SBD’s Knowledgeable NHL Playoff Brackets and Stanley Cup Picks

The Tampa Bay Lightning gained the Stanley Cup final 12 months, however who will hoist Lord Stanley this 12 months? (Photograph by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire)

• The 16-team 2021 NHL Playoffs begin on Saturday, Might fifteenth
• Every member of SBD’s editorial staff has accomplished their bracket
• See which upsets every knowledgeable is selecting, together with their greatest wager to win the 2021 Stanley Cup

The 2021 NHL Playoffs are lastly right here. Now, I do know filling out a bracket will be overwhelming, particularly with a shortened season and 16 completely different groups to select from, however we’re right here to assist. Our SBD specialists stuffed out their brackets for the complete playoffs and in addition supplied you with their greatest bets to hoist the 2021 Stanley Cup.

The favourite heading within the Stanley Cup odds heading into the playoffs are the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are listed at +450 to win Lord Stanley and have been the favorites again in September when odds opened up for the season.

>> Obtain Printable 2021 NHL Playoffs Bracket <<

2021 Stanley Cup Picks

Aside from their Stanley Cup picks, you will get a full take a look at every knowledgeable’s bracket under:

Ryan Sura | Ryan Metivier | Sascha Paruk | Mitch Robson

Ryan Sura’s NHL Playoff Bracket

Ryan Sura’s 2021 Stanley Cup Decide

• Stanley Cup Decide: Carolina Hurricanes (+750)

Regardless of fixed roadblocks, the Hurricanes persistently confirmed this 12 months they will compete with the very best. They beat the Lightning 4 occasions on their technique to their first division title since 2005-2006. That 05-06 Stanley Cup successful staff was led by former Hurricanes captain, and now head coach, Rob Brind’Amour. Coincidence? I believe not.

y – Carolina Hurricanes

The #LetsGoCanes are the 2021 Central Division winners! pic.twitter.com/WQAUH2mrQ8

— NHL Information (@PuckReportNHL) Might 8, 2021

The Canes head into the playoffs with the second-best energy play unit. To not point out, they’ve the fifth-best Corsi % within the league and have buried groups with their fixed strain and resiliency. Sebastian Aho has tasted defeat within the playoffs twice in his early profession, and he’s already sick of it.

Carolina faces Nashville within the first spherical, a staff they’ve beat six out of eight occasions this season. I believe they deal with the Preds no downside, after which their actual take a look at will come towards the Lightning or Panthers. Deep playoff runs are a staple in Carolina after they make the playoffs (Convention Finals in 02, 06, 09, 19).

If Alex Nedeljkovic can play wherever close to the extent he has this season they are going to make a aggressive run for the 2021 Stanley Cup. At +750, I believe they nonetheless supply tons of worth. Lock it in.

Ryan Metivier’s NHL Playoff Bracket

Ryan Metiviers’s 2021 Stanley Cup Decide

• Stanley Cup Winner: Carolina Hurricanes (+750)

The Hurricanes have been 6-2-0-0 towards their first spherical opponents the Nashville Predators, with these two losses coming within the Canes’ ultimate two video games of the season, as soon as they’d already locked up the division.

Whether or not it’s Tampa or Florida who they face within the second spherical (I’m selecting the Panthers), they’ve had success towards each as properly at 4-3-0-1 and 6-0-0-2 respectively.

What an 🍎!

Alex Nedeljkovic units up Dougie Hamilton for the @Canes @SUBWAYCanada OT Winner! 🚨 #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/alboUynQEG

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) Might 2, 2021

The Canes have three sturdy goaltenders in Nedeljkovic (1.90 GAA), Mrazek (2.06) and Reimer (2.66). Each Nedeljkovic and Reimer every gained over 20 video games this season.

Caroline boasts steadiness scoring with eight gamers recording double-digit targets, allowed the fourth-fewest targets within the NHL and misplaced simply thrice all season at dwelling in regulation, someplace they’ll be taking part in typically because the Central’s prime staff.

I could also be from Toronto and could also be selecting the Leafs to make the ultimate, however I’ve lived by means of method too a few years (a long time) of failure to anticipate them to get the job completed. I’ll take the extra battled-tested Canes to prevail over the Leafs within the Stanley Cup Ultimate.

Sascha Paruk’s NHL Playoff Bracket

Sascha Paruk’s 2021 Stanley Cup Decide

• Stanley Cup Winner: Nashville Predators (+4000)

Nashville is listed at +4000, the longest odds within the discipline, and that’s utterly insane.

The Preds have constructive Fenwick and Excessive-Hazard-Probabilities ratios. They enter the postseason red-hot, going 20-8 (together with OT and shootouts) since March 15, and 12 of these wins have been by a minimum of two targets. Juuse Saros has turn into a reliable top-ten beginning goalie. They misplaced six in a row towards Carolina – their first-round opponent – from Jan 18th to April seventeenth, however dominated the ultimate two matchups final week.

Juuse Saros is within the midst of his first profession 20-win season and backstopped the @PredsNHL to a playoff berth on Saturday.#NHLStats: https://t.co/MEADo2g3JT pic.twitter.com/qfMSKvoFed

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) Might 9, 2021

Are the Predators more likely to win the Cup? No, not by my calculations. Do they should have shorter odds than this? Sure. Even when they solely have a 40% likelihood to win every of their 4 potential sequence, they’re nonetheless a very good worth play at +4000.

Mitch Robson’s NHL Playoff Bracket

Mitch Robson’s 2021 Stanley Cup Decide

• Stanley Cup Decide: Vegas Golden Knights (+550)

Having watched about 5 minutes of NHL hockey this season, I’m going to take a stab with the Golden Knights to seize their first Stanley Cup. Though offense appears to be the important thing successful all of it as of late, I’m shopping for into the Jennings award successful Vegas squad to turn into the eighth staff up to now forty seasons to stroll away with the Cup at season’s finish.

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