The first-round matchups are set for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and 16 teams will begin their journey toward hockey's ultimate prize. Only eight of them will make it past this first round, and we're here making picks for which teams will stay alive to fight another round.

The Stanley Cup playoffs will air across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and truTV. You can stream the TNT/truTV games on Max (with a premium subscription) and watch all the games with the help of a live TV streaming service like DirecTV, Fubo or Sling.

The Stanley Cup has been won by an 8-seed in the past. Top teams go out in the first round all the time. Even those who don’t love hockey have a hard time avoiding the NHL Playoffs, which is non-stop intensity for almost two months.