The greatest tournament in professional sports is about to begin. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to see what some of Inside the Rinks writers and contributors think about this year’s post-season.
The Writers/Contributors:
Luca Perito– Covers the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators- @elbigcalzonelp
Spencer Lazary- Covers the Toronto Maple Leafs – @spencerlazary23
Clifton Ramey– Covers the Chicago Blackhawks – @TheRameyRunDown and @CueTheDagger
Garth Wickham– Covers the Detroit Red Wings – @garth_wickham
Nik Shermeto– Covers the Pittsburgh Penguins – @nshermeto
Connor Green- Co-Founder & Managing Editor @Inside_the_rink – @TheConnorGreen
Kevin Santangelo and Jacob Abenante– Covers the Boston Bruins – @CueTheDuckBoatz, @KevinSantangel0 @JacobAbenante – Cue’ The Duck Boats Podcast
Lane Golden– Covers the Edmonton Oilers- @OilersWhit
Matt Barry– Covers the Boston Bruins – @MrMattyBarry – Co-host @Bruinsbenders podcast
Jacob Berkowitz– Covers the New York Rangers- @JB_NYRfan- Co-host @NYPaingerspod
A higher seed that is on high alert for an upset:
Luca- Carolina Hurricanes
Spencer- Carolina Hurricanes
Clifton- Carolina Hurricanes
Garth- Carolina Hurricanes
Nik- Calgary Flames
Connor- Carolina Hurricanes
Kevin and Jake- Carolina Hurricanes
Lane- Carolina Hurricanes
Matt- Edmonton Oilers
Jacob- Florida Panthers
Best first-round Series:
Luca- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Spencer- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Clifton- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Garth- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Nik- Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Connor- Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
Kevin and Jake- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Lane- Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Matt- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins
Jacob- Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Series that will go to the most overtimes:
Luca- St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche (R2)
Spencer- Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (R1)
Clifton- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues (R1)
Garth- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins (R1)
Nik- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues (R1)
Connor- Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues (R1)
Kevin and Jake- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers (R1)
Lane- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins (R1)
Matt- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers (R1)
Jacob- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins (R1)
Biggest overall disappointment (East and West):
Luca- Colorado Avalanche (W) — Florida Panthers (E)
Spencer- Calgary Flames (W) — Washington Capitals (E)
Clifton- Edmonton Oilers (W) — Toronto Maple Leafs (E)
Garth- Minnesota Wild (W) — Florida Panthers (E)
Nik- Calgary Flames (W) — New York Rangers (E)
Connor- Colorado Avalanche (W) — Toronto Maple Leafs (E)
Kevin and Jake- Colorado Avalanche (W) — Carolina Hurricanes (E)
Lane- Calgary Flames (W) — Toronto Maple Leafs (E)
Matt- Edmonton Oilers (W) — Florida Panthers (E)
Jacob- Colorado Avalanche (W) — Florida Panthers (E)
Star player who’ll underperform:
Luca- Sergei Bobrovsky- FLA
Spencer- Johnathan Huberdeau- FLA
Clifton- Sidney Crosby- PIT
Garth- Kirill Kaprizov- MIN
Nik- Igor Shesterkin- NYR
Connor- Sergei Bobrovsky- FLA
Kevin and Jake- Mitch Marner- TOR
Lane- Mitch Marner- TOR
Matt- Connor McDavid- EDM
Jacob-Johnny Gaudreau
A non-household name that will bust out:
Luca- K’Andre Miller – Rangers
Spencer-Pierre Engvall – Leafs
Clifton- Brandon Hagel – Lightning
Garth- Dillon Dube – Flames
Nik- Nick Paul – Lightning
Connor-Trent Frederic– Bruins
Kevin and Jake- Matt Boldy- Wild
Lane- Evan Bouchard- Oilers
Matt- Phillip Danault – Kings
Jacob- Alexis Lafreniere– Rangers
Who is Canada’s best shot for bringing the cup back?
Luca- Calgary Flames
Spencer- Toronto Maple Leafs
Clifton- Calgary Flames
Garth- Calgary Flames
Nik- Edmonton Oilers
Connor- Calgary Flames
Kevin and Jake- Calgary Flames
Lane- Edmonton Oilers
Matt- Calgary Flames
Jacob- Calgary Flames
Sleeper team from each conference to make the finals:
Luca- St. Louis Blues (W) — New York Rangers (E)
Spencer- Dallas Stars (W) — New York Rangers (E)
Clifton- Minnesota Wild (W) — New York Rangers (E)
Garth- Los Angeles Kings (W) — Boston Bruins (E)
Nik- St. Louis Blues (W) — Boston Bruins (E)
Connor- Los Angeles Kings (W) — Pittsburgh Penguins (E)
Kevin and Jake- Minnesota Wild (W) — Boston Bruins (E)
Lane- Edmonton Oilers (W) — Boston Bruins (E)
Matt- Los Angeles Kings (W) — Boston Bruins (E)
Jacob- Calgary Flames (W) vs. Boston Bruins (E)
Dream finals scenario (what you want to see):
Luca- Minnesota Wild vs. New York Rangers
Spencer- Edmonton Oilers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Clifton- Minnesota Wild vs. Florida Panthers
Garth- Colorado Avalanche vs. Florida Panthers
Nik- Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Connor- Calgary Flames vs. Boston Bruins
Kevin and Jake- Minnesota Wild vs. Boston Bruins
Lane- Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Matt- Calgary Flames vs. Boston Bruins
Jacob- Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers (I want revenge)
Stanley Cup Matchup (what you think will happen):
Luca- Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Spencer- Colorado Avalanche vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Clifton- Minnesota Wild vs. Florida Panthers
Garth- Colorado Avalanche vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Connor- Calgary Flames vs. Florida Panthers
Kevin and Jake- Calgary Flames vs. Florida Panthers
Lane- Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers
Matt- Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Jacob- Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Stanley Cup Winner:
Luca- Calgary Flames
Spencer- Toronto Maple Leafs
Clifton- Florida Panthers
Garth- Colorado Avalanche
Nik- Tampa Bay Lightning
Connor- Florida Panthers
Kevin and Jake- Calgary Flames
Lane- Edmonton Oilers
Matt- Calgary Flames
Jacob- Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Winner:
Luca- Matthew Tkachuk
Spencer- Auston Matthews
Clifton- Aleksander Barkov
Garth- Nathan MacKinnon
Nik- Cale Makar
Connor-Sergei Bobrovsky- FLA
Kevin and Jake- Johnny Gaudreau
Lane- Connor McDavid
Matt- Johnny Gaudreau
Jacob- Freddy Anderson
Your wildest prediction:
Luca- Only 1 division winner will make the conference finals.
Spencer- Buffalo Sabres will make the wildcard spot next season.
Clifton- Wild make finals under the goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury.
Garth- Panthers get upset by the Capitals in the first round.
Nik- If the Leafs beat Tampa, they will go all the way.
Connor- Canadian Stanley Cup Parade
Kevin and Jake- Toronto loses in 5 to the Bolts.
Lane- Jason Robertson leads the Stars to a shocking upset over Calgary in 7 games
Matt- Kings sweep Oilers.
Jacob- Calgary Flames will beat the Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Finals.
Over/Under .5 series wins for Toronto:
Luca- Under
Spencer- Over
Clifton- Under
Garth- Over
Nik- Under
Connor- Under
Kevin and Jake- Under
Lane- Under
Matt- Under
Jacob- Under
Over/Under .5 games Nazem Kadri gets suspended for:
Luca- Over
Spencer- Under
Clifton- Under
Garth- Under
Nik- Under
Connor- Over
Kevin and Jake- Over
Lane- Under
Matt- Under
Jacob- Over
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