Puck Daddy’s Stanley Cup Final prognostications!

It’s the final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Chicago Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning are vying for the Holy Grail of Hockey.

Which team will skate the Cup at series’ end? Here’s what our esteemed panel of experts say:

Sean Leahy, Puck Daddy Editor

Tampa in 6

Conn Smythe: Tyler Johnson

I predicted this match-up before the playoffs and while every blind squirrel can find a nut, both Tampa and Chicago have shown why many had faith they would be playing for the Stanley Cup in June.

The Lightning aren't going to try and wear down the Blackhawks like Anaheim thought would work. You can't do that to them, especially with two full days off in-between Games 1 and 2 and 4 and 5, allowing for much-needed rest. Tampa will just do what they did to the Rangers in the conference final: win the neutral zone battle, force turnovers and be carried by their top two lines. The "Triplets" and the trio of Stamkos, Killorn and Filppula have handled the offensive burden just fine. If they can finally get their bottom six to chip in, that'd be a bonus.

Josh Cooper, Puck Daddy Editor

Blackhawks in 6

Conn Smythe: Duncan Keith

The Blackhawks completely won me over in their Western Conference Final win over the Anaheim Ducks. Chicago showed that when you have arguably the best forward in the NHL in Jonathan Toews and the best defenseman in Duncan Keith, you’re a tough out. Those two guys are playing at another level right now, and everyone on the Hawks follows them. Tampa has a ton of skill and speed and has learned a lot this postseason. Lightning coach Jon Cooper has an excellent pulse on this group and is smart at making adjustments. But Chicago’s forward depth and experience will overcome the Lightning. Tampa’s time will come, just not this year.

Jen Neale, Puck Daddy Editor

Chicago in 5

I think this is a great match up, but Chicago is, once again, the better team going into the series.

A lot of the focus has been on Joel Quenneville’s decision to play essentially four defensemen. Throughout the Anaheim series, there was constant discussion over fatigue being a factor. As everyone waited for it to happen, it never did. The four main defensemen, and Duncan Keith specifically, seemed to get better, not tired, as the series went on. If the fatigue hasn’t hit them yet, I don’t see it hitting them now. Worst case scenario is many multiple overtime games with a fast skating Tampa Bay team, but again, Chicago seems to be able to handle all that.

Tampa will have their hands full with the three-headed monster of Toews, Kane, and Saad, who took over the Western Conference Final when paired together. I don’t think Tampa has the pieces in place to stop the constant wave of Blackhawks push back. I hate to get cliche, but Chicago just has ‘it’ right now. They look as confident as LA was last year.

Conn Smythe: Jonathan Toews. The man is a straight up beast, slaying the best centers in the league one after another.

Ryan Lambert, Puck Daddy columnist

Tampa in 7

I picked the Lightning to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the season (though I had them doing it over the Sharks, which looking back I cannot begin to understand, given the Sharks actively made their roster worse), and I've seen little to dissuade me from believing that they are marginally better than Chicago.

Basically, I have faith that the Lightning's forward corps can do just a little bit more to run Chicago's "Let's Use 4.5 Defensemen!" game plan ragged than the Anaheim's did. Okay, probably a lot more. Meanwhile, Chicago's own forward group should give the Bolts' D more fits than New York did, so it's possible that we're looking at another fairly high-scoring series.

Just the fact that Tampa has Steven Stamkos playing out of position and on what is effectively the second line should tell you everything you need to know about how deep that team is up front. Not that Chicago isn't just about at the same level, and not that this won't be a close series, but I think Tampa just has the slightest of edges.

Conn Smythe winner: Steven Stamkos

Darryl “Dobber” Dobbs, Yahoo Fantasy

Tampa Bay in 5

Yes, Chicago will probably win. Yes, they always find a way. Yes, Jonathan Toews won't let them lose. Yes, they've spoiled two consecutive rounds for me. Yes, they cost me a few hundred bucks in playoff pools. So I'm calling Tampa - so either my anger will be complete and I become one with the dark side, or I look like a genius for being one of the few to call a TB upset. Actually, this series reminds me of 1995. Detroit was supposed to destroy the Devils. Destroy. And even when the Devils were up two games to zip, I still bet my Dad a 12-pack that the Red Wings would come back and easily win. Well, the underdog Devils swept it. That's the "underdog" feeling I'm getting here.

Conn Smythe: Tyler Johnson 

Sam McCaig, Yahoo Sports Editor

Blackhawks in 5

Take heart, Lightning fans, this is great news. Given my phenomenal lack of of success in making playoff predictions this spring, this surely guarantees that the upstart Bolts will knock off the pseudo-dynastic Blackhawks and claim their second Stanley Cup title in franchise history.

My case for the Blackhawks: Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Plus, Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Brandon Saad. Chicago's combination of star power, experience and ability to come through in the clutch is too much for Tampa Bay this time around. I like the comparison to the 1983 Cup final between the New York Islanders and the young-gun Edmonton Oilers. The Isles won that one to capture a fourth straight title, but the Oilers learned from defeat and rose up to form a dynasty in their own right in the ensuing years.

Conn Smythe: Duncan Keith

Greg Wyshynski, Puck Daddy Editor

Here's my five reasons the Blackhawks will win in 6:

I'll go with Duncan Keith for the Conn Smythe.