Upcoming 2025 NHL Playoffs: Key Second-Round Battles, Predicted Frontrunners, and Noteworthy Elements to Observe
Buckle Up for Exciting Second-Round Stanley Cup Duels!
The 2025 NHL Playoffs are heating up, and we're down to the second round! After an incredible comeback by the President's Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets, the bracket is finalized.
Four division champions are still standing tall, including Washington, Toronto, Vegas, and a potential underdog in Winnipeg. Don't forget the defending champion Florida Panthers also made the cut. The playoffs so far have delivered two thrilling Game 7s - Dallas eliminating Colorado, and the Jets snatching victory from St. Louis' jaws in the dying moments of the final two minutes of regulation.
As the Canadian Cup drought (since Montreal's win in '93) hangs Heavy, three teams with hopes to lift the curse remain – Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Toronto.
Let's dive into the matchups!
Eastern Conference:
- Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Florida Panthers (A3): A repeat of their 2023 second-round series, won by Florida in five games. The Panthers, on a roll after beating Tampa Bay in five games, face the Leafs, who haven't advanced beyond the second round since 2002 and boast a dismal 3-11 record since then. In a series packed with offensive firepower, the showdown between Florida's veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and Toronto's journeyman Anthony Stolarz could be the decisive factor.
- Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (M2): This matchup marks the second meeting between these Metropolitan Division rivals, with Carolina winning their 2019 first-round encounter in seven games. The Caps are bidding for their first second-round appearance since their 2018 Stanley Cup win, while the Hurricanes are making their sixth in seven years. Hurricanes starter Frederik Andersen is expected back for their series-clinching Game 5, while the Caps have found a hot goalkeeper in Logan Thompson, who let in just 11 goals during the five-game series victory over Montreal.
Western Conference:
- Edmonton Oilers (P3) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (P1): Another rematch between Pacific Division rivals, with Vegas triumphing in six games during the 2023 second-round series on their path to victory. Oilers backup Calvin Pickard stepped up after Stuart Skinner allowed 11 goals in the opening two games against Los Angeles. Scoring proved a challenge for Vegas in their six-game series win over Minnesota, with the Golden Knights mustering just 18 goals, compared to 12 conceded.
- Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Winnipeg Jets: The premier encounter between these two franchises, separated by nearly 1,300 miles, marks Winnipeg's third second-round appearance and their first since reaching the conference finals in 2018. Dallas, who lost the West finals in the last two years, face Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck, a near-lock for the Vezina Trophy, who has struggled in the postseason with a .830 save percentage.
Keep your eyes glued to the action as every game will be broadcast nationwide in the U.S. on either ABC/ESPN or Turner networks. In Canada, Sportsnet and CBC will be your go-to broadcasters. With the racewide open, who will emerge triumphant in the Stanley Cup? Tune in to find out!
After tracking Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's record during the regular season, the spotlight shifts to the playoff stars who made headlines during the season, and those who've underperformed in previous playoff run. Follow the action as the story unfolds!
- The Winnipeg Jets, despite a dismal postseason history, aim to eliminate the Canadian Cup drought, last held by Montreal in 1993, as they face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference.
- Houston sports enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the return of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, sidelined since 2017 from NHL playoff glory, as they compete in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights.
- The cricketing world and sportsbooks around the globe look forward to the action-packed 2025 Stanley Cup as the sport of hockey takes center stage, with potential underdogs like the Winnipeg Jets vying for a championship crown.
- In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers meet again for a highly anticipated series, as they seek to write a new chapter in their storied rivalry within the NHL's democratic landscape.
- Despite the Pac-12 dominating the college sports headlines, sports fans in oil country will keep a close eye on the Edmonton Oilers' performance against Vegas as the calendar flips to 2025, with the Oilers looking to bounce back from their elimination in the 2023 playoffs.
