The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin after a chaotic end to the regular season in which the New York Rangers and the Dallas Stars went toe to toe in a race for the Presidents’ Trophy. Now, 16 teams have a shot at winning the Stanley Cup — and they really do all have a shot. Last year the Florida Panthers tied the lowest seeded team to ever advance to the Stanley Cup Final after getting into the playoffs as a wild card, and in 2012 the LA Kings became the first and only eighth seeded team to not only get to the final but win it.
Here are our predicted projections for each team in the first round in the race for it all.
Eastern Conference:
Florida Panthers (3) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (6)
This Florida matchup will be interesting to see, as both the Lightning and the Panthers had fast-paced offenses with multiple lines capable of scoring throughout the regular season. Defensively, the same cannot be said for both teams. The Panthers finished first in the Eastern Conference this year, going 52-24-6 on the season. They proved they can score goals while also protecting the blue line and keeping pucks out of the back of the net. The Lightning have the league’s leading goal scorer, Nikita Kucherov, who put up 44 goals and 100 assists, adding up to 144 points on the regular season. Kucherov was only the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season and the second to do it this season. The kicker, however, is the team’s lack of defense and consistency from their goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, in the net. : Panthers in 5
Boston Bruins (4) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (5)
This is one series that will prove why playoff hockey is worthy of all the hype it receives. The Leafs and the Bruins are no strangers to each other, as they are both in the Atlantic Division and members of the Original Six teams in the league. The Leafs are well-known for not having won the Stanley Cup since 1967, while the Bruins most recent hoisting of the Cup was in 2011. Leafs center Auston Matthews had a nearly record-breaking regular season, scoring 69 goals supported by a team that mostly sits in his shadow. The Bruins, led by David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, must find their postseason identity after the retirement of the face of the franchise Patrice Bergeron. Bruins goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman will be able to “goalie hug” it out at the end of this series after 5 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in their rearview mirrors. : Bruins in 5
New York Rangers (1) vs Washington Capitals (8)
If you told me about three weeks ago that the Caps would be in the playoffs, I’d say no way, the veteran leadership of Alexander Oveckhin and Dylan Strome is an interesting batch of players, but Ovechkin is still scoring goals at an elite pace. The Capitols are an enticing team with a blend of veterans and the youth movement. The Rangers who won the Presidents’ Trophy look to keep at it for their first round series, led by Artemi Panerin and his 120 points as well as strong goalkeeping from Veznia contender Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers have strong defense from rookie Matt Rempe and his exacerbating style of play. The Caps aren’t meant to be here, but will try to play spoiler but eventually come up short. : Rangers in 4
Carolina Hurricanes (2) vs New York Islanders (7)
This Eastern Conference series is a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff, when the Canes beat the Isles in six games. New York has the fewest regulation wins going into the playoffs, however, the team won eight of their nine final games, building momentum going into the postseason. Their star player and team points leader, Mathew Barzal, amassed 80 points this season with 23 goals and 57 assists, so the team will be looking to him. The Canes have the most regulation wins in the Eastern Conference going into the playoffs, and Sebastian Aho led his team with 89 points this season. : Hurricanes in 5
Western Conference:
Dallas Stars (1) vs Vegas Golden Knights (8)
The history between the Knights and the Stars is extensive. They met last year in the Western Conference Finals before the Knights went on to win the Stanley Cup against the Florida Panthers in five games. The Knights started off the season strong (11-0-1); however, the team lost momentum when captain Mark Stone was sidelined by a lacerated spleen. The Stars finished one point behind the Presidents’ Trophy winners (the team with the most points by the end of the regular season) this season and have a lot of momentum going into the playoffs after clinching first place in the Western Conference. With star plays like Tyler Seguin and Jani Hakanpaa back from injury, the Stars will look to make a deep playoff run like they have in years past. : Stars in 6
Winnipeg Jets (2) vs Colorado Avalanche (4)
Colorado’s Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen have proven season after season to be a force to reckon with come playoff season. Their postseason experience as a trio will prove to be quite the hurdle for the Jets. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Tyler Toffoli are proven goal scorers and play makers, but their ability to do so in the series format of the postseason is up for debate, as they have never won the Stanley Cup since their entry into the league in 2011. However, if certified brick wall Connor Hellebuyck is able to play at the top of his game this series, the Jets just might stand a chance of going toe-to-toe with the Avs. : Avalanche in 7
Vancouver Canucks (3) vs Nashville Predators (6)
The Predators, who had a quietly good season, propelled themselves into the quest for the Stanley Cup. Their tenured trio—Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and free agent signing Gustav Nyquist—have had strong seasons, but they are no match for the Canucks.
J.T. Miller and his 103 points and the strong two-way game of defensemen Quinn Hughes will lead Vancouver past the first round four seasons ago. Look for goalie Thatcher Demko be a strong force in the crease. : Canucks in 5
Edmonton Oilers (D52) vs Los Angeles Kings (7)
Third time is the charm? The fearsome duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are scary, and come into the playoffs with Coach Kris Knoblauch likely following his predecessor and shortening the bench leading to more of them playing. The Oilers goaltending has also taken a major turnaround for the better as Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have done wonders.The Kings will be fully healthy for the first time this season and Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty look to make it past the first round for the first time since they had won the Stanley Cup in 2014. Quinton Byfield could be a huge X-Factor for the Kings as the young winger has been nothing short of dazzling in his fourth NHL season. Expect a strong effort from the Oilers to stave off the hungry Kings. : Oilers in 6
