Levine’s 2014-2015 NHL predictions

The 2014-2015 NHL season is upon us. This season will be one of the more exciting seasons in recent memory after a great round of playoffs at the end of last year. The Los Angeles Kings, the hometown defending Stanley Cup champs, will have to get through a brutal Western Conference to repeat.

In the Eastern conference, most teams have improved from a season ago and will try unseat the Rangers as the Stanley Cup Finals representatives. Predictions are always fun so here are my predictions for each division standings and the 16 teams that will make the playoffs:

Can King Henrik lead the Rangers back to the Stanley Cup Finals again this season? By Robert Kowal, via Wikimedia Commons

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning (2)

Boston Bruins (3)

Montreal Canadiens (5)

Detroit Red Wings

Toronto Maple Leafs

Ottawa Senators

Florida Panthers

Buffalo Sabres

Metropolitan Division

Pittsburgh Penguins (1)

New York Rangers (4)

Columbus Blue Jackets (6)

New Jersey Devils (7, wild card team)

New York Islanders (8, wild card team)

Philadelphia Flyers

Washington Capitals

Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference:

Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks (1)

Dallas Stars (4)

Minnesota Wild (5)

St Louis Blues (7, wild card team)

Colorado Avalanche

Nashville Predators

Winnipeg Jets

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks (2)

Los Angeles Kings (3)

San Jose Sharks (6)

Vancouver Canucks (8, wild card team)

Calgary Flames

Phoenix Coyotes

Edmonton Oilers

Playoffs:

Eastern Conference:

#1. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 New York Islanders, (Islanders in 7 games)

#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #7 New Jersey Devils, (Lightning in 6 games)

#3 Boston Bruins vs. #5 Montreal Canadiens, (Bruins in 5 games)

#4 New York Rangers vs. #6 Columbus Blue Jackets (Rangers in 6 games)

Western Conference:

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #8 Vancouver Canucks, (Blackhawks in 4 games)

#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #7 St Louis Blues, (Ducks in 6 games)

#3 Los Angeles Kings vs. #6 San Jose Sharks, (Kings in 6 games)

#4 Dallas Stars vs. #5 Minnesota Wild, (Wild in 7 games)

Semi Finals:

Eastern Conference:

#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #3 Boston Bruins, (Lighting in 7 games)

#4 New York Rangers vs. #8 New York Islanders, (Rangers in 6 games)

Western Conference:

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #4 Minnesota Wild, (Wild in 6 games)

#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #3 Los Angeles Kings, (Ducks in 7 games)

Eastern Conference Finals:

#2 Tampa Bay Lighting vs. #4 New York Rangers, (Lightning in 5 games)

Western Conference Finals:

#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Minnesota Wild, (Ducks in 7 games)

Stanley Cup Finals:

#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #2 Anaheim Ducks, (Lightning in 6 games)