The 2022-23 NHL regular season in the books, which means it’s time to shift our focus to the two-month sprint that is the Stanley Cup playoffs.
This year’s tournament features a number of compelling storylines, including the Boston Bruins looking to cap off their historic year with a championship, the Colorado Avalanche trying to defend their title, the Seattle Kraken making their maiden postseason voyage, and the Toronto Maple Leafs aiming to finally get over the first-round hump, among others.
So which team will emerge from the gauntlet and hoist Lord Stanley’s mug? We look into our crystal ball and offer predictions for how the 2023 postseason will unfold.
Our panel includes Yahoo Sports writers Nick Ashbourne, Kyle Cantlon, Olivier Neven, James O’Brien and Arun Srinivasan.
First-round predictions
Bruins vs. Panthers
Ashbourne: Bruins in 5
Cantlon: Bruins in 5
Neven: Bruins in 5
O’Brien: Bruins in 5
Srinivasan: Bruins in 5
Leafs vs. Lightning
Ashbourne: Leafs in 6
Cantlon: Leafs in 6
Neven: Leafs in 6
O’Brien: Lightning in 7
Srinivasan: Leafs in 7
Hurricanes vs. Islanders
Ashbourne: Hurricanes in 6
Cantlon: Hurricanes in 7
Neven: Hurricanes in 6
O’Brien: Hurricanes in 7
Srinivasan: Hurricanes in 6
Rangers vs. Devils
Ashbourne: Devils in 7
Cantlon: Devils in 7
Neven: Devils in 7
O’Brien: Rangers in 6
Srinivasan: Devils in 6
Golden Knights vs. Jets
Ashbourne: Jets in 7
Cantlon: Golden Knights in 6
Neven: Jets in 7
O’Brien: Golden Knights in 6
Srinivasan: Golden Knights in 6
Oilers vs. Kings
Ashbourne:
Cantlon: Oilers in 6
Neven: Oilers in 5
O’Brien: Oilers in 5
Srinivasan: Oilers in 7
Avalanche vs. Kraken
Ashbourne: Avalanche in 5
Cantlon: Avalanche in 5
Neven: Avalanche in 4
O’Brien: Avalanche in 6
Srinivasan: Avalanche in 5
Stars vs. Wild
Ashbourne: Stars in 5
Cantlon: Stars in 7
Neven: Stars in 7
O’Brien: Stars in 6
Srinivasan: Wild in 7
Eastern Conference final
Ashbourne: Bruins def. Devils (4-1)
Cantlon: Leafs def. Hurricanes (4-2)
Neven: Bruins def. Hurricanes (4-3)
O’Brien: Bruins def. Rangers (4-1)
Srinivasan: Bruins def. Devils (4-3)
Western Conference final
Ashbourne: Stars def. Oilers (4-3)
Cantlon: Oilers def. Avalanche (4-3)
Neven: Oilers def. Avalanche (4-3)
O’Brien: Oilers def. Stars (4-3)
Srinivasan: Avalanche def. Oilers (4-2)
Stanley Cup champion
Ashbourne: Stars def. Bruins (4-2)
Cantlon: Oilers def. Leafs (4-3)
Neven: Bruins def. Oilers (4-2)
O’Brien: Bruins def. Oilers (4-3)
Srinivasan: Avalanche def. Bruins (4-3)
Conn Smythe winner
Ashbourne: Miro Heiskanen
Cantlon: Leon Draisaitl
Neven: David Pastrnak
O’Brien: Connor McDavid
Srinivasan: Mikko Rantanen
