The first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs was a doozy, including five series going to Game 7 — and two of those Game 7’s going to overtime.

Now we’re onto the second round, which features four superb matchups: Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers.

It’s time for our experts to go on the record with their predictions on which four teams will make it one step closer to the Stanley Cup Final, which is returning to ABC this season.

More: Full playoff schedule
Lessons from Round 1
Offseason keys for eliminated teams

Atlantic Division

Sean Allen: Panthers in six
Blake Bolden: Panthers in seven
Brian Boucher: Panthers in six
John Buccigross: Panthers in seven
Ryan Callahan: Panthers in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Lightning in six
Sachin Chandan: Panthers in seven
Linda Cohn: Panthers in seven
Rick DiPietro: Panthers in seven
Ray Ferraro: Panthers in seven
Leah Hextall: Panthers in seven
Emily Kaplan: Lightning in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Lightning in six
Hilary Knight: Lightning in seven
Don La Greca: Panthers in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning in six
Steve Levy: Panthers in seven
Victoria Matiash: Panthers in seven
Sean McDonough: Panthers in seven
Mark Messier: Lightning in seven
AJ Mleczko: Lightning in seven
Arda Öcal: Lightning in six
Kristen Shilton: Lightning in six
John Tortorella: Panthers in seven
Kevin Weekes: Lightning in seven
Bob Wischusen: Panthers in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in six

Consensus pick: Panthers, 17/27


Metropolitan Division

Allen: Rangers in seven
Bolden: Hurricanes in six
Boucher: Hurricanes in six
Buccigross: Hurricanes in seven
Callahan: Hurricanes in six
Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes in five
Chandan: Hurricanes in five
Cohn: Rangers in seven
DiPietro: Hurricanes in six
Ferraro: Hurricanes in six
Hextall: Hurricanes in six
Kaplan: Hurricanes in seven
Kavanagh: Hurricanes in six
Knight: Hurricanes in six
La Greca: Hurricanes in six
Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven
Levy: Rangers in seven
Matiash: Rangers in seven
McDonough: Hurricanes in seven
Messier: Rangers in six
Mleczko: Hurricanes in seven
Öcal: Rangers in seven
Shilton: Hurricanes in six
Tortorella: Hurricanes in six
Weekes: Rangers in seven
Wischusen: Rangers in seven
Wyshynski: Hurricanes in five

Consensus pick: Hurricanes, 19/27


Central Division

Allen: Avalanche in five
Bolden: Avalanche in six
Boucher: Avalanche in six
Buccigross: Avalanche in seven
Callahan: Avalanche in seven
Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche in six
Chandan: Blues in six
Cohn: Avalanche in seven
DiPietro: Avalanche in seven
Ferraro: Avalanche in six
Hextall: Avalanche in five
Kaplan: Avalanche in six
Kavanagh: Blues in seven
Knight: Avalanche in seven
La Greca: Avalanche in five
Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche in six
Levy: Avalanche in five
Matiash: Avalanche in six
McDonough: Avalanche in seven
Messier: Avalanche in seven
Mleczko: Avalanche in six
Öcal: Avalanche in five
Shilton: Avalanche in seven
Tortorella: Avalanche in six
Weekes: Blues in seven
Wischusen: Avalanche in six
Wyshynski: Blues in seven

Consensus pick: Avalanche, 23/27


Pacific Division

Allen: Flames in six
Bolden: Flames in seven
Boucher: Flames in six
Buccigross: Flames in six
Callahan: Flames in five
Campbell-Pascall: Flames in six
Chandan: Flames in six
Cohn: Oilers in six
DiPietro: Flames in six
Ferraro: Flames in seven
Hextall: Flames in six
Kaplan: Flames in six
Kavanagh: Oilers in seven
Knight: Flames in six
La Greca: Flames in six
Lawrence-Riddell: Flames in seven
Levy: Flames in seven
Matiash: Flames in seven
McDonough: Flames in seven
Messier: Oilers in six
Mleczko: Flames in six
Öcal: Oilers in seven
Shilton: Flames in six
Tortorella: Flames in six
Weekes: Flames in seven
Wischusen: Flames in seven
Wyshynski: Flames in seven

Consensus pick: Flames, 23/27

The Kansas City Chiefs are 2019 NFC Champs - get your gear on at Fanatics