The 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: First round predictions

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Washington Capitals (1st in Metropolitan Division) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (2nd wild card)
In the first full season in over a decade, the Leafs find themselves not on the golf course when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. They face the Washington Capitals, who finished with the league's best record in the regular season for the second consecutive season. This marks the first time the Capitals and Leafs have met in the playoffs; Washington won the regular season series between the teams 2-1-0.
Prediction: Washington in four games.

Montréal Canadiens (1st in Northeast Division) vs. New York Rangers (1st wild card)
After injuries prevented the Montréal Canadiens from making the 2016 playoffs (in what was only the second time in NHL history every Canadian team missed the playoffs), they came back with a vengeance and finished atop the Northeast Division once again. In the first round, they face the New York Rangers. The two teams have met in the playoffs 15 times, with the Rangers winning eight and the Canadiens winning seven; they last met in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals, a series which the Rangers won in six games. Montréal won all three meetings between the two teams in the regular season.
Prediction: Montréal in seven games.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd in Metropolitan Division) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (3rd in Metropolitan Division)
The Pittsburgh Penguins, who are the defending Stanley Cup champions, face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are coming off of their best regular season in franchise history. The Blue Jackets won 50 games, and won 16 games in a row during the middle of the season, narrowly missing tying an NHL record. The two teams have met once previously in the playoffs; in 2014, they met in the first round, and Pittsburgh won in six games, a series many deemed to be one of the best match-ups that season.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in seven games.

Ottawa Senators (2nd in Northeast Division) vs. Boston Bruins (3rd in Northeast Division)
Ottawa rebounded from a hugely disappointing 2015-16 campaign and finished in second place in the Northeast Division. They face the Boston Bruins, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2014, though they barely missed out in 2014-15 and 2015-16. This marks the first playoff meeting ever between the two teams. Ottawa won all four meetings between the two teams in the regular season.
Prediction: Ottawa in six games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Blackhawks (1st in Central Division) vs. Nashville Predators (2nd wild card)
The Chicago Blackhawks, who are the most successful team in the playoffs so far in the 2010s with three Stanley Cup wins, face the Nashville Predators in the opening round. Chicago won four of the five regular season meetings between the two teams. Nashville and Chicago have met twice in the playoffs so far; in 2010 and 2015, they met in the first round and Chicago won in six games both times. Both years, Chicago won the Stanley Cup. Nashville is hoping the third time will be the charm, but the odds are against them.
Prediction: Chicago in five games.

Anaheim Ducks (1st in Pacific Division) vs. Calgary Flames (1st wild card)
Anaheim finished first in the Pacific Division for the fifth consecutive season, but have not advanced beyond the Western Conference Final since winning their sole Stanley Cup in 2007. They begin the playoffs against the Calgary Flames. Anaheim won four of the five meetings between the two teams. The two teams have met in the playoffs twice before, with Anaheim winning both times.
Prediction: Anaheim in six games.

Minnesota Wild (2nd in Central Division) vs. St. Louis Blues (3rd in Central Division)
The Minnesota Wild were on the run to win their first ever division title in franchise history before slumping a bit in the second half of the season. However, they begin the playoffs with home ice advantage against the St. Louis Blues. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk became the first Wild goaltender in franchise history to win 40 games in a season. The Blues are in the post-season for the sixth straight season, and last season managed to make the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2001, where they fell to the San Jose Sharks. In the only other previous meeting between the two teams, Minnesota won in six games back in the first round in 2015. St. Louis won the regular season series between the two teams 3-2-0.
Prediction: Minnesota in six games.

Edmonton Oilers (2nd in Pacific Division) vs. San Jose Sharks (3rd in Pacific Division)
The Edmonton Oilers have finally arrived (again). For the first time this decade, the Oilers find themselves participating in the playoffs, and they did it largely on the basis of Connor McDavid, who led the NHL in scoring in the regular season. The San Jose Sharks, who shocked the hockey world last year by making their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in what most expected to be a rebuilding season, will be their opponent. Edmonton's minimal playoff experience will be a question mark, as San Jose's roster has far more experience. Edmonton won the sole previous playoff meeting between the two teams in the Western Conference Semi-Final in 2006.
Prediction: Edmonton in seven games.

Caps, Habs, Jackets, Bruins
Hawks, Ducks, Blues, Oilers
I almost went with the Leafs over the Caps but I expect the Caps to make it to the 2nd round and then choke as usual.

Caps
Canadians
Pens
Senators
Blackhawks (should make it to the Cup)
Flames
Wild
Sharks

I haven't followed much but the Blackhawks this year but I always root for the Pens to lose.
Caps again are so strong in the regular season but can they follow it up?

Dark Horseman wrote:

Caps again are so strong in the regular season but can they follow it up?

Probably not

007 wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

Caps again are so strong in the regular season but can they follow it up?

Probably not

Caps in the playoffs:

Chicago - Nashville... Hicks with sticks in six.
Minnesota - St.Louis... Wild in 7. Tight series. Minnesota finished the season weak, but the Blues have no center depth and Stastny still hasn't skated after his injury. Also, Mike Yeo.
Anaheim - Calgary... Flamers in 7. They've improved their play all season.
Edmonton - San Jose... Oily Men in 4. Sharks' highwater mark happened last season. They better wear tinted visors, because the shining Connor McSaviour is going to blind them and lead his team to Cup finals.

Washington - Toronto... Caps in 5. Not because the Caps are a threat to win the Cup, but because the Leafs are still children. Probably the only team I trust the Caps to win easy against.
Pittsburgh - Columbus... Jackets in 6. Best goalie in the world. And best many other things, too. Cup goes to Columbus this season? Road is open if they get past the defending champs.
Montreal - NY Rangers... Rags in 6. Better team in pretty much every area of the game, except goaltending is a push. But Chris Kreider takes care of that.
Ottawa - Boston... Sens in 7. Boucher breaks the game with his 0-1-4 formation. Boring ass hockey wins.

Picking Nasville eh? Depends on which 'hawks team shows up, the D in front of the net has been shaky at times.

I'm not surprised the Preds took game 1, I figured this wasn't an easy opponent for the Hawks even though they won 4 of 5 in the regular season.

Low scoring games so far.

Rangers, Sharks and the Blues could earn huge wins tonight. Up 2-0 heading home is a massive advantage. So it's crucial for the home side to win tonight.

I haven't decided if I'll watch the Jackets-Penguins or the Rangers-Canadiens game tonight. Maybe I'll start with Montreal, then switch.

I see the Blues beat The Wild again to take a 3-0 lead in the series.

I see the 'hawks think they can just show up and win.

The Blue Jackets finally decided to show up and make a good game out of this series. They're tied with the Penguins 4-4 going into overtime.

And the Penguins take game 3 with a 5-4 overtime win and a 3-0 series lead.

The two best games I've wached so far are NY Rangers - Montreal Game 2, and Pittsburgh - Columbus Game 3. Both nice a fast pace, plenty of scoring chances and goals, and a whole lot of mean snarly hitting going on.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Picking Nasville eh? Depends on which 'hawks team shows up, the D in front of the net has been shaky at times.

The Hawks have shown zero heart and zero guts. Toews is a ghost, and they will all be golfing by Friday.

Two consecutive shutout losses, and then a blown 2-goal lead in the third period.

A disgrace.

And I thought for sure the Hawks would be playing for the Cup.

Who would have expected the Blackhawks to be down 3-0 in the series at this point?

If Nashville wins Game 4, this may be the most shocking sweep ever.

They don't care. They have no goal presence and our relying on a lot of slap shots. I think they miss someone who is willing to get in the crease and mix it up like Shaw used to.

Time to clean house in Chicago land. Been a nice run.

What a shocker!

Nashville pulled off the sweep. Very few expected the Predators to defeat the Blackhawks in the opening round, but no one could have expected the Predators to win four games to nothing! Truly an upset for the ages. Nashville are the first ever bottom seeded team to sweep the top seeded team in the conference in the opening round since the NHL began using the modern conference based format in 1993-94.

Not a shocker at all. It was a 50/50 series. Hawks aren't what they used to be. Panarin is a regular season player, and he is apparently attached to Kane's hip. Toews is a vegan now, physically inferior, got soundly outplayed by Ryan Johansen. The defense is getting old.

I thought the Preds would win, but I didn't think they'd do a dominant sweep like they did. They were much better at every aspect of the game.

Hawks are the new Capitals. Secure #1 seed early, then coast. Lazy, heartless, gutless play without any kind of fire when games actually matter.

I was happier with the early 2000's Hawks teams. They lost because they lacked skill, not because they lacked effort.

I didn't watch one game of the Blackhawks/Predators series but of the highlights I've seen, it seemed that Chicago had no hustle at all. Looks like their Cup window may be closing.

The Blackhawks just seemed dead tired in the whole series.

I got 6/8 correct with my predictions. Only got the Ducks and the Penguins wrong.