With the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs set to kick off tonight, let's take a look back at Round One and see who was the best at calling the winners, while also giving you our guesses for Round Two!
HOW THIS WORKS
This system awards one point for choosing the correct winning team, and a point for getting the number of games. Simple, right? Let's see who came out on top, shall we?
TORONTO vs OTTAWA
WESTY- 2 POINTS
KENT- 1 POINT
JIMMI- 0 POINTS
Westy nailed this one, so kudos for him, especially how it made him feel so dirty.
FLORIDA vs TAMPA BAY
WESTY- 0 POINTS
KENT- 1 POINT
JIMMI- 2 POINTS
Jimmi with the nice call on Florida manhandling their upstate rivals.
MONTREAL vs WASHINGTON
WESTY- 1 POINT
KENT- 0 POINTS
JIMMI- 0 POINTS
Yeah, we all read this one wrong, but Westy grabs another point to take the lead.
NEW JERSEY vs CAROLINA
WESTY- 1 POINT
KENT- 2 POINTS
JIMMI- 0 POINTS
What can I say? Without Jack Hughes, this just wasn't gonna happen.
WINNIPEG vs ST LOUIS
WESTY- 1 POINT
KENT- 1 POINT
JIMMI- 1 POINT
While it took a little longer than expected, the Jets overcame Connor Hellebuyck and move on to the Second Round.
COLORADO vs DALLAS
WESTY- 0 POINTS
KENT- 0 POINTS
JIMMI- 1 POINT
We all called Avs in this one, but at least Jimmi got the games right.
VEGAS vs MINNESOTA
WESTY- 1 POINT
KENT- 1 POINT
JIMMI- 1 POINT
A rare agreement where we were all correct, just off on how long, though Westy's call of a sweep was way off.
EDMONTON vs LOS ANGELES
WESTY- 1 POINT
KENT- 0 POINTS
JIMMI- 1 POINT
Westy was the only one to call the winner here.
So, the first round prognostication champ is...
Westy, with 7 points. I will give credit to Jimmi for being fairly spot on with the Western Conference predictions, but his Eastern Conference ones were just bad.
SECOND ROUND PREDICTIONS
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS vs FLORIDA PANTHERS
Westy - After picking COTU to win last round, I feel so much better going against them. The Panthers aren't at 100%, but they have enough dirtiness to get under the Leafs skin. The Cats handled the Bolts easily and their PK looked pretty friggin good at 89%. Florida in 6
jimmi - I want to support Canadian teams. Even ones that exist nearby to Canada. However, despite the Laffs defeating one Upchuk team, doubt they can beat the OG Upchuker - the one JB failed to draft when he had the chance. He too would have traded him to the Floridians, but with a worse return... now where was I? Oh, right, agreeing with our predictive points leader, Cats in 6.
Kent- Everything available tells us that the Panthers should win this series. They're stronger defensively, and have better goaltending, plus a ton more experience being the defending champs. I do want to win this round however, and sometimes being a contrarian is fun! Leafs in 7.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS vs CAROLINA HURRICANES
Westy - This series is the hardest for me to call as each team won their first round match in 5 games. The Caps played the lowest ranked team and the Canes played against as a Devils team with a Hughes. Unfortunately in the playoffs, the team with the better neutral zone play, gets more chances in this boring trap system and ends up winning. The good news is that the Russian guy would be out. Canes in 6
jimmi - I want Westy to be correct and win more points. I do. However, fear the Kremlin-sympathizer has a mission from dear leader to complete. Or else. But then again, if the Habs could give Cappies a scare, the Canes could too. Have to trust Westy's good news, Canes in 7.
Kent- Which one of these teams is the fraud? Is it the one that rode ridiculous luck to squeaking out an unconvincing five game win, or the other team that played an opponent missing one of the NHL's best players? As much as I think the Caps are far from as good as their record suggests, the Canes are absolutely fraudulent, and this series will expose them as such. Capitals in 6.
EDMONTON OILERS vs VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Westy - Are the Oilers Canada's best hope to bring the cup home...maybe. But Vegas just has a better overall team. They have the speed to keep up with McDavid and Dry-Saddle and the skill to put up a lot of goals. The Oilers PP is pretty good....but man, their PK is shit. I am not sure is as good as I hope, but even if they aren't, I won't cheer for the Oilers. Golden Knights in 6
jimmi - Westy makes some excellent points. However, noticed a trend in the later stages of the Oily round one. They're playing nastier, dirtier and meaner. And not just McD either. With some bonus can't-call-everything official assistance, the entitled outrage flowing out of hAlberta might be enough to turn Vegas into a desert. Round Two desert, Oilies in 6.
Kent- The Oilers are only here because Los Angeles had a goaltender as bad as both of the ones for the Oilers, and that is not the case when it comes to Vegas. It pains me to say it, because I loathe this team, their vibe and everything about them so much, but they are going to make Connor cry. Golden Knights in 5.
DALLAS STARS vs WINNIPEG JETS
Westy - Out of the remaining Canadian teams, Winnipeg is the team I could get behind. Unfortunately, they are beat up after their last series and Dallas has a team that looks poised to get to the finals. Stars in 5
jimmi - I want Westy to be very wrong. Not just for the obvious selfish reasons, but for other more subtle territorial integrity reasons. While that Texas ice-cowboy team might be getting back their two injured stars, Jets might get back theirs. Maybe not for game 1, but maybe by game 3 and that makes the Jets a harder out than the Avs. Could mean another unpredictable series, where it's the Jets in 7.
Kent- It's rare that Jimmi and I agree, but in this case, he's absolutely correct. I too, want Westy to be very wrong, and if we can agree on that, you know it must be right. There's a 2011 Canuck-like vibe to this Jets team, and while we know how that ended, maybe this is the start of a run that we as a nation can get behind? Also, there's still a lot of unlikable players on that Dallas team, so... Jets in 7.
