Western Conference
The western conference was dominated by the President’s Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets. After a 116-point campaign, the Jets prepare to host the St. Louis Blues who snuck into the playoffs through a tiebreaker over the Calgary Flames. This year, we will see if the President’s Trophy curse holds true, or if the Jets can overcome it and win the cup.
The better wildcard team, Minnesota Wild, will enter as the underdog against the Pacific division champions, Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights started the season 7-0-0 and did not look back. With 110 points, Vegas was a fun team to watch this season and will continue to be starting in round one against the Wild, who have the firepower to do some damage in the playoffs.
The Pacific two and three seed features an enticing matchup. This is a rematch from round one last season when the Edmonton Oilers took the series over the LA Kings in game five. Edmonton went on to win the western conference and just missed in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals after falling 3-0 in the series. The Oilers did not have as impressive of a regular season this year, but with Connor McDavid leading the way, they have the same chance of making a deep run this season. The Kings are another fun team to watch. Similar to the Golden Knights, they always seem to pull through in big games.
Should the Kings and Golden Knights prevail in the first round, they will meet in the second round in potentially the most anticipated matchup in the playoffs. This series would likely go to game seven.
Last year, the Colorado Avalanche were defending the Stanley Cup but were cut short in the second round by the Dallas Stars. This year, these two meet again in the first round as the second and third place finishers in the Central Division. Both teams have similar identities as teams that have been good over the past few seasons, but have not looked as strong since. The winner of this team will likely play the Jets and may give them some trouble, but another cup appearance for either team is not anticipated.
Eastern Conference
The 2025 National Hockey League (NHL) eastern conference playoffs are a mix of historic rivalries and fresh matchups.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, who clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time since their 1967-1968 season, face off against the Ottawa Senators in a renewed ‘Battle of Ontario,’ the first since 2004. Toronto finished the regular season with a shutout win over the Buffalo Sabres, powered by Auston Matthews’ 400th career goal and Mitch Marner’s 100-point campaign. Ottawa enters as the first wild card after closing strong, and boasts three regular season wins over the Leafs, giving them plenty of momentum to carry into the postseason. This series will be fast and physical, with plenty of passion and skill on display.
The second Atlantic Division series features a rematch of last year’s opening round, with the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, facing the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers, led by Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, enters with its high-energy game and scoring depth, aiming to challenge Tampa’s defense. Tampa Bay will look to its core players, including Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy, to anchor the team. With both teams bringing a mix of skill, experience and depth, this series is poised to be a tightly contested battle from start to finish.
In the Metropolitan Division, the Washington Capitals, led by Alex Ovechkin, who recently became the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, will face the Montreal Canadiens. Washington enters as the top seed, backed by a strong second half, veteran leadership and playoff experience. Montreal, however, brings a fast, youthful squad, led by Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. The Canadiens will look to disrupt Washington’s defensive structure with their speed and quick transitions. This series contrasts Washington’s experience with Montreal’s dynamic, up-tempo play.
The Carolina Hurricanes will meet the New Jersey Devils in a clash of styles. Carolina enters with one of the league’s top defenses, led by goaltender Frederik Andersen, and a team-oriented approach aimed at slowing down New Jersey’s high-powered offense. The Devils, led by Jack Hughes, thrive on speed and quick transitions, looking to push the pace and create scoring opportunities. The series will come down to whether the Hurricanes can contain New Jersey’s fast-paced game or if the Devils can break through with their offensive pressure.
