Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round predictions

NHL.com staff members make their picks for eight series, Conn Smythe, champions

TBL

© Scott Audette/Getty Images

By NHL.com @NHLdotcom

NHL.com experts have made their predictions for the
Stanley Cup Playoffs
and they believe the best team in the regular season will rule in the postseason as well.

Ten of the 15 staff members who made predictions picked the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the
Presidents' Trophy
with 128 points and became the second team in NHL history to win 62 games in a season, to hoist the
Stanley Cup
at the end of the playoffs.
Five of the 10 to pick the Lightning predicted goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable player in the postseason. Forward Brayden Point was picked by three writers and forward Nikita Kucherov was picked by two.
The Boston Bruins, who finished tied with the Calgary Flames for second in points (107), were picked by three staff members to win the Stanley Cup. The Flames and Nashville Predators each got one vote.
Here are NHL.com's picks for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
NYI vs. PIT: New York Islanders
Western Conference First Round
CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Jets
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

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      Previewing Columbus vs. Tampa Bay First Round matchup

      Tim Campbell, NHL.com staff writer

      Eastern Conference First Round
      TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
      BOS vs. TOR:Toronto Maple Leafs
      WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
      NYI vs. PIT: New York Islanders
      Western Conference First Round
      CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
      SJS vs. VGK: San Jose Sharks
      NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
      WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
      Stanley Cup Final:Flames over Maple Leafs
      Conn Smythe Trophy:Johnny Gaudreau, Flames

      Brian Compton, NHL.com deputy managing editor

      Eastern Conference First Round
      TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
      BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
      WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
      NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
      Western Conference First Round
      CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
      SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
      NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
      WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
      Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Golden Knights
      Conn Smythe Trophy:Brad Marchand, Bruins

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          Previewing the Leafs vs. Bruins First Round matchup

          Nicholas J. Cotsonika, NHL.com columnist

          Eastern Conference First Round
          TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
          BOS vs. TOR:Boston Bruins
          WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
          NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
          Western Conference First Round
          CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
          SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
          NSH vs. DAL: Dallas Stars
          WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
          Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Flames
          Conn Smythe Trophy:Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

          William Douglas, NHL.com staff writer

          Eastern Conference First Round
          TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
          BOS vs. TOR: Toronto Maple Leafs
          WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
          NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
          Western Conference First Round
          CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
          SJS vs. VGK: San Jose Sharks
          NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
          WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
          Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Predators
          Conn Smythe Trophy:Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

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              Previewing the Stars vs. Predators First Round series

              Tom Gulitti, NHL.com staff writer

              Eastern Conference First Round
              TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
              BOS vs. TOR:Boston Bruins
              WSH vs. CAR:Washington Capitals
              NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
              Western Conference First Round
              CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
              SJS vs. VGK: San Jose Sharks
              NSH vs. DAL: Dallas Stars
              WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
              Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Sharks
              Conn Smythe Trophy:Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

              Pete Jensen, NHL.com senior fantasy editor

              Eastern Conference First Round
              TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
              BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
              WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
              NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
              Western Conference First Round
              CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
              SJS vs. VGK: San Jose Sharks
              NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
              WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
              Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Sharks
              Conn Smythe Trophy:Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

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                  Previewing Golden Knights-Sharks First Round series

                  Adam Kimelman, NHL.com deputy managing editor

                  Eastern Conference First Round
                  TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                  BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                  WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                  NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
                  Western Conference First Round
                  CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                  SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                  NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                  WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
                  Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Jets
                  Conn Smythe Trophy:Brayden Point, Lightning

                  Mike G. Morreale, NHL.com staff writer

                  Eastern Conference First Round
                  TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                  BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                  WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                  NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
                  Western Conference First Round
                  CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                  SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                  NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                  WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
                  Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Golden Knights
                  Conn Smythe Trophy:Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

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                      Previewing the Avalanche-Flames First Round series

                      Tracey Myers, NHL.com staff writer

                      Eastern Conference First Round
                      TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                      BOS. vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                      WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                      NYI vs. PIT: New York Islanders
                      Western Conference First Round
                      CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                      SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                      NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                      WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
                      Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Blues
                      Conn Smythe Trophy:Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

                      Bill Price, NHL.com Editor-in-Chief

                      Eastern Conference First Round
                      TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                      BOS. vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                      WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                      NYI vs. PIT: New York Islanders
                      Western Conference First Round
                      CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                      SJS vs. VGK: San Jose Sharks
                      NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                      WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
                      Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Capitals
                      Conn Smythe Trophy:Ryan Johansen, Predators

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                          Previewing the Islanders-Penguins First Round matchup

                          Shawn Roarke, NHL.com Senior Director of Editorial

                          Eastern Conference First Round
                          TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                          BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                          WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                          NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
                          Western Conference First Round
                          CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                          SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                          NSH vs. DAL:Nashville Predators
                          WPG vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
                          Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Predators
                          Conn Smythe Trophy:Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

                          Dan Rosen, NHL.com senior writer

                          Eastern Conference First Round
                          TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                          BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                          WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                          NYI vs. PIT:New York Islanders
                          Western Conference First Round
                          CGY vs. COL:Calgary Flames
                          SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                          NSH vs. DAL: Dallas Stars
                          WPG vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
                          Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Blues
                          Conn Smythe Trophy: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

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                              Previewing the Blues vs. Jets First Round matchup

                              Dave Stubbs, NHL.com columnist

                              Eastern Conference First Round
                              TBL vs. CBJ: Tampa Bay Lightning
                              BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
                              WSH vs. CAR: Washington Capitals
                              NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
                              Western Conference First Round
                              CGY vs. COL: Calgary Flames
                              SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                              NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                              WPG vs. STL:Winnipeg Jets
                              Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Jets
                              Conn Smythe Trophy:Brayden Point, Lightning

                              Mike Zeisberger, NHL.com staff writer

                              Eastern Conference First Round
                              TBL vs. CBJ:Tampa Bay Lightning
                              BOS vs. TOR:Boston Bruins
                              WSH vs. CAR:Washington Capitals
                              NYI vs. PIT: Pittsburgh Penguins
                              Western Conference First Round
                              CGY vs. COL:Calgary Flames
                              SJS vs. VGK: Vegas Golden Knights
                              NSH vs. DAL: Nashville Predators
                              WPG vs. STL: Winnipeg Jets
                              Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Predators
                              Conn Smythe Trophy:Brayden Point, Lightning

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                                  Previewing the Hurricanes-Capitals First Round series

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