The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights will begin the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday.
Carolina returns to the final for the first time since 2006 after a 12-1 postseason record. Vegas appears in the final for the third time since joining the NHL in 2017 after sweeping the Colorado Avalanche.
The Athletic polled its NHL staff on series and Conn Smythe Trophy predictions.
Series Predictions
Carolina in 4
- Fluto Shinzawa
Carolina in 6
- Corey Pronman, Julian McKenzie, Scott Wheeler, Murat Ates, Arpon Basu, Kevin Kurz, Joshua Kloke, Chris Johnston, Michael Russo, Mark Lazerus, Dom Luszczyszyn
Carolina in 7
- Aaron Portzline, Josh Yohe, Shayna Goldman
Vegas in 6
- Jesse Granger, Sean McIndoe
Vegas in 7
- Peter Baugh
Conn Smythe Predictions
Taylor Hall (CAR)
- McKenzie, Ates, Lazerus
Seth Jarvis (CAR)
- Shinzawa
Logan Stankoven (CAR)
- Basu
Jackson Blake (CAR)
- Kurz
Frederik Andersen (CAR)
- Johnston, Russo, Yohe
Mitch Marner (VGK)
- Baugh, Portzline, McIndoe
David Hart (VGK)
- Granger
Pavel Dorofeyev (VGK)
- McIndoe (noted as alternate)