2026 Stanley Cup playoff picks: Every first-round series
The 2025-26 NHL common season is formally within the books. Sixteen of the league’s groups have made the postseason bracketand 16 have been eliminated.
Before the first-round series begins, ESPN’s consultants have recognized their picks for every matchup, together with the staff that may win the Stanley Cup in June and the participant who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
More: Full schedule
Mega-preview
Lapsed fan’s guide
Stanley Cup odds
Flaws for each team
Atlantic Division
Sean Allen: Bruins in six
John Buccigross: Sabers in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Sabers in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Sabers in six
Sachin Chandan: Sabers in seven
Meghan Chayka: Bruins in six
Ryan S. Clark: Sabers in seven
Gregg Colli: Sabers in six
Ray Ferraro: Sabers in seven
Erik Johnson: Bruins in six
Emily Kaplan: Sabers in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Sabers in 5
Rachel Kryshak: Sabers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Bruins in seven
Steve Levy: Sabers in seven
Vince Masi: Bruins in seven
Victoria Matiash: Bruins in seven
Sean McDonough: Sabers in six
Mark Messier: Sabers in six
AJ Mleczko: Bruins in seven
Arda Ocal: Sabers in six
TJ Oshie: Sabers in six
Kristen Shilton: Sabers in six
PK Subban: Sabers
Bob Wischusen: Sabers in six
Greg Wyshynski: Sabers in 5
Consensus prediction: Sabers (19 of 26 picks)
Sean Allen: Lightning in 5
John Buccigross: Lightning in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Lightning in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in seven
Sachin Chandan: Lightning in six
Meghan Chayka: Lightning in six
Ryan S. Clark: Lightning in six
Gregg Colli: Canadians in seven
Ray Ferraro: Lightning in six
Erik Johnson: Canadians in seven
Emily Kaplan: Lightning in six
Tim Kavanagh: Canadians in six
Rachel Kryshak: Lightning in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning in six
Steve Levy: Lightning in seven
Vince Masi: Lightning in six
Victoria Matiash: Lightning in six
Sean McDonough: Canadians in seven
Mark Messier: Lightning in seven
AJ Mleczko: Lightning in six
Mike Monaco: Lightning in 5
Arda Ocal: Canadians in six
TJ Oshie: Lightning in seven
Kristen Shilton: Lightning in seven
PK Subban: Canadians
Bob Wischusen: Lightning in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Lightning in six
Consensus prediction: Lightning (22 of 27 picks)
Metropolitan Division
Sean Allen: Hurricanes in seven
John Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Hurricanes in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in 5
Sachin Chandan: Senators in six
Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes in seven
Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in six
Gregg Colli: Hurricanes in 5
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in six
Erik Johnson: Hurricanes in six
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Hurricanes in 5
Rachel Kryshak: Hurricanes in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in six
Steve Levy: Senators in seven
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in seven
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in seven
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in 5
Mark Messier: Hurricanes in six
AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes in 5
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes in 5
Arda Ocal: Hurricanes in six
TJ Oshie: Senators in seven
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in six
PK Subban: Senators
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes in six
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in seven
Consensus prediction: Hurricanes (23 of 27 picks)
Sean Allen: Penguins in six
John Buccigross: Penguins in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Flyers in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Penguins in six
Sachin Chandan: Penguins in 5
Meghan Chayka: Penguins in six
Ryan S. Clark: Penguins in seven
Gregg Colli: Penguins in six
Ray Ferraro: Penguins in seven
Erik Johnson: Flyers in six
Emily Kaplan: Penguins in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Flyers in six
Rachel Kryshak: Penguins in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Penguins in six
Steve Levy: Flyers in seven
Vince Masi: Penguins in six
Victoria Matiash: Penguins in six
Sean McDonough: Penguins in six
Mark Messier: Penguins in seven
AJ Mleczko: Penguins in seven
Mike Monaco: Penguins in six
Arda Ocal: Penguins in six
TJ Oshie: Penguins in 5
Kristen Shilton: Penguins in 5
PK Subban: penguins
Bob Wischusen: Penguins in six
Greg Wyshynski: Flyers in six
Consensus prediction: Penguins (22 of 27 picks)
Central Division
Sean Allen: Avalanche in 4
John Buccigross: Avalanche in 4
Stormy Buonantony: Avalanche in 5
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in 5
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche in 4
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche in six
Gregg Colli: Avalanche in 4
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche in 5
Erik Johnson: Avalanche in 4
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche in 5
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche in 4
Rachel Kryshak: Avalanche in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche in 5
Steve Levy: Avalanche in 5
Vince Masi: Avalanche in 5
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche in 5
Sean McDonough: Avalanche in 5
Mark Messier: Avalanche in 4
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche in 4
Mike Monaco: Avalanche in 4
Arda Ocal: Avalanche in six
TJ Oshie: Avalanche in 4
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche in 5
PK Subban: Avalanche
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche in 5
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche in 5
Consensus prediction: Avalanche (27 of 27 picks)
Sean Allen: Wild in seven
John Buccigross: Wild in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Wild in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Wild in seven
Sachin Chandan: Stars in seven
Meghan Chayka: Wild in six
Ryan S. Clark: Stars in six
Gregg Colli: Wild in seven
Ray Ferraro: Stars in seven
Erik Johnson: Stars in seven
Emily Kaplan: Wild in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Stars in seven
Rachel Kryshak: Stars in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars in seven
Steve Levy: Wild in seven
Vince Masi: Wild in six
Victoria Matiash: Wild in seven
Sean McDonough: Stars in seven
Mark Messier: Wild in six
AJ Mleczko: Wild in seven
Mike Monaco: Stars in seven
Arda Ocal: Wild in six
TJ Oshie: Wild in seven
Kristen Shilton: Stars in seven
PK Subban: Wild
Bob Wischusen: Stars in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Stars in seven
Consensus prediction: Wild (15 of 27 picks)
Pacific Division
Sean Allen: Mammoth in seven
John Buccigross: Golden Knights in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Golden Knights in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Mammoth in six
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights in 5
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights in seven
Ryan S. Clark: Mammoth in seven
Gregg Colli: Golden Knights in six
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in six
Erik Johnson: Golden Knights in six
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in seven
Rachel Kryshak: Golden Knights in 5
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Mammoth in seven
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in six
Vince Masi: Golden Knights in seven
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in seven
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in six
Mark Messier: Golden Knights in 5
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights in seven
Mike Monaco: Golden Knights in seven
Arda Ocal: Mammoth in seven
TJ Oshie: Golden Knights in six
Kristen Shilton: Mammoth in seven
PK Subban: Golden Knights
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights in six
Consensus prediction: Golden Knights (21 of 27 picks)
Sean Allen: Oilers in 5
John Buccigross: Oilers in 5
Stormy Buonantony: Oilers in 5
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Oilers in 5
Sachin Chandan: Oilers in 5
Meghan Chayka: Oilers in 5
Ryan S. Clark: Oilers in six
Gregg Colli: Oilers in 5
Ray Ferraro: Oilers in six
Erik Johnson: Oilers in 4
Emily Kaplan: Oilers in six
Tim Kavanagh: Ducks in six
Rachel Kryshak: Oilers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Oilers in seven
Steve Levy: Oilers in six
Vince Masi: Oilers in six
Victoria Matiash: Oilers in six
Sean McDonough: Oilers in six
Mark Messier: Oilers in 5
AJ Mleczko: Oilers in six
Mike Monaco: Oilers in 5
Arda Ocal: Oilers in 5
TJ Oshie: Oilers in 5
Kristen Shilton: Oilers in six
PK Subban: Oilers
Bob Wischusen: Ducks in six
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers in 4
Consensus prediction: Oilers (24 of 26 picks)
Stanley Cup Champ
Sean Allen: Wild
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Stormy Buonantony: Wild
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Lightning
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche
Gregg Colli: Golden Knights
Ray Ferraro: Lightning
Erik Johnson: Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Oilers
Tim Kavanagh: stars
Rachel Kryshak: Oilers
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche
Steve Levy: Sabers
Vince Masi: Lightning
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Avalanche
Mark Messier: Oilers
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Mike Monaco: Avalanche
Arda Ocal: Oilers
TJ Oshie: Avalanche
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes
PK Subban: Canadians
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche
Prediction breakdown: Avalanche (13), Oilers (4), Lightning (3), Wild (2), Golden Knights (1), Stars (1), Sabers (1), Hurricanes (1), Canadiens (1)
Conn Smythe Trophy
Sean Allen: Kirill Kaprizov
John Buccigross: Nathan MacKinnon
Stormy Buonantony: Quinn Hughes
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Nathan MacKinnon
Sachin Chandan: Nikita Kucherov
Meghan Chayka: Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan S. Clark: Nathan MacKinnon
Gregg Colli: Mitch Marner
Ray Ferraro: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Erik Johnson: Nathan MacKinnon
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid
Tim Kavanagh: Jake Oettinger
Rachel Kryshak: Leon Draisaitl
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nathan MacKinnon
Steve Levy: Rasmus Dahlin
Vince Masi: Nikita Kucherov
Victoria Matiash: Nathan MacKinnon
Sean McDonough: Nathan MacKinnon
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Nathan MacKinnon
Mike Monaco: Nathan MacKinnon
Arda Ocal: Connor McDavid
TJ Oshie: Nathan MacKinnon
Kristen Shilton: Andrei Svechnikov
PK Subban: Connor McDavid
Bob Wischusen: Nathan MacKinnon
Greg Wyshynski: Nathan MacKinnon
Prediction breakdown: Nathan MacKinnon (13), Connor McDavid (4), Nikita Kucherov (2), Kirill Kaprizov (1), Quinn Hughes (1), Mitch Marner (1), Andrei Vasilevskiy (1), Jake Oettinger (1), Leon Draisaitl (1), Rasmus Dahlin (1), Andrei Svechnikov (1)
