by Max Goren
The 2025-26 NHL season gets underway tonight, which means it’s prediction season. I consider myself somewhat of a hockey diehard, and although one of the league’s favored contenders plays right here in Raleigh, I will attempt to make some objective, accurate predictions about what will unfold on the ice over the next 191 days.
Playoff Teams
Atlantic Division:
1: Lightning
2: Maple Leafs
3: Senators
WC: Panthers
Tampa Bay has been the model of consistency in the league, and still has a deep roster of difference makers. A top line of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel, Victor Hedman anchoring a veteran blue-line, and a full season of Andrei Vasilevskiy in net adds up to an Atlantic title for the Bolts.
Metropolitan Division:
1: Hurricanes
2: Devils
3: Rangers
WC: Blue Jackets
Carolina underachieved in the last regular season, and still finished in second place in the Metro with 99 points. Then, they added an elite winger in Nikolaj Ehlers and a top-4 defenseman in K’Andre Miller, brought over the highly-touted Alexander Nikishin from Russia, and will look to Logan Stankoven to be the savior at second-line center. Assuming health at the goaltender position (which, admittedly, has been a bit of a bugaboo over the past handful of seasons), I have every reason to believe this team will be among the league’s elite.
Central Division:
1: Stars
2: Avalanche
3: Jets
WC: Wild
WC: Mammoth
Dallas has lost in the Western Conference Final three seasons in a row. Simply put, this team has DUDES. When the likes of Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin are on your THIRD LINE, you just might be pretty good. They are loaded with talent both up front and on the back end, and they have a top 10 goaltender in Jake Oettinger.
Pacific Division:
1: Oilers
2: Golden Knights
3: Kings
If Edmonton can avoid another slow start out of the gates, it should be a two-horse race between them and Vegas for the Pacific title. With the Connor McDavid contract drama out of the way, this team is primed for another successful season and deep playoff run. Time will tell if the addition of Connor Ingram to their goaltending tandem will yield success, but two of the top five forwards in the NHL play in Edmonton, and that should take them a long way yet again.
President’s Trophy: Stars
Last place: Kraken
New playoff teams: Blue Jackets, Rangers, Mammoth
Dropped: Capitals, Blues, Canadiens
Washington rode a red-hot first half and the magic of Alex Ovechkin’s goal chase to a division title last season, but they are due from some regression- it will be a treat to see Ovi become the first player to score 900 goals this season, but I have questions about the Caps’ bottom six and their two veteran leaders are on the wrong side of 35. I think they miss the playoffs this season.
As far as the Blues and Canadiens go, both snuck in on the fringes of the playoff cut line last year, and I believe both will be in the hunt again, but find themselves on the wrong side this time around.
Columbus was a team that surprised me last season. They were much closer to making the playoffs than I (and many others) expected. Kirill Marchenko is potentially the most underrated player in the NHL, Zach Werenski is an incredible do-it-all defenseman, and there is a slew of other young and veteran talent littered all throughout that lineup.
The Rangers had three 100+ point seasons before failing to qualify for the playoffs last year. The Blueshirts will need Mika Zibanejad to find his footing again, especially at 5v5, but the addition of JT Miller at last season’s trade deadline should help his production. Add in one of the world’s best goaltenders, and I think the Rangers bounce back into the playoffs.
The Utah Mammoth are my lone new addition to the Western Conference playoffs. They have an exciting young core, a new identity, and a hunger to make the postseason. The Coyotes’ lone playoff appearance since 2012 was in the 2020 bubble; this franchise is going to make a statement and separate itself from the failures of their predecessors in the desert.
Awards
Hart (League MVP): Connor McDavid
Art Ross (Most Points): Connor McDavid
Rocket Richard (Most Goals): David Pastrnak
Selke (Best Defensive Forward): Nico Hischier
Vezina (Best Goaltender): Andrei Vasilevskiy
Norris (Best Defenseman): Cale Makar
Calder (Best Rookie): Ivan Demidov
Lady Byng (Most Gentlemanly): Jaccob Slavin
Jack Adams (Best Coach): Glen Gulutzan