The NHL regular season is upon us again, which means for the next nine months, fans and analysts will spend every minute of the day debating the latest news, rumors, and anything in between. Ultimately, this means it’s time for bold predictions, and although we could write 32 separate predictions, we are focusing on the top-five headline-worthy topics.
Of course, there will be 2,624 games to watch and monitor, producing thousands of stories to cover. However, these five NHL bold predictions will be worth stashing to see how they unfold before the end of the regular season in April of 2024.
In 2022-23, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid took the league by storm and racked up an astounding 153 points, just the sixth skater in NHL history to reach the plateau. However, besides Wayne Gretzky, no one else in this exclusive club has yet to win the Stanley Cup with that production level since the Oilers got eliminated in the second round last season.
Even though there is no doubt that McDavid is the best player in professional hockey, at some point, it will be about more than scoring hundreds of points and securing the best power-play numbers of all time. Eventually, he must adjust his style to win important games in the playoffs and learn to play a more complete game without a strong supporting cast.
Now, as McDavid gets another season closer to free agency and no closer to a championship, he will still score over 100 points in 2023-24, but the league will adjust and find new ways to shut him down. Ultimately, he won’t achieve over 60 goals or 150 points this year, which could lead to a different result in the postseason.
Related: NHL power rankings heading into the 2023-24 season
Heading into the 2023-24 season, most hockey experts have already inscribed Connor Bedard’s name on the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year. Surprisingly, there’s no doubt in their minds that he’s one of the most gifted prospects making their debut this year, with all the focus on whether he can become the latest rookie to score 100 points.
However, the blinders are one because Bedard’s supporting cast in Chicago is weak, and there aren’t going to be a lot of skaters chipping in on a nightly basis. Of course, he will have a spectacular debut season, but Adam Fantelli will have fans on the edge of their seats in Columbus, and Leo Carlsson is an 18-year-old kid who is more than capable of playing against men.
Additionally, former 2022 third-overall pick Logan Cooley will begin his NHL journey this fall and already has a highlight reel goal to build up anticipation for the upcoming season in Arizona. Although everyone is only talking about Bedard, the race for the Calder Trophy will drastically differ from 2022-23 and will come down to the season’s final games. However, someone besides Bedard will accept the award in the spring.
Historically, the Carolina Hurricanes have only won one Stanley Cup title in 2006. Interestingly, since then, the franchise has been on a 12-game losing streak in the Eastern Conference Finals, getting swept in 2009, 2019, and 2023. Since head coach Rod Brind’Amour took over in 2018, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs five straight years and are three-time defending Metropolitan Division champions.
After another earlier-than-expected playoff exit, the Hurricanes re-signed their franchise star, Sebastian Aho, to a max extension. Then, they acquired the best free-agent defenseman, Dmitry Orlov, and kept their goalie tandem of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta together. Considering several teams in the Eastern Conference have either stayed the same or taken a step back, the Hurricanes will not only take the top spot in the East but will capture the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in their history.
Related: 2023-24 NHL schedule
In case anyone forgot, the Boston Bruins destroyed the NHL record book last year, setting near-unbreakable records with 65 wins and 135 points. However, the team lost their captain, Patrice Bergeron, to retirement and let a handful of free agents walk in the summer. Although the team still employs 60-goal scorer David Pastrnak and promoted long-time star Brad Marchand to the captaincy.
Furthermore, the Bruins have one of the league’s best defensive units and still have Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark and his partner Jeremy Swayman between the pipes. Of course, Boston went out to fill out their lineup, but most of the additions are in their 30s but bring invaluable experience to the dressing room.
Realistically, the Bruins will not duplicate their successes from last year. Still, most experts have already written the team off, which will serve as bulletin board material, as they remain in contention for the Atlantic Division title and be a burden to eliminate in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Vegas Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup title in June 2023, becoming one of the quickest expansion franchises in professional sports to achieve the feat. Besides a few minor lineup tweaks, most of the cast from the championship parade are returning, meaning the Golden Knights are in an excellent position to repeat.
As the top team in the Western Conference last year, the upper hierarchy has stayed the same, allowing Vegas to maintain its spot with a solid performance. Ultimately, the only threats to their mantle are the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and the Oilers. Considering how experienced the Golden Knights are at going the distance, barring any significant injuries or slumps, this team should defend their championship until the last buzzer, losing to the Hurricanes in one of the most exciting Stanley Cup Finals in years.