The puck is about to drop on the Stanley Cup Playoffs! As is the case each season, the panel is weighing in with predictions for every of the eight playoff sequence, the Stanley Cup finalists and winner, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. The panel will return for extra predictions initially of each spherical.
The panel’s lifetime file is 150-96 in the case of postseason predictions.
Jap Convention
Western Convention
Stanley Cup
For the coin toss, heads was the higher-seeded workforce. The coin toss outcomes aren’t counted among the many combination outcomes – they’re used to interrupt potential deadlocks (see under) and embarrass any of our writers if wanted.
Word that the variety of video games is the common variety of video games picked by the panel and doesn’t consider who will win the sequence.
Robust Favorites
Colorado over Los Angeles was a unanimous choice (aside from the coin!) The 2 groups have been separated by 31 factors, which is the most important distinction of any two playoff groups, not to mention two groups in a sequence. The Avalanche function Rocket Richard Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon (53 G), whereas Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood received the Jennings Trophy as Colorado allowed the fewest targets (197 GA) of any workforce. The Kings are banking on in-season acquisition Artemi Panarin to assist pull off an upset, though they are going to be with out one other top-6 ahead in Kevin Fiala.
Too Near Name
Whereas the Avalanche have been handed as simple a matchup on paper as they may obtain, two of the Western Convention’s high three groups in Dallas and Minnesota sq. off in a sequence that has been inevitable for some time and is stronger than your typical first-round matchup. This one was cut up up the center by our voters (10 for every workforce), so we used the coin toss because the tiebreaker. Dallas completed with eight extra factors and has the house benefit, so it will make sense that they’re the slight favorites. But Dallas is coping with accidents to Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz, whereas Minnesota has determined to go all in by buying Quinn Hughes for a hefty bundle of younger gamers. This needs to be an entertaining sequence that would go the gap.
An honorable point out goes to Boston and Buffalo. Of their long-awaited return to the playoffs, the red-hot Sabres are a little bit of an unknown amount. The Sabres turned out to be the slight favorites, however it’s famous that Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson (amongst others) will likely be making their first-ever look within the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Stanley Cup Winner
The Presidents’ Trophy profitable Colorado Avalanche are the most well-liked alternative right here, which is sensible. Voters have been cut up between Tampa Bay or Carolina as their opponent. Colorado and Tampa Bay met within the 2022 Stanley Cup Closing, with the Avalanche profitable in six video games. Colorado and Carolina have by no means met within the closing, however they’re related in one other means. Martin Necas was acquired by the Avalanche final season within the Mikko Rantanen commerce, with Rantanen being moved to Dallas later that season.
MacKinnon acquired extra votes for the Conn Smythe than every other participant.
Taking part in a playoff pool? Buy Dobber’s Playoff Draft Listing, accessible from the Dobber Sports activities Retailer.
Concerning the Panel
Dobber launched this web site in 2005 after he was the fantasy hockey columnist for The Hockey Information web site, The Fantasy Sports activities Community, and a contributor to The Forecaster. DobberHockey has since grown into the Dobber Sports activities Community and has work will be discovered throughout the web.
Ian Gooding is the managing editor of DobberHockey and an everyday author on the day by day Ramblings beat, additionally offering month-to-month High 100 Roto Rankings. He has additionally contributed to many different websites, together with Sportsnet, Right this moment’s Slapshot, Kukla’s Korner, and fantasyhockey.com.
Mike Clifford is an affiliate editor of DobberHockey, writing the Ramblings a number of occasions per week. He additionally covers DFS for Stokastic and has additionally written for EP Rinkside.
Alex MacLean is an affiliate editor and writes the Ramblings as soon as per week. He was beforehand the writer of the Capped column and likewise contributes wage cap league rankings.
Puneet Sharma can be an affiliate editor who additionally writes the Ramblings as soon as per week. He has coated each the High 10 checklist and The Journey previously. Puneet can be a senior author at Dobber Prospects.
Mario Prata is the supervisor of particular initiatives and advertising for Dobber Sports activities. He’s additionally a co-founder of the well-known The Sports activities Forecaster journal.
Eric Daoust manages our valued Frozen Pool part.
Rick Roos authors the weekly Roos Let Unfastened column each Wednesday, overlaying quite a lot of matters. He’s the previous Cage Match author for DobberHockey.
Flip Livingstone is the Saturday sport picks author. He’s a former NHL author for theScore with previous expertise at such shops as Postmedia, Hockey Evening in Canada, and the CBC.
Michael Amato is the Goalie Publish editor who gives the newest beginning goalie info and writes the Goalie Ramblings. He additionally covers fantasy hockey for Sportsnet and has additionally co-hosted the Sleepers & Keepers podcast for The Hockey Information.
Chris Kane writes the Frozen Instruments Forensics column on Fridays, emphasizing what he finds on Frozen Instruments.
Lucas Important retains an eye fixed on every part Western Convention within the Wild West column each Monday. He shifts over to line combos on Tuesdays with Lining Up.
Andrew Santillo shares wage cap league ideas in Capped on Thursdays. He is a really busy man, additionally sharing his DFS picks two days per week.
Ryan Brudner covers what you’ll want to learn about NHL betting in his weekday article Puck Picks. He has additionally written the Geek of the Week column, has written for GoaliePost, and has contributed goalie stats to Frozen Instruments.
Stas Pupkov dives deep into superior stats with Analytics Benefit each Thursday.
Mike Ouellet focuses on Jap Convention groups within the Jap Edge column. He additionally writes for GoaliePost.
Logan Clarkson particulars the important thing accidents you’ll want to learn about each Wednesday and Sunday in Harm Ward. He has additionally written for GoaliePost.
Caleb Desjardins authors our widespread High 10 column. He additionally checks out what’s coming down the pipe schedule-wise with the Wanting Forward column each Friday.
Victor Nuno shares his in depth prospect data in The Journey each Saturday. Also called the Fantasy Hockey Physician, Victor can be the co-host of the Fantasy Hockey Life podcast and is an editor for DobberProspects.
Garrett Finlay writes for GoaliePost, and he additionally creates movies for a number of DobberHockey writers.
Benefit from the playoffs, people!
