The reigning champs (Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today)
The National Hockey League has returned. We finally have the return of the legendary sport in competitive action. Thus, like I do for every single major sport, I must make my world-famous predictions to provide some knowledge for the Sincere Sports readers.
Amidst the chaos, I will be trusting my gut and going over every single division, picking the teams in a 1-8 fashion, while also providing a bold prediction for every organization as bonus content. At the end of the article, I will make my brief choices for all the major NHL awards.
I appreciate the loyalty of my viewership, so please keep up with my articles, as the frequency isn't going to let up, particularly with the Leafs games on the horizon.
With that being said, let's get started with the Atlantic Division.
DIVISION PREDICTIONS
Auston Matthews (John E. Sokolowski, USA Today)
ATLANTIC
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
On paper, this might be the deepest team of the Dubas tenure. On paper, of every year since Auston Matthews was drafted to Leafs Nation, this is Toronto's best opportunity to capture the country. Upon practice, that still seems like optimistic thinking.
It's been a meme for decades now, but the outlandish claims of "this is our year" from Leafs fans simply add salt to the wound of the constant first-round playoff exits. Unfortunately, I can't resist the temptation of placing Toronto at the top of their division.
Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov brought upon some skepticism, but they've each looked like strong NHL goalies in pre-season. Zach Aston-Reese (can't believe we got him!) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel should be impactful bottom-six forwards. Of course, the superstars are still there; each of Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander are capable of scoring 40 goals and 100 points, while providing above average defense.
The goalies will be the determining factor, so level of optimism for Leafs fans hinges solely on whether Matt Murray can be solid. But it shouldn't be considered that big of a deal. Jack Campbell became overrated towards the end of his Leafs tenure. If Murray can provide a .900 SV% (which is very reasonable), my prediction shouldn't be considered too wild.
Bold Prediction: Auston Matthews will resign in Toronto on a $16.5 million AAV
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
Generally, the Atlantic Division is stronger this season, but the talent of the top-tier teams has dropped off significantly. The Lightning are no exception.
There was a bit of a "Last Dance" vibe last year, before Jon Cooper's Bolts lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Colorado Avalanche, failing in their bid to become the first team to win three consecutive Cups since the Islanders dynasties of the '80s.
Losing key figures like Ondrej Palat and Ryan McDonagh to transactions as well as Zach Bogosian and Anthony Cirelli to injuries are much more than trivial worries. Despite that, nobody will ever be able to write the Lightning off if they have Andrei Vasilevskiy in net. A healthy "Vasy" keeps Tampa Bay in the playoff race single-handedly. Now, add Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Brayden Point to that, you've got a strong roster.
I'm curious to see whether Mikhail Sergachev can keep up strong results in tougher minutes.
Bold Prediction: Nikita Kucherov will finish 2nd in the league in points (behind You Know Who)
3. Boston Bruins
The Bruins are a prime candidate to have a slow start to the season, but no matter how they begin, they can never be buried. I fully expect the return of David Krejci to revitalize the Bs' center depth and provide them with the depth that was much-needed last season.
Under new coach Jim Montgomery, the approach will likely be different than it was under defensive stalwart Bruce Cassidy. That said, I think a more offensive approach isn't necessarily a detriment to the Bruins. They have the offensive quality to outscore some of the best teams on their day, even with Brad Marchand out with a hip surgery recovery looming.
Nevertheless, you just know that Boson will be in on the top trade candidates and they have respectable enough goalkeeping to keep them afloat in such a tough division. This is certainly a pick that could backfire, particularly if old age hits Patrice Bergeron harder than expected, but Boston is one of the most consistent franchises in the league for a reason.
Bold Prediction: Pavel Zacha will outscore Jake DeBrusk
4. Buffalo Sabres
I truly do admire what the Sabres are building. While it will be tough for them to break through this season, I actually see their playoff chances in a similar vein to Ottawa. While the high-end talent may not be at the same level as the Sens (or even the Red Wings), this Buffalo squad plays with heart.
The goaltending situation will certainly hold them back, as they currently have two solid backups manning the pipes. We've never seen what Eric Comrie can do in a starter's role. I am evidently being overly optimistic, but if there is one thing I've learned over many years of predicting the NHL, it is that things rarely go to chalk. In every division, there is one team that shatters what seems like fact. To me, if Comrie can become 2023's answer to Ville Husso, we have a winning team on our hands.
I know this could only happen in the absolute best-case scenario, but you never know...
Bold Prediction: I feel like predicting a 4th place finish is enough...but I'll give you some extra content: Dylan Cozens scores 70 points and becomes Buffalo's next captain
5. Florida Panthers
This is a bold one. After a President's Trophy-worthy season, I'm expecting the now Paul Maurice-led Panthers to be humbled in a wildly competitive Atlantic. There seems to be some uncertainty surrounding the Panthers organization after the humbling sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. So humbling in fact, that GM Bill Zito pulled the trigger on a potentially franchise-changing move, sending Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar among other assets for Matthew Tkachuk and a draft pick.
Generally, I'm skeptical that Tkachuk can keep up the same pace as he did last year and I think his acquisition was more for the postseason aspect than regular-season hockey. While Florida do seem to have an uncanny ability to turn maligned players into gold, their bottom-six doesn't scream "elite."
After taking a hiatus from coaching, Maurice will have a learning curve in his first few weeks. With such talent running rampant in the Atlantic, he can't afford to have it last much longer than that.
Bold Prediction: Spencer Knight will start more than 40 games
6. Ottawa Senators
The Sens are on the cusp. But, like the seemingly impenetrable fictional base of Helm's Deep, there is one key weakness that could wreck all of Ottawa's goodwill: the right-side of their defense. Unless GM Pierre Dorion is willing to put all his chips in the basket and mortgage the future for an immediate option, Ottawa will have to persist with Travis Hamonic and Nick Holden at RHD, a black hole of positive results.
Another concern I have for Ottawa is the status of coach DJ Smith. We've seen it in the past. A freshly rebuilt team decides to go all-in (in this case, with Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux), before inevitably falling short of massive expectations and sacking the head coach. In my opinion, the Atlantic hierarchy will prove to be too difficult to crack and Dorion will let go of Smith in favour of a more experienced HC.
Nevertheless, Ottawa has too much talent to be down for too long and I expect that they will at least challenge either Florida and Boston and sniff around the final wild-card spot.
Bold Prediction: Ottawa WON'T trade for Jakub Chychrun
7. Detroit Red Wings
Steve Yzerman, like Pierre Dorion, sped up his rebuild with an active offseason. Detroit, like Ottawa, still have to prove that they can hang with the big boys for an extended period of time before I fully buy into the project. The left-side of defense for the Wings is very similar to Ottawa's right side; a list of overly buoyed, expensive players that need freshening up.
I'd love to be proven wrong by this, as I think the NHL is better when the historic franchise of the Detroit Red Wings is performing. However, I certainly am not as certain about this team as I am about some of the other highly improved sides.
A lot of that comes down to Ville Husso, who won't have a defensive backbone as strong in Motown as he did in Missouri. If he can put forth a strong season, this would be a very conservative prediction on my behalf.
Bold Prediction: Detroit trade ast least one of Bertuzzi, Larkin or Vrana at the Trade Deadline
8. Montreal Canadiens
This isn't an indictment of the Habs as a team; it's rather a statement of how good their division is. I truly believe that Martin St. Louis can push Montreal forward, but it would be overly eager of Canadiens fans to assume that a mid-season improvement proves that a rebuild is no longer needed.
This is going to be a long and brutal reckoning process for Montreal and that shouldn't be seen as a detriment. They should continue to foster a younger squad and develop the right mindset to challenge a few years down the line.
There are some solid reclamation projects, particularly up front, but unless St. Louis can use his motivational skills to get the best of all of them, I have to assume that Montreal will struggle to fill the net. On the bright side, they should have better injury luck this year and Cole Caufield won't have a drought as significant as it was in his rookie season.
Bold Prediction: Juraj Slafkovsky won't finish top-5 in Calder Trophy voting
METROPOLITAN
Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin (James Guillory, Getty Images)
1. Carolina Hurricanes
The rich get richer. Already a perennial Cup contender, they took advantage of cap casualties to take on Brent Burns and Max Pacioretty, two experienced stars of the league. While the Canes could still do with some center depth (or a Jesperi Kotkaniemi breakout), they've got enough talent on the wings, on the blueline and in net to resemble a division-winning club.
They've been a trendy Cup pick for a while now and what I know about some teams in that vein is that they can occasionally take the foot of the gas pedal during the regular season. While I acknowledge that possibility, I don't believe that a Rod Brind'Amour side would ever settle for anything less than 100% at any point of the season.
Maybe Antti Raanta will start more games than expected, but I truly believe that will only shrink the gap between 1 and 2; it won't be enough to knock the Canes off of their throne.
Bold Prediction: Andrei Svechnikov will score less goals than Max Pacioretty
2. Washington Capitals
Like the Bruins, the Capitals are very accomplished at hanging around throughout the entirety of the regular season. With a highly respected goalkeeper added to their midst, that shouldn't change in 2022-23. The injuries to Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are certainly worrisome situations to the Caps' fortunes, but newly added depth in the form of Dylan Strome and Connor Brown should ease those pains.
Darcy Kuemper will individually be an upgrade on the Samsonov-Vanecek tandem from last year. At the end of the day, good goaltending is the biggest separating factor in hockey, so I can only assume it's a safe prediction for me to say that the Capitals will improve upon last season.
Bold Prediction: Evgeny Kuznetsov hits the 100-point mark out of nowhere
3. New York Islanders
This pick seems odd on paper. But the 2021-22 season has forced a lot of fans and analysts to sour on the Islanders. While their cap situation is still disastrous and they are desperately in need of some ceiling-raising forward talent in their prospect pipeline, I think the existing roster is strong enough to be a playoff bubble team, particularly if fatigue sets in for the Rangers and Penguins.
A lot of the Isles' critics seem to be pointing towards the fact that Barry Trotz, the defensive guru himself, is gone. However, can we be absolutely certain that all of New York' defensive nous stemmed from Trotz? There's always the possibility that Lou Lamoriello has built a really decent blueline and that he has a top-5 goalie in the league that can single-handedly win games.
All this team needs is for Mathew Barzal to hit the potential that we know he possesses and for one of Anthony Beauvillier or Oliver Wahlstrom to step up for a real postseason challenge.
Bold Prediction: Lane Lambert finishes top-3 in Jack Adams voting
4. New Jersey Devils
We've always known that the Devils would finally put it all together. Last year, atrocious goaltending limited how high they could fly, but this year with a healthy and hungry Jack Hughes surrounded by a legitimate supporting cast, a playoff berth beckons. The preseason was very promising for the Devils. Even if they can simply get .905 goaltending from Vanecek and Blackwood, a massive increase in points is likely, if not guaranteed.
Nobody can deny that they've got a long way to go, but they have trade assets at their disposal and the underlying numbers have proven that they are capable of taking a leap.
No matter what, as long as Hughes can play anywhere close to a full 82-game season, the Devils are capable of adding to their point total by at least 10 points. Add in expected strong years from players like Dawson Mercer, Yegor Sharangovich and Alexander Holtz and suddenly, this is a really good roster.
Bold Prediction: Nico Hischier, not Jack Hughes, will lead the Devils in points
5. Pittsburgh Penguins
The team that you always expect to fall off, but the team that never does. Pittsburgh didn't act like a team ready to embrace a rebuild, notably extending Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, while also bringing in low-key veterans like Jan Rutta and Jeff Petry.
5 seems low for the Pens, but considering the anticipated marked improvement from New Jersey and the Islanders, I could see the Penguins getting passed by. That said, I still do believe that yet another playoff berth is on the cards, as with Mike Sullivan at the helm, there seems to be little sign of slowing down.
I think it may be tough for the voodoo Tristan Jarry to be as excellent as he was last year and Sidney Crosby would do very well to replicate his 84-point season at the ripe old age of 35.
There is always some underlying risk with reliance on aging veterans, but it hasn't backfired on Pittsburgh just yet, so I fail to see why it would be enough to knock the completely out of the picture now, even if the Metro should figure to be incredibly competitive.
Bold Prediction: Kasperi Kapanen gets a career-high in goals
6. New York Rangers
To predict the Rangers to finish below the Devils and the Islanders is downright irresponsible, if not absolute idiocy. But, here we are.
A concerning trend is emerging for Gerard Gallant teams. Gallant is widely considered one of the best coaches in the league for his ability to step into a new environment and immediately make a positive impact in the dressing room. Just look at his stints in Florida and Vegas. Nevertheless, Gallant has always struggled to build upon previous success, often failing to coerce the same effort levels from his players as he could in magical first seasons.
While this could certainly be a coincidence, I suspect there is some truth behind the issue. It still seems as if New York are hanging in there for a breakout from Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. If that doesn't occur this year, there will be some winger depth concerns. No matter what, it will be nearly impossible for Igor Shesterkin to replicate his utterly inhuman form during 2021-22. Vincent Trocheck is a solid acquisition, but he won't be enough to turn the tables on what could be a disappointing season.
Bold Prediction: Chris Kreider will score less than 25 goals
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
After splashing the cash on a game-changing talent in Johnny Gaudreau, Blue Jackets fans have earned the right to be absolutely furious if the team isn't able to build significantly on last year.
Unfortunately, that may be a tougher task than the Jackets can handle. At the end of the day, goaltending goes a long way in this league, so it seems likely that Columbus will be crippled by their lack of a bona fide starter with an extensive track record in the NHL.
At the end of the day, while I think Gaudreau is elite, his defensive impacts aren't exactly stifling, especially now that Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk are out of the picture. Thus, I can't see how signing the winger is going to prevent Columbus from conceding nearly 300 goals, as they did last year.
A more mature blueline should help rectify that in some capacity, but sketchy center depth and injury-prone netminders don't exactly seem like a recipe for success in such a tough division.
Bold Prediction: Zach Werenski will manage at least 70 points
8. Philadelphia Flyers
Much less controversial. It seems to be practically a given that Philly will occupy last place in the Metropolitan, as this car crash of a franchise only seems to be getting pulled further down the drain. GM Chuck Fletcher has made it his mission to suffocate all hope from Flyers fans.
Rarely can an NHL team with expectations this low put forth a truly disappointing season, so I expect there will be some hopeful breakthroughs and some necessary goodwill stories to restore the dying faith of the Philadelphia fanbase. Nevertheless, picking anything other than 8th seems far too optimistic.
If Sean Couturier remains out for a long period of time, things could get ugly. I trust in John Tortorella's reputation enough to believe that he won't succumb to the inevitable pressure that comes with this job.
Bold Prediction: Bobby Brink leads the Flyers in goals
CENTRAL
Alexander Georgiev (Ron Chenoy, USA Today)
1. Colorado Avalanche
Winning the division after winning the Stanley Cup isn't a layup, as it may seem to be. Despite that, I still do believe that the Avs have more than enough talent on this roster to take another bite at the cherry and dominate the regular season schedule.
Replacing Nazem Kadri and Darcy Kuemper is a monumental task, especially considering Colorado seemed to take the minimalist approach, hoping that Alex Newhook can take the step up and praying they Alexander Georgiev's mediocre results were simply a byproduct of a leaky defense. The thing is, it's hard to argue with a front office that has consistently made the correct decisions over the past few years.
The Avalanche will be buyers at the deadline and they have two pretty obvious breakout candidates in Bowen Byram and Newhook on the roster. Keep in mind that they barely had a healthy Nathan MacKinnon in the regular season last year. In fact, I think there's a possibility of the Avalanche taking advantage of a weakened division and putting up a better record than they did in 2021-22.
Bold Prediction: Alex Newhook racks up more points than Nazem Kadri this year
2. Winnipeg Jets
I'm a huge believer in Connor Hellebuyck, so I simply can't comprehend a world in which he is only an average goalie for two consecutive seasons.
Even if the Jets' run-and-gun offense can't keep up under new coach Rick Bowness, an improved season from their star netminder would be more than enough to vault them into playoff contention in a winnable Central Division.
On paper, the Jets have enough talent to sneak in. Whether they do will simply come down to if they can instill the correct intangibles and develop a more coherent leadership structure. I've been a pretty vocal critic of Rick Bowness in the past, but I actually think he suits the Jets pretty well. He'll be eager to call out his underperforming stars, particularly if their attitudes start to reflect what Bowness has dealt with in Dallas for the past few years.
Bold Prediction: Rick Bowness will finish in the top-5 in Jack Adams voting
3. Minnesota Wild
I'm lower on the Wild than most. I'm not expecting a convincing season to leave them in a playoff position, but I think they'll just about eke out something from this season, namely as a direct result of Kirill Kaprizov, a true MVP candidate.
Last year, Minnesota outscored most of their underlying issues and they were incredibly lucky with their capability of stealing favourable results from unfavourable results. As a Wild skeptic, I expect a regression to the mean in Minnesota's goal-scoring numbers with the empty net.
Losing Kevin Fiala is quite the blow, too. As the cap slowly and unforgivingly constricts Minnesota management, these cap casualties will become a more common occurrence. Don't expect the Wild to be engaged in trade talks with any of the higher paid stars of the league. Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek should continue to be stars at the NHL level, but I'm concerned about the rest of the roster. Not concerned enough to drop them past 3rd place, though.
Bold Prediction: Kirill Kaprizov will win the Rocket Richard Trophy
4. Dallas Stars
Yet again, the Stars have a collection of absolutely elite talent and not much else. Their first line of Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski has stuck together after a Stars front office masterclass in getting Robertson to agree to such a cheap contract. Jake Oettinger, fresh off of one of the greatest playoff series by a goaltender in recent history, is also back for the long-term. Despite losing John Klingberg on the LHD, Miro Heiskanen is expected to pursue a more advanced role, hopefully taking a step in his offensive game.
While GM Jim Nill attempted to rectify some of the Stars' depth concerns with the acquisition of advanced stats hero Mason Marchment, there still seems to be a reliance on Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin to provide secondary scoring. Funnily enough, I'm a big believer in Seguin this season (not so sure about Benn). I think if Seguin can score up to 60 points and if young defenseman Thomas Harley can become a top-pairing blueliner, this could even be a conservative call.
Bold Prediction: The Stars have 6 50-point scorers
5. Nashville Predators
Never the most fascinating team, the Predators typically find themselves as a borderline playoff team. To be fair, there is no issue with that. They're a respectably solid club.
This year, Nashville made some luxury additions to the squad, practically stealing Ryan McDonagh off the Lightning and then outbidding the rest of the league for confident forward Nino Neiderreiter. As crucial as those additions are, this team will ride or die based off of their crease play. Goaltender Juuse Saros has done a phenomenal job after taking over the reins from legendary netminder Pekka Rinne. With Nashville's lack of an experience backup, Saros' health and consistency will completely dictate Nashville's season.
This would be a disappointing season, as Nashville are currently projected to finish 3rd in the division. However, I am somewhat doubtful that Matt Duchene and Roman Josi can keep up their results. I think it's possible that their points totals can remain high, but it would be very difficult for them to control the same share of expected goals. I'm also skeptical that McDonagh is still an elite player; I think Nashville's results will start to struggle if they have to rely on him for heavy minutes.
Bold Prediction: Philip Tomasino scores 25+ goals
6. St. Louis Blues
NHL fans usually aren't very smart. They always pretend they are, but the season that occurs always proves them wrong. Despite that, sometimes they just randomly nail a prediction. Everybody seems down on St. Louis for no rational reason, but that still strikes me as a distinct possibility.
Let's not forget that the Blues were a 109-point team last year. For them to drop to sixth in the division would take a monumental collapse. But based on my rules that there will always be one team that wrecks the basic solidity of predictions, I could see it happening.
They've lost David Perron and Ville Husso, two players who arguably saved the Blues last year. Perron's exit is particularly painful, as it will undoubtedly shift the leadership structure in the Blues' dressing room.
While I acknowledge the talent that the Blues possess, they have not improved at any position in the offseason. I believe that Jake Neighbours could take a step, but he won't be able to replicate the same impact that Perron possessed.
Bold Prediction: Craig Berube gets fired
7. Chicago Blackhawks
Let me make it very clear: there is a huge gap between 6th and 7th place in this division. The Blackhawks are downright hopeless this season, putting forth a purposely awful roster with the hopes of selecting generational talent Connor Bedard next season.
The major storyline around the Blackhawks this season is the future of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. It seems fairly likely that management will try to escape the albatross contracts of their two franchise players, while equally attempting to scrounge any remaining value.
The blueline is a mess; a smorgasbord of inexperience and inconsistent, overpaid D-men. The crease situation could get ugly really quickly, particularly if Petr Mrazek looks as useless as he did in Toronto last season.
There are very few shining lights for Chicago and the fact they aren't finishing last in the division is more of a statement of how bad their direct competitors are, rather than an indication of their underrated talent level.
Bold Prediction: Luks Reichel is Chicago's leading scorer
8. Arizona Coyotes
This team is an absolutely pathetic collection of reclamation projects, failed youngsters and cheap veterans.
Clayton Keller is really good, but he hasn't been able to string together two consecutive strong seasons of production; we also don't know how he will recover from the freak injury that he suffered last year. Shayne Gostisbehere is a power-play wizard, but he isn't anything special defensively and he's likely to be shipped out at the trade deadline. Jakob Chychrun could improve his on-ice results, but by the time he does, he'll probably have found the exit door.
Other than those three, there is nothing worth mentioning. A team this poor means somebody has to score, so maybe we will see some development from Jack McBain and Barrett Hayton, or maybe Zack Kassian and Nick Ritchie can provide a feel-good story by breaking out in top-6 minutes.
Nevertheless, don't expect the Coyotes to be anything more than a plucky underdog in all of their games.
Bold Prediction: Barrett Hayton leads the Coyotes in points
PACIFIC
1. Los Angeles Kings
In a division with quite a few competitive teams, nobody would expect the Kings to seize the Pacific crown. But why not?
I'll admit that I've been skeptical that Todd McLellan is the right guy to take the Kings forward, but he keeps proving me wrong at every turn. He's evolved into the Gabe Kapler of the NHL. I really do love what the Kings are building and I feel they have some players capable of taking the next step.
Bringing in Kevin Fiala is a stroke of genius. He strikes me as a player who could flirt with 100 points, if given a more prominent role. Anze Kopitar has shown no signs of slowing down and a quickly improving Philip Danault should keep up the competition for the 1C spot that Kopitar shows accountability. While L.A.'s bottom-six doesn't look world-class on paper, if Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev take the steps that they are capable of, there is no stopping this team.
The defense no longer relies on Drew Doughty; it's a very strong individual unit. Add on the fact that I consider the Kings to be one of the most likely suitors for Jakob Chychrun and the blueline could evolve into a real strength.
This might be my boldest choice on the list, but I truly believe that the Kings can repay my faith.
Bold Prediction: The Cal Petersen-Jonathan Quick tandem wins the William M. Jennings Trophy
2. Edmonton Oilers
A Pacific Division should be on the lower end of expectations for Oilers fans, but even that could be too much for an organization that fluctuates in performance and confidence every single year. The Oilers are returning a majority of the team that brought them the magical postseason run that supporters have been anxiously awaiting. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are top-5 players in the sport, and they both have strong supporting wingers next to them. The bottom-six has been boosted by the promotion of Dylan Hollowell and the signing of Mattias Janmark.
Ken Holland brought back Brett Kulak, a tremendous trade acquisition in 2021-22 and he is hoping that Philip Broberg can step into sheltered minutes immediately. A Jack Campbell-Stuart Skinner tandem should be more capable than Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen, but you never know.
At the end of the day, if Edmonton can't build on last year's point total, there will be complaints. However, as long as they make the playoffs, which I expect, it should be fine.
Bold Prediction: Evan Bouchard leads all NHL defensemen in power-play points
3. Vegas Golden Knights
After an uncharacteristically poor season in 2021-22, Vegas cleaned house and brought in Bruce Cassidy after his strong tenure as coach of the Bruins. The cap casualties have thinned out Vegas' firepower, but they are finally compliant with the salary limit.
This strikes me as the Jack Eichel season. We've been asking for a rivalry between Eichel and Connor McDavid for years; I think we'll get it this year. Eichel will quickly solidify himself as Vegas' best center, stealing 1C duties from Chandler Stephenson and racking up 90+ points. Below him, I expect more luck in the injuries department, leading to returns to form from Alec Martinez and Reilly Smith.
I am also a fan of Vegas' goaltending tandem; Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit will make for an effective duo. All in all, I'd be stunned if Vegas struggled at a similar rate to 2021-22; that was rock bottom.
Bold Prediction: Logan Thompson finishes in the top-5 in Vezina Trophy voting
4. Calgary Flames
This would be a huge disappointment for the Flames, who are expected to be perennial Cup contenders and are currently among the favourites to win the division. However, Calgary have always been an inconsistent squad, capable of immense highs and unexpected lows. They should still post a strong enough season to make the postseason, but it will be tough.
While I love the acquisitions of Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar, I don't think the stats tell the truth. While those three carry more value on paper than the departed duo of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, they were such a crucial part of all aspects of the Flames organization. Their loss will strike harder than expected.
Another trend that I've noticed is that offering extensions before the season often fails. Calgary's upper management has locked up Huberdeau, Weegar and head coach Darryl Sutter. This phenomenon can sometimes result in a lack of accountability, so Huberdeau and Weegar, particularly, could come under scrutiny if they fail to live up to their price tags.
Bold Prediction: Despite a weaker regular season, Calgary will go further in the playoffs than they did last year
5. Vancouver Canucks
Most people expect the Canucks to improve with a full season of Bruce Boudreau. I just can't envision it. Their stars are holding onto their reputations and the blueline isn't exactly chock-full of shutdown studs.
If the season starts off poorly, there is a slight possibility that Boudreau is fired, as this Canucks project continues to stagnate. I believe that Vancouver will, similarly to the past few years, discover their true form to hold off Anaheim and Seattle, but a rough start will doom their playoff chances pretty early on.
I also can't rule out a JT Miller trade, as Canucks management and Miller's agent seem to be pretty far apart on the subject of an extension. If Miller, Vancouver's best forward, gets dealt, this monumental task will only become tougher.
Bold Prediction: Vasily Podkolzin scores 60+ points
6. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks are a weird team to judge. They looked like true playoff competitors for the majority of last year, but a downturn in goaltending performance and power play efficiency limited them to what was a merely progressive season.
Now, they've brought in John Klingberg and seem eager to recapture lightning in a bottle. My biggest worry is that Anaheim seems to be leaning on John Gibson a lot. If he falters at any point, the Ducks' roster isn't complete enough to outscore their problems. I do believe that there is still one or two more transition years for this Ducks team, but it'll be a positive decision in the long run to hand the keys to players like Mason MacTavish and Jamie Drysdale.
The Ducks won't be a surefire playoff team for a while, but they'll show signs of pluckiness (pun intended).
Bold Prediction: Jamie Drysdale plays more minutes per game than John Klingberg
7. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken don't have to do much to improve on last season's horror show. Nothing went right for the NHL's newest expansion team in their debut season, but I can't believe that this will persist. GM Ron Francis brought in some established forward depth to add some dynamism and firepower into a lineup that was led in scoring by Jared McCann last year.
The biggest wildcard is Philipp Grubauer, a former Vezina finalist who cratered under a merely competent D-corps. If coach Dave Hakstol can instill a more formulated system to limit high-danger chances, Grubauer will find success, thus helping Seattle to improve.
I have my eyes on Matty Beniers and Shane Wright, Seattle's most recent top picks who will be playing center on Opening Night for this team. Beniers, in particular, strikes me as one of the league's most mature rookies.
Bold Prediction: Carson Soucy will be traded for a first-round pick
8. San Jose Sharks
I don't believe in the Sharks this year. I think they are lacking defensive depth and talent. If Erik Karlsson's revitalization last year was just a brief glimpse into the past, the Sharks could be in trouble. No longer do they employ legitimate stalwarts on the blueline.
They have more offensive ability than the other 8 seeds in my prediction, namely being led by Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl. However, unlike the other 8 seeds, they haven't been bad for too long and they have made some poor draft selections. They likely won't receive too much of a boost from their rookies.
When you look at the names on the roster, you would think that the Sharks should have more going for them, but sometimes it doesn't work like that. I don't expect it to for San Jose under new coach David Quinn.
Bold Prediction: William Eklund wins the Calder
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
WESTERN CONFERENCE
STANLEY CUP FINALS
AWARDS
Nikita Kucherov (Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images)
Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)
1. Nikita Kucherov, TBL
2. Connor McDavid, EDM
3. Cale Makar, COL
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenseman)
1. Cale Makar, COL
2. Miro Heiskanen, DAL
3. Zach Werenski, CBJ
3. Zach Werenski, CBJ
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
1. Ilya Sorokin, NYI
2. Andrei Vasilevsiy, TBL
3. Logan Thompson, VGK
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
1. William Eklund, SJS
2. Owen Power, BUF
3. Marco Rossi, MIN
Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
1. Todd McLellan, LA
2. Sheldon Keefe, TOR
3. Lane Lambert, NYI
Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
1. Mark Stone, VGK
2. Mitch Marner, TOR
3. Patrice Bergeron, BOS
There we have it. A series of very wild NHL predictions. Hope you enjoyed the article!
ALL STATS COURTESY OF NATURAL STAT TRICK AND MONEYPUCK
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED
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