Following the conclusion of Round 1 with two thrilling Game 7 deciders, the second-round pairings for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now confirmed. Eight teams remain in contention for hockey`s most coveted trophy. Over the coming fortnight, these teams will clash in head-to-head series to determine the Eastern and Western Conference finalists.
In the Eastern Conference, the defending champion Florida Panthers demonstrated they are still a formidable force, yet they face a significant challenge against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Elsewhere, the Washington Capitals, who finished the regular season with the top record in the East, are set to compete against the Carolina Hurricanes in their Metropolitan Division clash.
Shifting to the Western Conference, the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets narrowly avoided an upset in the initial round but now face a tougher opponent in the Dallas Stars. The Stars themselves mounted a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in Game 7 to eliminate the Colorado Avalanche and are now considered favorites against the Presidents` Trophy winners.
Rounding out the bracket, the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are set for a potentially classic encounter. Vegas advanced by defeating the Minnesota Wild in six games, while Edmonton swept the Los Angeles Kings after losing the first two games.
Ahead of the second-round commencement, here are expert predictions for the outcome of each series.
Panthers vs. Maple Leafs
Bengel: Picking against the Panthers in the first round was a mistake I won`t repeat. Florida looked like a well-oiled machine, taking down the Lightning in just five games. Matthew Tkachuk`s return was pivotal, proving to be the driving force for the team. Their balanced offense, with production from Reinhart, Tkachuk, Barkov, and others, is highly effective. Sergei Bobrovsky provides reliable playoff goaltending, shown by his 2.21 goals-against-average in Round 1.
Toronto`s talented core of Matthews, Nylander, Marner, and Tavares will need spectacular performances to overcome the Panthers. They must find ways to score consistently against Florida`s defense. This series should be entertaining, but the reigning champions have too much offensive depth. They are champions for a reason.
Nivison: The Maple Leafs survived a slight scare from the Senators to reach the second round for the second time in three years. Their previous second-round appearance ended in five games against these same Panthers. For a different result this time, the Core Four plus Matthew Knies must maintain their strong play; they combined for 12 goals and 20 assists versus the Sens.
The Panthers are a much more formidable opponent. What they did to the Lightning in the first round was truly impressive. Gustav Forsling and Aleksander Barkov effectively shut down Tampa Bay`s top line. Florida has a proven ability to neutralize elite offensive threats, and their forward group can match anyone`s scoring. Toronto will put up a fight, but Barkov`s impact will again be the deciding factor.
Hurricanes vs. Capitals
Bengel: The Capitals faced a decent test against the Canadiens, despite closing the series in five games. They showcased a strong offense at times, finishing second in goals per game during the regular season (3.49). However, they might rely too heavily on Alex Ovechkin, while the Hurricanes possess greater scoring depth with players like Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and others.
While I favor Carolina, I anticipate a lengthy series as these teams appear evenly matched. Both teams had the lowest goals-against-average in the first round. The Hurricanes are expected to get starting goalie Frederik Andersen back, which is a significant boost. The outcome of this series could hinge on which team`s defense and goaltending perform better consistently. I`m ultimately backing the Hurricanes in a tight contest.
Nivison: Both teams were clear favorites and played like it in their respective first-round series. While their offenses were effective, the goaltenders were perhaps more impressive. Logan Thompson and Frederik Andersen ranked as the top two goalies in goals saved above average this postseason according to Natural Stat Trick.
The key question for this series is which goalie might falter first. If Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov continue their Round 1 performance, it could be Thompson. Svechnikov rediscovered his scoring touch, and Aho proved himself as a top-tier two-way center. For Washington, Alex Ovechkin scored four goals against the Canadiens, showing he can still score in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Capitals, Carolina`s defense is vastly superior to Montreal`s. Goals will be harder to come by for Washington, leading the Canes to victory.
Stars vs. Jets
Bengel: Both teams delivered dramatic finishes in the first round but survived tough challenges. Mikko Rantanen had incredible performances in Games 6 and 7, driving the Stars past the Avalanche. After a slow start, Rantanen exploded for four goals and four assists in the final two games. Even more impressive was Dallas winning the series without key players like Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. Given their depth, especially down the middle, the Stars are the team to beat in this series, and I expect them to advance.
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, a Vezina Trophy favorite, did not play like the league`s top netminder in the opening round. He posted a concerning 3.85 goals-against-average and a .830 save percentage against the Blues, allowing three or more goals in six games and five or more in three. Hellebuyck must significantly improve for the Jets to have any chance against Dallas` high-powered offense, and I don`t see that happening consistently.
Nivison: These teams seemed in trouble late in their respective Game 7s but both mounted dramatic comebacks to advance. Winnipeg did so despite another problematic performance from Connor Hellebuyck in regulation. His 9.84 goals allowed above average ranks last among playoff goalies according to Natural Stat Trick.
The main question here is whether Hellebuyck can build confidence from his good effort in overtime of Game 7. If he can, the Jets have a chance. If he struggles, the series will be short. The Stars have too much firepower, especially with Jason Robertson nearing a return, for Hellebuyck to allow soft goals. Furthermore, Winnipeg has little margin for error with Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey potentially banged up after their physical series with St. Louis. Dallas is deeper, healthier, and has better goaltending currently.
Oilers vs. Golden Knights
Bengel: The Golden Knights had a rough start against the Wild but ultimately used their talent to push through. However, Vegas`s 3.17 goals-against-average was not ideal, especially with a proven playoff goalie like Adin Hill, who will need to play more like he did in the final three games against Minnesota. While the offense started slowly, Jack Eichel finished the series strong with five points in the last three games.
Meanwhile, the Oilers led the NHL with 4.5 goals per game in the first round against the Kings, scoring five or more goals in three contests. With superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, scoring opportunities are always abundant. However, goaltending has often been Edmonton`s weakness. They switched to Calvin Pickard, who started and won the final four games against Los Angeles. If Pickard can provide solid goaltending, the Oilers have a shot, but I believe the Golden Knights will do enough to advance.
Nivison: The Oilers once again proved in the last round that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can compensate for significant weaknesses. The duo combined for 21 points as Edmonton won four straight after falling behind 2-0. The Kings were considered one of the teams best equipped to handle the Oilers` stars, yet they couldn`t contain them for long.
On paper, the Golden Knights should pose a challenge, but Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin had inconsistent performances against the Wild. If that continues, McDavid and Draisaitl will exploit it. On the other side, Edmonton is still missing Mattias Ekholm on defense, making them vulnerable to attacks from Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl. Considering both teams had inconsistent goaltending in Round 1, this could become a surprisingly high-scoring series. If that happens, it`s difficult to bet against McDavid and the Oilers.
Elton Marrow