The end of the 2024-2025 NHL Regular Season has come to an end and the first round of the playoffs are now set.

Some highlights of this year’s playoffs include:

• The Toronto Maple Leafs have made the playoffs for the ninth straight season, the longest active streak in the NHL
• The Winnipeg Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time. They are the first Canadian team to do so as well since the Vancouver Canucks in 2012.
• New York Rangers miss the playoffs and became only the fourth team to win the Presidents’ Trophy one year and miss the playoff the next year.
• For the first time since 2017, all three Eastern Canadian NHL teams made the playoffs (Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs.)
• For the first time in league history, all four U.S. based Original Six missed the playoffs.

Let’s look at the match-ups:

Eastern Conference

Ottawa Senators (97 Points) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (108 Points)
This is the fifth time that the two teams have matched up in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs won all four previous meetings in the playoffs (2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004.) The Senators were 3-0 against the Maple Leafs in the regular season. Look for the Maple Leafs to win in six games.

Florida Panthers (98 Points) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (102 Points)
The Lightning won two of the last three playoff meetings while each team won two games against the other team in the regular season. Look for the Lightning to win in seven games.

Montreal Canadiens (91 Points) vs. Washington Capitals (111 Points)
The Capitals are the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens won the only time they met in the playoffs, back in 2010. The Capitals won the regular season series 2-1. Look for the Canadiens to win in seven games.

New Jersey Devils (91 Points) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (99 Points)
The Hurricanes are 4-1 against the Devils in the playoffs, while each team won two games in the regular season. Look for the Hurricanes to win in five games.

Western Conference

St. Louis Blues (96 Points) vs. Winnipeg Jets (116 Points)
The Jets are the best team in the NHL this year. The Blues won their only playoff meeting between the two teams back in 2019 while the Jets won three of four games this season. Look for the Jets to win in five games.

Colorado Avalanche (102 Points) vs. Dallas Stars (106 Points)
The Stars have won four of the previous six playoff match-ups while the Avalanche won three of four in the regular season. Look for the Avalanche to win in six.

Minnesota Wild (97 Points) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (110 Points)
The Golden Knights are 1-0 in the playoffs against the Wild and won all three games in the regular season. Look for the Wild to win in seven games.

Edmonton Oilers 101 Points) vs. Los Angeles Kings (105 Points)
The Oilers are 8-2 against the Kings in the playoffs while the Kings won three of four during the regular season. Look for the Oilers to win in six games.

So, my predictions are for the following teams to advance to the second round:

Eastern Conference
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning
Montreal Canadiens
Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference
Winnipeg Jets
Colorado Avalanche
Minnesota Wild
Edmonton Oilers