The NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs are full of storylines and tradition.
The battle for the best trophy in sports has players and teams with lots to prove, others that exceed expectations, series everyone wants to watch, playoff traditions and more.
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A group of THN.com contributors shared their thoughts on a handful of questions about the playoffs. The biggest predictions, such as the Stanley Cup champion, conference champions, Conn Smythe Trophy winner and more, can be found by clicking here. Here are more playoff poll answers as the games begin.
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The Colorado Colorado Avalanche‘s Gabriel Landeskog and veteran left winger Jonathan Drouin leading the pack along with Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies. Landeskog hasn’t played since the Avalanche won the Cup in 2022, but he had a trial run in the AHL last week.
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After last year’s Cup final appearance, the Edmonton Oilers are disrespected in this area, finishing ahead of second-place Washington Capitals. One of the Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche – which are playing each other in Round 1 – is going home early, and more people expect it will be the Stars that lose.
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The Ottawa Senators are playing their first playoff hockey in eight years, and more poll respondents have them on a ‘Cinderella’ run than anyone else. The Los Angeles Kings were a vote behind Ottawa, although they have home-ice advantage against the Oilers. The Sens are in a very competitive division, but L.A. could have a relatively easier road in the comparatively weak Pacific Division.
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There was a clear consensus in this category, with the Maple Leafs receiving more than seven times as many votes as the Jets received. More people are cynical about Toronto, and given how the Leafs have regularly flamed out, they deserve to have that cynicism around them. Their stakes are sky-high, and everyone knows it.
NHL Playoffs Poll: Predicting The Stanley Cup Final, MVP, Top Scorer, Best Canadian Team And More
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The Leafs have the most to prove, and no Leaf has more to prove than star winger and pending UFA Marner. If the Leafs lose early, he could be the first man out. Jets goalie Hellebuyck got the second-most votes here after dropping the ball last year in the playoffs.
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Canadiens rookie winger Ivan Demidov had a stunning impact this week when he made his NHL debut, posting a goal and two points in his first game. Voters in this category are expecting big things from Demidov in the post-season.
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As someone traded twice this season, Mikko Rantanen clearly has big fans in NHL executive circles. After recording at less than a point-per-game pace with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Finnish right winger and Cup winner had 18 points in 20 games with the Stars to finish the season.
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The Avalanche or Stars could go all the way this season, making this series a powerhouse showdown. Rantanen playing against the team that drafted and developed him is a major storyline in the first round. In second place is the Battle of Ontario between the Leafs and Sens, who face each other in the playoffs for the first time since 2003-04. The Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers is also highly anticipated here.
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Edmonton’s Connor McDavid narrowly missed out on his first Cup win last season, and getting one would be massive for his legacy. It’s intriguing that voters have Tavares in second place, as Tavares’ teammates Marner and Matthews didn’t land a single vote here. But it’s no shock Canes D-man Burns finished third, as he’s a lovable, gap-toothed figure fans and media always gravitate to.
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The Jets have become famous for their home fans dressing in white, and that whiteout tradition continues as the playoffs begin Saturday. Not far behind is the time-honored tradition of shaking hands at the end of series – and slightly behind handshakes is the tradition of playoff beards.
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