Sports Circuit

Tonight marks the last day of the 2024-25 NHL regular season as the Stanley Cup Playoffs loom near. Playoff teams playing tonight will be looking to come out injury-free in the last slate of contests and prepare for the playoffs. With the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning Saturday, I wanted to take a look at the Eastern Conference bracket and give my predictions for the first round.

Bracket via NHL.com

We are certainly in for a treat in this first round of matchups on the Eastern Conference side of the bracket. The Battle of Florida and Battle of Ontario stand out as wildly entertaining. The Capitals will hold home ice advantage over the young and rowdy Canadiens, but will enter hostile territory at one of the league’s best venues, the Bell Centre. Carolina will look to make another run this year, facing off against the Devils in a matchup that has felt set in stone for a while now. Let’s take a closer look at each contest.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators

Let’s start with the Battle of Ontario, which pits two Canadian teams against one another in the first round. Seeing these proud franchises square off feels like a great thing for the game of hockey. Toronto, having a star studded lineup and a passionate fanbase, will be happy to not see Boston in the playoffs this year, but will have a new challenge that will test their metal. Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk seems to be tailor made for the playoffs and will lead a young talented squad into the playoffs. Ottawa has struggled in recent years, failing to make the postseason since their magical run in 2016-17, falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Ottawa triumphed in all three regular season games against Toronto this season, but I have a feeling that might not continue in the first round.

Prediction: Toronto in 7 Games

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers

The Battle of Florida is a first round matchup for the second year in a row. Last year, Florida defeated Tampa in five games. Although the series was rather short, the games all had an intensity that we all look forward to seeing in the playoffs along with a fair share of scraps and chippiness. Everyone knows these two teams can’t stand each other and it will be a bloodbath. Last season, Florida went on to win the Stanley Cup, but is it on the cards for them this year? The Panthers have seen quite a bit of injuries down the stretch this season, notably Matthew Tkachuk’s inury in the 4 Nations tournament. It appears they could be suiting up a nearly healthy lineup come Game 1 of the first round, but we probably won’t know until puck drop. Tkachuk is a game breaker and his health will play a huge part in deciding this series. Another game breaker I can’t wait to see is Nikita Kucherov, finishing this season leading the league in points and having a great argument for the Hart Trophy. I believe in a very even matchup such as this, home ice will be a key factor.

Prediction: Tampa in 7 Games

Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens

What a magical run it has been for the Capitals this season after a rather disappointing end last year, falling in the first round to division rivals New York Rangers. The Caps have found great production all around this season, including the sensational Aliaksei Protas, producing 30 goals and 36 assists so far. You also can’t talk about the Caps without mentioning the Great 8. Alexander Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record was the highlight of this NHL season league wide. Ovechkin will certainly be looking at adding another significant accomplishment this season with another Stanley Cup. The young and upcoming Montreal Canadiens stand in their way. The Habs have had an excellent season, powered by guys like Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and rookie sensation Lane Hutson. Hutson seems to be a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy. Another player joining the fray recently is Ivan Demidov, the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. There is plenty of talent on this Habs team to create some havoc, but will it be enough to slay the dragon?

Prediction: Capitals in 6 Games

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

In a matchup that seems to have been set in stone for some time now, the Hurricanes and Devils will square off as the Metro 2 seed and the Metro 3 seed. The Canes have had some significant changes to their roster this season, seeing Martin Nečas go to Colorado, bringing in Mikko Rantanen, and later shipping Rantanen out and acquiring Logan Stankoven and draft picks. The Rantanen saga was quite the drama for a relatively tame league compared to other sports like the NBA. I believe the Canes to be a really talented team with a great leader in Rod Brind’Amour. The Devils have had an up and down season and saw Jack Hughes’ season end in March with a shoulder injury. The season series between these two teams was split two games a piece. Will the Devils be able to match the Canes without one of their top forwards?

Prediction: Hurricanes in 6 Games

I’ll be coming out with my Western Conferences predictions sometime soon and I hope you have enjoyed reading. Leave your predictions in the comments along with anything else you think will happen in the first round. Happy Playoff Season!