NHL Playoff Picture 2019: Full Postseason Bracket, Odds and Predictions

The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Wednesday with the Tampa Bay Lightning established as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

The Lightning were far and away the best team in the regular season by earning the Presidents' Trophy with 128 points, but the NHL postseason is a completely different animal.

Before 2018, zero top seeds from the Eastern and Western Conferences advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in the current playoff format.

Defending Stanley Cup champions the Washington Capitals are the top seed in the Metropolitan Division, while the Vegas Golden Knights will make a run at a championship series return as the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division.

Postseason Bracket

Odds

Stanley Cup Winner

Odds via Oddschecker

Tampa Bay (+195; Bet $100 to win $195)

Calgary (+850)

Boston (+950)

San Jose (+1,300)

Washington (+1,400)

Nashville (+1,500)

Vegas (+1,600)

Pittsburgh (+1,700)

Winnipeg (+1,900)

St. Louis (+2,000)

Toronto (+2,200)

New York Islanders (+2,300)

Columbus (+2,500)

Dallas (+2,500)

Carolina (+2,900)

Colorado (+3,000)

Predictions

Lightning Dominate East to Reach Stanley Cup Final

The Lightning have a difficult task on their hands, as they try to become the first Presidents' Trophy winner to hoist the Stanley Cup since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.

In fact, since the Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, the Presidents' Trophy winner has been eliminated before the NHL's championship series.

The Lightning are more than capable of reversing that trend over the next two months by extending their regular-season dominance into the playoffs.

Jon Cooper's team starts the postseason against the Columbus Blue Jackets, whom Tampa Bay beat on three occasions in the regular season.

The Lightning outscored the Blue Jackets 17-3 in their three regular-season meetings, and it's likely that Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Co. overwhelm the Columbus defense in a short first-round series.

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Knocking off either the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round will be difficult because they are division foes of the Lightning and know more about them than any other squad in the 16-team field.

The Bruins and Maple Leafs have tried to challenge the Lightning, but the top team in hockey earned three victories against each team, including a 6-3 triumph over the Bruins on Saturday.

In the Eastern Conference Final, the Lightning could face Washington, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Carolina Hurricanes or the New York Islanders.

The one team the Lightning don't want to see in the third round is the Islanders, who are the only team in the Eastern Conference field that gave up less than 200 goals, and they limited Tampa Bay to six goals in three regular-season meetings.

But there's no guarantee the Islanders even make it out of the Metropolitan Division with two experienced sides in Washington and Pittsburgh lining up against them.

By overpowering opponents with an offense that scored 319 goals in the regular season, the Lightning will earn their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2015.

Upsets Dominate Western Conference

The Western Conference playoff field is much more open than the Tampa Bay-dominated Eastern Conference.

The three seeded teams in the Central Division ended the regular season separated by a point, while the Dallas Stars won five of its last seven games to earn the top wild-card spot.

Although the Nashville Predators carry plenty of experience into their first-round series with Dallas, the Stars will be playing with an immense amount of confidence, especially on the road after winning three road games in a row to help secure a playoff spot.

The other wild-card team is also capable of posing danger to the top-seeded Calgary Flames in the first round.

The Colorado Avalanche won three games by one goal during a five-game stretch to help secure their playoff position, and with the Flames playing with all the pressure on their shoulders, the Avalanche could play free and challenge the Pacific Division winner.

Then there's Vegas, the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division who is looking for a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

With more experience than most teams, the Golden Knights could challenge the San Jose Sharks in the first round and Calgary if the two teams face off in the second round.

Because all three Central Division sides were so close throughout the season, all of them are capable of making a run to the championship series.

With all the quality in the West playoff field, it's hard to imagine division winners Nashville and Calgary advancing to the Western Conference Final despite holding home-ice advantage.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NHL.com.