Stanley Cup Playoffs: Series Previews & Predictions

Postseason hockey is here.  Time to start filling out those brackets and player pools.

To help, we're providing you with a few resources.  In addition to this column and the various site tools, take a look at Jan Levine's player rankings and predictions.  Let us know who you're picking to take hockey's largest piece of silverware.

And, of course, enjoy the games and good luck!

FIRST ROUND

WEST

Calgary (P1) vs. Colorado (WC2) (Season series: Calgary 3-0)

Up Front: The Calgary line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm combined for 259 points – while adding 77 from Matthew Tkachuk. … Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog topped the Calgary crew by two total points, but don't offer any other significant scoring forwards.  Advantage: Calgary

Blueline Battle: Mark Giordano ranked second among NHL defenders in points, while T.J. Brodie and Noah Hanifin sufficiently supplemented the cause. … The Avs can only list Tyson Barrie as a significant blueline producer, though Samuel Girard can contribute if given the opportunity.  Advantage: Calgary

Goalie Matchup: Mike Smith (2.73 GAA, .898 save percentage) could be the No. 1 in net to start the series due to his playoff experience, but David Rittich (2.61/.911/27-9-5 record) would step in if the veteran falters early. … Philipp Grubauer (2.64/.917, 1.45/.955 since mid-February) usurped Semyon Varlamov (2.87/.909, but only three appearances since March 1) for the top job and has looked confident.  Advantage: Even

Don't Sleep On: Calgary's Derek Ryan provided some pop from the lower lines, with four goals over his last five games. … Colorado's J.T. Compher slipped in the second half, but still managed 32 points.

Injury Note: Rantanen (upper-body) was held out of the final eight games, but could be back soon.

Prediction: Beside the Avs' top trio, there's not a lot of offense on display.  The Flames might have question marks in net, but the other departments rank among the league's best.  Colorado may have recently gone winless versus their opponents, yet this should go longer than advertised. ... Calgary in 7.

San Jose (P2) vs. Vegas (P3) (Season series: Vegas 2-1-1)

Up Front: Tomas Hertl surpassed veterans Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski as the prime scorer, with four others topping the 50-point plateau. … Vegas's top unit of Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith supplied the bulk of the attack, though injury-plagued veterans Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty will be ready to contribute.  Advantage: Even

Blueline Battle: Any organization that can throw out Brent Burns and a now-healthy Erik Karlsson will pretty much beat any competition.  Add Marc-Edouard Vlasic, though he's more prominent on the defensive end. … The Golden Knights have three blueliners with at least 29 points, with Shea Theodore the leading man at 37. Advantage: San Jose

Goalie Matchup: Martin Jones (2.94/.896) may have hit 36 wins, but he suffered through inconsistency – and usually-dependable backup Aaron Dell (3.17/.886) fared worse. … Marc-Andre Fleury (2.51/.913, eight shutouts) may be in line for a Vezina nomination after a superb season.  Advantage: Vegas

Don't Sleep On: San Jose's Gustav Nyquist posted 12 points in 20 games since arriving from Detroit. … Vegas's Alex Tuch is hard to miss at 6-foot-4, while excelling as a key net-front presence.

Injury Note: For the Sharks, Timo Meier (wrist) missed the regular-season finale but is set to return for Game 1.

Prediction: It's tough to ignore the Sharks finishing last in save percentage, even if the Golden Knights only managed 17 goals in  their last eight outings.  And with one side boasting the more recent postseason success, let's pick. … Vegas in 6.

Nashville (C1) vs. Dallas (WC1) (Season series: Nashville 3-2)

Up Front: Nashville's attack mainly comprises of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson, but others have been known to help. … Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov lead the charge for the Stars, with recruit Mats Zuccarello also in the mix. Advantage: Dallas

Blueline Battle: A quartet with Roman Josi and P.K. Subban at the helm would be daunting for any opponent. … Despite the talent gap, Dallas's top three rearguards – including perennial performer John Klingberg – can still battle with the best.  Advantage: Nashville

Goalie Matchup: Both Pekka Rinne (2.42/.918) and Juuse Saros (2.62/.915) have looked solid for the Predators. … Ben Bishop (1.98/.934) has been awesome throughout and has been known to steal a game.  Advantage: Even 

Don't Sleep On: Even though he's underwhelmed in his new home, Mikael Granlund can quickly rack up offense. … Dallas youngster Roope Hintz is already receiving plenty of ice time – including a spot on the first power play.

Injury Note: Zuccarello sat for the last two games, but it was only done for maintenance purposes following recent arm surgery.

Prediction: The Preds don't possess any elite scorers up front, but the Stars can't claim much beyond their top three. They battled each other close this year – including two Nashville OT wins – but one team's superior depth will ultimately make the difference. ... Nashville in 7.

Winnipeg (C2) vs. St. Louis (C3) (Season series: Winnipeg 3-1)

Up Front: So many weapons for the Jets, from the reliable Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele to rising stars Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers to the disappointing Patrik Laine. … Ryan O'Reilly has starred alongside Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn, with added assistance from David Perron and Jaden Schwartz. Advantage: Winnipeg

Blueline Battle: Jacob Trouba has overachieved and Tyler Myers is a force, but Winnipeg's backline contingent immensely improves with the return of Dustin Byfuglien. ... Alex Pietrangelo and Vince Dunn represent the Blues' fantasy options, with honorable mention going to Colton Parayko.  Advantage: Winnipeg

Goalie Matchup: Connor Hellebuyck (2.90/.913) struggled at times, but he's clearly the workhorse for Winnipeg. ... No one could've foreseen how well Jordan Binnington (1.89/.927, five shutouts) would perform, though Jake Allen (2.83/.905) is waiting should the rookie stumble.  Advantage: Even

Don't Sleep On: Kevin Hayes perfectly fits the mold of a Winnipeg second-line center. … St. Louis's Robert Thomas may only be 19, but has dazzled offensively when given the chance.

Injury Note: The status of Jets' D-man Josh Morrissey (upper-body) is currently unknown. … Both Parayko (undisclosed) and Tyler Bozak (upper-body) are slated to see action in Game 1.

Prediction: The Blues only dropped one of the last 10 in regulation, while the Jets sputtered to their destination.  A hot goalie and a motivated group can help, but that might not be able to withstand an imposing attack and a raucous Manitoba crowd. ... Winnipeg in 7.

EAST

Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Columbus (WC2) (Season series: Tampa 3-0)

Up Front: The Bolts have been blessed by Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, along with the outstanding support of Brayden Point and others. … Columbus's contingent registers a notch below, but anyone would be happy to have Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Cam Atkinson and Pierre-Luc Dubois at their disposal. Advantage: Tampa Bay

Blueline Battle: Victor Hedman kicks off the Tampa assault and the combo of all-around ace Ryan McDonagh and upstart Mikhail Sergachev follow up. … Seth Jones and Zach Werenski can be labeled as 1A and 1B on the depth chart, which also contains three others with at least 20 points.  Advantage: Tampa Bay

Goalie Matchup: Andrei Vasilevskiy (2.40/.925) has developed into an All-World achiever. … Two-time top 'tender Sergei Bobrovsky (2.58/.913) shook off an early slump and pulled off stats more in line with his career average.  Advantage: Tampa Bay

Don't Sleep On: At 30, Tyler Johnson continues to receive plenty of minutes. … Columbus's Oliver Bjorkstrand concluded the campaign with nine goals in his last 10 games.

Injury Note: Hedman (upper-body) practiced Monday and should be good to go.

Prediction: The Blue Jackets can claim enough offense, but it doesn't compare with the Bolts' formidable front.  Bobrovsky would have to stand on his head for them to even have a remote chance.  A sweep may be in the cards, but let's give the underdogs a consolation victory at home. ... Tampa Bay in 5.

Boston (A2) vs. Toronto (A3) (Season series: Boston 3-1)

Up Front: The holy trinity of Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron have saved the Bruins many times, yet a savvy veteran like David Krejci or an ambitious kid like Jake DeBrusk could duplicate the same heroics. ... It's hard to exceed the first three's skill, but the Leafs can match that with Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Auston Matthews.  And including Nazem Kadri, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson puts Toronto over the top.  Advantage: Toronto

Blueline Battle: Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy make up Boston's fantasy-worthy D-men, though Matt Grzelcyk passes as adequate material. … Morgan Rielly stands out among Toronto rearguards, with Jake Gardiner and Jake Muzzin serving as a fine pair.  Advantage: Boston

Goalie Matchup: Tuukka Rask (2.48/.912) endured a slow start, but eventually reclaimed his rightful throne.  Jaroslav Halak (2.34/.922) and his positive postseason portfolio makes for an above-average fill-in. … Frederik Andersen (2.77/.917) went the opposite route of Rask by flying out of the gate and then struggling the last month.  The problem for the Leafs is if Andersen goes down, no decent backup exists.  Advantage: Boston

Don't Sleep On: Boston picked up Charlie Coyle to solidify the forward corps and it appears he's finally getting the hang of their system. … The whole contract holdout with William Nylander was obviously worth it for Toronto, as he's back on track.

Injury Note: Muzzin (undisclosed) is skating again and will be ready for Game 1.

Prediction: Two elite attacks going head-to-head makes this a tough call, though the Bruins have displayed more consistency from their defensemen.  These Original Six adversaries haven't met since January, but one is coming in cold while the other isn't. ... Boston in 7.

Washington (M1) vs. Carolina (WC1) (Season series: Washington 4-0)

Up Front: Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom continue to defy old age, while Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie are aiming to reprise their clutch behavior from last year's triumph. … The 'Canes have been paced by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, while Nino Niederreiter and Justin Williams offer secondary support. Advantage: Washington

Blueline Battle: John Carlson represents the face of Washington D, while Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen fill out the rest. … Dougie Hamilton and Justin Faulk exemplify Carolina's turnaround, with Jaccob Slavin and blue-chip prospect Jake Bean adding value to the attack.  Advantage: Carolina

Goalie Matchup: Braden Holtby (2.82/.911) found a few difficult nights, but he's got a ring and enters with a five-game win streak. … Petr Mrazek (2.39/.914, 1.73/.938/13-4 since Feb. 1) has played superbly, but Curtis McElhinney (2.58/.912) is there should the ex-Red Wing struggle.  Advantage: Washington

Don't Sleep On: Washington drafted another first-round gem in Jakub Vrana, who's putting all his tools together. … Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov is set to fulfill the destiny of being the second selection from 2018 – though it probably won't happen here.

Injury Note: None.

Prediction: Carolina can roll out a decent contingent of three lines and top-four of blueliners, but Washington rules in the cage.  There aren't many better stories than the Canes' surge in the second half, but their momentum will ultimately be halted by The Great Eight and the reigning Cup holders. ... Washington in 6.

N.Y. Islanders (M2) vs. Pittsburgh (M3) (Season series: Pittsburgh 2-1-1)

Up Front: The Isles haven't depended on Mathew Barzal as much as they thought, thanks to Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee. … When you're starting Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, there's not much else required.  OK, let's also mention Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel and the 17 points in 32 games Jared McCann posted since the Florida trade.  Advantage: Pittsburgh

Blueline Battle: Ryan Pulock ranks first among Islander defensemen, with all other five starters registering at least 19 points. ... Kris Letang is averaging almost a point-per-game while once again losing shifts due to injury.  Justin Schultz has shown offensive competency, but has been bitten by broken bones.  Beyond those two, the Pens don't offer much else.  Advantage: Islanders

Goalie Matchup: Robin Lehner (2.13, .930) and Thomas Greiss (2.28, .927) have rotated to record the league's best GAA, but the two have only combined for 14 playoff starts. … Matt Murray (2.69, .919) took titles in his first two years, while pushing through pain when Pittsburgh needed a boost.  Casey DeSmith (2.75, .916) covered well for Murray, so all's not lost if the starter gets hurt.  Advantage: Pittsburgh

Don't Sleep On: Jordan Eberle provides New York with a veteran scoring winger who's accumulated six points from his last seven games. … And if you're searching for a bigtime postseason player, check out Bryan Rust and his 16 goals in 58 matchups.

Injury Note: Pittsburgh's Brian Dumoulin (lower-body) is reportedly available to start the series.

Prediction: Pittsburgh is built for a deep run in terms of talent, though durability issues have plagued part of their 2018-19 performance. Barry Trotz immediately produced a solid system, but that won't be able to hide their lack of playoff experience. ... Pittsburgh in six.

THE REST OF THE WAY

I might not own the best track record when it comes to predictions, though I once magically guessed the exact outcome of the 2013 Final.  So here's what matchups I think you'll see in the last two stages:

WESTERN FINAL: Calgary vs. Winnipeg (go, Canada!)

EASTERN FINAL: Tampa Bay vs. Pittsburgh (rubber match of 2011/2016 encounters)

CUP FINAL: Calgary vs. Tampa Bay (would mark the first time since Colorado/New Jersey in 2001 where the regular-season conference winners meet in the Final)

CHAMPION: Tampa Bay (yup, really brave to go with chalk)