Eastern Conference:
Philadelphia Flyers (1) vs New York Islanders (4)
The top seed in the East versus the best defensive system in the NHL. This will come down to Carter Hart showing he is ready to steal a series, as the Flyers' better offense will be stifled in a way they haven't suffered in the postseason yet. Head coach Alain Vigneault will need to find a way to have his defensemen move the play up-ice to help Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and a rejuvenated Jakub Voracek without becoming liabilities in their own end in the type of game of patience that the Washington Capitals did not feel like partaking in.
The Isles are exactly the type of team that can make a dent in the playoffs, so well coached and methodical that they don't need to have the best line on the ice to win - not that their seven forwards who are able to churn out 60-point seasons under Barry Trotz are devoid of talent, they just don't blindly rely on it.
Offense: Flyers
Defense: Islanders
Goaltending: tie
Coaching: Islanders
My heart: Flyers
My pick: Flyers in 7.
Tampa Bay Lightning (2) vs Boston Bruins (3)
This one pits last year's Presidents Trophy-winning Bolts against this season's recipients, the Teddy Bears, and while both are technically elite teams, the Bruins are aging and more of a one-line team with a good defense, while the Lightning are one of the best teams ever assembled, with All-Stars and Olympians at every position on at least two consistent waves.
Boston's got the better coach, as Tampa's Jon Cooper has seemingly under-performed every year he's been at the helm, with zero Stanley Cups to show for with this crew under GMs Steve Yzerman and now Julien BriseBois, while the Bs made it to the Final last year.
If the Bruins looked disinterested during the Play-In round, they got their act together to eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1 and are a legitimate threat to keep rolling; Tampa Bay's downfall might be that they spent the entire season getting ready to face the Columbus Blue Jackets to avenge last season's first-round sweep, and they've already done that, so unless they get the Miracle On Ice team to deliver pre-game pep talks and warning messages, they might forget that they haven't actually won anything yet.
Offense: Lightning
Defense: Lightning
Goaltending: Lightning, because of the two potential back-to-backs
Coaching: Bruins
My heart: Bruins
My pick: Lightning in 6.
Western Conference:
Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs Vancouver Canucks (4)
Marc-André Fleury 's agent Allan Walsh is back to his old tricks, tweeting up a goaltending controversy ten years after igniting the Jaroslav Halak/Carey Price debate. Robin Lehner just wants to show he can play in the postseason and sign a multi-year deal in free agency, but he knew he was going to a team that was already committed to someone else; The Knights will have to decide whether to run with the mistress or work things out with the spouse.
On the ice, the Golden Knights are a lot deeper than the Canucks at every position, not just between the pipes where they have two goalies that are as good as Jacob Markstrom - but they do not have the superstar talent like Elias Pettersen and Quinn Hughes; they do, however, have have experience, brand-name recognition, and the capability to shut down superstars while putting the puck behind the goalie in the other end. Vancouver might not win the series, but they will learn a lot from it, which will help them for years to come.
I will say, however, that I was impressed with Travis Green's coaching in Round 1. I think the Canucks might have a better hockey brain behind the bench, but a team that has Mark Stone and Paul Stastny on the ice has all the hockey IQ it needs to win every game despite that.
Offense: Golden Knights
Defense: Golden Knights
Goaltending: Golden Knights
Coaching: Canucks
My heart: Golden Knights
My pick: Vegas in 6.
Colorado Avalanche (2) vs Dallas Stars (3)
The Avs are just like the Golden Knights: just about perfect and deep everywhere, but with the best offensive line in hockey and a strong second line instead of two #1As, including Nathan MacKinnon, possibly the biggest game-breaker left in the playoffs. Oh, and two #1 goalies in case of injuries.
The Stars just disposed of the Calgary Flames, though, a better team than they were, with a better overall defense than Colorado has - but a lower tier of goaltending. Yet Dallas played most of the series with their own backup - Anton Khudobin - in net, after Ben Bishop got into some injury trouble.
Do not sleep on the Stars, they will win at least two games, three if the top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov wakes up. But The Avalanche are just too good to not win the series.
Offense: Avalanche
Defense: Avalanche
Goaltending: Avalanche
Coaching: Stars
My heart: Avalanche
My pick: Avalanche in 6.
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