\It’s easy for any fan or writer to make predictions ahead of the season. Of course, they might be biased, but it’s something hockey people love to do. It’s why, to remove bias, 15 NHL writers across multiple platforms were asked who they think will make the conference finals and which team will win the Stanley Cup.
The 15 writers remain anonymous to allow for honesty and transparency in their predictions. They were also asked to pick a division winner, but specifically, which team would advance in the playoffs to the Eastern or Western Conference Final. So, let’s find out what the writers think ahead of the season (hint, there aren’t a lot of surprises).
Atlantic Division: Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers remain the team to beat in the Atlantic Division. It’s hard to win the Cup three years in a row and appear in the final four years in a row. If there’s any team that can battle the adversity and overcome the obstacles to do it, it’s this team.
A few people expressed concerns about the Aleksander Barkov injury. The top-line center and perennial Selke Trophy favorite will miss the season with a knee injury, and it’s impossible to replace him and his two-way play. On top of that, Matthew Tkachuk is expected to miss significant time to begin the season. The Panthers will begin the season without two of their cornerstone top-six players, and in a resurgent Atlantic Division, it will be a battle for them to remain on top.
That said, the consensus is that they’ll be fine. The forward unit is still a strength and deep enough to make up for the losses. Sam Bennett will move to the top line while Anton Lundell will play the second line, giving the team strength up the middle. It’s a good enough group to get into the playoffs, and at this point in their dynastic run, all that matters is making the playoffs.
Once they’re in, the belief is they’ll go on a run. They have the best goaltender in the playoffs in their net with Sergei Bobrovsky still playing at a high level, and by then, Tkachuk will be back. The Panthers are one of the teams everyone will pick until proven wrong, and that’s what happened in the preseason polling.
Honorable Mentions
- The Toronto Maple Leafs were also a popular pick, and many went back and forth between them and the Panthers. The Maple Leafs are set up, with a great defense, elite goaltending, and Auston Matthews on a mission, to reach the Eastern Conference Final. If there’s any team that can take advantage of an injury-depleted Panthers, it’s them.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning received a handful of votes. They became a sleeper pick because they can turn back the clock with their core leading the way, and for the first time in a while, Andrei Vasilevskiy looks like the elite goaltender who can lead them on a run.
Metropolitan Division: Carolina Hurricanes
The Metropolitan Division is still the Carolina Hurricanes to win, almost by default. The perception around the Hurricanes is that they are the best of the worst division in the NHL, one that hasn’t won the Cup or appeared in the Final since 2018, the longest drought among the league’s divisions.
The Hurricanes, for the most part, are seen as the team that will easily advance to the Eastern Conference Final, only to lose and lose handily to the Panthers. They are a great regular-season team and can beat up on their division. They lack the center depth, goaltending, scoring presence at the point, and do-it-all forwards to make a Cup run.
There were a handful of writers who noted that the offseason moves can put them over the hump. The Nikolaj Ehlers signing gives them another playmaker on the wing, someone who is poised to work well with Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis. The K’Andre Miller trade gives them speed at the blue line and allows them to move the puck up the ice to set up the offense. The Hurricanes also extended Logan Stankoven, who is the X-factor who can take over games in the playoffs.
The Hurricanes will be in the contention discussion. The question moving forward is whether their offseason moves helped move the needle and close the gap on the Cup-caliber teams.
Honorable Mention
- The New Jersey Devils were the only other team in this division to receive votes. They have an exciting team, and if they are healthy, they can beat the Hurricanes in a presumed playoff matchup. But first, they have to re-sign Luke Hughes, an issue that’s developed into a red flag for a team with his hopes.
Central Division: Dallas Stars
There’s a saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Well, what about three times? The Dallas Stars reached the Western Conference Final three years in a row and came up short each time. Yet, everyone seems high on them, and maybe the fourth time is a charm?
So, why is this season different? The rest of the division and the conference were something many people referenced, as no team has emerged as a juggernaut that can beat them. Plus, the roster is better, and with a new head coach in Glen Gulutzen, things feel different.
The Stars have Mikko Rantanen in the lineup for a full season and get to see what he can do as the leader of the forward unit. He’ll be a game-changer along with Wyatt Johnston, who presumably takes a step forward, and the rest of the dynamic forward group. The defense looks healthy this season as well, with Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley giving it a one-two punch at the point. On top of all that, Jake Oettinger has a lot to prove in the net, especially considering how the season ended for the Stars, and it’s why he can have a career year.
The Stars aren’t an exciting pick. Yet, it’s hard to see another team in their division or even the conference defeating them in a playoff series.
Honorable Mention
- The Colorado Avalanche were the only other team in the Central Division to receive votes. They fell apart in Game 7 against the Stars but have the team to beat them and go on a run. With Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar in their primes and plenty of depth, they can go toe-to-toe with the Stars. So, they are the sleeper team to watch.
Pacific Division: Edmonton Oilers
That’s right, the final four teams from last season are the same teams everyone expects to return ot the conference finals. The question for the Edmonton Oilers is, why is this season different? They didn’t improve in the offseason and lost a handful of veterans, notably Corey Perry and Evander Kane. Plus, there’s the looming Connor McDavid contract and all the pressure to win this season, or he can be out the door.
That’s the big reason a lot of the writers are expecting the Oilers to return to the Western Conference Final. This might be their last chance to win the Cup with McDavid, and the front office will make all the moves needed to make this team great and convince McDavid to stay.
It’s also worth noting that the Oilers are still a team built to go on a run. They have two of the best players in the game with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and a difference-maker at the point with Evan Bouchard emerging as a star. A healthy Zach Hyman brings back the needed scoring presence on the wing and makes the Oilers tough to stop.
The Oilers don’t have depth, and their goaltending is still a question mark but both can be addressed at the trade deadline. Adding depth, particularly, is an easy fix (they acquired Jake Walman last season and can do something similar this time around).
Honorable Mention
- The Vegas Golden Knights were neck and neck with the Oilers (only a few votes separated the two teams). They closed the gap with the Mitch Marner addition, as they have a line (with Jack Eichel centering it) that can match up against the McDavid and Draisaitl line (or at least limit the duo). They also lack depth, and their goaltending is a question mark but in a presumed Second Round matchup, the Golden Knights will give the Oilers a fight.
Stanley Cup Winner: Stars
The Stars are the last team standing in the eyes of most writers. To understand why, it’s important to keep the red flags in mind from the other final four teams.
- The Panthers won’t have Barkov, and the injuries are starting to take their toll on a team that’s made multiple deep playoff runs.
- The Hurricanes still lack the key qualities of a Cup team, even with the influx of talent in the summer.
- The Oilers, like the Panthers, are starting to show wear and tear from multiple Final appearances, plus they lack the assets to address the needs on their roster.
The Stars have the roster to make a run, and this season is the year they finally get over the hump. Multiple writers noted that the Oilers were their undoing, and if they face the Golden Knights or a depleted Oilers group, the playoffs will be easier to navigate.
It’s also worth adding that while the Stars didn’t improve in the offseason, there’s a big move in store. Don’t put it past general manager (GM) Jim Nill to make a big trade or two to get the Stars over the hump. Last season, it was a splash with the Rantanen blockbuster, and the season before that, it was the Chris Tanev trade, a move that turned the defense around. Nill is far from finished with improving this team, and there are plenty of moves up his sleeve.
Notes & Observations From The Cup Predictions
There was a slight surprise that nobody picked the Montreal Canadiens or the Ottawa Senators. It makes sense since both teams are unproven, and picking them to make that type of leap would be a bold prediction (and nobody wanted to do that).
It was shocking that nobody picked the Washington Capitals or the Winnipeg Jets to win their divisions. Both teams boasted the best records in the NHL last season, yet there’s no confidence in either team beating a proven playoff team like the Stars or Hurricanes.
Another surprise was that nobody picked the Golden Knights to win the Cup. The Marner move convinced a handful of writers to pick them to make it to the Western Conference Final but nobody believes that move gets them over the hump. It says a lot about the roster outlook the Golden Knights have and the confidence that Marner will make enough of an impact in the playoffs.
This preseason prediction was only possible because of the multiple writers who responded to my badgering questions. I can’t thank them enough.
