After a short off-season the NHL returns Tuesday night in what we all hope is something close to a normal season. Of course, some NHLers will be off to the Olympics in February if everything goes smoothly, but let’s root for a healthy 82-game season.
We’ve assembled a panel of 18 Sportsnet experts to share their predictions on things such as the Cup winner, individual award winners, and which organization Jack Eichel will be a part of after this season’s trade deadline.
TEAM QUESTIONS
Atlantic Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Tampa Bay
Caroline Cameron: Tampa Bay
David Amber: Florida
Jeff Marek: Toronto
Luke Fox: Tampa Bay
Eric Francis: Florida
Gene Principe: Toronto
Gord Stellick: Tampa Bay
Ken Wiebe: Florida
Sean Reynolds: Toronto
Dan Murphy: Tampa Bay
Justin Bourne: Tampa Bay
Nick Kypreos: Florida
Eric Engels: Toronto
Christine Simpson: Tampa
Ryan Dixon: Toronto
Iain MacIntyre: Florida
Mark Spector: Florida
Metropolitan Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Islanders
Caroline Cameron: Islanders
David Amber: Islanders
Jeff Marek: Carolina
Luke Fox: Carolina
Eric Francis: Carolina
Gene Principe: Pittsburgh
Gord Stellick: Carolina
Ken Wiebe: Carolina
Sean Reynolds: Carolina
Dan Murphy: Islanders
Justin Bourne: Islanders
Nick Kypreos: Carolina
Eric Engels: Islanders
Christine Simpson: Islanders
Ryan Dixon: Carolina
Iain MacIntyre: Islanders
Mark Spector: Carolina
Pacific Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Vegas
Caroline Cameron: Vegas
David Amber: Vancouver
Jeff Marek: Edmonton
Luke Fox: Vegas
Eric Francis: Vegas
Gene Principe: Edmonton
Gord Stellick: Vegas
Ken Wiebe: Vegas
Sean Reynolds: Vegas
Dan Murphy: Vegas
Justin Bourne: Vegas
Nick Kypreos: Vegas
Eric Engels: Vegas
Christine Simpson: Vegas
Ryan Dixon: Vegas
Iain MacIntyre: Vegas
Mark Spector: Vegas
Central Division regular season winner
Elliotte Friedman: Colorado
Caroline Cameron: Colorado
David Amber: Colorado
Jeff Marek: Colorado
Luke Fox: Colorado
Eric Francis: Colorado
Gene Principe: Colorado
Gord Stellick: Colorado
Ken Wiebe: Colorado
Sean Reynolds: Colorado
Dan Murphy: Colorado
Justin Bourne: Colorado
Nick Kypreos: Colorado
Eric Engels: Colorado
Christine Simpson: Colorado
Ryan Dixon: Winnipeg
Iain MacIntyre: Colorado
Mark Spector: Colorado
Conference Champions
Elliotte Friedman: Islanders, Colorado
Caroline Cameron: Colorado, Tampa
David Amber: Islanders, Colorado
Jeff Marek: Winnipeg, Tampa Bay
Luke Fox: Colorado, Tampa Bay
Eric Francis: Colorado, Carolina
Gene Principe: Edmonton, Pittsburgh
Gord Stellick: Winnipeg, Carolina
Ken Wiebe: Vegas, NY Islanders
Sean Reynolds: Florida, Colorado
Dan Murphy: Carolina, Colorado
Nick Kypreos: Islanders, Colorado
Eric Engels: Islanders, Colorado
Christine Simpson: Tampa, Colorado
Ryan Dixon: Islanders, Colorado
Iain MacIntyre: Islanders, Vegas
Mark Spector: Islanders, Colorado
Stanley Cup winner
Elliotte Friedman: I’m picking Colorado until they win
Caroline Cameron: Colorado
David Amber: Colorado
Jeff Marek: Tampa Bay
Luke Fox: Colorado
Eric Francis: Colorado
Gene Principe: Edmonton
Gord Stellick: Winnipeg
Ken Wiebe: Vegas
Sean Reynolds: Colorado
Dan Murphy: Colorado
Justin Bourne: Tampa Bay
Nick Kypreos: Colorado
Eric Engels: Islanders
Christine Simpson: Tampa
Ryan Dixon: Colorado
Iain MacIntyre: Islanders
Mark Spector: Colorado
Team most likely to exceed expectations:
Elliotte Friedman: I was going to pick New Jersey, but with MacKenzie Blackwood’s situation uncertain, I’m going with Winnipeg
Caroline Cameron: Vancouver
David Amber: Philadelphia
Jeff Marek: Los Angeles
Luke Fox: Winnipeg
Eric Francis: Vancouver
Gene Principe: Seattle
Gord Stellick: Los Angeles
Ken Wiebe: Vancouver
Sean Reynolds: Chicago
Dan Murphy: Los Angeles
Justin Bourne: Carolina
Nick Kypreos: Islanders
Eric Engels: Calgary
Christine Simpson: Ottawa
Ryan Dixon: Calgary
Iain MacIntyre: Seattle
Mark Spector: Vancouver
Team most likely to disappoint:
Elliotte Friedman: St. Louis
Caroline Cameron: Buffalo
David Amber: St. Louis
Jeff Marek: Washington
Luke Fox: Pittsburgh
Eric Francis: Montreal
Gene Principe: Philadelphia
Gord Stellick: San Jose
Ken Wiebe: Boston
Sean Reynolds: Montreal
Dan Murphy: Washington
Justin Bourne: Vegas
Nick Kypreos: Pittsburgh
Eric Engels: Edmonton
Christine Simpson: Washington
Ryan Dixon: Washington
Iain MacIntyre: St. Louis
Mark Spector: Toronto
AWARD QUESTIONS
Hart Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Nathan MacKinnon
Caroline Cameron: Connor McDavid
David Amber: Nathan MacKinnon
Jeff Marek: Connor McDavid
Luke Fox: Connor McDavid
Eric Francis: Connor McDavid
Gene Principe: Connor McDavid
Gord Stellick: Connor McDavid
Ken Wiebe: Nathan MacKinnon
Sean Reynolds: Connor McDavid
Dan Murphy: Connor McDavid
Justin Bourne: Connor McDavid
Nick Kypreos: Nathan MacKinnon
Eric Engels: Connor McDavid
Christine Simpson: Connor McDavid
Ryan Dixon: Aleksander Barkov
Iain MacIntyre: Connor McDavid
Mark Spector: Connor McDavid
Art Ross Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Connor McDavid
Caroline Cameron: Connor McDavid
David Amber: Connor McDavid
Jeff Marek: Connor McDavid
Luke Fox: Connor McDavid
Eric Francis: Connor McDavid
Gene Principe: Connor McDavid
Gord Stellick: Connor McDavid
Ken Wiebe: Connor McDavid
Sean Reynolds: Connor McDavid
Dan Murphy: Connor McDavid
Justin Bourne: Connor McDavid
Nick Kypreos: Connor McDavid
Eric Engels: Connor McDavid
Christine Simpson: Connor McDavid
Ryan Dixon: Connor McDavid
Iain MacIntyre: Connor McDavid
Mark Spector: Connor McDavid
Calder Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Spencer Knight
Caroline Cameron: Cole Caufield
David Amber: Cole Caufield
Jeff Marek: Trevor Zegras
Luke Fox: Cole Caufield
Eric Francis: Arthur Kaliyev
Gene Principe: Cole Caufield
Gord Stellick: Cole Caufield
Ken Wiebe: Cole Caufield
Sean Reynolds: Cole Caufield
Dan Murphy: Quinton Byfield
Justin Bourne: Cole Caufield
Nick Kypreos: Cole Caufield
Eric Engels: Shane Pinto
Christine Simpson: Cole Caufield
Iain MacIntyre: Cole Caufield
Mark Spector: Arthur Kaliyev
Norris Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Cale Makar
Caroline Cameron: Cale Makar
David Amber: Victor Hedman
Jeff Marek: Cale Makar
Luke Fox: Cale Makar
Eric Francis: Cale Makar
Gene Principe: Cale Makar
Gord Stellick: Seth Jones
Ken Wiebe: Cale Makar
Sean Reynolds: Cale Makar
Dan Murphy: Dougie Hamilton
Justin Bourne: Cale Makar
Nick Kypreos: Cale Makar
Eric Engels: Victor Hedman
Christine Simpson: Cale Makar
Ryan Dixon: Victor Hedman
Iain MacIntyre: Cale Makar
Mark Spector: Cale Makar
Vezina Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Jacob Markstrom
Caroline Cameron: Andrei Vasilevskiy
David Amber: Connor Hellebuyck
Jeff Marek: Igor Shesterkin
Luke Fox: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Eric Francis: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Gene Principe: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Gord Stellick: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Ken Wiebe: Connor Hellebuyck
Sean Reynolds: Darcy Kuemper
Dan Murphy: Thatcher Demko
Justin Bourne: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Nick Kypreos: Ilya Sorokin
Eric Engels: Jacob Markstrom
Christine Simpson: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Ryan Dixon: Frederik Andersen
Iain MacIntyre: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Mark Spector: Darcy Kuemper
Jack Adams Trophy winner
Elliotte Friedman: Since the team that exceeds expectations has a great shot, I will go with Paul Maurice
Caroline Cameron: Jeremy Colliton
David Amber: Travis Green
Jeff Marek: Dean Evason
Luke Fox: Gerard Gallant
Eric Francis: Travis Green
Gene Principe: Dave Tippett
Gord Stellick: Paul Maurice
Ken Wiebe: Travis Green
Sean Reynolds: Jared Bednar
Dan Murphy: Jared Bednar
Justin Bourne: Barry Trotz
Nick Kypreos: Barry Trotz
Eric Engels: Barry Trotz
Christine Simpson: Jon Cooper
Ryan Dixon: Paul Maurice
Iain MacIntyre: Jared Bednar
Mark Spector: Paul Maurice
MISCELLANEOUS
How many points will the Art Ross winner score?
Elliotte Friedman: McDavid might get 1,000
Caroline Cameron: 124
David Amber: 133
Jeff Marek: 130
Luke Fox: 144
Eric Francis: 125
Gene Principe: 156
Gord Stellick: 122
Ken Wiebe: 118
Sean Reynolds: 144
Dan Murphy: 127
Justin Bourne: 160
Nick Kypreos: 137
Eric Engels: 121
Christine Simpson: 150
Ryan Dixon: 127
Iain MacIntyre: 148
Mark Spector: 150
Which organization will Jack Eichel be a part of after the trade deadline?
Elliotte Friedman: Anaheim
Caroline Cameron: New York Rangers
David Amber: New York Rangers
Jeff Marek: Calgary
Luke Fox: Calgary
Eric Francis: Anaheim
Gene Principe: Buffalo
Gord Stellick: New York Rangers
Ken Wiebe: Anaheim
Sean Reynolds: Buffalo
Dan Murphy: Anaheim
Justin Bourne: New York Rangers
Nick Kypreos: New York Rangers
Eric Engels: Buffalo
Christine Simpson: Anaheim
Ryan Dixon: St. Louis
Iain MacIntyre: Vegas
Mark Spector: Buffalo
Which Canadian team will finish with the most regular season points?
Elliotte Friedman: Winnipeg
Caroline Cameron: Toronto
David Amber: Vancouver
Jeff Marek: Edmonton
Luke Fox: Toronto
Eric Francis: Edmonton
Gene Principe: Edmonton
Gord Stellick: Toronto
Ken Wiebe: Winnipeg
Sean Reynolds: Toronto
Dan Murphy: Toronto
Justin Bourne: Toronto
Nick Kypreos: Toronto
Eric Engels: Toronto
Christine Simpson: Toronto
Ryan Dixon: Winnipeg
Iain MacIntyre: Toronto
Mark Spector: Edmonton
