Expert picks for the season: Stanley Cup, division winners, awards

The 2026-27 NHL season begins Tuesday with a tripleheader on ESPN: Florida Panthers-Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m. ET), New York Rangers-Boston Bruins (8 p.m. ET) and Chicago Blackhawks-Vegas Golden Knights (10:30 p.m. ET). But we're looking beyond those games. Will the Hurricanes repeat as Stanley Cup champions? Which teams will finish the season atop the division standings? And which players will take home the major individual awards? We've gathered our cross-platform ESPN hockey family together to predict the winners of each division, along with the Stanley Cup champion and the players who will win all the hardware. Dive deep on all 32 teams Lapsed fan's guide to the season Bold predictions for every club Who are the top rookies? Fantasy hockey homepage Atlantic Division Sean Allen: Panthers Roxy Bernstein: Canadiens John Buccigross: Panthers Stormy Buonantony: Panthers Sachin Chandan: Lightning Meghan Chayka: Lightning Ryan S. Clark: Canadiens Gregg Colli: Panthers Ray Ferraro: Panthers Erik Johnson: Canadiens Emily Kaplan: Canadiens Tim Kavanagh: Canadiens Rachel Kryshak: Lightning Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Canadiens Steve Levy: Canadiens Vince Masi: Lightning Victoria Matiash: Canadiens Sean McDonough: Panthers Mark Messier: Panthers Mike Monaco: Lightning T.J. Oshie: Lightning Kristen Shilton: Canadiens P.K. Subban: Canadiens Bob Wischusen: Panthers Greg Wyshynski: Lightning Totals: Canadiens (10), Panthers (8), Lightning (7) Metropolitan Division Sean Allen: Devils Roxy Bernstein: Hurricanes John Buccigross: Hurricanes Stormy Buonantony: Hurricanes Sachin Chandan: Devils Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes Gregg Colli: Hurricanes Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes Erik Johnson: Hurricanes Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes Tim Kavanagh: Capitals Rachel Kryshak: Hurricanes Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes Steve Levy: Devils Vince Masi: Hurricanes Victoria Matiash: Capitals Sean McDonough: Hurricanes Mark Messier: Hurricanes Mike Monaco: Hurricanes T.J. Oshie: Capitals Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes P.K. Subban: Hurricanes Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes Totals: Hurricanes (19), Capitals (3), Devils (3) Central Division Sean Allen: Stars Roxy Bernstein: Avalanche John Buccigross: Avalanche Stormy Buonantony: Stars Sachin Chandan: Wild Meghan Chayka: Avalanche Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche Gregg Colli: Wild Ray Ferraro: Avalanche Erik Johnson: Avalanche Emily Kaplan: Avalanche Tim Kavanagh: Stars Rachel Kryshak: Avalanche Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche Steve Levy: Stars Vince Masi: Avalanche Victoria Matiash: Avalanche Sean McDonough: Avalanche Mark Messier: Avalanche Mike Monaco: Avalanche T.J. Oshie: Avalanche Kristen Shilton: Avalanche P.K. Subban: Avalanche Bob Wischusen: Avalanche Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche Totals: Avalanche (19), Stars (4), Wild (2) Pacific Division Sean Allen: Golden Knights Roxy Bernstein: Golden Knights John Buccigross: Oilers Stormy Buonantony: Golden Knights Sachin Chandan: Oilers Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights Gregg Colli: Oilers Ray Ferraro: Oilers Erik Johnson: Sharks Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights Rachel Kryshak: Oilers Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights Steve Levy: Ducks Vince Masi: Golden Knights Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights Sean McDonough: Oilers Mark Messier: Oilers Mike Monaco: Oilers T.J. Oshie: Oilers Kristen Shilton: Oilers P.K. Subban: Oilers Bob Wischusen: Oilers Greg Wyshynski: Oilers Totals: Oilers (13), Golden Knights (10), Sharks (1), Ducks (1) Stanley Cup Sean Allen: Panthers Roxy Bernstein: Avalanche John Buccigross: Sabres Stormy Buonantony: Panthers Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights Meghan Chayka: Avalanche Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche Gregg Colli: Panthers Ray Ferraro: Avalanche Erik Johnson: Panthers Emily Kaplan: Panthers Tim Kavanagh: Panthers Rachel Kryshak: Lightning Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Panthers Steve Levy: Wild Vince Masi: Avalanche Victoria Matiash: Avalanche Sean McDonough: Panthers Mark Messier: Rangers Mike Monaco: Avalanche T.J. Oshie: Capitals Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes P.K. Subban: Panthers Bob Wischusen: Wild Greg Wyshynski: Panthers Totals: Panthers (10), Avalanche (7), Wild (2), Sabres (1), Golden Knights (1), Lightning (1), Rangers (1), Capitals (1), Hurricanes (1) Hart Trophy Sean Allen: Jack Hughes Roxy Bernstein: Macklin Celebrini John Buccigross: Connor McDavid Stormy Buonantony: Macklin Celebrini Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon Meghan Chayka: Connor McDavid Ryan S. Clark: Macklin Celebrini Gregg Colli: Macklin Celebrini Ray Ferraro: Nathan MacKinnon Erik Johnson: Macklin Celebrini Emily Kaplan: Nikita Kucherov Tim Kavanagh: Macklin Celebrini Rachel Kryshak: Macklin Celebrini Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Macklin Celebrini Steve Levy: Connor McDavid Vince Masi: Macklin Celebrini Victoria Matiash: Macklin Celebrini Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid Mark Messier: Macklin Celebrini Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid T.J. Oshie: Connor McDavid Kristen Shilton: Macklin Celebrini P.K. Subban: Connor McDavid Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid Greg Wyshynski: Macklin Celebrini Totals: Celebrini (13), McDavid (8), MacKinnon (2), Hughes (1), Kucherov (1) Art Ross Trophy Sean Allen: Nathan MacKinnon Roxy Bernstein: Connor McDavid John Buccigross: Auston Matthews Stormy Buonantony: Macklin Celebrini Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon Meghan Chayka: Connor McDavid Ryan S. Clark: Nikita Kucherov Gregg Colli: Connor McDavid Ray Ferraro: Connor McDavid Erik Johnson: Connor McDavid Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid Tim Kavanagh: Connor McDavid Rachel Kryshak: Nikita Kucherov Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nikita Kucherov Steve Levy: Macklin Celebrini Vince Masi: Connor McDavid Victoria Matiash: Leon Draisaitl Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid Mark Messier: Macklin Celebrini Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid T.J. Oshie: Connor McDavid Kristen Shilton: Connor McDavid P.K. Subban: Connor McDavid Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid Totals: McDavid (15), Celebrini (3), Kucherov (3), MacKinnon (2), Matthews (1), Draisaitl (1) Rocket Richard Trophy Sean Allen: Auston Matthews Roxy Bernstein: Leon Draisaitl John Buccigross: Auston Matthews Stormy Buonantony: Jason Robertson Sachin Chandan: Cole Caufield Meghan Chayka: Cole Caufield Ryan S. Clark: Cole Caufield Gregg Colli: Kirill Kaprizov Ray Ferraro: Leon Draisaitl Erik Johnson: Cole Caufield Emily Kaplan: Cole Caufield Tim Kavanagh: Cole Caufield Rachel Kryshak: Nathan MacKinnon Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Cole Caufield Steve Levy: Nathan MacKinnon Vince Masi: Leon Draisaitl Victoria Matiash: Cole Caufield Sean McDonough: Macklin Celebrini Mark Messier: Leon Draisaitl Mike Monaco: Nathan MacKinnon T.J. Oshie: Nathan MacKinnon Kristen Shilton: Cole Caufield P.K. Subban: Macklin Celebrini Bob Wischusen: Nathan MacKinnon Greg Wyshynski: Macklin Celebrini Totals: Caufield (9), MacKinnon (5), Draisaitl (4), Celebrini (3), Matthews (2), Robertson (1), Kaprizov (1) Norris Trophy Sean Allen: Matthew Schaefer Roxy Bernstein: Quinn Hughes John Buccigross: Rasmus Dahlin Stormy Buonantony: Quinn Hughes Sachin Chandan: Cale Makar Meghan Chayka: Quinn Hughes Ryan S. Clark: Cale Makar Gregg Colli: Quinn Hughes Ray Ferraro: Cale Makar Erik Johnson: Rasmus Dahlin Emily Kaplan: Quinn Hughes Tim Kavanagh: Quinn Hughes Rachel Kryshak: Quinn Hughes Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Quinn Hughes Steve Levy: Quinn Hughes Vince Masi: Cale Makar Victoria Matiash: Rasmus Dahlin Sean McDonough: Cale Makar Mark Messier: Cale Makar Mike Monaco: Cale Makar T.J. Oshie: Cale Makar Kristen Shilton: Cale Makar P.K. Subban: Cale Makar Bob Wischusen: Quinn Hughes Greg Wyshynski: Lane Hutson Totals: Hughes (10), Makar (10), Dahlin (3), Schaefer (1), Hutson (1) Vezina Trophy Sean Allen: Jake Oettinger Roxy Bernstein: Igor Shesterkin John Buccigross: Jeremy Swayman Stormy Buonantony: Jake Oettinger Sachin Chandan: Andrei Vasilevskiy Meghan Chayka: Andrei Vasilevskiy Ryan S. Clark: Andrei Vasilevskiy Gregg Colli: Ilya Sorokin Ray Ferraro: Logan Thompson Erik Johnson: Andrei Vasilevskiy Emily Kaplan: Jeremy Swayman Tim Kavanagh: Logan Thompson Rachel Kryshak: Andrei Vasilevskiy Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Andrei Vasilevskiy Steve Levy: Andrei Vasilevskiy Vince Masi: Andrei Vasilevskiy Victoria Matiash: Logan Thompson Sean McDonough: Jeremy Swayman Mark Messier: Igor Shesterkin Mike Monaco: Connor Hellebuyck T.J. Oshie: Logan Thompson Kristen Shilton: Ilya Sorokin P.K. Subban: Andrei Vasilevskiy Bob Wischusen: Igor Shesterkin Greg Wyshynski: Logan Thompson Totals: Vasilevskiy (9), Thompson (5), Shesterkin (3), Swayman (3), Oettinger (2), Sorokin (2), Hellebuyck (1) Calder Trophy Sean Allen: Cole Hutson Roxy Bernstein: Ivar Stenberg John Buccigross: Ivar Stenberg Stormy Buonantony: Gavin McKenna Sachin Chandan: Porter Martone Meghan Chayka: Gavin McKenna Ryan S. Clark: Anton Frondell Gregg Colli: Porter Martone Ray Ferraro: Anton Frondell Erik Johnson: Porter Martone Emily Kaplan: Porter Martone Tim Kavanagh: Anton Frondell Rachel Kryshak: Porter Martone Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Cole Hutson Steve Levy: Porter Martone Vince Masi: Anton Frondell Victoria Matiash: Gavin McKenna Sean McDonough: Porter Martone Mark Messier: Gavin McKenna Mike Monaco: Cole Hutson T.J. Oshie: Porter Martone Kristen Shilton: Porter Martone P.K. Subban: Gavin McKenna Bob Wischusen: Porter Martone Greg Wyshynski: Ivar Stenberg Totals: Martone (10), McKenna (5), Frondell (4), Hutson (3), Stenberg (3)