Conference finals roundtable 9.5

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights are the overwhelming favorites to meet in the Stanley Cup Final, according to a panel of 16 NHL.com staffers.

Fourteen of the 16 predicted the Lightning would defeat the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Final, and the Golden Knights would defeat the Dallas Stars in the West.
Staff writer Bill Douglas and Editor-in-Chief Bill Price were the only staffers to pick the Islanders against the Lightning, while Price and staff writer David Satriano were the only ones to pick the Stars to defeat the Golden Knights.
Satriano was the lone staffer to predict the Stars would defeat the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Second Round.
Here are their picks for the conference finals:
Amalie Benjamin, staff writerSecond-round record: 2-2
Overall record: 12-8
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Tim Campbell, staff writerSecond-round record: 2-2Overall record:8-12
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Brian Compton, deputy managing editorSecond-round record:3-1
Overall record:14-6
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnistSecond-round record: 3-1
Overall record:9-11
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
William Douglas, staff writerSecond-round record: 1-3
Overall record:9-11
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:New York Islanders
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Tom Gulitti, staff writerSecond-round record:3-1
Overall record:11-9
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Pete Jensen, senior fantasy editorSecond-round record:3-1
Overall record:10-10
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL:Vegas Golden Knights
Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editorSecond-round record:2-2Overall record:7-13
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Tracey Myers, staff writerSecond-round record:3-1Overall record:11-9
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Mike G. Morreale, staff writerSecond-round record:2-2
Overall record:10-10
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL:Vegas Golden Knights
Bill Price, Editor-in-ChiefSecond-round record:1-3
Overall record:9-11
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:New York Islanders
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Dallas Stars
Shawn Roarke, Senior Director of EditorialSecond-round record: 1-3
Overall record:6-14
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Dan Rosen, senior writerSecond-round record:3-1
Overall record:14-6
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI:Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
David Satriano, staff writerSecond-round record:3-1 Overall record:11-9
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Dallas Stars
Dave Stubbs, columnistSecond-round record:3-1
Overall record:12-8
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights
Mike Zeisberger, staff writerSecond-round record:3-1 Overall record:9-11
Eastern Conference Final
TBL vs. NYI: Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference Final
VGK vs. DAL: Vegas Golden Knights