2022 NHL Playoff Picks and Bold Predictions

Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Another NHL Playoff has arrived and the Go For Two team is making predictions. We have predictions on all first round matchups, both Conferences Finals and the Stanley Cup Final below. We’ve also fired up the “hot take” machine and made a bold prediction for each team.

We’ll re-visit some of these predictions at the end of Round 1 but now onto the bold predictions for each of the sixteen teams that qualified for these playoffs.

Florida: Florida loses multiple games in overtime to the Washington Capitals. They are able to overcome an early series loss and win in 6 games. – Ermando

Toronto: While the expectation is for Toronto’s forwards to win this series, it’s the defence that makes the difference. Tampa Bay overworks their top 4 D, while Toronto is able to rely on all 8 defencemen throughout the series. – Ermando

Tampa Bay: A red-hot Steven Stamkos goes cold in Round 1. He records 0 even strength goals and only 1 goal total. Tampa is eliminated in 6. – Ermando

Boston: Jeremy Swayman is the best goaltender in the series but Boston falls in 7 games. He cements himself as Boston’s new starter. – Ermando

Carolina: Seth Jarvis continues his stellar play into the playoffs. Carolina relies on Jarvis and their other offensive weapons to overcome Boston. – Ermando

New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin plays up to his Vezina level standard until the elimination games of the series. In Game 5 and Game 6, NYR is sunk by goaltending. – Ermando

Pittsburgh: Contributions come from every player on the Penguins. No one player has a great series but every forward scores a goal. – Ermando

Washington: The Capitals are undefeated in overtime during this series. They are not so fortunate otherwise, losing every other game. – Ermando

Colorado: Nazem Kadri plays the entire series without getting suspended. The majority of the key cogs for the Avs show up , as they coast through round 1 en route to a sweep. The goal differential for the series is in the double digits – Ryan

Minnesota: The Wild will score the most goals in the entire first series, with Kevin Fiala leading the way with 6 goals. The Wild take care of business against the Blues in 6 games. – Derek

Calgary: Led by a suffocating shutdown trio of Backlund, Mangiapane, and Coleman, and top-flight goaltending, Jacob Markstrom records multiple shutouts,as The Flames eliminate the Stars in 5. – Ryan  

St. Louis: Both Husso and Binnington get wins for the Blues. Neither goalie truly taking the reins though to the Blues falling. – Derek  

Edmonton: Evander Kane is the X-Factor in this series, taking over games physically and doing the dirty work for the Oilers stars. On the back of his 9 points in 5 games, the Oilers make quick work of the Kings. -.Ryan 

Los Angeles: Trevor Moore has a coming out party of sorts, averaging over a point per game in the series. The disparity between the two teams becomes apparent rather quickly though, and the Kings wrap-up a pleasantly surprising season by losing in 5. – Ryan 

Dallas: The decline of Tyler Seguin and Jamie Been continues, with the two combining for only 2 goals in the first series. The great production from Robertson and Hintz is not enough for Dallas to overcome the Flames. – Derek

Nashville: Tanner Jeannot becomes the most hated man in the state of Colorado thanks to his abrasive style of play, and is the lone bright spot for a clearly overmatched Predators squad. The other big guns on the team largely disappear, and Filip Forsberg plays his final game in a Preds uniform, rather uneventfully. – Ryan