Stanley Cup playoffs picks Every first-round NHL series

Braves acquire RHP Herget from Angels for cash

The six-month journey of the 2023-24 NHL regular season is complete. Sixteen of the league's 32 teams have been eliminated, and 16 have made the postseason bracket. 

It's time for ESPN's hockey experts to serve up their picks on every first-round series, along with their calls on which team will skate with the Cup this June and which player will earn the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

More: Playoff schedule Mega-preview Lapsed fan's guide Top 50 players Cup contender comps

First round Atlantic Division A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

Sean Allen: Panthers in six Blake Bolden: Panthers in six John Buccigross: Panthers in seven Ryan Callahan: Lightning in seven Sachin Chandan: Panthers in six Ryan S. Clark: Panthers in seven Linda Cohn: Lightning in seven Ray Ferraro: Panthers in six Leah Hextall: Panthers in six Emily Kaplan: Panthers in seven Tim Kavanagh: Panthers in seven Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Panthers in six Steve Levy: Panthers in seven Vince Masi: Panthers in six Victoria Matiash: Panthers in six Sean McDonough: Panthers in six Mark Messier: Lightning in six AJ Mleczko: Lightning in seven Mike Monaco: Panthers in six Arda Öcal: Panthers in four Kristen Shilton: Panthers in seven Bob Wischusen: Panthers in seven Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in five

Consensus prediction: Panthers (19 of 23 picks)

A2 Boston Bruins vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs

Sean Allen: Bruins in six Blake Bolden: Bruins in five John Buccigross: Maple Leafs in six Ryan Callahan: Maple Leafs in six Sachin Chandan: Bruins in seven Ryan S. Clark: Bruins in seven Linda Cohn: Maple Leafs in six Ray Ferraro: Bruins in seven Leah Hextall: Bruins in six Emily Kaplan: Bruins in seven Tim Kavanagh: Maple Leafs in six Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Bruins in seven Steve Levy: Bruins in seven Vince Masi: Maple Leafs in six Victoria Matiash: Maple Leafs in seven Sean McDonough: Bruins in seven Mark Messier: Maple Leafs in six AJ Mleczko: Bruins in six Mike Monaco: Bruins in six Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs in four Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs in six Bob Wischusen: Bruins in six Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs in six

Consensus prediction: Bruins (13 of 23 picks)

Metropolitan Division M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals

Sean Allen: Capitals in seven Blake Bolden: Rangers in four John Buccigross: Rangers in five Ryan Callahan: Rangers in five Sachin Chandan: Rangers in five Ryan S. Clark: Rangers in six Linda Cohn: Rangers in seven Ray Ferraro: Rangers in five Leah Hextall: Rangers in five Emily Kaplan: Rangers in six Tim Kavanagh: Rangers in four Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Rangers in five Steve Levy: Rangers in five Vince Masi: Rangers in six Victoria Matiash: Rangers in six Sean McDonough: Rangers in five Mark Messier: Rangers in five AJ Mleczko: Rangers in five Mike Monaco: Rangers in four Arda Öcal: Rangers in four Kristen Shilton: Rangers in six Bob Wischusen: Rangers in five Greg Wyshynski: Rangers in five

Consensus prediction: Rangers (22 of 23 picks)

M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New York Islanders

Sean Allen: Islanders in six Blake Bolden: Hurricanes in six John Buccigross: Hurricanes in six Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes in five Sachin Chandan: Hurricanes in five Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in six Linda Cohn: Hurricanes in six Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in five Leah Hextall: Hurricanes in five Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes in six Tim Kavanagh: Hurricanes in five Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in five Steve Levy: Islanders in six Vince Masi: Hurricanes in six Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in five Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in four Mark Messier: Hurricanes in five AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes in six Mike Monaco: Hurricanes in five Arda Öcal: Hurricanes in four Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in five Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes in six Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in five

Consensus prediction: Hurricanes (21 of 23 picks)

Central Division C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC2 Vegas Golden Knights

Sean Allen: Stars in six Blake Bolden: Golden Knights in seven John Buccigross: Stars in seven Ryan Callahan: Stars in seven Sachin Chandan: Stars in six Ryan S. Clark: Stars in seven Linda Cohn: Stars in seven Ray Ferraro: Stars in six Leah Hextall: Stars in six Emily Kaplan: Stars in seven Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in six Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars in seven Steve Levy: Stars in seven Vince Masi: Stars in six Victoria Matiash: Stars in seven Sean McDonough: Stars in seven Mark Messier: Golden Knights in six AJ Mleczko: Stars in seven Mike Monaco: Stars in seven Arda Öcal: Stars in four Kristen Shilton: Stars in six Bob Wischusen: Stars in seven Greg Wyshynski: Stars in six

Consensus prediction: Stars (20 of 23 picks)

C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

Sean Allen: Jets in five Blake Bolden: Avalanche in six John Buccigross: Jets in seven Ryan Callahan: Avs in seven Sachin Chandan: Avs in seven Ryan S. Clark: Avs in six Linda Cohn: Jets in six Ray Ferraro: Jets in seven Leah Hextall: Jets in seven Emily Kaplan: Avs in six Tim Kavanagh: Jets in six Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Jets in seven Steve Levy: Avs in seven Vince Masi: Avs in seven Victoria Matiash: Avs in seven Sean McDonough: Avs in six Mark Messier: Jets in six AJ Mleczko: Avs in seven Mike Monaco: Avs in six Arda Öcal: Avs in four Kristen Shilton: Avs in seven Bob Wischusen: Jets in seven Greg Wyshynski: Jets in seven

Consensus prediction: Avs (13 of 23 picks)

Pacific Division P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC1 Nashville Predators

Sean Allen: Canucks in six Blake Bolden: Predators in seven John Buccigross: Canucks in seven Ryan Callahan: Canucks in six Sachin Chandan: Predators in six Ryan S. Clark: Predators in seven Linda Cohn: Canucks in six Ray Ferraro: Canucks in six Leah Hextall: Canucks in six Emily Kaplan: Canucks in six Tim Kavanagh: Predators in six Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Predators in six Steve Levy: Canucks in five Vince Masi: Predators in seven Victoria Matiash: Canucks in six Sean McDonough: Predators in six Mark Messier: Canucks in seven AJ Mleczko: Predators in six Mike Monaco: Predators in seven Arda Öcal: Predators in four Kristen Shilton: Canucks in seven Bob Wischusen: Canucks in six Greg Wyshynski: Predators in seven

Consensus prediction: Canucks (12 of 23 picks)

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Sean Allen: Kings in seven Blake Bolden: Kings in seven John Buccigross: Oilers in seven Ryan Callahan: Oilers in five Sachin Chandan: Oilers in five Ryan S. Clark: Oilers in seven Linda Cohn: Oilers in six Ray Ferraro: Oilers in six Leah Hextall: Oilers in six Emily Kaplan: Oilers in six Tim Kavanagh: Kings in seven Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Oilers in five Steve Levy: Oilers in five Vince Masi: Oilers in six Victoria Matiash: Oilers in six Sean McDonough: Oilers in five Mark Messier: Oilers in five AJ Mleczko: Oilers in five Mike Monaco: Oilers in six Arda Öcal: Oilers in four Kristen Shilton: Oilers in five Bob Wischusen: Oilers in five Greg Wyshynski: Oilers in five

Consensus prediction: Oilers (20 of 23 picks)

Stanley Cup

Sean Allen: Stars John Buccigross: Oilers Ryan Callahan: Oilers Sachin Chandan: Stars Ryan S. Clark: Stars Linda Cohn: Rangers Ray Ferraro: Stars Leah Hextall: Stars Emily Kaplan: Rangers Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars Steve Levy: Rangers Vince Masi: Hurricanes Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes Sean McDonough: Hurricanes Mark Messier: Rangers AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes Mike Monaco: Hurricanes Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes Greg Wyshynski: Oilers

Prediction breakdown: Hurricanes (7), Stars (6), Rangers (4), Oilers (3), Golden Knights (1), Maple Leafs (1)

Conn Smythe (MVP of the playoffs)

Sean Allen: Wyatt Johnston John Buccigross: Connor McDavid Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid Sachin Chandan: Jake Oettinger Ryan S. Clark: Jake Oettinger Linda Cohn: Igor Shesterkin Ray Ferraro: Miro Heiskanen Leah Hextall: Jake Oettinger Emily Kaplan: Artemi Panarin Tim Kavanagh: Jack Eichel Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Jason Robertson Steve Levy: Igor Shesterkin Vince Masi: Andrei Svechnikov Victoria Matiash: Sebastian Aho Sean McDonough: Jake Guentzel Mark Messier: Igor Shesterkin AJ Mleczko: Frederik Andersen Mike Monaco: Sebastian Aho Arda Öcal: Auston Matthews Kristen Shilton: Jake Guentzel Bob Wischusen: Sebastian Aho Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Prediction breakdown: Connor McDavid (3), Jake Oettinger (3), Sebastian Aho (3), Igor Shesterkin (3), Jake Guentzel (2), Wyatt Johnston (1), Miro Heiskanen (1), Artemi Panarin (1), Jack Eichel (1), Jason Robertson (1), Andrei Svechnikov (1), Frederik Andersen (1), Auston Matthews (1)