With the NHL undergoing its 2023 Stanley Cup season, many people have had different opinions and predictions about what the outcome could possibly be. The Eagle’s Cry discusses their first round predictions which were made before the playoffs began. These are all original predictions prior to the start even though playoffs already began.

New Jersey Devils in 7 Games

All season long, this team has been an incredible powerhouse. They finished third in the entire league, shocking many with their achievement. They had a relatively good season with 52 wins, 22 defeats, and 8 overtime losses. The team has a fantastic attack under the leadership of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Timo Meier and Ondrej Palat have been an insane success since they were added. The New York Rangers are a tremendous team in my opinion, but historically, they haven’t had much success in the postseason. It will be hard for the Devils to win despite Shesterkin having a generally successful season—not as great as last year, but still great. 

New York Islanders in 7 Games

The Islanders were not widely regarded as the best club to advance to the postseason this year. Many viewed the Islanders as “boring” and unlikely to make the playoffs. The Islanders recorded 42 victories, 31 defeats, and 9 overtime defeats. The team survived and earned a spot in the East’s Wild Card round. In addition, Mat Barzal’s comeback and Ilya Sorokin’s incredible goaltending will be insanely helpful.  The Islanders are currently down and Carolina is on the verge of winning the series. The terrible calls that were made and penalties that were taken will be to blame. But most of them were quite close, which is disappointing for the Islanders since they are talented enough to win. 

Tampa Bay Lightning in 7 Games

The regular season has not seen this club at its finest. The Lightning had a terrible record over their last ten regular season games, which made many doubt how the team’s playoff performance would be. Many are hopeful because of Brayden Point’s excellent season and Nikita Kucherov’s extraordinary talent.With 46 victories, 30 defeats, and six overtime losses, the Lightning finished the season. Overall, the Lightning have a lot of postseason experience, despite what some people may say about their “tiredness.” Despite the fact that the Maple Leafs are enjoying an outstanding season, the Lightning will prevail in this series. 

Boston Bruins in 5 Games

The Boston Bruins have been absolutely insane this season. Their performance has been fantastic in every way. With 65 wins, 12 defeats, and 5 overtime losses, they not only had a Franchise record season, but an NHL record season as well. Their offense, defense, and goaltending are all strong, thus they are guaranteed to win this round. Despite being a passable squad, the Florida Panthers will undoubtedly put up a fight.

Winnipeg Jets in 6 Games

Not many people can agree with this opinion, which is most likely underestimated. The Jets had a record of 46 wins, 33 defeats, and 3 overtime losses at the end of the regular season. Although the Vegas Golden Knights’ incredible season is not quite comparable, this TEC reporter has a lot of faith in the Jets. With Mark Scheifele’s absolutely underrated 40 goal season, and the absolute weapon that is Josh Morrissey, they can secure the series. 

Edmonton Oilers in 6 Games 

The offensive potential of the Oilers is increased by the presence of two real power players: Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who is considered to be the modern-day Wayne Gretzky. With 50 wins, 23 defeats, and 9 overtime losses, Edmonton finished the season. Despite the fact that this season cannot be compared to Boston’s ground-breaking one, they can definitely have a really strong postseason run. The Edmonton Oilers are more likely to succeed than the Los Angeles Kings. 

Colorado Avalanche in 6 Games

The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. They won’t have a spectacular run, but I still think they can get through the first round. They haven’t performed as well as a squad should have after winning a championship; however, the postseason is always distinct from the regular season. With 51 victories, 24 defeats, and 7 OT losses, they could undoubtedly perform better. They endured numerous injuries throughout the course of the season, which helps to account for their passable record. Although I still believe the Kraken will give it their best go, the Avalanche have the expertise to defeat them in this round. 

Dallas Stars in 7 Games

The Dallas Stars had a pretty great season. With Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger playing well, they are sure to have a great series. The Dallas Stars finished off the season with 42 wins, 21 losses, and 14 overtime losses. They definitely have what it takes to win this season. With the Minnesota Wild having a great team, the Stars have the stronger and underrated team in this series.