What a round! The two best teams in the east are in the conference finals. On one side, the well designed, balanced and deep Carolina Hurricanes. Led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, captain Jordan Staal and veteran goaltender Frederik Anderson, the Hurricanes are the best and most complete team in the conference. Their opponent is the last team standing in the atlantic division, the Montreal Canadiens. Rookie goaltender Kyle Dobes has been stellar. The young core of captain Nick Suzuki, 50 goal scorer Cole Caufield and phenom defenseman Lane Hudson have stunned viewers. Coach Martin St. Louis is as good a coach as he was a Stanley Cup winning player over 20 years ago. Both squads will have their hands full. Time to break down which team has the best chance to win the eastern conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
#4 Montreal Canadiens v. #1 Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina will swarm Montreal captain Nick Suzuki (C) every game.
Nobody thought Montreal would make it this far. This is easily the more lopsided conference finals matchup. Carolina is the only team to be undefeated in either the NBA or NHL playoffs. The Hurricanes have done everything right while the Canadiens were somehow lucky to advance after two game sevens.
Yes, Montreal swept the regular season series, even winning two of the three games in Carolina. However, this is the playoffs. Commissioner Gary Bettman is known for cramming all the conference finals games together to eliminate the weaker two teams. The Hurricanes have played eight games in 32 days by the time this series starts. If Carolina can’t advance to the finals in five games, there will be serious conversations on coach Brind’Amour’s job security. This is the easiest path to the championship any team could have.
What a fun end to the second round. Colorado had their first true test of the playoffs with a five game series against Minnesota. Jared Bednar’s tinkering of the roster and goaltender usage showed yet again why he is one of the best coaches in the league. The Avalanche stars keep playing better each round. Meanwhile, Vegas looks like the juggernaut many predicted at the beginning of the season. Free agent addition Mitch Marner is playing the best playoff hockey of his career, Carter Hart has stabilized and locked down the number one goaltender position, and the defense has done a great job at shot-blocking under interim coach John Tortorella. Both teams will have their hands full, and many believe whichever team wins this series will win the championship. Time to break down which one has the best shot to win the western conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
#4 Vegas Golden Knights v. #1 Colorado Avalanche
It will be a gritty, grind-it-out series between Vegas and Colorado.
This is a conference final series every hockey fan will love. Both teams have great coaching, deep rosters, can score a lot of goals, and usually play stellar defense. In many ways, one could pick either team to win both this finals and the championship round, and those picks would be believable.
Both teams also mirror each other in their deficiencies. The weakest links for Vegas are the lack of goaltender depth behind starter Carter Hart, and how a lot of the veterans have seen more injuries than usual after blocking shots on net. Colorado’s goaltending issues are similar. Last round, the Avalanche had no idea what they would get from either Scott Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood. Both struggled and were pulled because division rival Minnesota tore through the defense. The Avalanche defensemen have not been as consistent as those of the Knights. Devon Toews and Cale Makar all but disappeared after game one’s 9-6 scoring barrage against the Wild.
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog has played great this postseason. He will be a determining factor if the Avalanche make it back to the championship round.
There is one surprising factor that will determine which team advances to the next round. Colorado has been mentally sharp in almost all their nine previous games. Say what you will about the Avalanche’s sloppiness from last series, they knew when to dial in and stay committed until the clock hit four zeros. The Golden Knights haven’t been as sharp. Vegas let both of their series go six games each because they mentally checked out for at least one game or let the younger team claw back and take at least one game to overtime. Colorado isn’t the younger, inexperienced Mammoth or Ducks. They could bury the Golden Knights at any hint of hesitation or after a small mistake. That will make it hard for Vegas to outlast Colorado for four wins.
Prediction: Avalanche win the western conference and series 4-2
Western conference playoff predictions record: 2-2
The remaining two teams in the NBA west had a good second round. San Antonio and Oklahoma City were more committed and better coached than the teams in Minnesota and Los Angeles. While the Thunder are on a roll, there’s a lot of hype on the Spurs because they figured out how to beat the reigning champions multiple times. One of these two teams must advance to the championship round. Time to break down which one has the best chance to represent the west in the finals.
#2 San Antonio Spurs v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
Stephon Castle (5) v. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) will be a fun matchup to watch.
Similar to last series with Minnesota and San Antonio, the easy pick between a reigning champion versus an inexperienced playoff team would result in the former winning this round. In fact, history has shown this happening the majority of the time. However, the Spurs are not your average inexperienced playoff team.
If anything, this could be utter domination by San Antonio. Phenom center Victor Wembanyama could be held in check at times by Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert last series. At times. The centers who must face him in the conference finals don’t stand a chance. Wembanyama takes playing against Chet Holmgren personally, and Isaiah Hartenstein can only do so much against the Spurs best player.
It’s possible no one on Oklahoma City’s roster can stop center Victor Wembanyama (1) this round.
If Victor Wembanyama doesn’t dominate each game, then Oklahoma City’s guard depth will have their hands full. Yes, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Alex Caruso, Jared McCain and Jalen Williams are a great core of players. Yet, San Antonio’s core of Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper have put up record numbers throughout these playoffs.
The Thunder have playoff experience on their side and know what it’s like to play this late in the season. While the Spurs will have some struggles for at least two games, they are the better team. Center Victor Wembanyama takes playing against them personally and usually plays his best basketball against Chet Holmgren.
Prediction: Spurs win the western conference and series 4-2
Western conference second round playoff picks record: 2-0
The first round was fun but didn’t have many surprises or upsets. Los Angeles’ game six rout in Houston avoided a full, seven game series. Oklahoma City swept Phoenix and San Antonio took care of Portland in five games. Two teams in this upcoming round made it to last year’s semi-conference finals. The Thunder and Spurs have great offenses and defenses to make a fun series while the Lakers and Timberwolves will do their best to steal a few games. Two of the remaining four will advance to the conference finals. Time to break down which of the two have the best chance to make round three.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City’s depth is too much for Los Angeles to handle.
The easiest series in this conference, if not the whole NBA second round. Oklahoma City beat Los Angeles by an average of 29.3 points per game in their four regular season matchups. Not only is it the worst of any playoff matchup in NBA history, the Lakers might not have star point guard Luka Doncic the entire series. There is no way this series goes more than five games.
Prediction: Thunder win series 4-0
#6 Minnesota Timberwolves v. #2 San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio should have an easier series with the number of injuries Minnesota has. Stars like guard Anthony Edwards will be out for at least one game.
Usually the more inexperienced team in the second round is not favored. That opinion is more accurate against an opponent that has made the conference finals the last two seasons. No. San Antonio is not your average, inexperienced playoff team. Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama and guards Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox were unfazed in their first playoff series.
The decisive factor will not be one-on-one matchups. It will be how healthy Minnesota can stay in this series. The Timberwolves lost guards Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu and Dante DiVincenzo last round against Denver. Dosunmu will return but likely not at full health. DiVincenzo is out the rest of the season and Edwards should not play the first two games. The lack of guard depth will lead to different matchup problems that already tilts in San Antonio’s favor before game one begins. If Minnesota can’t stop the mounting injuries, the Spurs could make this a fast series.
Prediction: Spurs win series 4-1
Western conference first round playoffs record: 3-1
What a shocking and thrilling first round of basketball!! All four teams that advanced played at least six games and were down at least one game in their series at some point. New York, Detroit, Philadelphia all made franchise and NBA history, from points scored to game seven wins. Now the conference is open for any team to make the finals since none of the four have championship experience. Only two teams will advance to play in the next round, so now it is time to decide which two have the best chance of meeting in the eastern finals.
#7 Philadelphia 76ers v. #3 New York Knicks
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (77) will have a hard time stopping Jalen Brunson (11) this series.
New York was fortunate they dominated the poor shooting Hawks in their closing, game six performance. The Knicks were the first team to clinch a second round spot and got more rest than any other eastern conference team.
This will be an interesting series to watch because Philadelphia center Joel Embiid hurt his knee near the end of game seven in Boston. Without Embiid, the 76ers will need a lot more from center Andre Drummond and forwards Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. That will be difficult when the Knicks have better depth at center and forward. Coach Mike Brown played his starters better in the first round and it paid off with New York wearing down Atlanta and sealing the earliest series win. Expect the same this round.
Prediction: Knicks win series 4-2
#4 Cleveland Cavaliers v. #1 Detroit Pistons
Detroit will need more than star point guard Cade Cunningham (with ball) to beat Cleveland.
This one may be the hardest matchup to predict in either conference. Both Cleveland and Detroit went a full seven game series last round. The Cavaliers didn’t win a road game despite having every advantage against Toronto. The Pistons came down from another 3-1 series deficit to beat Orlando, and even then Detroit needed a lot of luck to pull out a critical game six win.
The biggest factor in this series is scoring and defensive depth. Center Jalen Duren struggled every game against the Magic. That’s a big issue for Detroit because Orlando struggled to rebound the ball on both sides of the court. Cleveland’s starting center Jarrett Allen has the edge over the struggling Duren, and other centers Evan Mobley and Larry Nance Jr. present obvious problems for coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The Cavaliers clearly have the upper hand at guard and forward and should take advantage of the differences almost every game. It will be odd to watch the Pistons struggle to clamp down on a deep, veteran offense.
Upset prediction of the second round: Cavaliers win series 4-2
Eastern conference first round playoffs record: 3-1
The 2025-26 NBA regular season ended in anticipation of a thrilling western conference playoff race. MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are again the favorites to make a deep run to the championship while the young Spurs want to prove they can compete and beat the best veteran teams. No one should underestimate the resurgence of Denver or Houston. Oklahoma City remains the team everyone wants out in order to have a fair chance at the finals. Four talented squads will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#8 Phoenix Suns v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
There will be a lot of pressure on Devin Booker (1) to lead Phoenix against the reigning NBA champion Thunder.
Even if Jordan Ott doesn’t win coach of the year, he will be heavily considered. Nobody expected Phoenix to make the playoffs after a massive roster overhaul less than a year ago. Despite the changes, the Suns physical play on both ends of the court makes them a threat.
However, Phoenix drew the reigning NBA champion Thunder. Oklahoma City has the deepest roster of any playoff team and will pick apart whatever the Suns throw at them.
Prediction: Thunder win series 4-0
#7 Portland Trailblazers v. #2 San Antonio Spurs
Portland faces an uphill battle against the deep, talented Spurs.
If San Antonio had to face the winner of Golden State v. Los Angeles and not Portland v. Phoenix (which was the former), that would be a more interesting series. The Spurs return to the playoffs means a lot of the star-studded talent will face growing pains and make a lot of unusual mistakes they wouldn’t make in the regular season.
San Antonio is lucky they get the Trailblazers. Like the Spurs, Portland hasn’t made the postseason in a long time. Despite a few veterans on each team, this series should heavily favor the San Antonio because of how both teams mirror playoff inexperience with each other and how the Spurs have a deeper, more talented team. This should be a fast series.
Prediction: Spurs win series 4-1
#6 Minnesota Timberwolves v. #3 Denver Nuggets
Center Nikola Jokic makes Minnesota’s defense look silly when they played this season.
Talk about a tilt in rivalry. If this matchup took place three years ago, Minnesota would have had the edge with how their bigs could smother Denver’s star players. After some roster tweaks the last few years, the Timberwolves don’t have that advantage. It will cost them in this round.
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic should have one of the best series of his life versus Minnesota center Rudy Gobert. Despite a 12 game winning streak, coach David Adelman made sure to limit the minutes of star point guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon. Having both at full health is important to counter Minnesota forward Julius Randle and the guard duo of Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards.
The Timberwolves have been a streaky team most of the year bogged down by a terrible free throw percentage and turnover issues. Denver is a veteran championship team that knows how to do the little things well and not give their opponents chances to attempt many comebacks. This could be a fast series.
Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-1
#5 Houston Rockets v. #4 Los Angeles Lakers
Houston’s Kevin Durant (left) and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic (right) shared a Christmas day moment in an eye-opening Rockets win.
On paper, this should be one of the best first round series in either conference. In reality, it’s all Lakers. Los Angeles dominated the regular season series against Houston no matter who played. More importantly, the Rockets younger core struggled against a swarming Lakers defense in the last two matchups. Poor shooting combined with the return of Los Angeles star point guard Luka Doncic makes this a less than ideal matchup for Houston.
A sliver of hope for coach Ime Udoka’s roster lies in one Laker missing the first round. Austin Reaves will be out as his grade two oblique muscle strain has not fully healed. That means Los Angeles has to rely more on scoring inside the three point line and playing a more physical style than they’re used to. That still favors them since the younger Rockets are not used to this style and played poorly against whatever the Lakers used against them most of the season. At least Houston can steal a game or two more than many expected with the loss of Reaves.
Prediction: Lakers win series 4-1
Regular season western conference playoffs and play-in predictions record: 6-4
The east was the last conference to seal both playoff and play-in spots. Eight spots were determined the final game of the regular season. Atlanta and Toronto are young teams that exceeded expectations and will use this postseason to learn how to improve for future playoff appearances. Cleveland and Detroit hope to take the next step forward and make a deep playoff run. Boston and New York are considered the top teams in the east and favorites to make the conference finals. Expectations aside, four talented and competitive teams must advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#5 Toronto Raptors v. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell (45) should have a career series against the younger, inexperienced Raptors
Toronto should get a round of applause for how well they did this season. I don’t think anyone had them as a top six team in the eastern conference. Their reward is the 52 win Cavaliers who had a league high 41 different starting lineups.
Cleveland is the better team in every facet. From touting the better offense and defense to having more experience and long-time veteran stars, it would be shocking if the Cavaliers were bounced out of the first round.
Prediction: Cavaliers win series 4-1
#8 Orlando Magic v. #1 Detroit Pistons
Orlando will go as far as star forward Paolo Banchero (5) can take them.
Orlando’s inconsistency makes one wonder how much Detroit will be pushed in this series. Star point-guard Cade Cunningham won’t have a minutes restriction since he returned from a collapsed lung, but the rest of the Pistons roster plays well even if he needs rest. The Magic aren’t a good rebounding team and still face serious questions on what their identity is outside of star players Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane. Detroit is better coached and more disciplined.
Prediction: Pistons win series 4-1
#7 Philadelphia 76ers v. #2 Boston Celtics
Depth players like center Neemias Queta (88) will be key for Boston to get past Philadelphia.
One of the most underrated first round series. Philadelphia doesn’t have the depth Boston does, but they play hard and split the regular season series. While center Joel Embiid’s health depends on how far this series goes, the 76ers have a solid starting core around point-guard Tyrese Maxey. Forwards Paul George and Emoni Bates, center Andre Drummond and guards Cameron Payne and VJ Edgecombe will make this a longer series than most anticipate.
Regardless of Philadelphia’s talent, Boston’s the superior team and star forward Jayson Tatum is back at full health. The Celtics championship mentality means they will go all-out in almost every round compared to the hot-and-cold 76ers.
Prediction: Celtics win series 4-2
#6 Atlanta Hawks v. #3 New York Knicks
Dyson Daniels (5) versus Jalen Brunson (11) will be a great one-on-one matchup.
This is the best first round series in either conference. Atlanta was red-hot the last two months of the season after trading star point guard Trae Young to Washington D.C. Since his hiring, coach Quin Snyder finally has the Hawks all in-sync with each other and playing their best basketball. Forwards Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga have elevated Atlanta’s ceiling and their style of play. Guards C.J. McCollum and Dyson Daniels can do almost everything on both sides of the court.
New York is out of their lull and are the favorite to make conference finals. Had the Knicks drawn Toronto in round one, they would easily make round two given the number of stars and veterans on the team. However, the Hawks have played them well the last four years and get under New York’s collective skin.
One thing the Knicks did well was bulk up the roster with more scoring depth. The trade for point-guard Jose Alvarado gives New York more scoring opportunities when Jalen Brunson needs rest. Jordan Clarkson, Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are quality depth players that give the Knicks the edge to win what should be a long series.
Prediction: Knicks win series 4-3
Regular season eastern conference playoffs and play-in predictions record: 6-4
This will be an interesting first round in the western conference. There are thrilling rivalries and new teams ready to gain playoff experience. The President’s trophy winner Colorado Avalanche will face everyone’s best no matter the round. Dallas and Edmonton again have pressure to make it back to the conference championship while Minnesota will face more criticism if they can’t get past the first round. Anaheim and Utah look to upend everyone’s predictions while Los Angeles and Vegas make another push to return to the championship round. Most teams have their hands full against deep rosters wanting a conference finals appearance. It is time to break down and predict which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.
#6 Anaheim Ducks v. #5 Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton gets another first round opponent from southern California. However, this time it is not Los Angeles.
This may be the easiest series to predict in either conference. The reigning western conference champion Oilers may not have former MVP forward Leon Draisaitl, but that won’t stop them against a young, inexperienced Anaheim team grateful to be back in the playoffs. Edmonton’s speed, scoring depth and massive advantages on special teams means this will be a fast series with or without Draisaitl.
Prediction: Oilers win series 4-0
#4 Minnesota Wild v. #3 Dallas Stars
The first official matchup of the NHL playoffs should be one of this year’s best.
Commissioner Gary Bettman must fix the playoff seeding at some point. It’s unfair that one of the central division’s three best teams has to be eliminated against a rival in the first round. Both Dallas and Minnesota look like complete teams that could give any opponent in the other three divisions fits. Sadly, one has to go home.
Most likely, that team is the Wild. Minnesota struggles to get depth scoring past their first two lines. The Stars are also the more experienced playoff team and defend better in front of the net. The Wild are more physical, but Dallas is more determined to get back to the championship round after fizzling out the last two years in the conference finals.
Prediction: Stars win series 4-2
#8 Los Angeles Kings v. #1 Colorado Avalanche
Colorado will play a nasty, physical series with Los Angeles.
Wonderful news for Los Angeles: they finally get a first round playoff opponent that isn’t Edmonton. Terrible news for Los Angeles: it’s against the NHL’s best Colorado Avalanche. The Kings finally figured out how to fix their offense with interim coach D.J. Smith, but that won’t be enough against what many believe are the most complete team in either conference. Coach Jared Bednar is back behind the bench after taking a puck to the face recently, and MVP front-runner Nathan MacKinnon is a nightmare once he sees open ice. The Kings have one of the NHL’s best defenses, but their lack of scoring and defensive depth will show the longer this series goes. At least franchise legend Anze Kopitar will end his fantastic career in the postseason playing against a Stanley Cup finals favorite.
Prediction: Avalanche win series 4-1
#7 Utah Mammoth v. #4 Vegas Golden Knights
Utah’s Vezina finalist Karel Vejmelka will be series MVP if the Mammoth get past Vegas.
This is my favorite western conference matchup. On paper, Vegas is the superior team with championship experience, a Stanley Cup winning coach and a deeper roster. However, Utah presents a lot of challenges to the Golden Knights.
Coach John Tortorella went 7-0-1 after Vegas hired him almost three weeks ago. The Golden Knights could be back to their dominant levels of years past. However, the Mammoth are a big test. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka is a Vezina finalist and took a big step forward being one of the NHL’s better players this season. Vejmelka handled a larger workload better than expected once backup/partner Connor Ingram went to Edmonton. Like a few teams in both conferences this round, Utah has a younger, talented scoring core unfamiliar with the playoffs. Despite these obvious disadvantages, Utah’s core was exceptional against quality opponents and wound up being the best team in the central division after the three headed hydra of Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota. That is certainly a big deal.
The Golden Knights’ coaching switch from Bruce Cassidy to John Tortorella came at the best time for them. Tortorella is dealing with disciplined veterans who know how to cleanly block shots, play more aggressive and defend better in front of the net. Even tenured Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny isn’t used to being in the postseason, and there will be a lot of growing pains top to bottom for Utah. While it’s obvious Vegas will win this series, the Mammoth will make the Golden Knights earn every win and learn a lot of valuable lessons this series.
Prediction: Golden Knights win series 4-2
Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2
The NHL’s eastern conference was the first to have every playoff spot clinched, and seeding was final after Tuesday evening. With Florida out of the playoff picture, many wonder if Carolina and Tampa Bay can finally return to the conference championships or go further. Many believe the Hurricanes or the Lightning will make the finals. Elsewhere, Montreal, Ottawa and Philadelphia improved this season but drew difficult first round opponents. Boston and Pittsburgh have the capabilities to make deep playoff runs.The Buffalo Sabres didn’t just return to the Stanley Cup playoffs, they did so by dominating the last four months and won the Atlantic division. Only four teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#8 Ottawa Senators v. #1 Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina’s depth players like defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) will determine how fast this series ends.
Two of the NHL’s hottest teams should have a fun first round series. Ottawa and Carolina mirror each other in several ways. From hard-hitting goal scorers to questions in net all season, the Senators and Hurricanes are a great test for each other.
In this case, the more veteran team should win this series. This is the second postseason appearance for coach Travis Green’s roster, and it’s against a finals favorite opponent. Carolina’s one of the most complete NHL teams and have a lot more depth in every position. Ottawa’s defense has improved, but their penalty kill remains one of the league’s worst. The Hurricanes’ better defense and offensive firepower might be too much for the younger Senators the longer this series goes.
Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1
#7 Boston Bruins v. #2 Buffalo Sabres
Boston and Buffalo should have an energizing, physical first round series against each other.
Congratulations to Buffalo for snapping their 14 year playoff drought. No NHL team had gone that long missing the postseason. It is still bizarre to see the Sabres this good after they started the first two months of the 2025 regular season playing sub-.500 hockey.
Still, Buffalo is a serious threat for any team wanting to reach the finals. Boston is a good test for the most inexperienced NHL playoff team. The veteran Bruins also surprised viewers with their scoring depth and shutdown defense. Although star forward David Pastrnak has been in a goal drought this month, Boston had a top 15 (11th) offense and a top ten (ninth) power-play. Despite those accomplishments, it’s the Sabres offense that will swarm the Bruins defense each game, much like they did almost every other opponent since mid-December. Boston’s playoff experienced offense has more advantages against a bend-but-don’t-break Buffalo defense. That latter matchup favors Boston in an inevitable long series.
Eastern conference upset prediction: Bruins win series 4-2
#4 Montreal Canadiens v. #3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Montreal’s defense faces a tough task of stopping one of the NHL’s premier offenses and power-plays in Tampa Bay.
This series closely resembles the Ottawa-Carolina series. We see two great teams with the potential to make this the best first round series. One team is led by a young, talented core of hard-hitting scorers while the other is filled with championship veterans and a respected Stanley Cup winner behind the bench. Both teams pushed each other around in their regular season matchups.
Unlike the Senators though, the Canadiens were great almost the entire season. However, they’re still an inexperienced playoff team. The Lightning may not have captain and franchise star defenseman Victor Hedman (due to a leave of absence), but they want to rid their memories from the last few disastrous postseason trips. A younger Montreal in the first round is a perfect opponent to get back to their championship winning ways. This series should go longer than Ottawa-Carolina, but the result will be the same.
Prediction: Lightning win series 4-2
#6 Philadelphia Flyers v. #5 Pittsburgh Penguins
The Battle of Pennsylvania will have a lot of new faces, like Philadelphia’s Trevor Zegras
Talk about an unexpected first round series matchup! Neither team was expected to make the playoffs for a number of reasons. Coaching was a big factor. After a decade of Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh moved on and hired Dan Muse. Muse instantly turned things around for both the defense and special teams. Defenseman Erik Karlsson plays like the former Norris trophy winner older fans remembered. Forward Anthony Mantha led the team with 32 goals after he was poached in free agency from Washington. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust added depth scoring and made the power-play more dangerous.
Philadelphia’s coach Rick Tocchet made sure the offense took a few steps forward while the defense retained its identity and stability. It was important free agent addition Trevor Zegras had a breakout season and Matvei Michkov grew in his sophomore year. The Flyers offense benefitted from both of them helping out forwards Owen Tippett, Christian Dvorak and long-time veteran Travis Konecny to get on the scoreboard almost every game.
This series should go the distance since neither team has a complete edge in any one area except special teams. Pittsburgh has the edge on offense, but Philadelphia has the edge on defense. Special teams easily favor the Penguins since the Flyers were dead last on the power-play. However, this is an intense in-state rivalry, meaning anything could happen any given night. Regardless of what the rosters look like, Pittsburgh is the more determined team and has a more experienced roster that will get them past any hardships the younger, energetic Philadelphia throws at them.
Prediction: Penguins win series 4-3
Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 3-5
This article contains multiple opinions that have been supported and given the green light by the editor, promoter and owner of this website. These views contain the true thoughts and happiness of the writer regarding one of America’s top sports teams.
The 2025-2026 NFL season was unlike any other. Every week was wild and there were few consistencies. Both Super Bowl participants from the prior season struggled almost every week they played. Three of the eight divisions had at three teams that could make a deep run in the playoffs. The number of comebacks defied expectations.
Yet one consistency remained: Seattle played like the best team even in a loss. In the game that wound up being the Seahawks worst loss and lowest moment of the year, the offense turned the ball over five times against Los Angeles on November 16th. Still, Seattle was yards away from sweeping the Rams despite kicker Jason Myers missing a 61 yard field goal attempt. Every franchise painfully longs for that consistency in a landmark Super Bowl year.
So what made the Seahawks second Super Bowl championship a contender for the best or most special moment in franchise history? Was it the dominant defense in a second year head coach’s tenure? How about playing almost every important game in the NFL’s most feared stadium? Maybe it was beating almost a dozen teams that won at least eight games during the season, with at least eight of them against teams with double digit wins? Could it have been because Seattle was in the top ten of almost every major statistic on all three sides of the ball?
The Seahawks got to claim division rival San Francisco’s home locker room as their own throughout Super Bowl week. Just another reason Seattle had the best and most special season in franchise history.
All of those are a yes, but there was a lot more to appreciate. The Seahawks dominated/won every game they were supposed to. Quarterback Sam Darnold exorcised his “ghosts” against pivotal teams from Minnesota, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New England. The offensive line was the best since the 2005 Super Bowl run. Two thorough beatdowns of the 49ers wounded the northern California franchise…which had to host and watch their pacific northwest division rivals win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. For all the traveling Seattle does each season, it was poetic that the furthest they had to travel in the last month of the season was to Santa Clara, California (twice).
The other two division rivals fared no better. Arizona was the only NFC West team the Seahawks swept. Los Angeles went from thinking Seattle would be easy to beat to having two postgame meltdowns in their losses at the Emerald City. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald not only out dueled Rams head coach Sean McVay when it mattered most, but he made Los Angeles spiral mentally top to bottom. There’s a chance star receiver Puka Nacua is in a similar situation as former receiver Antonio Brown with his rapidly deteriorating mental acuity. Outside linebacker Jared Verse admitted once the Seahawks got the edge early in the conference championship, the Rams defense had no idea how to flip things around. Now the Rams must figure out what has to be fixed on every side of the ball compared to how things were in mid-January.
When it came to Super Bowl hopefuls, Seattle played some of their best football of the season. A closer game than many expected against Jacksonville ended as a double digit win because of turnovers and Jaguar special teams mistakes. The Seahawks defense treated Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud IV like a punching bag in a dominant October 20th Monday night 27-19 win. A run heavy, one-sided performance in San Francisco lit up the final week of the regular season. If any team wanted to beat the Seahawks, they needed every one dialed in with some luck and maybe bad officiating to get a close win. That almost never happened.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald created a helmet tree at the beginning of the 2025-26 season to create more winning motivation. More teams could try and replicate something like this next year.
Maybe the sweetest thing about this Super Bowl win is that unlike 2013-14, it was completely unexpected. Unlike the Super Bowl 48 season, every serious sports analyst (including the ones here on jdsportscorner) had Mike Macdonald’s team as a wild card team at best. Most believed the defense and special teams were great, but the offense was a big question mark with a rookie left guard as the highlight new player. “Everyone” knew Sam Darnold may have won 14 games with the Vikings the year before, but he didn’t show up in games where the stakes were raised. The losses of talented pass catchers D.K. Metcalf, Noah Fant and offensive captain Tyler Lockett meant third year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be the main receiver. Outside of Smith-Njigba and maybe second year tight-end AJ Barner, who could step up at wide receiver or tight-end and put opposing secondaries on their heels? This was an objective, reasonable and well-thought out take and question many analysts had.
This is why general manager John Schneider earned the Executive of the Year award. Drafting receiver Tory Horton (even though he was on injured reserve half the season) was an underrated, perfect pick. The trade for receiver and returner Rashid Shaheed changed the season’s trajectory. The signing of veteran, division rival Cooper Kupp did wonders for everyone on the roster who could catch a pass. Kupp played his best in every important game. Then the running game finally broke out with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet splitting carries and responsibilities throughout the season. When one faltered, the other came in and put the offense back on track.
There were franchise and league records set in this dominant Super Bowl run. Seattle’s average playoff win margin was 18.3, the highest since their twin Buccaneers in 2003. The Seahawks had the most road wins for any team in Levi’s Stadium history with nine. They trailed for only 95 seconds the entire postseason, the best since 1991 Washington and easily the best this century. Seattle became the first Super Bowl champion to not have a turnover the entire playoffs. Defensive coordinator Aden Durde became the first British coach to win a Super Bowl. Head coach Mike Macdonald became the first head coach to win a Super Bowl as the primary defensive play-caller. Macdonald won a championship in dominant fashion on his first trip to the playoffs as a head coach like another NFC west rival head coach did. That coach was Bill Walsh. Mike Macdonald is also the third head coach to lead a number one scoring defense as a coordinator, lead a number one scoring defense as a coach and win the Super Bowl as a head coach. The other two? Bill Belichick and Chuck Noll.
Even before the season ended, teams like Baltimore and Las Vegas were trying to find the next Mike Macdonald
All of this speaks volumes to how much care and consideration have been put into the Seahawks under current owner Jody Allen. Personally, my favorite thing with Seattle this year is how all the players don’t just like, love and care about each other, but they also like, love and care about the whole fanbase. When I was in Nashville for Seattle’s 30-24 win against the Titans on November 23rd, I saw firsthand how the players and coaches love and enjoy interacting with regular people. A guy next to me was promised by cornerback Tariq Woolen he’d sign his hat and shirt. Woolen, jokingly hoping to not get caught, was more than thrilled to talk with us and interact with those around us. I found out live that AJ Barner purposely loves finding fans after games just to interact with them. The first thing Barner did after exiting Nissan Stadium was to head over and say hello to fans, sign things and chat with those in nearest proximity to him. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams, punter Michael Dickson and kicker Jason Myers instantly lit up seeing the fans near the locked gate near the team buses. There were even parents of players like tight end Elijah Arroyo who took pictures with fans even before leaving for the airport. Then there’s me, the person writing this article, and fan-guy for the day who chanted for Mike Macdonald to be coach of the year. We saw Macdonald smile and fight temptation to turn around and say something. Unfortunately, he kept his composure. Macdonald probably got a lot of that this season in King County, Washington. He probably never expected that in Nashville, Tennessee.
From easier, regular season wins to the Super Bowl parade, star players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba to rookies like Grey Zabel didn’t think for a second they were better than anyone else outside the field or inside the building. In fact, when Zabel struck a conversation with Williams during a game late in the regular season on how to improve against an opposing guard, the veteran listened to his teammate. Many learned after that moment that both players helped and talked with each other throughout the season, suggesting how they could improve and what to keep in mind. The coaches, higher management, personnel and security turned words to actions on practicing what they preach, and it showed with the players every day.
Speaking of higher management, Seattle’s ownership could change by the end of the 2026-2027 season. If that is the case and say, things don’t improve (I knocked on wood after writing this), it makes this dominant Super Bowl win even more special. The Allens turned an afterthought team into one of the NFL’s most coveted organizations, continually changing how the game is played. The NFL also has made the Seahawks a team to promote on at least three different continents both in and outside the U.S. If you don’t believe ownership has changed much, then check out the image below.
Paul Allen’s ownership turned the Seahawks into a bona fide winner after the NFL re-aligned divisions in 2002. Seattle has only had one last place season in their 24 year history as an NFC team. Their stadium is fully paid off and generates surplus revenue for the public. That stadium is also the envy of the NFL, and several owners have tried to replicate the designs. The Seahawks also have one thing few teams claim in the sport: a total monopoly over their region and nearby out-of-state markets. That doesn’t happen if Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen didn’t buy the team in 1997.
It wouldn’t be a memorable, unforgettable season without a few cherries on top. Seattle dominating, winning and being the NFL’s face of the season means more on a special anniversary. This year, both the Buccaneers and Seahawks celebrated their 50th NFL anniversary. While both teams have many differences, they both won two titles each in their first 50 years of existence. Most teams can only dream of just playing in one Super Bowl. It’s incredible both franchises have accomplished this much after a rough few decades last century.
More milestones stand out for Seattle more than for Tampa Bay. On the 20th anniversary of a painful, controversial Super Bowl 40 loss, the Seahawks soared back and won their second title. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won that controversial Super Bowl 20 years ago, lost one of their best head coaches in franchise history, imploded in the wildcard round, face a major roster re-build over the next few seasons, and had the lowest grade and worst rated owner in what’s likely the final release of the NFLPA’s franchise report cards. Over a decade ago in what many still consider the best Super Bowl played, Seattle lost after an agonizing set of plays to New England. Not only did the Seahawks get to settle the score, but they capped off an odd season for the Patriots. New England started their season with a week one loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, led by former Seattle head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. They ended their season with a Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks. When retired Patriot and Buccaneer great Tom Brady enjoyed calling national games in Seattle to the point he didn’t want to pick a Super Bowl winner, it should have shown more viewers how much he respects and to a degree, appreciates the franchise.
Finally, while many don’t know this, another factor making this a particularly special season, especially for those in the organization, was how many beloved people were lost throughout the year. For anyone who either didn’t have the chance to watch the victory parade or didn’t know, a lot of players and front office staff lost their fathers throughout the season. While it is saddening that a good number of parents didn’t get to see their sons become world champions, best believe they would be proud of how dominant, relentless and determined they were throughout the year. Maybe Seattle can do what they have not done before and follow up with a repeat championship. Perhaps there are a lot more moments for that victory than this one. Still, it will never take away how great this second Super Bowl win was and the plethora of once-in-a-lifetime moments and memories.
Be honest, you know you expected a goal-line reference at some point while reading the article. One does not simply lie on this website.
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