The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday, April 19, with the first round, and as we do every year, The Fourth Period’s panel of experts weigh in with their Predictions and Series MVPs. Here are our picks for Round 1:

Metropolitan Predictions

Montreal Canadiens (WC2) vs. Washington Capitals (1)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 5 Pierre-Luc Dubois

Belle

 in 6 Tom Wilson

Bernstein

 in 5 Dylan Strome

Calabretta

 in 6 Nick Suzuki

Hutcheon

 in 4 Alex Ovechkin

Pagnotta

 in 7 Tom Wilson

Paton

 in 5 Tom Wilson

Pettersen

 in 7 Lane Hutson

Ward

 in 6 Alex Ovechkin

New Jersey Devils (3) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 4 Seth Jarvis

Belle

 in 6 Seth Jarvis

Bernstein

 in 7 Seth Jarvis

Calabretta

 in 5 Sebastian Aho

Hutcheon

 in 5 Logan Stankoven

Pagnotta

 in 5 Seth Jarvis

Paton

 in 5 Jesper Bratt

Pettersen

 in 6 Nico Hischier

Ward

 in 6 Logan Stankoven

Atlantic Predictions

Ottawa Senators (WC1) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (1)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 5 Mitch Marner

Belle

 in 7 Brady Tkachuk

Bernstein

 in 6 Linus Ullmark

Calabretta

 in 6 William Nylander

Hutcheon

 in 6 William Nylander

Pagnotta

 in 6 Mitch Marner

Paton

 in 5 Anthony Stolarz

Pettersen

 in 6 Brady Tkachuk

Ward

 in 7 Matthew Knies

Florida Panthers (3) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 6 Brayden Point

Belle

 in 7 Brandon Hagel

Bernstein

 in 5 Nikita Kucherov

Calabretta

 in 7 Nikita Kucherov

Hutcheon

 in 7 Carter Verhaeghe

Pagnotta

 in 7 Sam Reinhart

Paton

 in 6 Jake Guentzel

Pettersen

 in 7 Sergei Bobrovsky

Ward

 in 7 Andrei Vasilevskiy

Central Predictions

St. Louis Blues (WC2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 7 Robert Thomas

Belle

 in 5 Connor Hellebuyck

Bernstein

 in 7 Kyle Connor

Calabretta

 in 6 Connor Hellebuyck

Hutcheon

 in 7 Mark Scheifele

Pagnotta

 in 5 Kyle Connor

Paton

 in 6 Jordan Binnington

Pettersen

 in 5 Connor Hellebuyck

Ward

 in 6 Kyle Connor

Colorado Avalanche (3) vs. Dallas Stars (2)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 6 Cale Makar

Belle

 in 7 Cale Makar

Bernstein

 in 5 Nathan MacKinnon

Calabretta

 in 7 Nathan MacKinnon

Hutcheon

 in 7 Cale Makar

Pagnotta

 in 7 Wyatt Johnston

Paton

 in 6 Nathan MacKinnon

Pettersen

 in 7 Jake Oettinger

Ward

 in 7 Martin Necas

Pacific Predictions

Minnesota Wild (WC2) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (1)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 5 Jack Eichel

Belle

 in 6 Jack Eichel

Bernstein

 in 4 Jack Eichel

Calabretta

 in 5 Jack Eichel

Hutcheon

 in 5 Jack Eichel

Pagnotta

 in 5 Adin Hill

Paton

 in 6 Jack Eichel

Pettersen

 in 5 Jack Eichel

Ward

 in 5 Jack Eichel

Edmonton Oilers (3) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2)

TFP Panel

Series Winner

Series MVP

Bamford

 in 7 Kevin Fiala

Belle

 in 6 Leon Draisaitl

Bernstein

 in 6 Kevin Fiala

Calabretta

 in 7 Adrian Kempe

Hutcheon

 in 6 Adrian Kempe

Pagnotta

 in 6 Quinton Byfield

Paton

 in 5 Darcy Kuemper

Pettersen

 in 6 Connor McDavid

Ward

 in 6 Adrian Kempe

TFP Experts:

Tab Bamford - Columnist, Chicago
Shawn Belle - Former NHLer, Host of Hello Hockey
Dennis Bernstein - Sr. Writer
David Calabretta - Montreal Correspondent
Shawn Hutcheon - Boston Correspondent
David Pagnotta - Editor-in-Chief
Ryan Paton - Host, The Hot Stove on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio
Kate Pettersen - Host, TFP Playoffs
Aaron Ward - NHL Analyst, 3-time Stanley Cup Champion