalanche thought forward Nathan MacKinnon would be MVP, and the two who picked the Hurricanes had the honors going to defenseman Brent Burns.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Monday.
Here is how our experts picked:

Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI:Carolina Hurricanes
NJD vs. NYR: New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

Brian Compton, managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. NYI: New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN:Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs NYI: New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Bruins over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Linus Ullmark, Bruins

William Douglas, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI:New York Islanders
NYR vs. NJD:New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy: David Pastrnak, Bruins

Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI: Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN:Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Bruins over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

Pete Jensen, director, senior fantasy editor

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI:New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG: Winnipeg Jets
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Bruins over Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy: David Pastrnak, Bruins

Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs NYI: New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Winnipeg Jets
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN:Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Oilers over Maple Leafs
Conn Smythe Trophy: Connor McDavid, Oilers

Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. NYI:New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR: New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Winnipeg Jets
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Bruins over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy:David Pastrnak, Bruins

Tracey Myers, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI:Carolina Hurricanes
NJD vs. NYR:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Bruins over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: David Pastrnak, Bruins

Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. NJD:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy:Brent Burns, Hurricanes

Shawn Roarke, senior director of editorial

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. NYI: Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN:Minnesota Wild
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Dan Rosen, senior writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. NYI:New York Islanders
NYR vs. NJD: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Oilers over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy:Connor McDavid, Oilers

David Satriano, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. NYI:Carolina Hurricanes
NJD vs. NYR: New Jersey Devils
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK:Los Angeles Kings
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: Brent Burns, Hurricanes

Dave Stubbs, columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs NYI:Carolina Hurricanes
NJD vs. NYR: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WIN: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN:Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Linus Ullmark, Bruins

Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA:Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs NYI:New York Islanders
NJD vs. NYR: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WIN:Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA:Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final:Oilers over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy: Connor McDavid, Oilers

Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
BOS vs. FLA: Boston Bruins
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. NYI: New York Islanders
NYR vs. NJD: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
VGK vs. WPG: Vegas Golden Knights
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
COL vs. SEA: Colorado Avalanche
DAL vs. MIN: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup Final: Oilers over Rangers
Conn Smythe Trophy:Connor McDavid, Oilers