Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: NHL Conference Finals Predictions

The second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs was perhaps less shocking than the first, with two division winners (the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes) making it through, along with the top seed number 2 in the Central Division, the Dallas Stars, and the Florida Panthers. , whose Cinderella run continues after being the last team to qualify for the playoffs.

We now enter the final round of the conference, which begins tonight with Hurricanes-Panthers (8 p.m. ET, TNT) and Friday night with Golden Knights-Stars (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+).

Which clubs will make it to the Stanley Cup Final? Here are the picks from the extended ESPN hockey family:

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Eastern Conference

Sean Allen: Panthers in six
Brian Boucher: Panthers in six
John Bucgross: Panthers in five
Ryan Callahan: panthers in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in six
Sachin Chandan: Panthers in six
Chris Chelios: Panthers in six

Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in seven
Linda Cohn: panthers in seven
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in six
Lea Hextall: Panthers in six
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes in seven
Tim Kavanaugh: Panthers in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in six
Steve Levy: panthers in seven
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in six
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in six
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in seven
Mark Messier: panthers in seven
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes in six
Arda Ocal: Panthers in six
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in six
Bob Wischsen: Hurricanes in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in seven

Consensus prediction: Tie (12 choices each)

Western Conference

Sean Allen: stars in six
Brian Boucher: Golden Knights in Seven
John Bucgross: Golden Knights in Seven
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights in Six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Golden Knights in Six
Sachin Chandan: Stars in Seven
Chris Chelios: Golden Knights in Seven

Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights in Seven
Linda Cohn: Golden Knights in Seven
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in Seven
Lea Hextall: Stars in Seven
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in Seven
Tim Kavanaugh: Stars in Seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in Seven
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in Seven
Vince Masi: Golden Knights in Seven
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in Seven
Mark Messier: Golden Knights in Seven
Mike Monaco: Golden Knights in Seven
Arda Ocal: stars in six
Kristen Shilton: Golden Knights in Seven
Bob Wischsen: Stars in Seven
Greg Wyshynski: stars in six

Consensus prediction: Golden Knights (16 of 23 picks)