Mac’s Picks is a regular feature during the NFL season. We’re making a rare spring appearance to predict the results of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The bracket above was created using the Stanley Cup Playoff Bracket Challenge on NHL.com.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
My unpublished pre-season predictions expected the New Jersey Devils (before they lost Jack Hughes to injury) and the New York Rangers (before they had their heart ripped out by their General Manager) battling for first in the conference. The Rangers had their exit day today, and while the Devils survived their best player’s absence, we do not see them getting by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Either way, I am confident that the conference winner will come out of the top half of the bracket between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. At the end of the day, we are bullish on Toronto’s Core 4. Mitch Marner, Austin Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavaras have acquired scar tissue over the years, but they have also gained experience and motivation. They have a deeper defense, a more consistent version of Anthony Stolarz in goal, and an ascending power forward in Matthew Knies serving as a capable running mate. Plus, they now have a playoff seasoned head coach in Craig Berube who won the 2019 Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues.
Finally, it’s a numbers game. Despite reaching the playoffs in 36 of the last 58 seasons, the Maple Leafs haven’t won, or reached the Stanley Cup Finals since 1967. This is their 9th consecutive playoff appearance with Marner, Matthews, Nylander and defenseman Morgan Reilly participating in each one.
Let’s face it, the core is due, the franchise is due, and the city of Toronto is due. As a matter of fact, it’s been 32 years since any team from Canada won the cup. The entire country is due.
ICYMI “Sport’s Fix Verdict: No Changes Needed for the NHL Playoffs”
WESTERN CONFERENCE
The west is more wide open as I can make a case for any of the 8 teams to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. I considered the Dallas Stars even with the current injuries to Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. The most consistent team from wire-to-wire in the NHL was the President Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets led by defending (and probable repeat) Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. The 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights also must be given consideration with their depth and experience. In each case, I have them meeting their demise against the 2022 Stanely Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche are appropriately named with the unmatched speed of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas. They added skill and grit by acquiring Charlie Coyle from the Boston Bruins, Jack Drury from the Hurricanes, (along with Necas in the Mikko Rantanen deal #1), Ryan Lindgren from our New York Rangers and Brock Nelson from our New York Islanders. Plus, the gritty Artturi Lehkonen is having his best offensive season ever with 27 goals.
Despite having a Top 3 forward in MacKinnon, and the league’s best defensemen in Makar, the key is their improved goaltending. Their executives realized early in the season that the goaltending combo of Alexander Georgiev and Justus Annunen wasn’t getting the job done with save percentages of .874 and .872 respectively through the team’s first 29 games. The Avalanche acquired former Devils’ Mackenzie Blackwood (22-12-3 with Avs including a 2.33 GAA and .913 SV%) and Scott Wedgewood (13-4-1 with Avs including a 1.99 GAA and .917 SV%).
It’s crazy to think that despite dealing away one of the game’s biggest stars, Mikko Rantanen, we are predicting both the Avalanche (who traded him mid-season) and the Hurricanes (who traded him at the deadline) to reach the Final 4.
MAC’S PICK
I’m envisioning Game 7 in Toronto, with thousands of EMS workers on hand due to the raw emotion, regardless of outcome, that will be felt in and out of the arena. Toronto will win the game, Marner, a few weeks before unrestricted free agency will score the winning goal, and Makar will be the second consecutive Conn Smythe MVP winning player from the losing team.
Toronto Maple Leafs in 7 games over the Colorado Avalanche.
ICYMI “No State Taxes: The True Star of the 2025 NHL Trading Deadline”
