Tag: toronto-maple-leafs

2024-25 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

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What a fun offseason. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions are back after another summer of free agency. No one outside the Sunshine State has won the conference or Stanley Cup finals the last five years. While a good number of teams out west improved, Metropolitan teams like New Jersey and Washington made trades to bolster their rosters and re-signed important depth players. The Rangers and Hurricanes are more determined to finish what they started last postseason. Then there are younger teams like Detroit and Ottawa with long-term playoff aspirations.

It’s time to break down which four teams in each division can make the push back to or surprise a lot of people in making the 2024-25 playoffs.

Metropolitan

Carolina Hurricanes

True hockey fans empathize with Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen: Thank goodness hockey is back.

Starting with the easier division, Carolina’s a quick pick. From center to goaltender, the deep Hurricanes should roll through the regular season.

New York Rangers

The Rangers first line should have another stellar season.

The Rangers did their best until eventual champion Florida eliminated them in the conference finals. New York was top ten on offense, defense and the power-play. That shouldn’t change throughout the year.

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey added more defense and has a new coach who will develop the young roster.

This sites prediction about New Jersey was accurate last year. Goaltending, team defense and injuries held back a young, talented core. General manager Tom Fitzgerald addressed that by signing Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen in the offseason. The defense got upgrades with Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jakub Zboril and Colton White signing in free agency. Finally, new coach Sheldon Keefe was a perfect hire for this young, talented team. The Devils should be much better.

Washington Capitals

Washington’s captain Alex Ovechkin has the chance to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record this season…and get closer to 1,000.

It was hard to pick the fourth team. The Islanders didn’t add much in the offseason and kept Patrick Roy as their coach. Pittsburgh could get in if drastic changes are made by the trade deadline. Washington was the best choice with their offseason additions and how well they played for coach Spencer Carbery last year. Defense will be the focus again this season, but the offense should improve after trading for Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The needed roster and scoring depth will make the Capitals hard to beat throughout the year.

Atlantic

Florida Panthers

The Sunshine State is the yet again the state of hockey and champions.

The reigning champs head into the regular season with most of last year’s deep, Stanley Cup winning roster. It should be fun to watch them defend their title.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto may have named Auston Matthews the new captain, but no one’s more important to the Leafs than William Nylander.

The Leafs were great the last two years. Now they have Craig Berube as their new coach. For the first time in decades, Toronto should be a Stanley Cup contender.

Detroit Red Wings

This is the year Detroit breaks out and gets better the whole season.

At last the franchise is a playoff contender. General manager Steve Yzerman’s roster isn’t finished yet, but the depth, talent and hunger to make the postseason means this is a pivotal year for Detroit. There shouldn’t be a drop-off at any point, even if captain Dylan Larkin gets injured again.

Tampa Bay Lightning

As long as Andrei Vasilevskiy stays healthy, Tampa Bay is a constant championship threat.

Franchise great Steven Stamkos might’ve signed with Nashville in free agency, but general manager Julien BriseBois patched things up by signing Jake Guentzel and Cam Atkinson and trading for Ryan McDonagh. The deeper Lightning also have franchise goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy back to full health, something they didn’t have last year. Tampa Bay’s talent and coaching gets the nod over Boston (aging) and Ottawa’s (younger) roster.

2024 NHL Western Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

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The NHL’s western conference was the first to have every playoff spot clinched. However, seeding was finished after the last game of the regular season. Many wonder if either of last year’s conference finals participants can replicate their success and represent the west in a championship slugfest. The conference wants to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row. Winnipeg improved this season and drew an easier first round opponent. Vancouver and Edmonton have enough balance on offense and defense to shake a series in their favor. Finally, Vegas has returned to their Stanley Cup champion selves after serious roster moves before their playoff run. Only four teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.

#6 Los Angeles Kings v. #4 Edmonton Oilers

For the third year in a row, captains Connor McDavid (left) and Anze Kopitar (right) square off in the first round.

It’s the third year in a row these teams will play each other in round one. Los Angeles has a top three defense and penalty kill but the offense has struggled to play past quick transition. That’s a bad game-plan against the improved Oilers defense.

The Kings have struggled this season to consistently beat Edmonton’s goaltender duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. While Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has improved the defense, the offense isn’t one dimensional scoring from captain Connor McDavid and former MVP Leon Draisaitl anymore. Forward Zach Hyman and defenseman Evan Bouchard will frustrate the Los Angeles defense.

Prediction: Oilers win series 4-2

#5 Colorado Avalanche v. #3 Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg showed audiences in their April 13th 7-0 thumping over the Avalanche that Colorado’s depth on both offense and defense is strained.

This pick will either be bullseye accurate or stunningly wrong due to how the Jets mauled Colorado in Ball Arena April 13th. Winnipeg’s mindset has shifted and they looked ready for the playoffs after their remaining regular season games. The Jets are getting depth scoring from centers Sean Monahan and Adam Lowry, forwards Tyler Toffoli, Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi, and defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo.

Colorado’s scoring depth fizzles out once the first line of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen don’t tally points. It’s concerning goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has played tired most of April. Winnipeg has to take advantage of these weaknesses and quickly eliminate the Avalanche.

Prediction: Jets win series 4-1

#7 Nashville Predators v. #2 Vancouver Canucks

Hits reminiscent of Dakota Joshua’s on Alexandre Carrier in the regular season will be a common theme in this playoff series.

Vancouver surprised many with their consistent, quality play even when starting goaltender Thatcher Demko was injured the last few months of the regular season. Their reward: drawing the hottest wildcard team in either conference.

Nashville’s been one of the league’s best teams since the March seventh trade deadline. More importantly, the pairing of Ryan McDonagh and Roman Josi has both stabilized the defense and opened up scoring opportunities in transition offense. McDonagh’s playoff success on defense combined with former captain and Stanley Cup champion center Ryan O’Reilly on offense presents more of a challenge to the Canucks.

Vancouver can counter some of the Predators optimism with the return of Demko in net. Playoff-mode Thatcher Demko was feared after his 2020 miracle series loss against Vegas. Coach Rick Tocchet’s mentality mirrors former coach and current general manager Barry Trotz. Nashville knows how to play with and against this thought process well. Coach Andrew Brunette will challenge and want his players to hit and bully the Canucks stars. The physical play will throw Vancouver’s scoring leaders off their game and make them play a brand of hockey no one’s challenged them to all season.

Western conference upset prediction: Predators win series 4-2

#8 Vegas Golden Knights v. #1 Dallas Stars

Dallas is the favorite this time but the return of playoff-mode Jonathan Marchessault (81) does boost Vegas’ championship chances.

The best first round matchup in the conference. In a rematch of last year’s conference finals, this time Dallas has home ice and touts both a top five offense and top ten defense. The Stars might be the most complete team in the league with eight 20+ goal scorers on the roster.

The Golden Knights are fortunate to have the defensive depth to counter. Captain Mark Stone returns and the newly acquired Tomas Hertl is playing better since he returned from injuring his left knee. Similar to last year’s postseason matchup, Vegas has bigger defensemen and more overall depth than Dallas, but the goaltending has been inconsistent for the Golden Knights. Jake Oettinger might be the best netminder in the conference while Logan Thompson and Adin Hill could split starts, throwing off Vegas’ defensive rhythm.

Prediction: Stars win series 4-2

Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2

2024 NHL Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

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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

Carolina’s Seth Jarvis (24) was fun to watch throughout the regular season. He’ll have a tough time keeping up with New York’s Mathew Barzal (13).

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

Jimmy Vesey and the Rangers offense will give Washington’s defense and Charlie Lindgren (79, white) problems.

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

Two original six franchises in another physical and mean first round series. This will be a ratings success.

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

The 1980s-1990s had the Battle of Alberta. The 2010s-2020s have the Battle of Florida. Like the winner of those glorious western conference series, the winner of these eastern matchups are favored to represent the conference in the Stanley Cup finals.

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