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Canes Country Staff playoff picks

With the NHL’s format this year, a bracket’s not really possible. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t making some predictions.

By Andrew Schnittker
Carolina Hurricanes v New York Islanders Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

With the NHL reverting back to its old reseeding format for this year’s playoffs, it’s not exactly possible to fill out a bracket. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t making predictions. In the table below, you’ll find our staff’s predictions for each qualifying round series, how far the Canes will advance, the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Winner.

Canes Country Staff Playoff Picks

Writer Penguins vs. Canadiens Hurricanes vs. Rangers Islanders vs. Panthers Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets Oilers vs. Blackhawks Predators vs. Coyotes Canucks vs. Wild Flames vs. Jets How far will the Hurricanes advance? East Finals West Finals Stanley Cup Champion
Writer Penguins vs. Canadiens Hurricanes vs. Rangers Islanders vs. Panthers Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets Oilers vs. Blackhawks Predators vs. Coyotes Canucks vs. Wild Flames vs. Jets How far will the Hurricanes advance? East Finals West Finals Stanley Cup Champion
Andrew Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Blue Jackets Oilers Coyotes Canucks Jets Eastern Conference Semifinals Bruins over Flyers Avalanche over Blues Bruins over Avalanche
Brian Penguins Rangers Islanders Maple Leafs Oilers Predators Wild Jets Eastern Conference Qualifiers Bruins over Flyers Golden Knights over Stars Bruins over Golden Knights
Brett Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Maple Leafs Oilers Coyotes Wild Jets Eastern Conference Semifinals Flyers over Lightning Avalanche over Golden Knights Avalanche over Flyers
Ryan Penguins Hurricanes Panthers Blue Jackets Oilers Coyotes Canucks Jets Eastern Conferencer Semifinals Lightning over Flyers Avalanche over Golden Knights Avalanche over Lightning
Alec Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Maple Leafs Oilers Predators Wild Jets Eastern Conference Semifinals Bruins over Lightning Avalanche over Oilers Bruins over Avalanche
Cody Penguins Rangers Islanders Blue Jackets Oilers Predators Wild Jets Eastern Conference Qualifiers Bruins over Penguins Avalanche over Blues Bruins over Avalanche
Zeke Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Blue Jackets Oilers Predators Wild Flames Eastern Conference Finals Lightning over Hurricanes Avalanche over Blues Lightning over Avalanche
Ford Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Maple Leafs Blackhawks Coyotes Canucks Jets Eastern Conference Semifinals Bruins over Penguins Stars over Golden Knights Stars over Bruins
KayDee Penguins Hurricanes Islanders Maple Leafs Oilers Predators Wild Jets Eastern Conference Semifinals Lightning over Bruins Avalanche over Oilers Avalanche over Lightning

Picks by Series

Penguins (9-0)

Hurricanes (7-2)

Islanders (8-1)

Maple Leafs (5-4)

Oilers (8-1)

Predators (5-4)

Wild (6-3)

Jets (8-1)

Some interesting notes:

  • There’s only one unanimous series: We all think the Penguins beat Montreal. Two more are close, with Ryan the only one to pick the Panthers over the Islanders, Ford the only one to pick the Blackhawks over the Oilers and Zeke the only one to pick the Flames over the Jets. We’re pretty split on a couple of them, with the Maple Leafs edging out the Blue Jackets 5-4, and the Predators topping the Coyotes by the same score.
  • We’re pretty confident in the Canes as a group; only Brian and Cody have them falling to the Rangers. We seem to mostly think they’ll win a couple rounds and bow out; Zeke has them reaching the Eastern Conference Final for a second straight year, the rest of us have them falling in the Eastern Semis.
  • In the East, we’re pretty bullish on the Bruins — Five of us have them in the Conference Finals and then advancing to the Cup Finals, with four picks to the win the cup (the most of any team). Ditto for the Avalanche out West: Seven Western Finals votes, seven Cup Finalist Votes, three cup champion votes. There’s a surprising amount of confidence in the Flyers, with four of us putting them in the Eastern Conference Final.

Got your own picks for how the postseason plays out? Let us know in the comments!