The matchups for the Stanley Cup playoffs have been set, and suddenly it has become the best time of the year for hockey, even for fans of those teams who have not clinched a berth.

Over the course of the next two months, the fight for possibly the hardest trophy to win in sports will begin, and with that comes matchups that must be broken down.

Which teams have the upper hand in the opening round, according to the statistics and metrics?

We'll break that down, starting with the Eastern Conference.