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Experts' picks on every first-round series

Written by 
Published in Hockey
Monday, 17 April 2023 08:03

The six-month journey of the 2022-23 NHL regular season is complete. Sixteen of the league's 32 teams have been eliminated, and 16 have made the postseason bracket.

It's time for ESPN's hockey experts to serve up their picks on every first-round series, along with their calls on which team will skate with the Cup this June and which player will earn the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

Jump ahead:
BOS-FLA | TOR-TB | CAR-NYI | NJ-NYR
COL-SEA | DAL-MIN | VGK-WPG | EDM-LA
Stanley Cup champ
Conn Smythe

Atlantic Division

No. 1 Boston Bruins vs. No. 4 Florida Panthers

Sean Allen: Panthers in six
Brian Boucher: Bruins in five
John Buccigross: Bruins in six
Ryan Callahan: Bruins in six
Sachin Chandan: Bruins in five
Chris Chelios: Bruins in five
Ryan S. Clark: Bruins in six
Linda Cohn: Bruins in five
Ray Ferraro: Bruins in five
Leah Hextall: Bruins in five
Emily Kaplan: Bruins in five
Tim Kavanagh: Bruins in four
Don La Greca: Bruins in five
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Bruins in five
Steve Levy: Bruins in five
Vince Masi: Bruins in five
Victoria Matiash: Bruins in six
Sean McDonough: Bruins in five
Mark Messier: Bruins in five
AJ Mleczko: Bruins in five
Mike Monaco: Bruins in five
Arda Öcal: Bruins in five
Kristen Shilton: Bruins in five
P.K. Subban: Bruins in five
Bob Wischusen: Bruins in five
Greg Wyshynski: Bruins in six

Consensus pick: Bruins (25 of 26 picks)


No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs in seven
Brian Boucher: Maple Leafs in seven
John Buccigross: Maple Leafs in five
Ryan Callahan: Tampa Bay in seven
Sachin Chandan: Maple Leafs in seven
Chris Chelios: Tampa Bay in seven
Ryan S. Clark: Tampa Bay in seven
Linda Cohn: Maple Leafs in seven
Ray Ferraro: Maple Leafs in six
Leah Hextall: Maple Leafs in six
Emily Kaplan: Maple Leafs in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Tampa Bay in six
Don La Greca: Maple Leafs in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Maple Leafs in seven
Steve Levy: Maple Leafs in seven
Vince Masi: Maple Leafs in seven
Victoria Matiash: Maple Leafs in six
Sean McDonough: Maple Leafs in seven
Mark Messier: Tampa Bay in seven
AJ Mleczko: Maple Leafs in seven
Mike Monaco: Maple Leafs in six
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs in four
Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs in five
P.K. Subban: Lightning in six
Bob Wischusen: Maple Leafs in six
Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs in six

Consensus pick: Maple Leafs (20 of 26 picks)


Metro Division

No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 New York Islanders

Sean Allen: Islanders in five
Brian Boucher: Hurricanes in seven
John Buccigross: Islanders in seven
Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes in five
Sachin Chandan: Islanders in six
Chris Chelios: Hurricanes in six
Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in six
Linda Cohn: Islanders in seven
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in six
Leah Hextall: Hurricanes in six
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes in six
Tim Kavanagh: Hurricanes in five
Don La Greca: Islanders in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Islanders in seven
Steve Levy: Islanders in seven
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in five
Victoria Matiash: Islanders in seven
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in seven
Mark Messier: Islanders in six
AJ Mleczko: Islanders in seven
Arda Öcal: Islanders in seven
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in seven
P.K. Subban: Hurricanes in six
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes in six
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in seven

Consensus pick: Hurricanes (14 of 25 picks)


No. 2 New Jersey Devils vs. No. 3 New York Rangers

Sean Allen: Devils in six
Brian Boucher: Rangers in seven
John Buccigross: Devils in seven
Ryan Callahan: Rangers in six
Sachin Chandan: Devils in six
Chris Chelios: Rangers in six
Ryan S. Clark: Rangers in seven
Linda Cohn: Rangers in seven
Ray Ferraro: Rangers in six
Leah Hextall: Devils in six
Emily Kaplan: Rangers in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Devils in seven
Don La Greca: Rangers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Devils in seven
Steve Levy: Rangers in seven
Vince Masi: Devils in seven
Victoria Matiash: Rangers in seven
Sean McDonough: Rangers in six
Mark Messier: Rangers in six
AJ Mleczko: Rangers in six
Mike Monaco: Devils in seven
Arda Öcal: Rangers in seven
Kristen Shilton: Devils in seven
P.K. Subban: Devils in seven
Bob Wischusen: Rangers in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Devils in seven

Consensus pick: Rangers (15 of 26 picks)

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Central Division

No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 4 Seattle Kraken

Sean Allen: Avalanche in seven
Brian Boucher: Avalanche in five
John Buccigross: Avalanche in five
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche in five
Sachin Chandan: Kraken in seven
Chris Chelios: Avalanche in five
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche in seven
Linda Cohn: Avalanche in six
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche in six
Leah Hextall: Avalanche in five
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche in five
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche in five
Don La Greca: Avalanche in five
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche in five
Steve Levy: Avalanche in six
Vince Masi: Avalanche in seven
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche in five
Sean McDonough: Avalanche in five
Mark Messier: Avalanche in seven
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche in five
Mike Monaco: Avalanche in four
Arda Öcal: Avalanche in six
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche in six
P.K. Subban: Avalanche in six
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche in six
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche in five

Consensus pick: Avalanche (25 of 26 picks)


No. 2 Dallas Stars vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild

Sean Allen: Stars in five
Brian Boucher: Wild in seven
John Buccigross: Stars in seven
Ryan Callahan: Stars in seven
Sachin Chandan: Stars in five
Chris Chelios: Stars in six
Ryan S. Clark: Stars in seven
Linda Cohn: Stars in six
Ray Ferraro: Wild in seven
Leah Hextall: Stars in seven
Emily Kaplan: Stars in six
Tim Kavanagh: Wild in six
Don La Greca: Stars in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Wild in seven
Steve Levy: Stars in six
Vince Masi: Wild in seven
Victoria Matiash: Stars in seven
Sean McDonough: Stars in seven
Mark Messier: Stars in seven
AJ Mleczko: Stars in six
Mike Monaco: Stars in seven
Arda Öcal: Stars in six
Kristen Shilton: Stars in seven
P.K. Subban: Stars in seven
Bob Wischusen: Stars in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Stars in seven

Consensus pick: Stars (21 of 26 picks)


Pacific Division

No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 Winnipeg Jets

Sean Allen: Golden Knights in seven
Brian Boucher: Golden Knights in five
John Buccigross: Golden Knights in six
Ryan Callahan: Jets in seven
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights in five
Chris Chelios: Golden Knights in six
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights in seven
Linda Cohn: Golden Knights in six
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in seven
Leah Hextall: Golden Knights in six
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in five
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in six
Don La Greca: Golden Knights in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in six
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in six
Vince Masi: Golden Knights in six
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in six
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in five
Mark Messier: Jets in seven
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights in seven
Mike Monaco: Golden Knights in six
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights in seven
Kristen Shilton: Golden Knights in six
P.K. Subban: Golden Knights in six
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in six
Greg Wyshynski: Jets in six

Consensus pick: Golden Knights (23 of 26 picks)


No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Kings

Sean Allen: Oilers in four
Brian Boucher: Oilers in seven
John Buccigross: Oilers in six
Ryan Callahan: Oilers in six
Sachin Chandan: Kings in seven
Chris Chelios: Oilers in five
Ryan S. Clark: Oilers in seven
Linda Cohn: Oilers in five
Ray Ferraro: Oilers in seven
Leah Hextall: Oilers in six
Emily Kaplan: Oilers in six
Tim Kavanagh: Oilers in four
Don La Greca: Oilers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Oilers in six
Steve Levy: Oilers in seven
Vince Masi: Oilers in five
Victoria Matiash: Oilers in five
Sean McDonough: Oilers in five
Mark Messier: Oilers in six
AJ Mleczko: Oilers in six
Mike Monaco: Oilers in five
Arda Öcal: Oilers in six
Kristen Shilton: Oilers in seven
P.K. Subban: Oilers in six
Bob Wischusen: Oilers in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers in six

Consensus pick: Oilers (25 of 26 picks)

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Stanley Cup champ

Sean Allen: Oilers
Brian Boucher: Oilers
John Buccigross: Maple Leafs
Ryan Callahan: Oilers
Sachin Chandan: Stars
Chris Chelios: Bruins
Ryan S. Clark: Bruins
Linda Cohn: Oilers
Ray Ferraro: Bruins
Leah Hextall: Oilers
Emily Kaplan: Bruins
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche
Don La Greca: Bruins
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Bruins
Steve Levy: Bruins
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Oilers
Sean McDonough: Bruins
Mark Messier: Rangers
AJ Mleczko: Bruins
Mike Monaco: Bruins
Arda Öcal: Oilers
Kristen Shilton: Bruins
P.K. Subban: Bruins
Bob Wischusen: Bruins
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers

Pick breakdown: Bruins (13), Oilers (8), Maple Leafs (1), Stars (1), Avalanche (1), Hurricanes (1), Rangers (1)


Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the playoffs)

Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Sachin Chandan: Jason Robertson
Chris Chelios: David Pastrnak
Ryan S. Clark: Charlie McAvoy
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid
Ray Ferraro: David Pastrnak
Leah Hextall: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: David Pastrnak
Tim Kavanagh: Nathan MacKinnon
Don La Greca: Linus Ullmark
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: David Pastrnak
Steve Levy: Hampus Lindholm
Vince Masi: Sebastian Aho
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: David Pastrnak
Mark Messier: Igor Shesterkin
AJ Mleczko: Linus Ullmark
Mike Monaco: David Pastrnak
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
Kristen Shilton: David Pastrnak
P.K. Subban: Linus Ullmark
Bob Wischusen: David Pastrnak
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Pick breakdown: Connor McDavid (EDM, 9), David Pastrnak (BOS, 8), Linus Ullmark (BOS, 3), Jason Robertson (DAL, 1), Charlie McAvoy (BOS, 1), Nathan MacKinnon (COL, 1), Hampus Lindholm (BOS, 1), Sebastian Aho (CAR, 1), Igor Shesterkin (NYR, 1)

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