After two games between New Jersey and Buffalo overseas to end last week, the NHL opens its season in North America Tuesday night as the rest of the league sets off on its journey through the ups and downs of what promises to be a fun, exciting and surely unpredictable season.
And yet, as is tradition, we’ll take a crack at predicting it anyway.
Sportsnet compiled responses from 20 of our insiders and on-air personalities for their opinions on how the 2024-25 season will play out, from standings finishes, to award winners, 4 Nations Face-Off champion and, of course, who will take home the Stanley Cup.
TEAM QUESTIONS
Atlantic Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Toronto (go big or go home with these predictions, I always say)
Ron MacLean: Toronto
David Amber: Toronto
Nick Kypreos: Boston
Justin Bourne: Toronto
Luke Gazdic: Toronto
Iain MacIntyre: Toronto
Eric Francis: Toronto
Mark Spector: Boston
Luke Fox: Boston
Eric Engels: Florida
Matt Marchese: Toronto
Mike Futa: Toronto
Alex Adams: Toronto
Jason Bukala: Florida
Sam Cosentino: Toronto
Ryan Dixon: Toronto
Jacob Stoller: Boston
Sonny Sachdeva: Florida
Rory Boylen: Florida
Metro Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: NY Rangers
Ron MacLean: NY Rangers
David Amber: New Jersey
Nick Kypreos: NY Rangers
Justin Bourne: New Jersey
Luke Gazdic: New Jersey
Iain MacIntyre: NY Rangers
Eric Francis: New Jersey
Mark Spector: Carolina
Luke Fox: NY Rangers
Eric Engels: NY Rangers
Matt Marchese: New Jersey
Mike Futa: New Jersey
Alex Adams: New Jersey
Jason Bukala: NY Rangers
Sam Cosentino: New Jersey
Ryan Dixon: New Jersey
Jacob Stoller: New Jersey
Sonny Sachdeva: NY Rangers
Rory Boylen: New Jersey
Pacific Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Edmonton
Ron MacLean: Edmonton
David Amber: Edmonton
Nick Kypreos: Edmonton
Justin Bourne: Edmonton
Luke Gazdic: Edmonton
Iain MacIntyre: Edmonton
Eric Francis: Edmonton
Mark Spector: Edmonton
Luke Fox: Edmonton
Eric Engels: Edmonton
Matt Marchese: Edmonton
Mike Futa: Edmonton
Alex Adams: Edmonton
Jason Bukala: Edmonton
Sam Cosentino: Edmonton
Ryan Dixon: Edmonton
Jacob Stoller: Edmonton
Sonny Sachdeva: Vancouver
Rory Boylen: Vegas
Central Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Dallas
Ron MacLean: Nashville
David Amber: Colorado
Nick Kypreos: Dallas
Justin Bourne: Dallas
Luke Gazdic: Dallas
Iain MacIntyre: Nashville
Eric Francis: Dallas
Mark Spector: Nashville
Luke Fox: Nashville
Eric Engels: Dallas
Matt Marchese: Dallas
Mike Futa: Dallas
Alex Adams: Dallas
Jason Bukala: Dallas
Sam Cosentino: Nashville
Ryan Dixon: Dallas
Jacob Stoller: Dallas
Sonny Sachdeva: Colorado
Rory Boylen: Dallas
Stanley Cup Finalist
Elliotte Friedman: NY Rangers
Ron MacLean: Florida
David Amber: Toronto
Nick Kypreos: Edmonton
Justin Bourne: Colorado
Luke Gazdic: Florida
Iain MacIntyre: Toronto
Eric Francis: NY Rangers
Mark Spector: NY Rangers
Luke Fox: New Jersey
Eric Engels: NY Rangers
Matt Marchese: Edmonton
Mike Futa: New Jersey
Alex Adams: NY Rangers
Jason Bukala: New Jersey
Sam Cosentino: Carolina
Ryan Dixon: New Jersey
Jacob Stoller: Carolina
Sonny Sachdeva: New Jersey
Rory Boylen: NY Rangers
Stanley Cup Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Edmonton (I will keep picking them until I am right)
Ron MacLean: Edmonton
David Amber: Edmonton
Nick Kypreos: Florida
Justin Bourne: Edmonton
Luke Gazdic: Edmonton
Iain MacIntyre: Edmonton
Eric Francis: Edmonton
Mark Spector: Edmonton
Luke Fox: Edmonton
Eric Engels: Dallas
Matt Marchese: New Jersey
Mike Futa: Edmonton
Alex Adams: Edmonton
Jason Bukala: Edmonton
Sam Cosentino: Edmonton
Ryan Dixon: Dallas
Jacob Stoller: Edmonton
Sonny Sachdeva: Edmonton
Rory Boylen: Edmonton
AWARD WINNERS
Hart Trophy Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Quinn Hughes
Ron MacLean: Connor McDavid
David Amber: Connor McDavid
Nick Kypreos: Connor McDavid
Justin Bourne: Connor McDavid
Luke Gazdic: Connor McDavid
Iain MacIntyre: Connor McDavid
Eric Francis: Connor McDavid
Mark Spector: Connor McDavid
Luke Fox: Connor McDavid
Eric Engels: Connor McDavid
Matt Marchese: Jack Hughes
Mike Futa: Connor McDavid
Alex Adams: Nathan MacKinnon
Jason Bukala: Connor McDavid
Sam Cosentino: Connor McDavid
Ryan Dixon: Connor McDavid
Jacob Stoller: Jack Hughes
Sonny Sachdeva: Connor McDavid
Rory Boylen: Connor McDavid
Art Ross Trophy Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Connor McDavid
Ron MacLean: Mitch Marner
David Amber: Connor McDavid
Nick Kypreos: Connor McDavid
Justin Bourne: Connor McDavid
Iain MacIntyre: Connor McDavid
Eric Francis: Connor McDavid
Mark Spector: Connor McDavid
Luke Fox: Connor McDavid
Eric Engels: Connor McDavid
Matt Marchese: Connor McDavid
Mike Futa: Connor McDavid
Alex Adams: Connor McDavid
Jason Bukala: Connor McDavid
Sam Cosentino: Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan Dixon: Connor McDavid
Jacob Stoller: Connor McDavid
Sonny Sachdeva: Connor McDavid
Rory Boylen: Nathan MacKinnon
Calder Trophy Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Matvei Michkov
Ron MacLean: Macklin Celebrini
David Amber: Cutter Gauthier
Nick Kypreos: Matvei Michkov
Justin Bourne: Matvei Michkov
Luke Gazdic: Matvei Michkov
Iain MacIntyre: Cutter Gauthier
Eric Francis: Matvei Michkov
Mark Spector: Matvei Michkov
Luke Fox: Matvei Michkov
Eric Engels: Lane Hutson
Matt Marchese: Matvei Michkov
Mike Futa: Matvei Michkov
Alex Adams: Lane Hutson
Jason Bukala: Lane Hutson
Sam Cosentino: Macklin Celebrini
Ryan Dixon: Lane Hutson
Jacob Stoller: Lane Hutson
Sonny Sachdeva: Matvei Michkov
Rory Boylen: Logan Stankoven
Norris Trophy Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Quinn Hughes
Ron MacLean: Kris Letang
David Amber: Cale Makar
Nick Kypreos: Cale Makar
Justin Bourne: Cale Makar
Luke Gazdic: Quinn Hughes
Iain MacIntyre: Quinn Hughes
Eric Francis: Cale Makar
Mark Spector: Cale Makar
Luke Fox: Cale Makar
Eric Engels: Cale Makar
Matt Marchese: Cale Makar
Mike Futa: Cale Makar
Alex Adams: Cale Makar
Jason Bukala: Cale Makar
Sam Cosentino: Noah Dobson
Ryan Dixon: Rasmus Dahlin
Jacob Stoller: Adam Fox
Sonny Sachdeva: Cale Makar
Rory Boylen: Quinn Hughes
Vezina Trophy Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Igor Shesterkin
Ron MacLean: Juuse Saros
David Amber: Igor Shesterkin
Nick Kypreos: Igor Shesterkin
Justin Bourne: Ilya Sorokin
Luke Gazdic: Igor Shesterkin
Iain MacIntyre: Igor Shesterkin
Eric Francis: Jake Oettinger
Mark Spector: Igor Shesterkin
Luke Fox: Juuse Saros
Eric Engels: Igor Shesterkin
Matt Marchese: Jacob Markstrom
Mike Futa: Jake Oettinger
Alex Adams: Linus Ullmark
Jason Bukala: Igor Shesterkin
Sam Cosentino: Juuse Saros
Ryan Dixon: Ilya Sorokin
Jacob Stoller: Igor Shesterkin
Sonny Sachdeva: Igor Shesterkin
Rory Boylen: Jake Oettinger
Jack Adams Award Winner
Elliotte Friedman: Patrick Roy
Ron MacLean: Travis Green
David Amber: Sheldon Keefe
Nick Kypreos: Peter Laviolette
Justin Bourne: Sheldon Keefe
Luke Gazdic: Sheldon Keefe
Iain MacIntyre: Andre Tourigny
Eric Francis: Sheldon Keefe
Mark Spector: Andrew Brunette
Luke Fox: Sheldon Keefe
Eric Engels: Martin St. Louis
Matt Marchese: Sheldon Keefe
Mike Futa: Pete DeBoer
Alex Adams: Craig Berube
Jason Bukala: Pete DeBoer
Sam Cosentino: Andrew Brunette
Ryan Dixon: Sheldon Keefe
Jacob Stoller: Sheldon Keefe
Sonny Sachdeva: Sheldon Keefe
Rory Boylen: Sheldon Keefe
MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS
Which 3-5 Atlantic Division teams will make the playoffs?
Elliotte Friedman: Toronto, Boston, Florida, Tampa Bay, Ottawa
Ron MacLean: Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Ottawa, Buffalo
David Amber: Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida, Boston, Ottawa
Nick Kypreos: Boston, Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay
Justin Bourne: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Tampa Bay
Luke Gazdic: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Tampa Bay
Iain MacIntyre: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Ottawa, Tampa Bay
Eric Francis: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Tampa Bay, Ottawa
Mark Spector: Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Boston
Luke Fox: Boston, Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Detroit
Eric Engels: Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Montreal, Boston
Matt Marchese: Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay, Ottawa
Alex Adams: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Ottawa
Jason Bukala: Florida, Toronto, Boston, Tampa Bay
Sam Cosentino: Toronto, Florida, Boston, Tampa Bay
Ryan Dixon: Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida, Boston, Ottawa
Jacob Stoller: Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston
Sonny Sachdeva: Florida, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay
Rory Boylen: Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Boston, Ottawa
Alex Ovechkin needs 42 goals to pass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record: will he do it this season?
Elliotte Friedman: No
Ron MacLean: No
David Amber: Yes
Nick Kypreos: No
Justin Bourne: No
Luke Gazdic: No
Iain MacIntyre: No
Eric Francis: No
Mark Spector: No
Luke Fox: No
Eric Engels: No
Matt Marchese: Yes
Alex Adams: No
Jason Bukala: No
Sam Cosentino: No
Ryan Dixon: No
Jacob Stoller: No
Sonny Sachdeva: No
Rory Boylen: No
Will Utah make the playoffs?
Elliotte Friedman: Yes
Ron MacLean: Yes
David Amber: Yes
Nick Kypreos: No
Justin Bourne: Yes
Luke Gazdic: No
Iain MacIntyre: Yes
Eric Francis: No
Mark Spector: Yes
Luke Fox: No
Eric Engels: Yes
Matt Marchese: Yes
Alex Adams: No
Jason Bukala: Yes
Sam Cosentino: Yes
Ryan Dixon: Yes
Jacob Stoller: No
Sonny Sachdeva: No
Rory Boylen: No
Which country will win the 4 Nations Face-Off?
Elliotte Friedman: USA is the team to beat
Ron MacLean: Canada
David Amber: Canada
Nick Kypreos: Canada
Justin Bourne: Canada
Luke Gazdic: Canada
Iain MacIntyre: Canada
Eric Francis: USA
Mark Spector: Canada
Luke Fox: Canada
Eric Engels: Canada
Matt Marchese: USA
Alex Adams: Canada
Jason Bukala: Canada
Sam Cosentino: Canada
Ryan Dixon: Finland
Jacob Stoller: USA
Sonny Sachdeva: Canada
Rory Boylen: Canada
