How the NHL playoffs 2021 will work is the top four teams in each division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where each round will be best-of-7.
This year the NHL playoff predictions 2021 will be a different format where the first two rounds of the playoffs will be intradivisional, with the first-place team playing the fourth-place team and the second-place team facing the third-place team in the first round. The four teams that advance from the second round to the Semifinal Round will be seeded by their points total in the regular season (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3).
NHL Playoff Predictions 2021
Playoff Round 1
North Division Match-up
#1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs #4 Montreal Canadiens Toronto wins (4-2)
#2 Edmonton Oilers vs #3 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg wins (4-3)
West Division Match-up
#1 Vegas Golden Knights vs #4 seed St. Louis Blues Vegas wins (4-1)
#2 Colorado Avalanche vs #3 Minnesota Wild Colorado wins (4-2)
Central Division Match-up
#1 Carolina Hurricanes vs #4 Nashville Predators Carolina wins (4-1)
#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs #3 Florida Panthers Florida wins (4-3)
East Division Match-up
#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #4 New York Islanders Pittsburgh wins (4-3)
#2 Washington Capitals vs #3 Boston Bruins Boston wins (4-2)
Playoff Round 2
North Division Match-up
#1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs #3 Winnipeg Jets Toronto Wins (4-2)
West Division Match-up
#1 Vegas Golden Knights vs #2 Colorado Avalanche Colorado Wins (4-3)
Central Division Match-up
#1 Carolina Hurricanes vs #2 Florida Panthers Florida Wins (4-3)
East Division Match-up
#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #3 Boston Bruins Pittsburgh Wins (4-2)
Semifinal Round will be seeded by their points total in the regular season (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3).
#1 Florida Panthers vs #4 Colorado Avalanche Colorado Wins (4-3)
#2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs #3 Pittsburgh Penguins Toronto Wins (4-2)
2021 STANLEY CUP FINALS
#2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs #4 Colorado Avalanche Colorado Wins (4-2)
The Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup!
Remember these are only predictions and a lot can change with injuries, team chemistry, players out of shape because of COVID-19 and other issues.
caps will beat the leafs 4-2
Sorry, late to the article but why would the Bruins lose in a series to Washington when the B’s are predicted to finish first and Washington last in the Division? Makes no sense even though the Caps does have the Bruins number to a point.