Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round predictions

NHL.com experts have made their predictions for the
Stanley Cup Playoffs
, and they are split on who will win it all.
Seven of the 14 staff members picked the Nashville Predators, who won the
Presidents' Trophy
, to hoist the
Stanley Cup
at the end of the playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, were picked by three experts to win it all; the Pittsburgh Penguins were picked by two to win the Cup for the third straight season. The Winnipeg Jets and Boston Bruins were picked to win by one staffer each.
Here are NHL.com's picks for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: Anaheim Ducks
Stanley Cup Final:Bruins over Jets
Conn Smythe Trophy:Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

Tim Campbell, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Toronto Maple Leafs
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Predators
Conn Smythe Trophy:Steven Stamkos, Lightning
Video: Which is the best path for Tampa in the playoffs?

Brian Compton, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Predators
Conn Smythe Trophy:Victor Hedman, Lightning

Nick Cotsonika, NHL.com Columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy: P.K. Subban, Predators

Lisa Dillman, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH VS COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: Anaheim Ducks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy:Pekka Rinne, Predators

Tom Gulitti, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
BOS vs. TOR:Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Minnesota Wild
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy:Filip Forsberg, Predators
Video: The guys preview the Predators-Avalanche series

Pete Jensen, NHL.com Fantasy Editor

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Toronto Maple Leafs
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy:P.K. Subban, Predators

Mike G. Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Toronto Maple Leafs
WSH vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
PIT vs. PHI: Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Lightning over Jets
Conn Smythe Trophy:Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

Tracey Myers, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Jets over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy:Patrik Laine, Jets

Bill Price, NHL.com Editor-in-Chief

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Penguins over Jets
Conn Smythe Trophy:Sidney Crosby, Penguins
Video: The guys preview the Wild-Jets series

Shawn Roarke, NHL.com Director of Editorial

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: New Jersey Devils
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: Anaheim Ducks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Penguins
Conn Smythe Trophy:Pekka Rinne, Predators

Dan Rosen, NHL.com Senior Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Columbus Blue Jackets
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy:P.K. Subban, Predators

Dave Stubbs, NHL.com Columnist

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Boston Bruins
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Vegas Golden Knights
ANA vs. SJS: Anaheim Ducks
Stanley Cup Final:Predators over Bruins
Conn Smythe Trophy:P.K. Subban, Predators

Mike Zeisberger, NHL.com Staff Writer

Eastern Conference First Round
TBL vs. NJD: Tampa Bay Lightning
BOS vs. TOR: Toronto Maple Leafs
WSH vs. CBJ: Washington Capitals
PIT vs. PHI: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round
NSH vs. COL: Nashville Predators
WPG vs. MIN: Winnipeg Jets
VGK vs. LAK: Los Angeles Kings
ANA vs. SJS: San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup Final:Penguins over Jets
Conn Smythe Trophy:Sidney Crosby, Penguins