The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us, and the near the 2024-25 season figures to be brimming with emotion. Is that this Alex Ovechkin’s final likelihood to win a cup? Canada has roared again with six of its eight groups within the playoffs. Is Dallas a hockey city now?
It’s an enchanting conflict of kinds, because the NHL has by no means had so many sorts of hockey philosophy and ranging methods as proper now. With 16 groups within the playoffs in the present day we rank their possibilities of making a run all the way in which to the tip to hoist Lord Stanley’s cup.
No. 1: Washington Capitals
All the main focus has been on Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time objective scoring file, and that’s overshadowed the truth that the Capitals are essentially the most full hockey staff within the NHL this season. Primed to make a deep playoff run and push for the cup, the Caps have managed to remain atop the brutal Metropolitan Division all season lengthy whereas posting a league-best 3.63 goals-per-game in 2024-25.
Ovi naturally will get all the eye, however the coronary heart of this staff has been 24-year-old Aliksei Protas, who broke out to change into Washington’s finest all-around participant. Protas leads the staff with an astonishing +40 when on the ice. His stellar feeling for the sport, paired with elite puck motion has resulted in a 15.7% on-ice capturing proportion for the Caps when he’s enjoying — this leads the staff’s Prime 6 forwards by a big margin.
Washington additionally has that x-factor, making an attempt to win yet one more cup earlier than Ovechkin retires following the 2025-26 season. We’ve fallen into the entice earlier than of considering the Caps have what it takes after monster common seasons, however this 12 months they’re effectively rounded sufficient (and deep sufficient) to really do it.
No. 2: Winnipeg Jets
The Jets took a giant step ahead in 2024-25, their first beneath coach Scott Arniel. As an alternative of taking a step again and licking their wounds after a crushing playoff collection loss to the Avalanche final 12 months, they’ve surged on the again of unbelievable protection and offensive effectivity.
Winnipeg’s huge ace within the playoffs is goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who led the NHL this season in principally each key class: Save proportion, GAA, Shutouts, Wins — he did all of it, and he’s unquestionably the perfect netminder these playoffs.
In the meantime the forwards are all about environment friendly play. Take a look at Mark Scheifele, for instance. He could have solely taken 180 pictures this season, however he transformed an astonishing 21.7 % to attain 39 targets this season. That is an emblematic efficiency of how the Jets prefer to play hockey: They management the again finish, and don’t waste vitality offensively.
It is a nice staff with the potential to win the cup.
No. 3: Dallas Stars
The Stars have been already glorious — then they added Miko Rantanen on the commerce deadline. The deal has confirmed large dividends for Dallas already and if this staff was a contact extra constant and didn’t drop nonsensical video games to unhealthy competitors at instances, they’d be the favorites to win the cup this 12 months.
There’s a lot to love about this staff past Rantanen. The regular management of Matt Duchene, the youth in Wyatt Johnson, the all-around excellence of Jason Robertson — there’s motive to be bullish about this staff.
If you happen to’re going to nitpick there are some slight worries right here although. The Stars generally tend to play all the way down to their competitors too usually. We’ve but to essentially see them take management of video games and dominate equally-talented opponents, dropping shut video games to the likes of the Avalanche, Jets, and Kings — all of whom they might see within the playoffs.
No. 4: Las Vegas Golden Knights
I do know this feels too low for the Knights. As I have a look at this listing it makes me really feel very uneasy about placing Vegas in 4th. That mentioned, I simply can’t shake the truth that this staff actually appears like one that’s going to make a exit far too early within the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A lot of how far this staff can go relies on Jack Eichel. He definitely has the power to place Vegas on his again, however it stays to be seen if he can lengthen his beautiful 2024-25 efficiency into the playoffs. While you couple this with less-than-stellar goaltending and a really unhealthy penalty kill unit, there are some very actual worries relating to grinding out lengthy collection towards the likes of the Jets.
All that mentioned, the most important profit the Golden Knights have is a risk for cannibalization. They’re on the softer aspect of the Western Convention playoffs, and there’s an opportunity the Stars and Jets may burn one another out and change into straightforward pickings within the Western Convention Finals, equally to how the Panthers rolled by way of the Rangers within the 2023-24 season.
No. 5: Toronto Maple Leafs
Is that this the 12 months Toronto places all of it collectively?! Perhaps, however most likely not. I do know Leafs followers will bristle on the suggestion this isn’t a cup-caliber staff, however I feel their sturdy end to the season was extra a product of Florida and Tampa having damage points, reasonably than particular person brilliance from Toronto.
The story of the Leafs this season has been that their both win huge, or lose huge. There’s probably not an in between. I don’t love that relating to playoff collection which might be a lot about momentum, and regular play. Regardless of all this I’ve to place them in fifth purely due to the potential this staff can attain. If Toronto is on its recreation they’ve the expertise to not simply beat anybody, however dominate — it simply stays to be seen whether or not they have the fortitude wanted to do it night-in, night-out towards a few of the finest groups within the East.
I want Toronto did a bit extra on the commerce deadline. Their acquisitions of Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo have been stable, much-needed strikes — however lacked a marquee participant to anchor a playoff push.
No. 6: Colorado Avalanche
The Avs are a lot enjoyable this season. I feel it’s superior that this group went from the brink of soul looking after buying and selling Mikko Rantanen and truly grew to become a greater all-around staff because of this.
There’s a fireplace this Colorado staff has that previous iterations have lacked, despite the fact that all their success. I’m not sleeping on this being a staff that would shock quite a lot of higher-regarded organizations and stun some folks.
Nathan McKinnon and Cale Makar are clearly beasts — nevertheless, the unselfish play of Martin Necas who was acquired within the Rantanen commerce has actually opened up extra scoring alternatives and made everybody round him higher.
No. 7: Carolina Hurricanes
The Canes are the NHL’s most weird good staff. It’s been this fashion since Rod Brind’Amour took over and molded this group in his personal picture. Whereas there’s one thing stunning about their hard-nosed, grinding forecheck and insistence on staff play over particular person glory, this hasn’t helped them within the playoffs the place huge performances from star gamers reign supreme.
Carolina’s lack of energy play success this season is indicative of their points as a corporation. They managed to solely rating of 18.49% of PP alternatives this season (twenty fifth within the NHL), and nonetheless lack a decisive scorer exterior of Seth Jarvis who’s prepared to place the staff on his again. The blockbuster commerce for Miko Rantanen was supposed to unravel this, however his unwillingness to signal long-term led to his commerce to Dallas, and left the Canes in a little bit of a lurch the place they needed to spend their commerce deadline making an attempt to ship off Rantanen, reasonably than purchase a difference-maker of their very own.
It is a staff who approaches hockey in another way to everybody else within the league. To date the Brind’Amour manner hasn’t transformed into postseason success. The Hurricanes are able to profitable towards anybody within the NHL, but in addition wrestle in the event that they discover themselves in a gap and wish particular person efficiency to hold them.
It’d really feel like this place is a bit excessive however the addition of Alexander Nikishin for the playoff run may be the transfer that places the Canes excessive.
No. 8: Florida Panthers
The reigning Stanley Cup Champions may be essentially the most terrifying staff in these playoffs, even when they’re eighth in these rankings. The rationale for that is Matthew Tchachuk. Lacking a giant chunk of the common season as a result of a groin damage, Florida is insistent that he’ll be capable to return for the playoffs. When he does it’d simply be sufficient to place the Panthers excessive as soon as extra.
That is largely the identical staff that received final 12 months, albeit with the notable addition of Brad Marchand on the deadline which gave them a veteran presence they have been lacking on the again traces.
The wild card for this staff is Bob. Sergei Bobrovsky was an absolute wall in final 12 months’s Stanley Cup Playoffs which propelled them to profitable all of it, however he’s nonetheless a mercurial goalie who will make the save of the 12 months one second, then enable within the softest objective conceivable the following. The Panthers have been helped this season with the arrival of Spencer Knight, who’s poised to be inheritor obvious within the web for Florida — however quite a lot of this staff’s means to win and transfer on hinges on how Bob can carry out.
No. 9: Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lighting are … positive. This isn’t essentially the most dominant Tampa Bay staff we’ve seen lately, and that’s a little bit of a shocker to be trustworthy. The belief I had was that the addition of Jake Guentzel could be the transfer that took this from among the best groups within the East and turned them into an absolute juggernaut, however that didn’t actually materialize.
Actually, whereas quite a lot of the person efforts look higher on paper for the Lightning, they nonetheless really feel like a staff that hasn’t actually gelled. They’re unpredictable, at instances a bit too undisciplined, and it’s tough to essentially get behind a staff like Tampa Bay once they’ve dropped gimme video games the ought to have dominated this season.
No. 10: Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers really feel like a carbon copy of final 12 months’s staff (for higher or worse), albeit with smaller margins for error. In quite a lot of methods that is nonetheless a two-man staff with Leon Draisatl and the incomparable Connor McDavid anchoring all of it.
There’s a elementary difficulty although when McDavid isn’t producing at fairly the identical charge, and Zach Hyman isn’t reaching his marks from final 12 months — particularly when protection and goaltending are the large points nonetheless rearing their head.
It’s tough to rely out the Oilers once they arguably have the 2 finest forwards in hockey. McDavid and Draisatl are the explanation Edmonton is within the playoffs, however it’s exhausting to place an excessive amount of inventory in them with problems with line depth.
No. 11: Los Angeles Kings
Protection is the secret right here. With Jim Hiller in his first full season as head coach we’ve gotten a way of his hockey sensibilities and the Kings are executing on is completely. Los Angeles are 2nd within the NHL permitting a measly 2.44 targets per recreation, with that is as a result of deep, assorted line of defense pairings the Kings have out there — and, in fact, Darcy Kuemper in web who has been a wall this season.
So why aren’t the Kings increased? Offense, or lack thereof. For all their defensive prowess it is a staff that struggles to place the biscuit within the web when it issues. They prefer to grind out video games and take groups to deep water, but when they’re jumped on early it’s powerful to attain their manner again into it.
This could possibly be the Achilles heel within the playoffs.
No. 12: Minnesota Wild
Speak about getting wholesome on the proper time. I have a look at this staff like a poor man’s Florida Panthers of the west with each Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Erikkson Ek being out there for the wild.
Aim scoring has been a major difficulty with out these huge two gamers on the ice, and hopefully that adjustments for Minnesota within the playoffs. It is a staff with the power to shock, however perhaps not sufficient on paper to examine them difficult the monsters of the west in Dallas, Winnipeg, Las Vegas, or Colorado. Nonetheless, the way in which this staff gamers is customized construct to make noise and frustrate a higher-rated seed.
No. 13: New Jersey Devils
This staff ought to be a lot better, it’s so simple as that. The Devils have a deep roster most organizations would kill for, and two reputable stars in Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt — however they simply preserve struggling to place all of it collectively in a manner that’s convincing.
The prevailing feeling with the Devils is that they need to be able to a lot extra — at each single place. Goaltending is a giant downside for the Devils with the getting older Jakob Markstrom and Jake Allen relying an excessive amount of on the protection in entrance of them to get stops.
This appears like one other season the place the Devils will exit early within the playoffs regardless of feeling like a staff that ought to be capable to make an actual push.
No. 14: St. Louis Blues
An early season teaching change was simply what the physician ordered because the Blues have flourished beneath former Bruins coach Jim Montgomery.
St. Louis is a younger, inexperienced staff that swung above its weight class this season — which is the constructive. There’s quite a lot of room for progress round a nucleus of Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Dylan Holloway. Nevertheless, the Blues are nonetheless missing the objective scoring wings wanted actually make an affect within the playoffs.
It is a good litmus check to see how Montgomery’s model of the staff stacks up towards the league’s finest, and it ought to make them higher sooner or later.
No. 15: Ottawa Senators
It’s been actually enjoyable to see the Senators return to playoff competition after a number of years of rebuilding, and it appears the staff has lastly discovered the suitable man to guide them in head coach Travis Inexperienced.
Inexperienced has actually preached defensive fundamentals and the forecheck, which has led to the Sens transferring from twenty sixth within the NHL in targets allowed a 12 months in the past, to tenth in 2024-25. Linus Ullmark has been improbable in web, however scoring has been a giant difficulty for Ottawa this season in comparison with different playoff groups, and that would come again to chunk them.
Realistically they want one other 12 months or two to change into contenders, however it is a step in the suitable path.
No. 16: Montreal Canadiens
It’s simply good the Canadiens are again within the playoffs. It’s good for hockey. That’s roughly the nicest factor I can say.
To their credit score the Canadiens have a sneaky means to play as much as higher competitors, however performances like this are few and much between. Montreal nonetheless lacks the top-end expertise to compete within the East, and out of doors of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caulfield there’s probably not anybody on this roster that actually scares you.
One other staff trying on the playoffs as a constructing block, the objective ought to be to easily be aggressive of their opening collection. That might be a giant step ahead for the group.
Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions
First Spherical
- Toronto Maple Leafs def. Ottawa Senator (4-2)
- Florida Panthers def. Tampa Bay Lightning (4-3)
- Washington Capitals def. Montreal Canadiens (4-1)
- Carolina Hurricanes def. New Jersey Devils (4-2)
- Winnipeg Jets def. St. Louis Blues (4-0)
- Dallas Stars def. Colorado Avalanche (4-3)
- Las Vegas Golden Knights def. Minnesota Wild (4-2)
- Los Angeles Kings def. Edmonton Oilers (4-2)
Second Spherical
- Florida Panthers def. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-2)
- Washington Capitals def. Carolina Hurricanes (4-1)
- Dallas Stars def. Winnipeg Jets (4-2)
- Las Vegas Golden Knights def. Los Angeles Kings (4-2)
Convention Finals
- Washington Capitals def. Florida Panthers (4-2)
- Dallas Stars def. Las Vegas Golden Knights (4-3)
Stanley Cup Finals
- Dallas Stars def. Washington Capitals (4-2)