2018 Stanley Cup predictions

Yes, it's that time of the year again! The Stanley Cup playoffs are going to start this Wednesday. Even though my favorite team, the Ottawa Senators, haven't made the playoffs and had a quite miserable season, I will watch the playoffs from a neutral point of view and I must say that several duels look really promising. Here are my predictions for the first round.

Eastern Conference:

Tampa Bay Lightning VS New Jersey Devils: Lightning in five

The New Jersey Devils have been surprisingly good this season which is mostly due to an absolutely outstanding Taylor Hall. If the team continues its reconstruction around this star player, great things will be ahead in a few years. The Tampa Bay Lightning have been solid all season and have a lot of depth and are the clear favorites here. I could see the New Jersey Devils win a home game but everything else but a Floridean domination would be a huge surprise. I would say Tampa Bay will win the series in five games.

Boston Bruins VS Toronto Maple Leafs: Bruins in seven

This is going to be a really brutal, intense and tight duel between the only Original Six teams in the playoffs this year. The Toronto Maple Leafs still haven't forgotten about the bitter loss in game seven of the series five years ago and will do everything to have their revenge. The Boston Bruins have found a great balance between experienced veterans and quick youngsters. This duel is probably the toughest to predict. Given their cohesion, experience and spirit, I would favor the Boston Bruins winning this series in seven games again. Toronto will be traumatized.

Washington Capitals VS Columbus Blue Jackets: Capitals in five

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella is always in for a surprise and the things he has accomplished with his current team are absolutely outstanding. However, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been losing some steam over the final few weeks of the regular season in my book. The same thing can't be said about the Washington Capitals who have played absolutely outstanding regular seasons for four years in a row. However, the Washington Capitals never got past the second round of the playoffs in the past few years. I think the Washington Capitals are the best NHL team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup so far. Maybe they have learned from their past experiences and will be more solid this time around. Since they are on quite a run right now, I expect them to win this series in five games.

Pittsburgh Penguins VS Philadelphia Flyers: Penguins in five

The battle of Pennsylvania is going to be intense between two teams which have a big rivalry. I expect plenty of dirty fights, hits and provocations of all sorts. Getting inside their opponents' head is also the only chance the Philadelphia Flyers have to win this series. They had a solid season offensively but still struggle defensively. The Pittsburgh Penguins have won two Stanley Cups in a row and seem to be insatiable. With their cohesion, experience and will, it would be a miracle if they didn't win this series. I predict the Pittsburgh Penguins to win this series in five games.

Western Conference:

Nashville Predators VS Colorado Avalanche: Predators in five

The Colorado Avalanche have surprised just as much in the Western Conference this year as the New Jersey Devils have in the Eastern Conference. The team around Nathan MacKinnon is going through a rebuilding process and yet the team has played a season above expectations, especially offensively. However, I can't see the underdog beating the Nashville Predators who won the Presidents' Trophy for best team of the regular season this year. The team from Tennessee seems to be even stronger than last season and they already made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last year. I expect them to win this series in five games.

Winnipeg Jets VS Minnesota Wild: Jets in four

The Winnipeg Jets were a joy to watch all season long. The young team is creative, dynamic and efficient, especially offensively and its only weak spot might be the goal-tending which was still solid this season. This team has a bright future ahead and the present already looks extremely promising. The Minnesota Wild had a solid season without any fireworks. I could see the red hot Jets run over the Wild in only four games. These guys are on fire!

Vegas Golden Knights VS Los Angeles Kings: Kings in six

Who would have thought that the expansion team from the desert of Nevada would be among the best teams and make the playoffs in its first year of existence? Even initially skeptical hockey fans are now praising this team's accomplishments and one has to point out the outstanding work of the general manager and the head coach who have put together a team that gives everything it has every single game. When is this astonishing Cinderella story coming to an end? I believe the time has come in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Los Angeles Kings have made some great transactions before the deadline in late February and have an impressive roster with very experienced players that will smart out Vegas Golden Knights' ambitions and energy. I think the Los Angeles Kings are going to win this series in six games.

Anaheim Ducks VS San Jose Sharks: Ducks in seven

This is a very difficult series to predict. The Anaheim Ducks had a slow start of the season with a few injuries but have quickened up the pace towards the end of the season. The San Jose Sharks have been more consistent and have made a few interesting transactions but haven't been entirely convincing this season and have an aging core of key players as well. Right now, the trend seems to be in favor of the Anaheim Ducks. I could see the series going all the way to game seven but predict that the Anaheim Ducks are going to win.

These are my predictions of the first round but I must admit that I was often wrong last season and my hockey pools of the regular season this year were also rather underwhelming to say the least. Maybe I have more luck this time around. 

If I had to predict the Stanley Cup Finals, I would predict a duel between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Winnipeg Jets and guess that the Tampa Bay Lightning would win the Stanley Cup this year. Let's wait and see.

What do you think? What are your predictions of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs?