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

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  ESPN staffSep 29, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

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)