Who goes to the Stanley Cup Final? Picks for Rangers-Lightning, Avalanche-Oilers
We’ve reached the conference finals of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, with no shortage of star power in either series.
The Eastern Conference finals begin Wednesday, and feature Hart Trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers against the two-time defending Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. In the Western Conference finals starting Tuesday, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the rest of the Colorado Avalanche take on the Edmonton Oilers, who have the hottest line in hockey: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane.
It’s time for our experts to go on the record with their predictions on which teams will make it to the Stanley Cup Final, which is returning to ABC this season.
More: Full playoff schedule
Conference finals preview
Offseason keys for eliminated teams
Sean Allen: Lightning in six
Blake Bolden: Lightning in six
Brian Boucher: Lightning in seven
John Buccigross: Lightning in seven
Ryan Callahan: Lightning in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in five
Sachin Chandan: Lightning in seven
Chris Chelios: Lightning in seven
Linda Cohn: Rangers in seven
Rick DiPietro: Lightning in six
Ray Ferraro: Lightning in five
Leah Hextall: Lightning in six
Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six
Hilary Knight: Lightning in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Rangers in six
Steve Levy: Rangers in seven
Victoria Matiash: Lightning in six
Sean McDonough: Lightning in six
Mark Messier: Rangers in seven
AJ Mleczko: Lightning in six
Dominic Moore: Rangers in six
Arda Öcal: Lightning in six
Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six
John Tortorella: Rangers in seven
Kevin Weekes: Rangers in seven
Bob Wischusen: Lightning in six
Greg Wyshynski: Rangers in seven
Consensus pick: Lightning, 20/28
ESPN and ESPN2 will be broadcasting first- and second-round games, with one conference finals series on ESPN and the Stanley Cup Final on ABC.
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• Stream the NHL on ESPN
Sean Allen: Avs in six
Blake Bolden: Avs in six
Brian Boucher: Avs in seven
John Buccigross: Avs in seven
Ryan Callahan: Avs in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avs in six
Sachin Chandan: Avs in five
Chris Chelios: Avs in six
Linda Cohn: Avs in seven
Rick DiPietro: Avs in seven
Ray Ferraro: Avs in six
Leah Hextall: Avs in six
Emily Kaplan: Avs in six
Tim Kavanagh: Avs in seven
Hilary Knight: Avs in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avs in six
Steve Levy: Avs in six
Victoria Matiash: Avs in seven
Sean McDonough: Avs in seven
Mark Messier: Oilers in seven
AJ Mleczko: Avs in six
Dominic Moore: Avs in six
Arda Öcal: Oilers in six
Kristen Shilton: Avs in seven
John Tortorella: Avs in seven
Kevin Weekes: Oilers in seven
Bob Wischusen: Avs in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Avs in six
Consensus pick: Avalanche, 25/28