If ur bored here’s some fanfic from random St. Louis fan and my bracket submission this season.

Round 1

West:

Dallas Vs Vegas: Stars in 5.
I feel like the longer the series goes, the more it tilts to Vegas, but the Stars are so stable and diverse. I don’t think Vegas has what it takes to get going or that the Stars will shut it down quick if they do. It’s not that the stars are so wildly better that they’ll win in 5, they’re just so persistent and heavy that once the boulder is rolling down hill it won’t be possible to stop it.

Colorado Vs Winnipeg: Jets in 6.
The Jets are on fire. They haven’t lost in April and also have had an insanely stacked schedule. They have the best goalie, best gm, diverse squad, big defense, health, depth. Everybody else is in serious trouble against them. There is no shortcut. Meanwhile in the last stretch of the season the Avs allowed 7 jets goals, 7 stars goals, 6 oiler goals. That’s way too pourous. Still, the avs are really solid, it won’t be a clean cut.

Vancouver Vs Nashville: Predators in 6.
Vancouver will not be pleased with their draw, is like a cactus from secret Santa. I’d suggest of all teams, Nashville is probably among the best in 1-goal scenarios - either holding or trailing - they will frustrate Vancouver and eke out Ws, having just enough to steal games they have no business taking. Don’t burn down ur city, it’s just a game.

Edmonton VS LA: Oilers in 6.
I think the kings are scarier than they seem. PLD is kinda the guy you complain about in December but rave about in April, but it’s not just him - tons of standouts down the stretch. I’m not sure I’d pick the kings to lose in the first round if they had a different opponent, but the Oilers have been built too well, and there has to be some positive factor for having guys like Corey Perry in a long series against a repeat opponent. I really do want to pick the kings, but McDavid…

East:
Panthers Vs Lightning: Lightning in 6
I’m choosing Vasilevski. If the panthers do take care of business here everybody else is in trouble, as is my bracket. The lightning give them a responsibility challenge, and I like the lightnings ability to stuff Florida’s offense somewhat. Goalie probably has to win this series so I’m picking a goalie who’s won a whole bunch of series just like this. The panthers have everything going for them, but there’s a bit of kryptonite in the draw.

Boston Vs Toronto: Toronto in 6.
I feel like Toronto can approach this playoffs with tons of weight off their shoulders: they aren’t all in, guys resigned to play together for a long time. If they just go to work they’re going on a run. I really think we will see them flourish because their skill is off the charts - when games come down to the leafs best 5 skaters vs the bruins best 5, the leafs tilt the ice hard. There has been a lot of maturity and improvement from various leafs in key roles since the last time these two teams battled.

Rangers VS Capitals: Rangers in 4
I like wrong sided Charlie Lindgren and I like the Capitals, but the rangers are stacked and the capitals goal differential is just so bad. I know it doesn’t count, and some players were injured or traded before, it’s just such a blemish, makes things seem very fragile, and the rangers are elite and lethal. I think the capitals could have done some more damage in the playoffs if they had a different draw.

Hurricanes VS Islanders: Hurricanes in 7
Hurricanes will win the most lopsided 7 game series ever. I think NYI will drag it out excessively, but the hurricanes soundly win, it just takes a bit. Guarantee you’ll overhear “oh I thought the hurricanes ended that series already” at the pub in 10 days. Then game 7 will occur and the hurricanes will win 9-2, leading by 5 at the first intermission.

Round 2

West:
Dallas VS Winnipeg: Jets in 7
Hardest matchup for the jets in the conference. We get to watch two honest mature deep teams go to war. I think the Jets are more focused, sharpened roster with isolated roles, where Dallas is much more intermixing youth and old age while being very dense and sharing responsibility. Both are excellent approaches, but I like the Jets when head to head this moment in time because of the moment in time. Some of the stars young guys are real young, and old guys real old. It’s not that’s automatically a bad thing, but when matched against a much narrower team, the body will do what it does. The jets oldest skater is 33, the stars have 6 guys above that.

Predators Vs Oilers: Oilers in 5
The predators won’t have enough answers for the oilers offense, middle of the lineup, and special teams - the oilers can spread McDavid and draisaitl apart, flatten ice time, and win through attrition and power plays. A flattened oilers group is way scarier than a flattened Vancouver group, and there will be little concern over 1 goal games because the oilers will score a ton of them. Giving Nashville one win in the series is generous, but the oilers seem to just randomly get caved in. Has been like that 2 seasons now. I dunno why.

East:
Leafs Vs Lightning: Leafs in 6
It was fun last year let’s do it again.

Rangers Vs Carolina: ?
Impossible to predict but Rangers in 7. Two well matched and well built teams. I really think this would be must see hockey.

Conference Finals

West:
Winnipeg Vs Oilers: Jets in 7
The calmer of the two conference finals - I like the jets structure and depth after both teams have been through two series. They’re just going to go to work, meanwhile McJesus, ekholm, Bouchard will have played 25-30 min a night every other night for 2 weeks. I think the Jets are really difficult to play against when they load up on 200ft guys in response to high skill. Guys like Adam Lowry are forever underrated. Edmonton is like a long distance runner who gets a huge lead by sprinting at first, need to throttle back on the extreme usage in early rounds or this will persist as a problem when facing deep teams in the later rounds.

East:
Leafs Vs Rangers: Leafs in 5
Kinda seems like there will be big swings - if either team is in control long enough they’re winning bigly, but the other taking control swings that pendulum so much you’d think it’s 2 different teams. I think that environment favors the Leafs, built in drama, thrive on drama, bleed drama, dream drama, become drama. I’m being srs, we’ve watched these elite athletes get put through the pressure wringer every year of their careers - that’s worth something. Otherwise I’d pick NYR. I don’t think the leafs are so much better than the rangers, I just think we’re going to witness what happens when a generational talent flexes, and if nyr lets this series open up in response to the spotlight, it’ll be over fast, you’re giving the leafs exactly what they want.

Finals
Jets vs Leafs: Jets win in 6 games
Cheveldayoff Conn Smythe. Or hellebyuck.
The Jets, in cold ass boring taxed to death Winnipeg will overcome extreme adversity with a cup win highlighted by world class team composition. The Leafs have a great run, but they won’t have enough answers for the defense and goaltending on the other side. I’m not even tryin to put the leafs down but it won’t be close - is a case where the matchup happens to favor the jets composition as is, nevermind them being so thoroughly good, and at this point, the top performers on the leafs will have expended so much.

Jets vs leafs finals?!?! I mean I’d love to see it but I think that’s a little too bold of a prediction for me lol

I can’t say I told you so if I didn’t tell you so I told you.

Vegas over NYR in 6