It’s finally here, hockey fans. The 2022-23 NHL season has officially begun!
After a long summer away, the NHL has finally returned. A lot has changed for many of the teams across the league, from big free agent signings to unexpected late-night trades that shook things up. If you’re looking for the best teams to watch or what burning question each team will need to answer, we’ve got you covered. Now, however, it’s time to predict how we at ForTheWin see how the upcoming hockey season plays out.
Which teams will finish at the top of their divisions? Who will win the Stanley Cup? How about the coveted NHL awards? To answer these questions — and more! — I’ve asked ForTheWin writers Blake Schuster and Charles Curtis to join me in making our annual NHL season predictions.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
Top three teams in the Metropolitan Division
Mary:
- New York Rangers
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New York Islanders
I’m all in on this Rangers team — more on that later — but I think the Islanders will bounce back this season. Barry Trotz may be gone but the foundation that got them to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals is still there.
Blake:
- New York Rangers
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Pittsburgh Penguins
As long as New York’s goaltending holds up its hard to see how any team in the Metro can keep pace with the Rangers. That said, get ready for a late surge by the Penguins.
Charles:
- New York Rangers
- Carolina Huricanes
- Pittsburgh Penguins
As a Rangers fan, it makes me VERY nervous that we all agree on them winning the division.
Top three teams in the Atlantic Division
Mary:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Ottawa Senators
If the Maple Leafs can get a good year out of either Matt Murray or Ilya Samsonov in net, Toronto will be scary good, in the regular season at least. And yes, I’m a believer in the Senators after their monster offseason. Things are finally looking up in Ottawa!
Blake:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Florida Panthers
The Leafs still have so much to prove which will fuel their rise to the top of the Atlantic yet again — before they get bounced in the first round yet again.
Charles:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Florida Panthers
Would love to see the Leafs make a run, but the East is STACKED.
Top three teams in the Central Division
Mary:
- Colorado Avalanche
- Minnesota Wild
- Nashville Predators
The Avalanche will be uncontested at the top of the Central, but the Wild should still be really good with Kirill Kaprizov. Personally, I have the Predators over the Blues for the third spot, as I believe in Juuse Saros much more than Jordan Binnington.
Blake:
- Minnesota Wild
- Colorado Avalanche
- St. Louis Blues
The Wild have been slowly opening up their Stanley Cup window. This is the year the break on through, thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury.
Charles:
- Colorado Avalanche
- Minnesota Wild
- Dallas Stars
This is me, not worrying about the Avalanche’s goaltending situation.
Top three teams in the Pacific Division
Mary:
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vancouver Canucks
I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Flames cook up this season with their revamped roster. The Battle of Alberta is going to be brutal all season long.
Blake:
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Calgary Flames
A big bounce back year is coming for Vegas, but it won’t be enough to catch an Oilers team built to punish every team it plays.
Charles:
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vegas Golden Knights
I could see the order here going three different ways, but these three teams are so good, top to bottom.
Eastern Conference winner
Mary: New York Rangers
Remember when the Rangers were rebuilding? Feels like so long ago now, honestly. In short order, the Rangers became one of the most stacked teams in the Eastern Conference from goaltending on down.
Blake: New York Rangers
Everything we thought the Islanders were last year, the Rangers are this year. They’ve got no shortage of goal-scorers, elite goaltending and a playoff atmosphere as intimidating as anywhere in the league.
Charles: Carolina Hurricanes
OK, so yeah: I’m doing this so I don’t jinx my favorite team.
But the Hurricanes are deep all over their lineup and have the goaltending to make a run.
Western Conference winner
Mary: Colorado Avalanche
Why bet against the reigning Stanley Cup champions? Even with the Avalanche’s offseason departures, Colorado is still the strongest team in the West, but the gap is closing. Even still, they’ve got Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. What other teams in the West can match that kind of power?
Blake: Minnesota Wild
I think they’re the most exciting and over-looked team in the NHL and in a top-heavy Western Conference, they could easily find themselves reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.
Charles: Edmonton Oilers
Here I am, willing Connor McDavid into the Stanley Cup Final with my words.
Stanley Cup winner
Mary: New York Rangers
Sorry Charles, I’ll jinx this one for you. Igor Shesterkin is stone cold in net. Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad are a powerhouse offensive core. Adam Fox won a Norris two seasons ago. And hey, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere have yet to really break out for this team but show signs of promise. These Rangers are the real deal.
Blake: Minnesota Wild
Experience in net, playmaking up front, Kirill The Thrill utterly destroying defenses. If Minnesota is able to add just a little more depth at the trade deadline, this is a team that can win a seven-game series against anyone. Stanley will have a hell of a summer in Minnesota.
Charles: Carolina Hurricanes
Sorry, McDavid, but the Canes have a chance to be a buzzsaw come next summer.
Hart Trophy
Mary: Connor McDavid
I mean, it’s McDavid! We all know what he brings to the table as the best hockey player in the world.
Blake: Connor McDavid
Just because I can blindly point to McDavid as MVP doesn’t mean it’s the wrong choice. It means he’s just that insanely talented.
Charles: Kirill Kaprizov
He’s SO talented, and this is the year he wins… the scoring title (see below).
Vezina Trophy
Mary: Igor Shesterkin
It’s going to take a lot to convince me Shesterkin is human, because his goaltending performance last season was something else. Expect that to continue in the 2022-23 season.
Blake: Igor Shesterkin
Do you know how good you have to be to make Rangers fans move on from the glory days of Henrik Lundqvist? You have to be as good as Shesterkin was virtually every night last year.
Charles: Igor Shesterkin
This is one I don’t mind predicting!
Calder Trophy
Mary: Matty Beniers
The chalk pick is Shane Wright, but I’m gonna go with his teammate, Matty Beniers on the Kraken! Beniers had nine points in 10 Kraken games last year and seems ripe for a true rookie breakout with this emerging Seattle team.
Blake: Shane Wright
Don’t worry about his mini-slide on draft night. Wright is still one of the most NHL-ready players in his class and should get plenty of opportunities to make himself at home in Seattle.
Charles: Mason McTavish
He can also goaltend!
SAVE OF THE YEAR. MASON MCTAVISH. #WORLDJUNIORS pic.twitter.com/mR1UaeULcN
— BarDown (@BarDown) August 21, 2022
First head coach fired
Mary: Peter Laviolette
This pick is going to lead right into my bold prediction, but even with Stanley Cup winning goaltender Darcy Kuemper in between the pipes, I think the Capitals are due for a huge dip this season. If the Capitals start slow this season, keep an eye on Laviolette’s head coaching seat.
Blake: Lindy Ruff
The Metropolitan is an absolute monster of a division this year and if the rebuilding Devils don’t start to see some results it’ll be time to find a new coach to take advantage of the development window for New Jersey’s young stars.
Charles: Sheldon Keefe
There’s a timeline where the Leafs start mega-slow and out he goes for another coach who gets everyone on track.
Bold predictions
Mary: The Capitals won’t make the playoffs.
Washington is the oldest team in the NHL and is likely headed off a cliff sooner rather than later. Injuries to Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom will keep them out for the early part of the season. Kuemper should help them in net and Alex Ovechkin could very well score 50 goals again, but I think the floor has risen in the Metropolitan Division compared to last year and the Capitals will barely miss out on a postseason spot for the first time since 2013-14.
Blake: The Blackhawks won’t be able to trade both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson has made some aggressive moves already, but he hasn’t allowed the team’s position of weakness to dictate them. As much as the Hawks need to move on from the Toews/Kane era, it’s hard to imagine him settling on a soft return for his two biggest trade chips. Especially not if he can convince one of them to stick around for the rebuild (and my money is on Toews doing just that).
Charles: Kirill Kaprizov wins the points title
Sorry again, McDavid.
