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NHL playoff predictions: Picks for Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy and more

This year's Stanley Cup playoffs have no shortage of compelling storylines. Here's how we see the postseason shaking out.

yahoo sports staff
·3 min read

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, Anthony Petrielli and Arun Srinivasan.

Who will walk away with Lord Stanley's mug and be crowned NHL champions in 2023?
Who will walk away with Lord Stanley's mug and be crowned NHL champions in 2023?

First-round predictions

Bruins vs. Panthers

Ashbourne: Bruins in 5

Cantlon: Bruins in 5

Neven: Bruins in 5

O'Brien: Bruins in 5

Petrielli: Bruins in 6

Srinivasan: Bruins in 5

Leafs vs. Lightning

Ashbourne: Leafs in 6

Cantlon: Leafs in 6

Neven: Leafs in 6

O'Brien: Lightning in 7

Petrielli: Leafs in 6

Srinivasan: Leafs in 7

Hurricanes vs. Islanders

Ashbourne: Hurricanes in 6

Cantlon: Hurricanes in 7

Neven: Hurricanes in 6

O'Brien: Hurricanes in 7

Petrielli: Hurricanes in 6

Srinivasan: Hurricanes in 6

Rangers vs. Devils

Ashbourne: Devils in 7

Cantlon: Devils in 7

Neven: Devils in 7

O'Brien: Rangers in 6

Petrielli: Rangers in 7

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

Petrielli: Golden Knights in 5

Srinivasan: Golden Knights in 6

Oilers vs. Kings

Ashbourne:

Cantlon: Oilers in 6

Neven: Oilers in 5

O'Brien: Oilers in 5

Petrielli: Oilers in 7

Srinivasan: Oilers in 7

Avalanche vs. Kraken

Ashbourne: Avalanche in 5

Cantlon: Avalanche in 5

Neven: Avalanche in 4

O'Brien: Avalanche in 6

Petrielli: Avalanche in 5

Srinivasan: Avalanche in 5

Stars vs. Wild

Ashbourne: Stars in 5

Cantlon: Stars in 7

Neven: Stars in 7

O'Brien: Stars in 6

Petrielli: 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)

Petrielli: Rangers def. Leafs (4-3)

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)

Petrielli: Golden Knights def. Stars (4-2)

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)

Petrielli: Golden Knights def. Rangers (4-3)

Srinivasan: Avalanche def. Bruins (4-3)

Conn Smythe winner

Ashbourne: Miro Heiskanen

Cantlon: Leon Draisaitl

Neven: David Pastrnak

O'Brien: Connor McDavid

Petrielli: Jack Eichel

Srinivasan: Mikko Rantanen