With the NHL regular season over and the first round of the playoffs set, the Stars-Wild predictions are coming in hot from around the hockey world.

Early consensus is that the Stars will be moving on to the next round. But the number of games they'll need varies by predictor.

Toronto Star

Kevin McGran: Stars in 6

"The thank-goodness-we-didn't-have-to-play-Chicago series. ... Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza contributed to the NHL's most potent offence at 3.23 goals per game. Minnesota is the best playoff-bound team when it comes to faceoffs (52.5 per cent) but their overall possession numbers (47.9 per cent) suggest they won't be around long."

CBS

Adam Gretz: Stars in 6

Chris Peters: Stars in 5

Both says they "are looking at the Minnesota Wild as a team that has the longest odds to get out of the first round. They limped into the playoffs and will play a Dallas Stars team that looks like a well-oiled offensive machine, with or without Tyler Seguin."

ESPN

Steve Buccigross: Stars in 5

Scott Burnside: Stars in 5

Linda Cohn: Stars in 5

Craig Custance: Stars in 6

Paul Grant: Stars in 5

Tim Kavanaugh: Stars in 6

Pierre LeBrun: Stars in 5

Steve Levy: Stars in 5

Joe McDonald: Stars in 5

Barry Melrose: Stars in 6

From Burnside: "There are lots of reasons to think the Stars will walk over the Wild, including the fact that the Wild staggered into the postseason with five straight losses. Of course, this is the beauty of the playoffs, no? Clean slate, etc. The Wild are a better team than they've shown for most of this season, and there's no better time to prove that point. As for the Stars, they believe they have the makings of a championship team in their locker room. This is a good time to start making that case."

"The only way the Stars lose this series, apart from cataclysmic injury to most of their star players," Burnside says, "is if the goaltending comes undone completely and head coach Lindy Ruff can't find the right pattern for choosing his starter."

Burnside also predicts that Patrick Sharp will be the series MVP for the Stars.

TSN

Scott Cullen: Stars in 5

"The Stars have been one of the most fun teams to watch all season, with an up-tempo attacking style, and if they get Tyler Seguin back from his Achilles injury, they will have the horses to push the attack. Minnesota stumbled down the stretch, yet still reached the playoffs, but they're also dealing with some injuries and it looks like they will need a standout performance in net from Devan Dubnyk (or, conversely, a poor performance from Dallas' two tenders) if they are going to make this a competitive series."

USA Today

Kevin Allen: Stars in 6

Jimmy Hascup: Stars in 5

Peter Barzilai: Stars in 6

Kristen Shilton: Stars in 5

Mike Brehm: Stars in 5

From Hascup: "This is the most lopsided series. The Stars' offense will be too electric, and their defensive shortcomings won't be tested"

NESN

Nicholas Goss: Stars in 6

"The Wild might steal a game at home, but the Stars are a far superior club and should have no problem winning their first playoff series since 2008."