Hockey season is officially back!
That’s right, after a long summer away, the NHL has returned as all 32 teams gear up for the 2023-24 season. When we last took a look inside the hockey world, the Vegas Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history after just six seasons in the NHL. Now, the Golden Knights are set to defend their championship, with some stiff competition looking to knock them off their throne.
MORE: Ranking all 32 NHL teams for the 2023-24 season from least to most watchable.
A lot of things have changed in the NHL since last season, so if you’re looking to catch up, we here at For The Win have you covered. Do you want to know which teams are the most likely to win the Stanley Cup? Or do you want a silly and fun look ahead at all 32 NHL teams in GIF form? Plus, of course, there’s the most fun aspect of the preseason to talk about: predictions!
To help me in this divining endeavor, I asked For The Win‘s own Charles Curtis to join me in making our annual NHL season predictions. From which teams will make the Stanley Cup to who will be the recipients of the major awards, here’s how we predict the 2023-24 NHL season will play out.
Top three teams in the Metropolitan Division
Mary:
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Rangers
I’m excited to see what this Devils team will be able to do after getting a playoff series win under their belt. New Jersey should be good for a long, long time, but I have Carolina taking the Metro this season. The Hurricanes have perfected their defensive style of hockey and it feels like they only got better in the offseason.
Charles:
- New Jersey Devils
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New York Rangers
Am I, a Rangers fan, nervous that the Pens or Isles will grab that spot? Absolutely.
Top three teams in the Atlantic Division
Mary:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Boston Bruins
- Tampa Bay Lightning
In my heart of hearts, I want to put the Sabres in a top three spot in the Atlantic. I still believe they’ll be a wild card contender, but the Atlantic is perhaps the toughest division in the NHL. The Bruins won’t be as good as last year without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí. The Lightning will falter a bit without Andrei Vasilevskiy. As such, the Atlantic should be the Maple Leafs’ for the taking.
Charles:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Boston Bruins
I’m REALLY tempted to get the Sabres or Panthers in there, but this feels right. Watch out for the Senators.
Top three teams in the Central Division
Mary:
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild
The top spot in the Central is going to be a dog fight between the Avalanche and Stars, as it’s likely a coin flip either way to see which team will come out on top. I like the Avalanche here, who will be fired up after last season’s devastating injury bug, but the Stars should be getting way more respect from the hockey world at large. They are as legit as they come.
Charles:
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild
Chalk, but c’mon.
Top three teams in the Pacific Division
Mary:
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Edmonton Oilers
- Los Angeles Kings
I still think Vegas holds the edge over Edmonton in the regular season, but I can see the argument for flipping them around. We know both the Golden Knights and the Oilers will be great this year, but I think the Kings are flying a bit under the radar. They have maybe the NHL’s best center depth with an abundance of young talent to match. The Kraken will be in the mix as well, as I think they’ll make the playoffs by season’s end.
Charles:
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Seattle Kraken
The Kings aren’t far behind here, but the goaltending has me worried.
Eastern Conference winner
Mary: Carolina Hurricanes
I believe in the Hurricanes and their system, but history isn’t on Carolina’s side here. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006, the Hurricanes have gone 0-12 in the Eastern Conference Final, getting swept in three straight series. That’s a lot of baggage to take into the playoffs, especially with such high expectations, but a team this talented has to break through at some point.
Charles: Carolina Hurricanes
We’re going back to last year’s prediction. They’re too deep and talented to be stopped short of the Cup Finals.
Western Conference winner
Mary: Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers face stiff competition in the West this year — I’ve wavered on changing my pick here to the Stars — but I truly believe that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be able to drag Edmonton to a Stanley Cup through sheer force of will and talent. It might not always be pretty, but this Oilers team can shoot the lights out at will and run circles around their opponents, as long as poor goaltending doesn’t get in the way.
Charles: Edmonton Oilers
I’m so boring. Oilers-Canes was my pick last year, but I’m going back to it. Mostly wishful thinking for Connor McDavid to hoist the Cup!
Stanley Cup winner
Mary: Carolina Hurricanes
I think this version of the Hurricanes might be the best we’ve seen to date. Michael Bunting should fit into Carolina’s system like a glove, adding additional offensive firepower the team desperately needs. As long as the team remains healthy going into the playoffs, the Hurricanes should finally be able to take the NHL by storm this season.
Charles: Edmonton Oilers
Two things: McDavid winning a title is good for the game, and Canada winning their first in decades would ROCK.
Hart Trophy
Mary: Connor McDavid
Easiest prediction on this list!
Charles: Connor McDavid
Yawn. But also, he’s SO far ahead of the other possible names on the list.
Vezina Trophy
Mary: Igor Shesterkin
Shesterkin had a more average year in net for the Rangers last season, but I think he bounces back big in New York as the team’s MVP to win the Vezina.
Charles: Juuse Saros
He could single-handedly carry the Predators to the postseason, which would be worthy of the hardware.
Calder Trophy
Mary: Connor Bedard
Unless the Blackhawks stink rubs off on Bedard — highly unlikely but who knows! — or he gets injured, this also is an easy choice. The kid’s real good!
Charles: Connor Bedard
Have you watched him and his filthy dangles this preseason? Easy money.
First head coach fired
Mary: Craig Berube
The Blues sold off an entire line from their championship team last trade deadline, yet the team still acts like they’re going to compete for a playoff spot this year. Berube brought the Blues their first Stanley Cup as a franchise, but he looks like a coach on the hot seat if the team doesn’t start well out of the gate.
Charles: Mike Sullivan
The Penguins missed the playoffs last year and could underachieve, so the front office might have him on a short leash.
Bold predictions
Mary: The Maple Leafs make it to the Eastern Conference Final.
I really think the additions of Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Ryan Reaves will help the Maple Leafs come playoff time. Toronto has the talent to make it far in the playoffs, but previous Stanley Cup Final teams have shown the need for grit and sandpaper on a successful roster. This past summer saw significant changes to the Maple Leafs and their management, so a shake-up might be just what the team needed to take that extra step.
Charles: The Minnesota Wild will be in the Western Conference Finals.
A true sleeper team with a surprising amount of talent and the kind of netminding that means they could go far.
