2025 NHL Playoffs: Conference Finals Preview & Predictions to go to the Stanley Cup Finals 👀

2025 NHL Playoffs: Conference Finals Preview & Predictions to go to the Stanley Cup Finals 👀

HQ spotlight on your Monday. If you are a Panthers fan, you are feeling good. If you’re a Leafs fan, your jersey uh may be burned. Maybe it’s on the ice. Maybe it’s in the trash. The Panthers last night scored three goals in under seven minutes in the second period in game seven. Final score six to one, including the exclamation point from one Brad Marshian, who absolutely owns the Leafs in the postseason, beating Toronto for a fifth time in game sevens. The Panthers moving on, but we are asking ourselves now, is this version of the Toronto Maple Leafs absolutely done? The core for failing time and time again now in the playoffs. We’ll get to that in just in a second. Rainies reigning, excuse me, Stanley come champions to overcome a two to nothing deficit. The Panthers are good company doing it this year. Of course, they fell two games in this series. Uh Tampa Bay Lightning were able to do it back in 2022. The question is though, what is next? Can the Panthers keep it up? Let’s welcome in our very good friend Pierre Maguire. Uh I was at a watch party. I had a great time. Pierre, we were we were doing Jameson shots by the end of the second period. So it was good. Uh but let’s talk about the Leafs. I have listened to so many podcasts. The hometown humiliation was the headline of the Toronto Sun this morning and Leafs fans. So many of them expected it. But this core four, are we looking at the end of this version of the Leafs? I mean it feels like you can’t do anything else but I think so. man. And quite frankly, there’s Mitchell Monner. I think he’ll be on his way out of town. He’s got the potential to be an unrestricted free agent. Maybe the Leafs will trade his rights before he experiences unrestricted free agency. I don’t think they’ll be touching their goalending. I do think they’ll keep Austin Matthews. I do think they’ll keep Willie Knander. I’m not sure what they’ll do with John Tavaris, but there’s going to be some shaking going on in Toronto. It’s unfortunate as this team was built. This was probably the best Toronto Maple Leaf team they’ve had in the city since 2002. That’s a long time ago, I know, but this is a really good Leaf team. The unfortunate part for them, Amanda, is they ran into the defending Stanley Cup champs. They ran into a team that has character, size, grit, coaching, and elite goalending in the Florida Panthers. And the matchup was just too much for the Toronto Maple Leafs against an elite team like the Florida Panthers. I mean, yes, this matchup was too much, but if you’re talking to Leafs fans right now, I mean, they’re talking about curses. This core four 0 and six together in game sevens. I think they have a combined like 10 points in all of those games. I mean, what are you telling Leafs fans if you were saying this was the best we could do? Here are some phenomenal players and they still cannot get it done decade after decade. Now, how do you give this team hope? Well, you look at some of the star power that they have. you know that some of the adjustments can be had and can be made. They have depth and goal. They’ve got some depth on defense. They’re more positives and negatives. I know the fans are frustrated. I’ve been doing podcast and radio shows all across Canada and the northeastern part of the United States today. So, I know what you’re talking about, Amanda. But the truth of the matter is they’ve got some star power that really does resonate around the National Hockey League. And I do think it’s just some fine tuning. The number one thing they’re going to have to decide though, how much are they going to rely on analytics? How much are they going to rely on eye testing when it comes to evaluating professional players? Not draftable players, but professional players. If you look at the roster of the Florida Panthers, the team that knocked Toronto out, look at all the acquisitions made at the professional level. Most of the guys they acquired were character guys with unbelievable heart, coachability, and they were respectful of the roles that they were given by Paul Maurice and his staff. Broner needs to find more guys like that. So, let’s move on to the Eastern Conference final because the Panthers are moving on. Like you said, the defending Stanley Cup champs. Uh 17 different goal scorers. You have someone like Brad Marian on their third line and their third line is just as hot as a lot of people’s first and second. Bob is hot right now, but they’re going up against an extremely talented Carolina team. This is the team when the playoffs begin that was favored to go ahead and win the cup. What are some of the biggest storylines you’re looking for in this series? Goending matchup number one, Amanda, when you look at it, how good is the goalending gonna be for Carolina with Freddy Anderson? Will he be able to match up against Sergey Babosski? I’m not sure he can. The size factor on defense for Carolina is pretty good, but is it better than Florida’s? I don’t think so. And then it comes down to, you talked about that great third line with Marian Brewster and Lundell for Florida. I don’t know if Carolina can match the offensive impetus of that third line for the Florida Panthers. So, I think that’s a bit of a problem. But to me, the biggest thing is this is going to be a great matchup between Rod Bindore, the coach of Carolina, and Paul Maurice, who was his mentor and former coach in Carolina. So, I can’t wait to watch the coaching matchup. Obviously, the players get it done on the ice, but I think Florida’s got a bit of an edge going into this just because of overall depth and the fact that it’s a quick turnaround. They played on a Sunday night in Toronto, Randa. They play on a Tuesday night in Carolina. And that tells me they’re battle ready, whereas Carolina may have let their guard down just a little bit. Okay. I do appreciate that you brought that up because I was listening to an interview with Matthew Kachchuck this morning who was surprised that they are playing so quickly and they are coming off a game seven. Uh, the Panthers have a very slight edge according to Vegas in this series. However, of course, Carolina has home ice. Who are you taking to move on? I think Florida’s going to move on. And I mean, no disrespect meant to Carolina. I used to be the coach of their team when they were the Hartford Whalers. So, I got a lot of time and respect for the organization. All that being said, I just think Florida’s too fast. They’re too deep. They’re too skilled. They’re too coachable. And they’re they’re nasty. They are far more nasty than the Carolina Hurricanes. And that’s not a knock on Carolina. I say nasty in a nice way when I talk about the Florida Panthers. Everybody in the league would love to have a nasty team like Florida. Let’s move over to the West. Uh we get a repeat of last year as the Oilers going up against the Stars. Of course, uh look, these teams are always out for revenge against one another because they have been such competitors. The Stars now have a guy by the name of Mika Rant in. What is the biggest difference from last year when these two teams met heading into this year? what you just said, Miko Dantin and the addition of Miko Donin and the all finish line that they have uh with Miko Dantinan who plays such an important part of it. Hence, who’s such a dominant player, not just with size, but with speed and the addition of Mikail Granlin uh near the trade deadline this year. That all finish line has made a huge difference. Also, the health of Mural Heskin in has made a gigantic difference for Dallas on the back end. And right now, you’d be hardressed to argue that there’s a better goalie playing in the National Hockey League than Jakeer. So, Amanda, I think the goalending matchup goes to Dallas. The quick strike capability probably slides a little bit towards Edmonton, but the top line presence of that all finish line for Dallas makes a big difference. I give Dallas a slight edge in this one. And it’s going to be interesting to see how Edmonton fights back against this Dallas team that really is battleh hardened. I now clearly need to say Miko Ranton and more like a like a better finish person and put some respect on the finish last name there. Uh who wait did we do we get who wins the series? Yeah. Okay. Obviously, you said the stars had the slight I’m gonna say Dallas Amanda. Yeah. You know, and I apologize, but I have to tell you this. I’ve spent a lot of time in my career over in Finland. I have so much respect for the way they develop their players. I have so much respect for their fan base over there, and I try my best to try to acknowledge the way they pronounce their names. I love their country. I And I think of what is so much fun about you picking these two teams. These are the two teams that met in Finland this year. And of course, uh, Peter Dbor and Paul Maurice are very good friends. another epic co coaching match, excuse me, if we get that in the finals. Uh, we’ll let you go. Thank you so much, Mikarantin. Mikarin and I’m going to work on that. Uh, Pierre, we’ll talk to you very soon. Thanks a lot, Amanda. Take care. Coming up next here on CBS Sports HQ, the NFL players with the most to prove. We asked Brian McFaden his top five. He’ll give them to us next.

Pierre McGuire joins CBS Sports HQ to preview the upcoming Conference finals series between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars in the West, & the Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL Playoffs.

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