Following dramatic Game 7 deciders that concluded Round 1, the matchups for the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now set. Eight teams remain in contention, battling for hockey`s top prize. Over the coming fortnight, these teams will compete head-to-head to determine the participants in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
In the Eastern Conference, the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, have demonstrated their strength and could still be the team to overcome. However, they face a formidable challenge against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals, who finished the regular season with the best record in the East, are set to clash with the Carolina Hurricanes in a Metropolitan Division showdown.
Out in the Western Conference, the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets narrowly avoided an early exit in the first round. They now face an even tougher opponent in the Dallas Stars. The Stars also overcame a 2-0 deficit in Game 7 to defeat the Colorado Avalanche and are now considered favorites to advance past the Presidents` Trophy winners.
Finally, a potentially epic clash awaits as the Vegas Golden Knights meet the Edmonton Oilers. Vegas secured their spot in the second round by defeating the Minnesota Wild in six games, while Edmonton swept the Los Angeles Kings with four consecutive wins.
As the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs gets underway, here are the predictions from our experts for each series.
Panthers vs. Maple Leafs
Series odds: Panthers -184, Maple Leafs +150
Bengel: I made a mistake picking against the Panthers in the first round, and I won`t repeat it. Florida looked like a perfectly tuned machine dismantling the Lightning in five games. Star forward Matthew Tkachuk returned and was clearly the driving force. The Panthers showed balanced scoring depth, with contributions from Reinhart, Tkachuk, Barkov, and others. Having a proven playoff goalie like Sergei Bobrovsky, who posted a 2.21 GAA in Round 1, is also a significant advantage.
On the other side, for the Maple Leafs to stand a chance against Florida, their talented core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares needs spectacular performances. They must find a way to score heavily. While this series promises excitement, I believe the Panthers` offensive power is too much, and they are the defending champions for good reason. Pick — Panthers def. Maple Leafs 4-2
Nivison: The Maple Leafs survived a minor scare from the Senators to return to the second round. Last time they were here, they were eliminated by the Panthers in five games. To change that outcome, the Core Four plus Matthew Knies must continue their strong play, as they combined for 12 goals and 20 assists against the Sens.
However, the opponent this time is significantly more challenging. Florida`s performance against Tampa Bay was truly intimidating. Gustav Forsling and Aleksander Barkov effectively neutralized Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Brandon Hagel throughout the series. Florida has consistently proven its ability to shut down elite offensive players, and its forward group can match anyone`s scoring. The Leafs will put up a good fight, but Barkov`s presence makes the difference again. Pick — Panthers def. Maple Leafs 4-2
Hurricanes vs. Capitals
Series odds: Hurricanes -160, Capitals +140
Bengel: It`s worth noting that the Capitals faced a tough test against the Canadiens despite winning the series in five games. Still, this team thrived offensively during the regular season, ranking second in goals per contest (3.49). While they show sensational offensive flashes, I think they might rely too heavily on Alex Ovechkin. The Hurricanes possess greater scoring depth with Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and many others.
Although I favor the Hurricanes, I predict this will be a lengthy series as both teams are very evenly matched. After one round, they are the top two teams in terms of lowest goals-against-average. The Hurricanes are expected to get starting netminder Frederik Andersen back from injury, which is a major boost. This series could ultimately be decided by which team`s defense and goaltending rise to the occasion, and I`m backing the Hurricanes in a tight contest. Pick — Hurricanes def. Capitals 4-3
Nivison: Both teams were clear favorites in their first-round series and played like it. As impressive as their offense was, the goaltending stood out even more. According to Natural Stat Trick, Logan Thompson (4.11) and Frederik Andersen (3.93) are the top two goalies in goals saved above average this postseason.
The key question for this series is which goalie will falter first and most often. If Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov maintain their Round 1 form, it will likely be Thompson. Svechikov found his scoring touch, and Aho proved to be one of the league`s best two-way centers. For the Caps, Alex Ovechkin scored four goals against the Canadiens, showing he can still find the net in the playoffs. Unfortunately for Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington roster, Carolina`s defense is on a completely different level than Montreal`s. Goals will be harder to come by for the Capitals, leading to a Hurricanes series win. Pick — Hurricanes def. Capitals 4-2
Stars vs. Jets
Series odds: Stars -165, Jets +140
Bengel: Both teams exhibited a flair for the dramatic in the first round, ultimately surviving very difficult challenges. Forward Mikko Rantanen delivered legendary performances in Games 6 and 7 to propel the Stars past the Avalanche. After a slow start to the postseason, Rantanen was incredible, racking up four goals and four assists in the final two games of that series. Perhaps even more impressive was Dallas`s ability to win the series without key players like forward Jason Robertson and defenseman Miro Heiskanen. Given the Stars` impressive depth down the middle, they are the team to beat in this matchup, and I believe they will emerge victorious.
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck – the Vezina Trophy favorite – did not perform like the league`s top netminder in the opening round. Hellebuyck posted a concerning 3.85 goals-against-average and a .830 save percentage across seven games against the Blues. He allowed at least three goals in six games and five or more goals in three contests. Hellebuyck absolutely must improve if the Jets hope to keep pace with the Stars and their high-powered offense, but I don`t see that happening. Pick — Stars def. Jets 4-2
Nivison: These teams were facing elimination late in their respective Game 7 matchups but stormed back dramatically to advance. The Jets managed this despite another concerning performance from their star goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, at least in regulation. His 9.84 goals allowed above average ranks last in the playoffs, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The crucial question for me is whether Hellebuyck can build confidence from his strong overtime effort in Game 7. If he can, the Jets certainly have a chance. If he continues to struggle, the series will be short. The Stars simply have too much offensive firepower, especially with Jason Robertson nearing a return, for Hellebuyck to allow soft goals. Furthermore, Winnipeg has little margin for error, as both Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey sustained injuries in the rough first-round series against St. Louis. Dallas is deeper, healthier, and receiving better goaltending. Pick — Stars def. Jets 4-1
Oilers vs. Golden Knights
Series odds: Golden Knights -115, Oilers -105
Bengel: The Golden Knights had a challenging start against the Wild but ultimately relied on their talent to advance. However, Vegas`s 3.17 goals-against-average is concerning, especially with a proven playoff goalie like Adin Hill in net and the high-octane Oilers up next. Hill will need to replicate his performance from the final three games against Minnesota. Despite a slow offensive start, Vegas saw star forward Jack Eichel finish the first round strong, accumulating five points over the final three games.
Meanwhile, the Oilers led the NHL in the first round, averaging 4.5 goals per contest against the Kings. They scored at least five goals in three of those games. With superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, scoring opportunities are always plentiful. However, goaltending has historically been the Oilers` Achilles` heel. Edmonton shifted to Calvin Pickard as the starting netminder for the final four games against Los Angeles, resulting in four victories. If Pickard can provide solid goaltending, the Oilers have a chance, but I believe the Golden Knights will do enough to move on. Pick — Golden Knights def. Oilers 4-3
Nivison: In the last round, the Oilers once again proved that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can compensate for many team weaknesses. That duo combined for 21 points as Edmonton rattled off four consecutive wins after falling behind 2-0 in the series. The Kings were theoretically well-equipped to handle the Oilers` star forwards but couldn`t contain them for long.
On paper, the Golden Knights should be capable of meeting the challenge, but Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin had some inconsistent performances against the Wild. If that trend continues, McDavid and Draisaitl will thrive. On the other side, the Oilers are still without Mattias Ekholm on defense, making them vulnerable to attacks from players like Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl. Add in that neither team received stellar goaltending in the first round, and this series could turn into a surprisingly high-scoring affair. If it does, betting against McDavid and the Oilers is difficult. Pick — Oilers def. Golden Knights 4-3
