The convention quarterfinals are over, with six groups heading into the offseason after a collection of six or fewer video games and two (Colorado and St. Louis) gutted by Sport 7 losses. Spherical two begins Monday with Florida taking part in at Toronto.
Each workforce left has an opportunity to hoist the Cup, however who will win all of it?
1. Florida Panthers
First spherical: Defeated Tampa Bay 4-1 | Second-round foe: Toronto | Earlier rating: 8
Purpose for optimism: The Panthers’ regular-season damage points look like a distant reminiscence. They’re deep at each place, battle examined and simply dispatched a Tampa Bay workforce that was a classy decide to win the Jap Convention.
Purpose for pessimism: The final workforce to go to 3 straight Stanley Cup finals (Tampa Bay, 2020-22) misplaced on its third journey. It is price noting that Tampa workforce performed considerably fewer video games than this Florida workforce due to the COVID-19 stoppage (2020) and the 56-game 2021 season.
2. Vegas Golden Knights
First spherical: Defeated Minnesota 4-2 | Second-round foe: Edmonton Oilers | Earlier rating: 3
Purpose for optimism: Vegas, the final Cup champion from the Western Convention (2023), showcased grit and resiliency virtually continuous in successful the ultimate three video games of its collection with Minnesota.
Purpose for pessimism: That was a bodily collection with a Wild workforce that, at occasions, appeared like they discovered holes within the Vegas construction. Maybe Edmonton may exploit them.
3. Dallas Stars
First spherical: Defeated Colorado 4-3 | Second-round foe: Winnipeg | Earlier rating: 9
Purpose for optimism: Mikko Rantanen was a stud within the last video games of the Dallas-Colorado collection, and the Stars are set to get again one of many world’s greatest objective scorers (Jason Robertson) and one of many world’s greatest two-way defenders (Miro Heiskanen).
Purpose for pessimism: Colorado owned loads of the ice for lengthy stretches of that collection. The Stars additionally will not have the ability to afford loads of rust from both Robertson or Heiskanen.
4. Washington Capitals
First spherical: Defeated Montreal 4-1 | Second-round foe: Carolina | Earlier rating: 5
Purpose for optimism: They made it by the primary spherical comparatively unscathed and had loads of day without work. They will additionally get large ahead Aliaksei Protas (6-foot-6, 225 kilos) again full time after he performed just one recreation towards Montreal.
Purpose for pessimism: Montreal’s velocity gave Washington points in spurts, and Carolina has a mix of workforce velocity and tenacity that all the time make it a tricky out within the playoffs.
5. Edmonton Oilers
First spherical: Defeated Los Angeles 4-2 | Second-round foe: Vegas Golden Knights | Earlier rating: 10
Purpose for optimism: No lead is secure towards Edmonton’s nuclear weapons of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard.
Purpose for pessimism: With out defenseman Mattias Ekholm (lower-bbody damage), the Oilers labored by the primary 4 video games with Los Angeles and have been fortunate to be break up 2-2. Ekholm is not expected to play in the second round.
6. Carolina Hurricanes
First spherical: Defeated New Jersey 4-1 | Second-round foe: Washington | Earlier rating: 11
Purpose for optimism: Every week to relaxation will permit the Hurricanes to throw the complete may of their suffocating taking part in type at Washington.
Purpose for pessimism: The “Corsi Canes” are all the time going to win the puck-possession recreation as a result of that is how they’re constructed. Nevertheless, the identical questions have haunted this workforce for your complete period of coach Rod Brind’Amour — does Carolina have sufficient ending expertise? Is its goaltending adequate? The latter is especially horrifying — Frederik Anderson was injured through the New Jersey collection and has a historical past of struggling later within the playoffs.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
First spherical: Defeated Ottawa 4-2 | Second-round foe: Florida | Earlier rating: 7
Purpose for optimism: The Leafs are formally within the “taking part in with home cash” class, which is a begin. Extra importantly, they restricted Ottawa to Stanley Cup playoff bests in photographs towards per 60 (20.84) and objectives towards per 60 (1.49), in accordance with Natural Stat Trick.
Purpose for pessimism: The collection with Ottawa was a lot nearer than it appeared when the Leafs jumped to a 3-0 lead. Shades of the outdated Leafs emerged in a Sport 5 loss. Lastly, they are going to face a Panthers workforce that solely appears to have leveled up for the reason that groups met in 2023 in a collection gained by the Panthers in 5 video games.
8. Winnipeg Jets
First spherical: Defeated St. Louis 4-3 | Second-round foe: Dallas | Earlier Rating: 2
Purpose for optimism: The Jets’ depth, home-ice benefit and dedication to protection will give them an opportunity, particularly as a result of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck discovered his recreation within the again half of Winnipeg’s thrilling 4-3 comeback win in Sport 7 towards St. Louis.
Purpose for pessimism: Hellebuyck has an .830 save share, twenty third of 25 goalies who’ve suited up within the playoffs. It is also not clear whether or not Winnipeg can have prime heart Mark Scheifele (injured in Sport 6 vs. St. Louis) or prime defenseman Josh Morrissey (injured in Sport 7 vs. St. Louis).
