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2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun, featuring intense matchups and notable injuries that could influence the outcomes. Here’s a comprehensive preview of each first-round series, including team statistics and key injury updates:​

🏒 Eastern Conference

1. Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic #1) vs. Ottawa Senators (Wild Card #2)

  • Maple Leafs: Secured the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
  • Senators: Entered as the second Wild Card team.
  • Series Outlook: Toronto is favored to advance, but the Senators aim to challenge their provincial rivals.​

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Maple Leafs:
  • Ilya Samsonov (G): Questionable for Game 1 (upper-body). If unavailable, Joseph Woll is expected to start.
  • Senators:
  • Thomas Chabot (D): Day-to-day with a shoulder injury. A huge loss if he misses time.
  • Josh Norris (F): Out for the season.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Maple Leafs: 3 wins
  • Senators: 1 win
  • Goal differential: Leafs +6

Toronto owned the Battle of Ontario in the regular season, controlling pace with their offensive depth and superior special teams.

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

  • Lightning: Finished second in the Atlantic Division.
  • Panthers: Defending Stanley Cup champions.

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Oliver Bjorkstrand (F): Out for the series (lower-body injury). A major blow to Tampa’s secondary scoring.
  • Florida Panthers
  • Matthew Tkachuk (F): Recovering from a groin injury but is expected to return during the series. His return could swing momentum.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Panthers: 3 wins
  • Lightning: 1 win
  • Goal differential: Panthers +7

The Panthers had the edge during the regular season, using their speed and physicality to disrupt Tampa’s rhythm.

3. Washington Capitals (Metropolitan #1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (Wild Card #1)

  • Capitals: Clinched the Metropolitan Division title.
  • Canadiens: Secured the first Wild Card spot.
  • Series Outlook: Washington is favored, but Montreal seeks to upset the division leaders.​ FanSided+4CBSSports.com+4Bleacher Report+4

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Capitals:
  • Tom Wilson (F): Day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Known for physical playoff presence—his status is important.
  • Canadiens:
  • Kaiden Guhle (D): Likely out for the series with a lower-body injury. Weakens an already thin blue line.
  • Sean Monahan (F): Questionable with a nagging groin injury.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Capitals: 2 wins
  • Canadiens: 2 wins
  • Goal differential: Even (11–11)

The season series was split evenly, suggesting a more competitive series than standings might imply. Every game was tightly contested, with both teams trading wins on home ice.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan #2) vs. New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan #3)

  • Hurricanes: Finished second in the Metropolitan Division.
  • Devils: Secured the third spot in the Metropolitan Division.
  • Series Outlook: Carolina is heavily favored, but New Jersey aims to challenge with their offensive prowess.​ Bleacher Report

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Hurricanes:
  • Andrei Svechnikov (F): Out for the playoffs (ACL). Huge blow to their top-six.
  • Frederik Andersen (G): Day-to-day with a groin issue. Antti Raanta or Pyotr Kochetkov likely to start.
  • Devils:
  • Dougie Hamilton (D): Questionable (upper-body). Big piece of their power play and puck movement.
  • Jack Hughes (F): Out for the playoffs (Shoulder)

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Hurricanes: 3 wins
  • Devils: 1 win
  • Goal differential: Hurricanes +9

Carolina dominated the regular season series, using their structured defensive system to neutralize New Jersey’s high-tempo offense.

🏒 Western Conference

1. Winnipeg Jets (Central #1) vs. St. Louis Blues (Wild Card #2)

  • Jets: Won the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s top team.
  • Blues: Entered as the second Wild Card team.
  • Series Outlook: Winnipeg is favored to advance, but St. Louis seeks to capitalize on their playoff experience.​ CBSSports.com+1The Guardian+1

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Jets:
  • Gabriel Vilardi (F): Day-to-day with an upper-body injury; expected to return mid-series.
  • Blues:
  • Colton Parayko (D): Nursing a lower-body issue. Questionable for Game 1.
  • Pavel Buchnevich (F): Banged up but likely to play—effectiveness may be limited.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Jets: 3 wins
  • Blues: 1 win
  • Goal differential: Jets +8

Winnipeg controlled most of the season series with their balanced attack and stifling team defense, outscoring St. Louis in transition and off the cycle.

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

  • Stars: Finished second in the Central Division.
  • Avalanche: Secured the third spot in the Central Division.

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Dallas Stars:
  • Jason Robertson (F): Week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Missed Game 1, and his status remains uncertain.
  • Miro Heiskanen (D): Also missed Game 1 with an upper-body injury. His status for the series is uncertain.
  • Colorado Avalanche:
  • Gabriel Landeskog (F): Recently returned after missing most of the season. His effectiveness remains a question mark, but he adds depth to the top-six.
  • Valeri Nichushkin (F): Day-to-day with a lower-body injury but expected to play through the issue.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Stars: 2 wins
  • Avalanche: 2 wins
  • Goal differential: Stars +3

This series was evenly split in the regular season, with each team taking a game at home. The matchups were close, reflecting the balanced nature of these two teams—both fast, skilled, and capable of overwhelming opponents.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific #1) vs. Minnesota Wild (Wild Card #1)

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Golden Knights:
  • Mark Stone (F): Out indefinitely with a back injury. A key piece of their leadership group, Stone’s absence could impact their overall offensive power.
  • Chandler Stephenson (F): Day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, but expected to play.
  • Wild:
  • Matt Boldy (F): Out for the series with a lower-body injury. A significant loss for Minnesota’s second line, as Boldy has been a key scorer this season.
  • Jared Spurgeon (D): Day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but likely to suit up. His presence is vital to Minnesota’s defensive stability.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Golden Knights: 3 wins
  • Wild: 1 win
  • Goal differential: Golden Knights +7

Vegas had a commanding regular season against Minnesota, controlling possession and outplaying them in all but one game. The Wild struggled to break through Vegas’ defensive schemes.

4. Los Angeles Kings (Pacific #2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (Pacific #3)

  • Kings: Finished second in the Pacific Division.
  • Oilers: Secured the third spot in the Pacific Division.

🤕 Key Injuries

  • Kings:
  • Drew Doughty (D): Day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but expected to play. Doughty is crucial to their defensive core and power play.
  • Viktor Arvidsson (F): Out for the series with a shoulder injury. His absence weakens their top-six forward depth.
  • Oilers:
  • Evander Kane (F): Day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be available, but his mobility could be limited.
  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (F): Questionable with a groin injury. His status is uncertain, and if he’s unavailable, Edmonton loses depth in their top-nine.

📊 Regular Season Head-to-Head (2024–25)

  • Kings: 2 wins
  • Oilers: 2 wins
  • Goal differential: Oilers +5

The season series was as close as it gets, with each team winning on the road. Both teams have offensive firepower and a clear identity—Edmonton thrives on their explosive offense, while the Kings focus on a balanced, defensive approach.

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