Puck drops in this week’s NHL 2020-21 season, a season that will be unique in many ways: new divisions, a new playoff format, headphone commercials, and more.
But we look far ahead, answering the big questions: who will win the Stanley Cup? Who are the favorites for all the grand prizes? Who will win each of these new divisions?
Here are our options:
Jump forward:
Est | Nord | Central | West | cup
Hart | Ross | Richard
Norris | Neighbor
Calder | Adams
Eastern Division
Here are the teams competing in this division: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals.
Sean Allen: Flyers
Ben Arledge: Flyers
Pierre Becquey: Penguins
Sachin Chandan: Flyers
Linda Cohn: Bruins
Dimitri Filipovic: Penguins
Emily Kaplan: Flyers
Tim Kavanagh: Flyers
Don La Greca: Bruins
Victoria Matiash: Capitale
Barry Melrose: Flyers
Arda Ocal: Bruins
Chris Peters: Flyers
Greg Wyshynski: Capitale
Top choice: Butterflies (seven votes).
3:47
Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN present their toughest picks and players to watch in the NHL top 100.
North Division
This Canadian division includes: Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets
Sean Allen: jets
Ben Arledge: maple leaves
Pierre Becquey: maple leaves
Sachin Chandan: Oilers
Linda Cohn: Oilers
Dimitri Filipovic: maple leaves
Emily Kaplan: maple leaves
Tim Kavanagh: jets
Don La Greca: maple leaves
Victoria Matiash: maple leaves
Barry Melrose: fire
Arda Ocal: maple leaves
Chris Peters: maple leaves
Greg Wyshynski: maple leaves
Top pick: Maple Leafs (nine votes).
Central Division
It’s a bit of a hodge-podge in this recently renovated group: Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sean Allen: Lightning
Ben Arledge: Lightning
Pierre Becquey: Lightning
Sachin Chandan: Lightning
Linda Cohn: Lightning
Dimitri Filipovic: Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Hurricanes
Don La Greca: Lightning
Victoria Matiash: Lightning
Barry Melrose: Hurricanes
Arda Ocal: Hurricanes
Chris Peters: Hurricanes
Greg Wyshynski: Lightning
Top choice: Lightning (nine votes).
2:01
Greg Wyshynski breaks down the free departure of Zdeno Chara from the Bruins and his future with Capitals.
West Division
With all the Canadian clubs remaining across the border, the other Pacific teams inherited a few new friends from downtown: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Cardinals. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights
Sean Allen: The Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Avalanche
Pierre Becquey: The Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche
Linda Cohn: The Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: The Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Barry Melrose: Avalanche
Arda Ocal: Avalanche
Chris Peters: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: The Golden Knights
Top choice: Avalanche (nine votes).
Stanley Cup Champion
The new playoff format – in which the last four are re-seeded in percentage points in the regular season – could produce some “dream matches” in the Cup final. Here are our choices for the eventual champion:
Sean Allen: Avalanche
Ben Arledge: The Golden Knights
Pierre Becquey: maple leaves
Sachin Chandan: Bruins
Linda Cohn: The Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Capitale
Tim Kavanagh: The Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Barry Melrose: Avalanche
Arda Ocal: maple leaves
Chris Peters: The Golden Knights
Greg Wyshynski: maple leaves
Top choice: Avalanche (five votes).
1:03
Emily Kaplan reports that the Blackhawks have received another blow, as Jonathan Toews has announced that he will miss the start of the NHL season because he will be dealing with an undisclosed illness.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Sean Allen: Carter Hart, Flyers
Ben Arledge: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Pierre Becquey: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Sachin Chandan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Dimitri Filipovic: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Barry Melrose: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Arda Ocal: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Chris Peters: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Top choice: Nathan MacKinnon (eight votes).
Art Ross Trophy (scoring title)
Sean Allen: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Ben Arledge: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Pierre Becquey: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Sachin Chandan: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Dimitri Filipovic: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Tim Kavanagh: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
Don La Greca: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Victoria Matiash: Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
Barry Melrose: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Arda Ocal: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Chris Peters: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Top pick: Connor McDavid (11 votes).
Richard Rocket Trophy (scoring title)
Sean Allen: Steven Stamkos, Fulger
Ben Arledge: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Pierre Becquey: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Sachin Chandan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Alex Ovechkin, Capital
Dimitri Filipovic: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Emily Kaplan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Tim Kavanagh: Alex Ovechkin, Capital
Don La Greca: Alex Ovechkin, Capital
Victoria Matiash: Alex Ovechkin, Capital
Barry Melrose: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
Arda Ocal: Alex Ovechkin, Capital
Chris Peters: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Top Pick: Auston Matthews (seven votes).
Norris Trophy (top defender)
Sean Allen: Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Seth Jones, Blue Jackets
Pierre Becquey: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Sachin Chandan: John Carlson, Capital
Linda Cohn: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Dimitri Filipovic: Dougie Hamilton, Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Miro Heiskanen, Stele
Don La Greca: John Carlson, Capital
Victoria Matiash: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Barry Melrose: Shea Theodore, The Golden Knights
Arda Ocal: Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
Chris Peters: Seth Jones, Blue Jackets
Greg Wyshynski: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Top choice: Victor Hedman (five votes).
Vezina Trophy (top goalkeeper)
Note: NHL GMs vote for this award.
Sean Allen: Carter Hart, Flyers
Ben Arledge: Carter Hart, Flyers
Pierre Becquey: Tuukka Rask, Bruins
Sachin Chandan: Carter Hart, Flyers
Linda Cohn: Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Tuukka Rask, Bruins
Tim Kavanagh: Carter Hart, Flyers
Don La Greca: Ilya Samsonov, Capital
Victoria Matiash: Carter Hart, Flyers
Barry Melrose: Carter Hart, Flyers
Arda Ocal: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Chris Peters: Carter Hart, Flyers
Greg Wyshynski: Carter Hart, Flyers
Top choice: Carter Hart (eight votes).
Calder Trophy (top rookie)
Sean Allen: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Ben Arledge: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Pierre Becquey: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Sachin Chandan: Tim Stuzle, Senator
Linda Cohn: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Dimitri Filipovic: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Emily Kaplan: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Tim Kavanagh: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Don La Greca: Ilya Sorokin, Insular
Victoria Matiash: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Barry Melrose: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Arda Ocal: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Chris Peters: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Greg Wyshynski: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Top choice: Kirill Kaprizov (five votes).
Jack Adams Award (Top Coach)
Note: this award is voted by the National Association of Hockey League Broadcasters at the end of the regular season.
Sean Allen: Peter DeBoer, Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Travis Green, Canucks
Pierre Becquey: Peter DeBoer, Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Claude Julien, Canadians
Linda Cohn: Jared Bednar, Avalanche
Dimitri Filipovic: Rod Brind’Amour, Hurricane
Emily Kaplan: Ralph Krueger, Sabers
Tim Kavanagh: Rod Brind’Amour, Hurricane
Don La Greca: David Quinn, Rangers
Victoria Matiash: Ralph Krueger, Sabers
Barry Melrose: Jared Bednar, Avalanche
Arda Ocal: Travis Green, Canucks
Chris Peters: Jared Bednar, Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Peter Laviolette, Capital
Top choice: Jared Bednar (three votes).
Our panel: Sean Allen, NHL fantasy chronicler; Ben Arledge, associate editor; Pierre Becquey, deputy editor; Sachin Chandan, fantasy hockey editor; Linda Cohn, SportsCenter anchor, “In the Crease” host; Dimitri Filipovic, NHL writer; Emily Kaplan, NHL national reporter; Tim Kavanagh, senior editor; Don La Greca, host of ESPN Radio; Victoria Matiash, NHL fantasy columnist; Barry Melrose, NHL analyst; Arda Ocal, ESPN writer; Chris Peters, NHL prospect writer; Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer.