The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway this weekend and the ice is set for an exciting postseason. Taking center stage as two of the league’s juggernauts: the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals.
Winnipeg finished the regular season with a league-best 56–22–4 record and their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. Their season success has been led by their elite goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, who finished the regular season with an astounding 2.00 goals-against average and 47 wins. Offensively, Kyle Connor led the squad scoring 97 points, putting the Jets as the most complete team in the Western Conference.
“Winnipeg and Washington have had unreal years,” Stevenson ACHA defensemen Evan Wackowski said. “Hellebuyck is, in my opinion, the best American goalie of all time.”
Out in the east, the Washington Capitals ended the season at 51–22–9 and finished first in the Metropolitan Division. They entered the playoffs with good momentum and growth after setting the league on fire when their captain, Alex Ovechkin, scored his 895th career goal to surpass Wayne Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.
“That kind of moment gives the entire locker room a lift,” said Stevenson ACHA forward Alex Wallin. “This team is balanced and battle tested.”
While the Capitals were just embarrassed by a 7–0 loss at the hands of Columbus, their veteran leadership and passage to the playoffs makes them a team to beware in the playoffs.
Beyond the conference leaders, the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers may have the firepower to challenge for the Cup. The Stars have quietly fashioned one of the most consistently playoff contenders in the NHL, having made the Western Conference Finals three out of the past five seasons. They have added a player with playoff pedigree to an already experienced roster with the addition of Mikko Rantanen.
“Dallas has a deep playoff pedigree,” Wallin said. “With Rantanen, they’ve got the missing piece.”
The Edmonton Oilers, meanwhile, are the ultimate X-factor. Though inconsistent at times, the presence of generational talents Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl means Edmonton can never be counted out.
“People forget what McDavid can do,” Steveneson ACHA forward Noah Weber said. “When his game is on, that team wins — plain and simple.”
Wackowski added a word of caution, pointing to the Los Angeles Kings as a first-round sleeper that could challenge the Oilers. “McDavid can’t win games by himself. L.A. has a deep roster and could give Edmonton real problems early.”
There were differing predictions for who might make it to the Stanley Cup Final. Wallin sees a showdown between the Jets and Maple Leafs, praising Toronto’s 52–26–4 record and their deep, resilient lineup. Wackowski predicts a high-octane final between the Jets and the Carolina Hurricanes, citing their young core and strong playoff atmosphere. Weber leans toward either Edmonton or Dallas emerging from the West, facing Carolina in the final.
With star power excitement, terrific stories and possible surprises all around, something tells me the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will deliver in spades from puck drop to whistle. Major first-round matchups include Blues at Jets, Avalanche at Stars, Devils at Hurricanes, Senators at Maple Leafs and Oilers at Kings. And the action kicks off Saturday, April 19. If the regular season has told us anything, it’s that we are in for one crazy ride.
