The staff writers at LetsGoSharks.com submit their predictions for the 1st round of the NHL playoffs:

Boston vs Florida
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 1	4 games to 1	4 games to 0	4 games to 0
Ryan Hall: I remain unconvinced that the Bruins are as good as they've looked all year. They were a front-runner team that faced zero real challenge and adversity all season, and while that could mean they are just that much better than everyone else, to me, that's a club that is ripe for an upset. On the other side, the Panthers can fill the net and will try to make this a track meet series. Usually, the B's are happy to play that sort of game, but can they keep up with the Florida attack? In goal, the edge appears to go to Boston, but once again they have untested postseason goaltenders, while the Cats have Sergei Bobrovsky standing by should wunderkind Alex Lyon stumble. Am I talking myself into a stupid pick? Perhaps. Talk to me in 8 days! Paul Krill: Bruins just seem unstoppable. What magic tricks can the Panthers possibly have to win this? Mike Lee: This series isn't even going to be close. The Bruins are the real deal and they will demolish the Panthers, who managed to make the playoffs by virtue of the fact that Pittsburgh couldn't get their acts together this season. This team is superior to the Panthers in every facet of the game. Looks for the Bruins to polish off the Panthers quickly and wait for their next opponent. Ken Smyth: Said it before, that off season trade between Calgary and Florida screwed up both teams. Bruins aren't going to have problems

Toronto vs Tampa Bay
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 2	4 games to 3	4 games to 3	4 games to 3
Ryan Hall: The annual rite of Spring is upon us: Leafs vs. Lightning. This year though, all the advantages lay in Toronto's favour. Home ice? Check! Deeper roster? Check! Hungrier? Check! Perhaps the only edge for Tampa Bay is their goaltending, but even there the gap shouldn't be as large as in the past. When you add it all up together, it makes a compelling case for the Leafs. If you need another reason, consider that over the last 3 post-seasons, the Lightning have played 71 playoff games. That's almost another full season of wear and tear on a roster that doesn't have a lot of young blood. All told, the Leafs should win this series and finally see Round 2. Ken Smyth: This series was set about three months ago. This Lightning team is missing some parts from the ones that have made three straight finals appearances and the Maple Leafs look like they might be finally ready to win an opening round series. I'm picking the Leafs knowing that breaks a rule of gambling. And don't expect their back up goalie to be a lucky seat winner. Mike Lee: Maple Leafs fans will have little to whine about in this opening round. The Leafs are about to finally com into their own, as their susperstars are poised to finally make a splash in the postseason. They won't get past the Bruins, but they at least demosstrate that they are the better team in this series. It also means the end or an era in Tampa. The Lightning have been so dominant for so long, that's it's easy to think that they'll once again get it done in the postseason, but they have too many issues to deal with this season. Paul Krill: The Lightning know how to win in the playoffs. The Leafs? Notsomuch.

Carolina vs NY Islanders
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 2	4 games to 2	4 games to 2	4 games to 1
Paul Krill: Is this Brent Burns' best chance for a Cup? Sorry, that probably happened in 2016 with the Sharks Mike Lee: The Hurricanes made a big splash last off season when they landed Brent Burns, and that acquisition is about to may dividends in the opening round. Yes, the Canes have some injury issues to deal with, but they're just too good to allow the upstart Islanders from getting past them in this first round. Ken Smyth: I like the Islander's defense but Carolina's is better. Canes can also score a goal once in a while. Ryan Hall: There is a case to be made that the Hurricanes are a wounded club and primed to be upset by a plucky Islanders team. And I really want to make that case, if only the Isles could score a little bit more. To be honest, I expect this series to be the most boring of them all as NYI are happy to clog things up and the Canes struggle to score in the postseason. Their only saving grace may be that in a battle of 2-1 games, they have slightly more offensive capability. Regardless, whomever wins will get the opportunity to be pasted in the second round by the...

New Jersey vs NY Rangers
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 1	4 games to 2	4 games to 2	4 games to 3
Paul Krill: This Devils team is stacked, from Jack Hughes to Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton and John Marino. That being said, the team's play has been trending downward lately and the team struggles against teams like the Bruins the Canes. Encouraging, though, was a recent 2-1 win against the Rangers. (Hey, I'm originally from New Jersey. Pardon me if I pay a lot of attention to the Devils.) Ryan Hall: New York Rangers, who will easily dispatch their Hudson River rivals. Let's be frank: the Devils have had a nice, overachieving season. They're a young, up and coming team, with loads of potential moving forward. However, the Rangers are deeper, more experienced, have more to play for, have the better goalie, and are in the middle of the contention window. I expect the Devils to be game throughout the series, but they simply aren't good enough yet to beat the NYR. Plus, how great would it be to see a Rags vs Isles bloodbath in the second round? (Now I almost want to change my previous pick to the Isles... almost). Mike Lee: This has the all the makings of a great series. These are two teams that have lots of history, but are also desperate to do something in the playoffs. All the pressure lays squarely on the Rangers, but the Devils have become the rebound team that could actually do some real damage in the postseason. Ken Smyth: Nothing like a NJ vs NYC battle. This Devils team has been surprisingly good. Rangers should be favored but the rivalry will kick in and the Devils really have something to prove.

Colorado vs Seattle
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 1	4 games to 2	4 games to 1	4 games to 1
Ken Smyth: The Avalanche are out to defend their championship without their captain, Gabriel Landeskog. They also came from almost not making the playoffs to winning their division. Seattle is capable of taking a game, but can't stop enough pucks from going in to make it past that. We're very proud of you for making the playoffs, Kraken. (Speaking as a Sharks fan, can we just dump our roster and get an expansion one under the current rules?) Ryan Hall: Let's take a moment and welcome the Seattle Kraken to their first postseason appearance. Thanks for coming. The exit is right over there. While it's fashionable to give the Kraken a chance in this series, I just don't see a way that they can last more than 5 games. This is still a roster full of expansion draft players, fortified by a few upcoming youngsters. On the other side you have the Avalanche, who may be a shell of their former self, but still have enough firepower and ability to make this a very short series. Even if that happens, Seattle should consider this season a success. Getting a taste for the REAL NHL, and what it takes to compete in the playoffs, is only going to serve them well moving forward. Mike Lee: The Kraken get the unfavorable right to face one of the hottest teams in the league at the wrong time. Colorado had to work through some early season issues, but the defending Stanley Cup Champs are getting right when it counts. Seattle has too many things to overcome, not to mention all the jitters of that firt playoff appearance. This isn't going to be a Cinderella story for the Kraken. Paul Krill: Will Kraken just be happy to be there or can they dethrone the Avs? I'm betting the former.

Dallas vs Minnesota
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 2	4 games to 3	4 games to 3	4 games to 3
Mike Lee: The Stars are such a Jekly & Hyde team it's hard to pick this one. Throw in the Peter DeBoer can't win in the playoffs factor and the Stars could easily see their season come to a crashing end. The Wild aren't the better team on paper, but they have that intangible of playing right at the right time thing going for them. Marc-Andre Fleury is simply all world when it comes to postseason play, so he automatically gives the Wild a chance. Ken Smyth: I kept watching for the Stars or Wild to take the Central division before the Avs got hot and took over. This could be the really close series in the first round as these teams look so very evenly matched. The Stars have some young up and comers alongside Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski. The Wild have great goaltending in Mark-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson, plus Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek. I think Dallas will take it, but Minnesota will not be an easy out. Ryan Hall: Ahhh... the old North Star Cup! Seriously, why is no one talking about the hatred that should exist between their two franchises?! Neal Broten and Jon Casey must be rolling over in their... I don't know... Lazyboys (??) right now. This has all the makings of a punky, chippy, dirty affair. Ryan Reaves leads a heavy Minnesota roster who should be bolstered by the return of Karil Kaprizov. On the other side you have guys like Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn, two players who can get under the skin of their opponents. Add in the postseason tension, and this series is primed to explode. And I have all the time in the world for it! Give the edge to the Stars depth and goaltending, but don't be surprised if the Wild pull the upset. This series is about as evenly matched as they come. Paul Krill: That Joe Pavelski is ageless!

Edmonton vs Los Angeles
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 1	4 games to 2	4 games to 2	4 games to 2
Paul Krill: If anyone has a chance to beat the Bruins for the Cup, it's the Oilers Ryan Hall: Alright, I have a confession to make: I really want the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup this season. Not because of their style of play. Not because it would annoy so many other fanbases. And not even because Connor McDavid is the best thing on ice in a decade. No, I want them to win the Cup because there's a high probability #97 would break #99's post-season points record along the way, and I have all the time and interest in the world for that! Plus, there's something cathartic about watching grown men made to look like children by McDavid. Oh... right... I should talk about the Kings as well. Does anyone really think Phoenix Copley or Joonas Korpisalo are going to be good enough to shut down the Oilers attack? Does anyone think the Kings can outscore the Oilers? Does anyone believe Drew Doughty can rewind the clock? Or Todd McClellan came devise a strategy to slow down the Edmonton attack? Didn't think so. Ken Smyth: Every time a Canadian team gets really hot late in the season, their fans start planning the victory parade before the first round starts. This year that team is the Oilers. They have average defense, shaky goaltending, and the world's #1 and #(something 3-7) best forwards. They can run up a score against weak NHL teams like the Sharks or Ducks. The Kings looked good a month ago but are banged up. They'll put up a fight, but it's not their year, yet. Mike Lee: The Kings turned in an impressive run this season, and they're poised to compete for the next couple of years as long as they don't screw it up. Their problem is they drew a buzz saw for their first round opponent. Edmonton is simply playing all-world hockey right now and they're prepared to go deep. It was surprising that they didn't make an honest run at acquiring Erik Karlsson, because they may have been the addition that gets them over the top.

Vegas vs Winnipeg
Ryan Hall	Paul Krill	Mike Lee	Ken Smyth
4 games to 3	4 games to 2	4 games to 2	4 games to 2
Mike Lee: This series is a coin-flip, but the Golden Knights should take care of the Jets albeit in 6 or 7 games. Vegas has learned from their past playoff ways, and should be poised to dispatch the Jets. If Winnipeg can play a phyisical game without taking dumb penalties, they could overcome the advantage that Vegas holds with home ice. Paul Krill: Would be nice to see Winnipeg win this but it won't happen. Ryan Hall: We bookend these predictions with another bold pick: Jets in 7. I'm a simple man, and I look at Team A with the corpse of Jonathan Quick and (checks notes) Lauret Brossoit, while Team B has Connor Helleybuck. Nothing else really matters. The Knights attack isn't much deeper than the Jets. The bluelines are close, with a slight edge to Vegas. Bruce Cassidy and Rick Bowness are a saw-off behind the bench. So, when in doubt, pick the better goalie. Sure, maybe Jack Eichel amazes in his first playoff appearance ever, but it's more likely he will take some time to adjust to the pace and intensity. On the other side, this is a Jets team with loads of playoff experience, and who for a large part of the year was in contention for the Central Division title. Throw out the last month of the season and take the Jets Ken Smyth: I like Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness, but the Golden Knights will be out to prove that missing the playoffs last yeay was a fluke. It's likely he'll get a chance to coach them in a couple years, this could be good experience for him.

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