The second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs is set to begin. Which teams will win their next series and earn their spot in the conference finals?
Before the round begins, ESPN's experts have identified their picks for each matchup, including the number of games it will take to clinch the series W.
Note: Picks for the Atlantic Division series between the Buffalo Sabres and the winner of Sunday's Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens game will appear here after the matchup is determined.
More: Full schedule
Stanley Cup odds
Offseason guide for eliminated teams
Atlantic Division
A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.
A3 Montreal
Canadiens
Sean Allen: Sabres in six
Roxy Bernstein: Sabres in six
John Buccigross: Sabres in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Sabres in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Canadiens in six
Sachin Chandan: Sabres in seven
Meghan Chayka: Sabres in seven
Ryan S. Clark: Canadiens in seven
Gregg Colli: Canadiens in seven
Ray Ferraro: Sabres in seven
Erik Johnson: Canadiens in six
Emily Kaplan: Sabres in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Canadiens in six
Rachel Kryshak: Sabres in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Sabres in six
Steve Levy: Sabres in five
Vince Masi: Sabres in seven
Victoria Matiash: Sabres in seven
Mark Messier: Canadiens in seven
Mike Monaco: Sabres in seven
Arda Öcal: Sabres in six
T.J. Oshie: Sabres in six
Kristen Shilton: Sabres in six
Bob Wischusen: Sabres in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Sabres in six
Consensus prediction: Sabres (19 of 25 picks)
Metropolitan Division
M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.
M3 Philadelphia
Flyers
Sean Allen: Hurricanes in five
Roxy Bernstein: Hurricanes in six
John Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Hurricanes in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in seven
Sachin Chandan: Hurricanes in six
Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes in five
Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes in seven
Gregg Colli: Hurricanes in six
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes in five
Erik Johnson: Hurricanes in six
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes in six
Tim Kavanagh: Flyers in six
Rachel Kryshak: Hurricanes in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in six
Steve Levy: Hurricanes in six
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in six
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in five
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes in six
Mark Messier: Hurricanes in six
Arda Öcal: Flyers in seven
T.J. Oshie: Hurricanes in six
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in six
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes in six
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes in five
Consensus prediction: Hurricanes (23 of 25 picks)
Central Division
C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.
C3 Minnesota
Wild
Sean Allen: Wild in seven
Roxy Bernstein: Avalanche in seven
John Buccigross: Avalanche in seven
Stormy Buonantony: Wild in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in seven
Sachin Chandan: Wild in seven
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche in six
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche in seven
Gregg Colli: Wild in seven
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche in seven
Erik Johnson: Avalanche in seven
Emily Kaplan: Wild in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche in six
Rachel Kryshak: Avalanche in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche in seven
Steve Levy: Avalanche in seven
Vince Masi: Wild in six
Victoria Matiash: Wild in seven
Sean McDonough: Avalanche in seven
Mark Messier: Wild in seven
Mike Monaco: Avalanche in five
Arda Öcal: Wild in six
T.J. Oshie: Avalanche in seven
Kristen Shilton: Avalanche in seven
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche in seven
Consensus prediction: Avalanche (17 of 26 picks)
Pacific Division
P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.
P3 Anaheim
Ducks
Sean Allen: Golden Knights in six
Roxy Bernstein: Golden Knights in six
John Buccigross: Golden Knights in six
Stormy Buonantony: Golden Knights in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Ducks in six
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights in five
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights in five
Ryan S. Clark: Ducks in seven
Gregg Colli: Golden Knights in six
Ray Ferraro: Ducks in seven
Erik Johnson: Golden Knights in six
Emily Kaplan: Ducks in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Ducks in six
Rachel Kryshak: Golden Knights in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in seven
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in six
Vince Masi: Ducks in seven
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in six
Mike Monaco: Golden Knights in six
Arda Öcal: Ducks in seven
T.J. Oshie: Golden Knights in six
Kristen Shilton: Ducks in six
Bob Wischusen: Ducks in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights in six
Consensus prediction: Golden Knights (15 of 24 picks)
