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 champion Washington is the top seed in the Metropolitan Division, while the Vegas Golden Knights will make a run at a championship series return as the No.