Any series first round, Stanley Cup
The six-month journey of the 2022-23 NHL regular season has concluded. Sixteen of the league’s 32 teams were eliminatedand made 16 the postseason bracket.
It’s time for ESPN’s hockey pundits to line up their picks for each first-round series, along with their calls on which team will skate with the cup this June and which player will win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Jump further:
BOS FLA | TOR TB | AUTO NYI | NJ-NYR
COL SEA | DAL MIN | VGK-WPG | EDM LA
Stanley Cup Champion
Conn Smythe
Atlantic Division
Sean Allen: Panthers in six
Brian Boucher: Brown bears in five
John Buccigross: Brown bears in six
Ryan Callahan: Brown bears in six
Cassie Campbell Pascall: Brown in the 5th
Sachin Chandan: Brown bears in five
Chris Chelios: Brown bears in five
Ryan S Clark: Brown bears in six
Linda Cohn: Brown bears in five
Ray Ferraro: Brown bears in five
Leah Hextal: Brown bears in five
Emily Kaplan: Brown bears in five
Tim Kavanagh: Brown bears in four
Don La Greca: Brown bears in five
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Brown bears in five
Steve Levy: Brown bears in five
Vince Masi: Brown bears in five
Viktoria Matiasch: Brown bears in six
Sean McDonough: Brown bears in five
Mark Messier: Brown bears in five
AJ Mleczko: Brown bears in five
Mike Monaco: Brown bears in five
Dominic Moore: Brown bears in six
Arda Öcal: Brown bears in five
Kristen Shilton: Brown bears in five
PC Subban: Brown bears in five
Bob Wischusen: Brown bears in five
Greg Wyshynski: Brown bears in six
Consensus pick: Bruins (27 of 28 picks)
Sean Allen: Maple Leafs in seven
Brian Boucher: Maple Leafs in seven
John Buccigross: Maple leaves in five
Ryan Callahan: Tampa Bay in seven
Cassie Campbell Pascall: Maple leaves in six
Sachin Chandan: Maple Leafs in seven
Chris Chelios: Tampa Bay in seven
Ryan S Clark: Tampa Bay in seven
Linda Cohn: Maple Leafs in seven
Ray Ferraro: Maple leaves in six
Leah Hextal: Maple leaves in six
Emily Kaplan: Maple Leafs in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Tampa Bay in six
Don La Greca: Maple leaves in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Maple Leafs in seven
Steve Levy: Maple Leafs in seven
Vince Masi: Maple Leafs in seven
Viktoria Matiasch: Maple leaves in six
Sean McDonough: Maple Leafs in seven
Mark Messier: Tampa Bay in seven
AJ Mleczko: Maple Leafs in seven
Mike Monaco: Maple leaves in six
Dominic Moore: Lightning in seven
Arda Öcal: Maple leaves in four
Kristen Shilton: Maple leaves in five
PC Subban: Lightning in six
Bob Wischusen: Maple leaves in six
Greg Wyshynski: Maple leaves in six
Consensus pick: Maple Leafs (21 of 28 picks)
subway department
Sean Allen: Islanders in five
Brian Boucher: hurricanes in seven
John Buccigross: Islanders in seven
Ryan Callahan: hurricanes in five
Cassie Campbell Pascall: Islanders in seven
Sachin Chandan: Islanders in six
Chris Chelios: hurricanes in six
Ryan S Clark: hurricanes in six
Linda Cohn: Islanders in seven
Ray Ferraro: hurricanes in six
Leah Hextal: hurricanes in six
Emily Kaplan: hurricanes in six
Tim Kavanagh: hurricanes in five
Don La Greca: Islanders in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Islanders in seven
Steve Levy: Islanders in seven
Vince Masi: hurricanes in five
Viktoria Matiasch: Islanders in seven
Sean McDonough: hurricanes in seven
Mark Messier: Islanders in six
AJ Mleczko: Islanders in seven
Dominic Moore: Islanders in seven
Arda Öcal: Islanders in seven
Kristen Shilton: hurricanes in seven
PC Subban: hurricanes in six
Bob Wischusen: hurricanes in six
Greg Wyshynski: hurricanes in seven
Consensus picks: Hurricanes (14 of 27 picks)
Sean Allen: devil in six
Brian Boucher: Rangers in seven
John Buccigross: devil in seven
Ryan Callahan: Rangers in six
Cassie Campbell Pascall: Rangers in seven
Sachin Chandan: devil in six
Chris Chelios: Rangers in six
Ryan S Clark: Rangers in seven
Linda Cohn: Rangers in seven
Ray Ferraro: Rangers in six
Leah Hextal: devil in six
Emily Kaplan: Rangers in seven
Tim Kavanagh: devil in seven
Don La Greca: Rangers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: devil in seven
Steve Levy: Rangers in seven
Vince Masi: devil in seven
Viktoria Matiasch: Rangers in seven
Sean McDonough: Rangers in six
Mark Messier: Rangers in six
AJ Mleczko: Rangers in six
Mike Monaco: devil in seven
Dominic Moore: Rangers in six
Arda Öcal: Rangers in seven
Kristen Shilton: devil in seven
PC Subban: devil in seven
Bob Wischusen: Rangers in seven
Greg Wyshynski: devil in seven
Consensus pick: Rangers (17 of 28 picks)
Prepare your popcorn for action-packed Stanley Cup Playoffs
Relive the top moments of the NHL regular season to look forward to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
central department
Sean Allen: Avalanche in seven
Brian Boucher: avalanche in five
John Buccigross: avalanche in five
Ryan Callahan: avalanche in five
Cassie Campbell Pascall: avalanche in five
Sachin Chandan: Octopus in seven
Chris Chelios: avalanche in five
Ryan S Clark: Avalanche in seven
Linda Cohn: Avalanche in six
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche in six
Leah Hextal: avalanche in five
Emily Kaplan: avalanche in five
Tim Kavanagh: avalanche in five
Don La Greca: avalanche in five
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: avalanche in five
Steve Levy: Avalanche in six
Vince Masi: Avalanche in seven
Viktoria Matiasch: avalanche in five
Sean McDonough: avalanche in five
Mark Messier: Avalanche in seven
AJ Mleczko: avalanche in five
Mike Monaco: Avalanche in four
Dominic Moore: Avalanche in six
Arda Öcal: Avalanche in six
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche in six
PC Subban: Avalanche in six
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche in six
Greg Wyshynski: avalanche in five
Consensus pick: Avalanche (27 of 28 picks)
Sean Allen: stars in five
Brian Boucher: Wild in seven
John Buccigross: stars in seven
Ryan Callahan: stars in seven
Cassie Campbell Pascall: stars in six
Sachin Chandan: stars in five
Chris Chelios: stars in six
Ryan S Clark: stars in seven
Linda Cohn: stars in six
Ray Ferraro: Wild in seven
Leah Hextal: stars in seven
Emily Kaplan: stars in six
Tim Kavanagh: Wild in six
Don La Greca: stars in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Wild in seven
Steve Levy: stars in six
Vince Masi: Wild in seven
Viktoria Matiasch: stars in seven
Sean McDonough: stars in seven
Mark Messier: stars in seven
AJ Mleczko: stars in six
Mike Monaco: stars in seven
Dominic Moore: Wild in seven
Arda Öcal: stars in six
Kristen Shilton: stars in seven
PC Subban: stars in seven
Bob Wischusen: stars in seven
Greg Wyshynski: stars in seven
Consensus Pick: Stars (22 of 28 picks)
Pacific Division
Sean Allen: Golden Knights in Seven
Brian Boucher: Golden Knights in Five
John Buccigross: Golden Knights in Six
Ryan Callahan: Jets in seven
Cassie Campbell Pascall: Jets in six
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights in Five
Chris Chelios: Golden Knights in Six
Ryan S Clark: Golden Knights in Seven
Linda Cohn: Golden Knights in Six
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in Seven
Leah Hextal: Golden Knights in Six
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in Five
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in Six
Don La Greca: Golden Knights in Six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in Six
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in Six
Vince Masi: Golden Knights in Six
Viktoria Matiasch: Golden Knights in Six
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in Five
Mark Messier: Jets in seven
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights in Seven
Mike Monaco: Golden Knights in Six
Dominic Moore: Golden Knights in Seven
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights in Seven
Kristen Shilton: Golden Knights in Six
PC Subban: Golden Knights in Six
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in Six
Greg Wyshynski: Jets in six
Consensus pick: Golden Knights (24 of 28 picks)
Sean Allen: oiler in four
Brian Boucher: oiler in seven
John Buccigross: oiler in six
Ryan Callahan: oiler in six
Cassie Campbell Pascall: oiler in six
Sachin Chandan: kings in seven
Chris Chelios: oiler in five
Ryan S Clark: oiler in seven
Linda Cohn: oiler in five
Ray Ferraro: oiler in seven
Leah Hextal: oiler in six
Emily Kaplan: oiler in six
Tim Kavanagh: oiler in four
Don La Greca: oiler in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: oiler in six
Steve Levy: oiler in seven
Vince Masi: oiler in five
Viktoria Matiasch: oiler in five
Sean McDonough: oiler in five
Mark Messier: oiler in six
AJ Mleczko: oiler in six
Mike Monaco: oiler in five
Dominic Moore: oiler in four
Arda Öcal: oiler in six
Kristen Shilton: oiler in seven
PC Subban: oiler in six
Bob Wischusen: oiler in seven
Greg Wyshynski: oiler in six
Consensus pick: Oilers (27 of 28 picks)
All 64 goals by Connor McDavid for the Oilers in 64 seconds
Relive all of Connor McDavid’s goals in the 2022-23 regular season for the Edmonton Oilers in just 64 seconds.
Stanley Cup Champion
Sean Allen: oiler
Brian Boucher: oiler
John Buccigross: maple leaves
Ryan Callahan: oiler
Cassie Campbell Pascall: brown bears
Sachin Chandan: Stars
Chris Chelios: brown bears
Ryan S Clark: brown bears
Linda Cohn: oiler
Ray Ferraro: brown bears
Leah Hextal: oiler
Emily Kaplan: brown bears
Tim Kavanagh: avalanche
Don La Greca: brown bears
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: brown bears
Steve Levy: brown bears
Vince Masi: hurricanes
Viktoria Matiasch: oiler
Sean McDonough: brown bears
Mark Messier: ranger
AJ Mleczko: brown bears
Mike Monaco: brown bears
Dominic Moore: Golden Knights
Arda Öcal: oiler
Kristen Shilton: brown bears
PC Subban: brown bears
Bob Wischusen: brown bears
Greg Wyshynski: oiler
Pick Breakdown: Bruins (14), Oilers (8), Maple Leafs (1), Stars (1), Avalanche (1), Hurricanes (1), Rangers (1), Golden Knights (1)
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP)
Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Cassie Campbell Pascall: David Pastrnak
Sachin Chandan: Jason Robertson
Chris Chelios: David Pastrnak
Ryan S Clark: Charlie McAvoy
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid
Ray Ferraro: David Pastrnak
Leah Hextal: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: David Pastrnak
Tim Kavanagh: Nathan MacKinnon
Don La Greca: Linus Ullmark
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: David Pastrnak
Steve Levy: Hampus Lindholm
Vince Masi: Sebastian Ah
Viktoria Matiasch: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: David Pastrnak
Mark Messier: Igor Shesterkin
AJ Mleczko: Linus Ullmark
Mike Monaco: David Pastrnak
Dominic Moore: Jonathan Marchessault
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
Kristen Shilton: David Pastrnak
PC Subban: Linus Ullmark
Bob Wischusen: David Pastrnak
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid
Pick Breakdown: Connor McDavid (EDM, 9), David Pastrnak (BOS, 8), Linus Ullmark (BOS, 3), Jason Robertson (DAL, 1), Charlie McAvoy (BOS, 1), Nathan MacKinnon (COL, 1), Hampus Lindholm (BOS, 1), Sebastian Aho (CAR, 1), Igor Shesterkin (NYR, 1), Jonathan Marchessault (VGK, 1)