MacKinnon_Tkachuk

The Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to predictions made by NHL.com staff writers and editors.

The Avalanche, who are the top seed in the Western Conference, were picked by seven of 16 staffers to win it all. The Flames, the second seed in the West, were picked by four staffers.
The only other team to be picked by more than one staffer was the Florida Panthers, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, which got two picks.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, as did the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs each received one pick.
As for the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon got four picks while Colorado defenseman Cale Makar got three picks.
Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom got two picks, while Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk got one pick.
The others to get votes for the Conn Smythe were forwards Jonathan Huberdeau of the Panthers (two), Sebastian Aho of the Hurricanes, and Mitchell Marner of the Maple Leafs, and defenseman Victor Hedman of the Lightning.
Here is how the 16 NHL.com staffers picked:

Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. BOS:Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final:Flames over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy:Johnny Gaudreau, Flames

Tim Campbell, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL: Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy: Cale Makar, Avalanche

Brian Compton, managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Flames over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy:Matthew Tkachuk, Flames

Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Flames over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jacob Markstrom, Flames

William Douglas, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TBL vs. TOR:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final:Panthers over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy:Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers

Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes over Flames
Conn Smythe Trophy: Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes

Pete Jensen, director, senior fantasy editor

Listen to "NHL Fantasy on Ice" podcast
Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Lightning over Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy: Victor Hedman, Lightning

Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy:Cale Makar, Avalanche

Tracey Myers, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS: Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Bill Price, VP, Editor-in-Chief

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Toronto Maple Leafs
CAR vs. BOS: Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Maple Leafs over Flames
Conn Smythe Trophy: Mitchell Marner, Maple Leafs

Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Boston Bruins
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Lightning
Conn Smythe Trophy: Cale Makar, Avalanche

Dan Rosen, senior writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Washington Capitals
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH: Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL: Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Flames over Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy:Jacob Markstrom, Flames

David Satriano, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH:Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS: Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT: New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:Minnesota Wild
CGY vs. DAL: Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Panthers over Flames
Conn Smythe Trophy: Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers

Dave Stubbs, columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL:Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS: Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:New York Rangers
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final:Avalanche over Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy:Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Eastern Conference First Round
FLA vs. WSH: Florida Panthers
TOR vs. TBL: Tampa Bay Lightning
CAR vs. BOS:Carolina Hurricanes
NYR vs. PIT:Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
COL vs. NSH:Colorado Avalanche
MIN vs. STL:St. Louis Blues
CGY vs. DAL:Calgary Flames
EDM vs. LAK:Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche over Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy:Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche