The NHL playoffs have begun once again. Teams such as the Boston Bruins,Vegas Golden Knights, and the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, all returned to the playoffs. Many new teams such as the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers are making their first appearance in many years. While many teams have a chance to win, who do Patriot students think will win?

Sports Reporter’s Opinion (Jacob Wolfrey):

I think the Colorado Avalanche will win the Stanley Cup, beating the Bruins in the final. The high powered Colorado offense, led by Nathan Mackinnon, will be too much for the Bruins to contain. As long as the Avalanche stay healthy, and continue their offensive production, I believe they will win the cup. However, it’s possible for the Toronto Maple Leafs to make the final, instead of the Bruins. The Vegas Golden Knights could also make the final over the Avs, but this is unlikely due to Vegas’s heavy reliance on goaltending. However, most likely it will be Bruins vs. Avalanche, with the Avalanche winning their third Stanley Cup.

Sophomore Ben Barrett:

“I think it will be Colorado Avalanche over the Boston Bruins, because the Avs have great, highly skilled forwards. They also have strong defense and goaltending. They’ve also been dominant all season and show no sign of slowing down.”
Sophomore Tyler Couch:
“The Tampa Bay Lightning will win. They have the best offense, defense, and goaltending. With Kucherov and Stamkos returning, I think they’ll easily go back-to-back. I think they’ll sweep the Maple Leafs in the final.”

Senior TJ Schumacher:

​ “I think the Avalanche will win. They’re easily the best, and they’ve been rolling since the season started. I think Mackinnon will easily produce against any team, and Grubauer is a goalie of the year candidate. They also have great speed, and play a system that utilizes it.”
The overall consensus is that the Avalanche will win their third Stanley Cup. They have been heavy favorites all year at +325 as of May 26th. They have also maintained dominance by sweeping the St. Louis Blues.
The next closest team is the Bruins at +525. They have been rolling, with a 4-1 series win over the Washington Capitals.
The Lightning are a dark horse candidate, as they won the cup last year, and managed to keep a majority of their team together. They also played without their captain, Steven Stamkos, and their consistent MVP candidate, Nikita Kucherov, for the whole regular season. With those two key pieces returning, it seems the defending champs are being heavily underrated at +700.
So far, the NHL playoffs have been very exciting, with multiple upsets, and fans returning to many arenas. With Covid-19 restrictions loosening, cities such as Nashville and New York that are known for their fans, can finally fill a majority of their stadium.