The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this weekend! The first round is loaded with big time matchups as 16 teams embark on their quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Let’s take a look at predictions for the first round matchups in the Western Conference.
(WC2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (C1) Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars finished as the West’s best team and only finished a point shy of the Presidents’ Trophy. They’ve been one of the league’s deepest teams, with a lot of experience in postseason play. Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski lead the forward units, while the defensemen are led by Miro Heiskanen and breakout youngster Thomas Harley. This great roster is complete with the always excellent netminder, Jake Oettinger.
The reigning champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, return to the postseason as the final wild card team. They’ve taken a small step back from their performance last season, but they still boast a dangerous team. A massive deadline haul of Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha adds to a roster that hasn’t changed much since last season. The team’s goaltending is complete with last year’s playoff hero Adin Hill along with Logan Thompson, who had nearly identical, quality seasons to one another.
This conference finals rematch of two very well-rounded teams is bound to come down to the wire. The Stars have improved and want revenge on the Golden Knights, but this series could be difficult for them. They went winless against the Golden Knights in three tries, all before they made their trade deadline acquisitions. That in mind, the slight edge in this series goes to the Golden Knights in what should be a tightly contested series that can go either way.Â
Prediction: Golden Knights in 7
(C3) Colorado Avalanche vs. (C2) Winnipeg Jets
The Colorado Avalanche have continued their run as one of the top offensive teams in the NHL. Nathan MacKinnon has been a force to be reckoned with this season, as he finished second in the NHL with 140 points while scoring 51 goals. Mikko Rantanen finished with a 100-point season of his own while star defenseman Cale Makar came through with another big performance. In goal, Alexandar Georgiev has been a bit of a question mark, but has usually been as good as he needs to be for the team to pick up wins.Â
The Winnipeg Jets rebounded in a big way after suffering a first round exit as a wild card team last season. A large part of it came from their defense and their always elite starting goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. They finished tied for the league lead in fewest goals allowed per game and finished first place in the West in that category. The trio of Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor lead the way for the Jets on offense.
The Avalanche have the advantage of having won a Stanley Cup with their core, but there’s one glaring issue. They went 0-3 against the Jets this season, having lost by a 7-0 score to them in the last week of regular season play. Whatever it is, the Jets seem to have the answer to slowing the Avalanche down. They won’t do it easily, but the Jets have proven they have what it takes to win this series.
Prediction: Jets in 7
(WC1) Nashville Predators vs. (P1) Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks were without a doubt the biggest surprise of the 2023-24 season. After missing the playoffs for three straight years, their emerging young core led them to win the Pacific Division. This core is spearheaded by the likes of J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson, with Brock Boeser adding a team-high 40 goals. Rounding out their talented lineup is NHL All-Star Thatcher Demko in goal.
After just barely missing the playoffs last season, the Nashville Predators find themselves back in the postseason picture. The highlight of their season was a 17-game point streak in which they compiled a 15-0-2 record. Their established core of players like Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi was complemented by new additions including Ryan O’Reilly, Jason Zucker and Luke Schenn. They’re led by Juuse Saros in net, whose talent and vast postseason experience will serve as a great asset to this team.
Defeating an experienced team as a first time entry will be a tall task for the young Canucks. But the Predators are entering the playoffs on somewhat of a cold stretch that could open up a window of opportunity for them. The Canucks have the depth and goaltending to successfully match up with the experienced Predators. It’ll be a series of close games in which the Canucks will prevail.Â
Prediction: Canucks in 6
(P3) Los Angeles Kings vs. (P2) Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers got off to a slow start before firing Jay Woodcroft and replacing him with Kris Knoblauch. Since the coaching change, the Oilers have gone back to their winning ways, led by the always electric duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. To go along with their respective 100-point seasons, Zach Hyman scored 54 goals, good for third in the NHL. Backing up the offense is Stuart Skinner, who provided a quality season in goal for the Oilers.
The Los Angeles Kings have continued their run of defensive dominance en route to this playoff berth. They rank third in goals allowed per game and have gotten great goaltending from Cam Talbot and David Rittich. Like the Oilers, their success was greatly aided by a mid-season coaching change, going from Todd McLellan to Jim Hiller. The offensive attack is led predominantly by Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Anze Kopitar and 31-goal scorer Trevor Moore.
Getting a rematch of what was one of the best first round series last season is an absolute treat. Not much has changed about this matchup except for the respective head coaches at the helm. That being said, a similar matchup should yield similar results in this series. The Oilers have matched up well against the Kings and have the tools to win this series again.
Prediction: Oilers in 6
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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