by Tony Fiorello
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 6, 2024: The Stanley Cup is staged for a visit by staff members of the Nevada Congressional Delegation at Capitol Hill on March 6, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Typically that’s a phrase one would hear around Christmas. But for hockey fans, there’s no better time of year to enjoy the game than the playoffs. With storylines galore and the intensity at an all-time high, witnessing 16 teams battling for the right to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup is a sight to behold.
Throughout the postseason, Buffalo Sports Page will provide you with series previews and predictions from the start of round one – which begins this weekend – through the finals. Previews will become more in-depth as the playoffs roll along, but for now here is our analysis of the first round in the Western Conference.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas Stars (1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Jake Oettinger #29 of the Dallas Stars is congratulated by Jason Robertson #21 after they beat the San Jose Sharks in overtime at SAP Center on March 05, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dallas Stars have reached the postseason for the seventh time in the last 11 years. Older forwards like 39-year-old Joe Pavelski, captain Jamie Benn (34) and Tyler Seguin (32) are still steady point producers as they age while guys with fresher legs like Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnson are key contributors. Defensemen Miro Heiskanen, Ryan Suter and Esa Lindell have continued to perform well on the back end while Thomas Harley has had a breakout campaign. 25-year-old Jake Oettinger has been stellar in goal for coach Peter DeBoer and general manager Jim Nill, and offseason pickup Matt Duchene has been a nice piece to the team’s puzzle.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 13: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights takes a lap with the Stanley Cup after the team's 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights won the series four games to one. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights are again one of the better outfits in the Western Conference and are a team that relies on speed and a strong forechecking game. Led by William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault, the Golden Knights have augmented their core group with many experienced and quality pros – names such as Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, Jack Eichel, Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore, Chandler Stephenson, Noah Hanifan and Tomas Hertl have all been acquired from outside the organization. Coach Bruce Cassidy has kept this team on course while Logan Thompson and Adin Hill take turns trying to fill the hole in net left by Robin Lehner – who has missed each of the last two years due to a hip injury. Hill took the reigns a year and performed surprisingly well during the team’s Cup run.
PREDICTION
Stars in seven. As deep as the Golden Knights’ lineup is, their goaltending has been a question mark for a couple of years. Last season Hill got hot out of nowhere – we’re betting that won’t happen again and that Oettinger will emerge the victor in this rematch of last year’s Western Conference Final.
Winnipeg Jets (2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (3)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 17: Mark Scheifele #55 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the Winnipeg Jets after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1 in a game at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and new coach Rick Bowness typically get the most out of Winnipeg’s roster and this season has been no exception. Most of the Jets’ core – Kyle Connor, Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers– remain and are supported by veteran pickups such as Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli. Josh Morrissey has developed into one of the NHL’s better defensemen.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 18: Mikko Rantanen #96, Valeri Nichushkin #13, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Jonathan Drouin #27 and Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate a goal by Nichushkin and MacKinnon breaking the franchise record for points in a season during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Ball Arena on April 18, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Two years removed from winning the Cup, the Colorado Avalanche – blessed with studs like Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, Devon Toews and captain Gabriel Landeskog (who has missed each of the last two years with numerous injuries) – can certainly light up scoreboards. They’re no slouches in their own end either, as names like Josh Manson and Samuel Girard make life easier for coach Jared Bednar. Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, Casey Mittelstadt, Jonathan Drouin, Andrew Cogliano, Ross Colton and Zach Parise are reliable supporting characters and the talented but inconsistent Alexander Georgiev is the Avs’ starters in net.
PREDICTION
Avs in six. The Jets have had a good year and having someone in net as reliable as Hellebuyck will always give you a chance to win on most nights. But Colorado has better depth amongst their skaters.
Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 06: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (40) celebrates with Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6), Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43), Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9), and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) after scoring a goal during a game between the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils on January 6, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Back in the postseason for the first time since 2020, the Vancouver Canucks finally have a blueprint implemented by Jim Rutherford, Patrick Allvin and Rick Tocchet and so far it’s going according to plan. Paced by a core of forwards (Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland) and defensemen (Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek) in their prime, and surrounded by battle-tested pros (Elias Lindholm, Tyler Myers, Teddy Blueger and Ian Cole), this team is an interesting mix of young and old. Thatcher Demko is the unquestioned starter in goal.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Roman Josi #59 of the Nashville Predators brings out the puck in front of Juuse Saros #74 during a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
After a one-year absence, Nashville has returned to postseason play for the 16th time in the last 20 years. Originally expected to be a franchise in need of a rebuild, the return of Barry Trotz as general manager (taking over for the retiring David Poile) and new head coach Andrew Brunette has breathed new life into the Predators and sniper Filip Forsberg now has reinforcements in the form of Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist. Roman Josi continues to be one of the league’s elite blueliners with support from Ryan McDonagh, Dante Fabbro and Tyson Barrie, while Juuse Saros has proven to be a worthy successor to Pekka Rinne in net.
PREDICTION
Canucks in six. Like the Washington Capitals, the Preds reaching the playoffs is a big surprise since most believed they might be rebuilding. But they’re not quite ready yet for primetime.
Edmonton Oilers (2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (3)
WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 26: Zach Hyman #18, Leon Draisaitl #29, and Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers look on from the bench during third period action against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on March 26, 2024 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
Edmonton continues to blossom in the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era, and the all-world duo (who each had over 100 points again – McDavid became one of just five players ever with a 100-assist season) isn’t doing it alone. With Zach Hyman (who had a career-high 54 goals), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Adam Henrique and Corey Perry in tow, the Oilers have good secondary scoring threats. The team is held down on the rear by defenders Darnell Nurse, Cody Ceci, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. Stuart Skinner is solid in net for new head coach Kris Knoblauch, who took over behind the bench after a slow start to the season cost Jay Woodcroft his job.
VANCOUVER, CANADA - FEBRUARY 29: Drew Doughty #8 and Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings wait for a face-off during the second period of the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on February 29, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
Back in the playoffs for a third straight year, the Los Angeles Kings (guided by general manager Rob Blake and interim coach Jim Hiller) have rebuilt themselves into a younger outfit following their two Cups in three years from 2012-14. While veterans like Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Trevor Lewis remain from the old guard, other names such as Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield, Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala have become equally as important to the club’s success. Acquisitions like Philip Danault, Viktor Arvidsson, and Pierre-Luc Dubois provide good depth and Cam Talbot has taken over in net after Jonathan Quick’s departure a year ago.
PREDICTION
Oilers in six. L.A. started this season hot, then cooled off considerably before rallying to make the postseason. Their inconsistency will rear its ugly head against an Oilers team that will knock them out in the first round for the third consecutive year.
(Follow Tony on X.com via @anthonyfiorello)