The race for the Stanley Cup is wide open, but the eventual champ will come out of the Western Conference, according to a panel of NHL.com writers and editors.

A total of 15 staff members made their preseason predictions and five picked the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Cup, four picked the Dallas Stars and three picked the Colorado Avalanche. One staffer picked the Edmonton Oilers, while the only Eastern Conference teams to get a pick were the two-time defending Cup champion Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes.

The winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is more wide open, with Mitch Marner of the Golden Knights, Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen of the Stars each getting three votes. Jack Eichel of the G

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