2024 NHL Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

Every playoff series in the eastern conference was set almost a week before the regular season ended. In a surprising twist, Pittsburgh misses the playoffs for the second straight year and Detroit came up short despite a thrilling overtime win. Only Carolina and Tampa Bay acquired more than one major player by the trade deadline. The other six will rely on scoring depth and coaching changes to get through another tough postseason. Each team has their hands full against veteran playoff franchises wanting a championship appearance. It’s time to break down which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.

#7 New York Islanders v. #2 Carolina Hurricanes

Two months ago, it was inconceivable the Islanders wouldn’t just make the playoffs, but get as high as the seventh seed. New York won eight of their final ten regular season games and have adjusted to a postseason mindset led by center Mathew Barzal.

Unfortunately for the Islanders, they drew the red-hot Hurricanes. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is back to full health and the acquisitions of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov are another layer of playoff depth few teams can counter. New York had a great run to end the regular season, but Carolina’s depth will overwhelm them early and often.

Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1

#8 Washington Capitals v. #1 New York Rangers

The Capitals almost drew a favorable first round matchup against Carolina. Instead they drew the President’s Trophy winning (awarded to the team with the league’s best record) New York Rangers. The Rangers have a top five offense, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin is among the best at shutting down opposing offensive playmakers.

Washington coach Spencer Carbery has proven resourceful and will find ways to frustrate a deep, veteran New York offense to take some pressure off goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper. Don’t be surprised if this series lasts longer due to the Capitals new, scrappy mindset.

Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2

#5 Toronto Maple Leafs v. #4 Boston Bruins

The last power rankings discussed Toronto’s disadvantages facing any atlantic division rival in round one. Auston Matthews didn’t even get 70 goals in the regular season and the celebratory gift for the team is another first round matchup against their long-time rival Boston.

The Bruins have many advantages over their Canadian rival, but the big ones are the goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, and their home play versus their rivals. The Leafs netminder duo of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll are streaky and not ready to face a veteran team like Boston.

The latter advantage cements this pick. The Bruins are 7-0 against the Leafs (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games. Toronto’s also lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden. While this series might go seven games, it’s clear who advances.

Prediction: Bruins win series 4-3

#6 Tampa Bay Lightning v. #3 Florida Panthers

There’s nothing better than a state or provincial rivalry in the NHL playoffs. It’s juicier if both teams are heavily favored to reach the championship.

Coaching doesn’t get better than Jon Cooper versus Paul Maurice. Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky will have games where they frustrate opposing offenses and give up four or more goals depending on how both teams attack the net. Both Florida teams again feature the best forward and center depth in the conference. One could say it’s a deadlock and the winner might be decided in game seven.

If there’s a decisive factor for which team advances, it’s defensive depth. Both Aaron Ekblad and Victor Hedman will return, but Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh, Erik Cernak, Matt Dumba and Calvin de Haan are a better core than Florida’s Gustav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers core defensive players will struggle whenever the Lightning have power-play opportunities.

Eastern conference upset prediction: Lightning win series 4-2

Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2