Way-too-early 2024-25 NHL season predictions

The National Hockey League season is just over two months away and the off-season has entered a lull. With free agency and the NHL draft behind us, it is time to make some way-too-early predictions for the upcoming season. Who will make the playoffs? Who will take home the major awards? And of course, with just 11 months until it's awarded, who will win the 2025 Stanley Cup?

NHL's Eastern Conference Playoffs get some shakeup

The Eastern Conference playoffs had a couple of big rivalry matchups in the first round and featured an all-time Game 7 in the series between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Florida Panthers ended up winning the conference for the second consecutive season and going on to win their first Stanley Cup. Those three teams are set to make returns to the playoffs in 2024-25, but change could come at the bottom of the standings.

Atlantic Division: 

1. Florida Panthers.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Boston Bruins

Metropolitan Division

1. New Jersey Devils
2. New York Rangers
3. Carolina Hurricanes

Wild Card

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Philadelphia Flyers

These NHL playoff predictions have two changes from the 2024 bracket, with the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals out and the Devils and Flyers in. The Devils were expected to be a playoff team last year, but a season full of injuries, poor goaltending, and a coaching change derailed them. With the addition of Jacob Markstrom in net, the Devils are set to compete for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The Flyers were the surprise team of the season until a late collapse spelled the end of their playoff chances. Now, they add 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov and goalie Ivan Fedotov to a team that performed well last year. Forward Travis Konecny is entering a contract year which could lead to a big trade deadline decision. If the Flyers keep him, expect them to make a run at the playoffs.

Western Conference Playoffs stay the same

The Western Conference also has Stanley Cup contenders up and down the standings. After the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars in the Conference Final, they lost to the Panthers in the Cup Final. Expect the Oilers to make a torrid run toward Lord Stanley this season.

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars
2. Colorado Avalanche
3. Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Vegas Golden Knights
3. Los Angeles Kings

Wild Card

1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Winnipeg Jets

This prediction has the same eight teams who made the Western Conference playoffs a year ago, which rarely happens in the NHL. The West has more rebuilding teams like the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks and fewer teams in the middle. The Calgary Flames traded goalie Jacob Markstrom and the St. Louis Blues still need help on their blue line. There is a good chance that the same teams make the playoffs in 2024.

The biggest riser in these predictions is the Nashville Predators, who added forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei in free agency. Those moves, along with locking in goaltender Juuse Saros make them more of a contender this year. They also might add a big piece if they trade young goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

NHL Award predictions

Based on those standings, let's pick some winners of the NHL Awards.

Hart Trophy for Most Valuable Player: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers.

This prediction comes down to one thing; you look very silly if McDavid wins the Hart and you did not pick him. He has won three MVP awards and finished top five in voting in eight consecutive seasons. Only Wayne Gretzky, Eddie Shore, and Gordie Howe have won four or more Hart Trophies.

Vezina Trophy for top goaltender: Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin has put up some of the best numbers in the NHL since arriving in 2021. He has yet to win a Vezina and is coming off his worst season. He was benched at the end of the year in favor of Semyon Varlamov as the Islanders pushed toward the playoffs. Expect a bounce-back season with Patrick Roy behind the bench from Sorokin that wins him his first Vezina.

Norris Trophy for best defenseman: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar will win his second Norris with a massive offensive season. Makar might be the best two-way player in the sport and is a candidate to put up 100 points every season.

Calder Trophy for top rookie: Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim Ducks

Gauthier will outrun top pick Macklin Celebrini for the Calder. He has the size and speed to compete at the NHL level immediately and is on a better team than Celebrini does in San Jose. Expect Michkov to challenge for this award as well.

Jack Adams Award for top coach: John Tortorella, Philadelphia Flyers

The Jack Adams Award continuously goes to surprise teams who make the NHL playoffs. The Flyers are not expected to make the playoffs, even after their close call. Tortorella would become the second coach ever to win the award with three separate teams along with Pat Quinn.

Stanley Cup Final prediction

Finally, the pinnacle of predictions, the Stanley Cup Final. A Panthers-Oilers final would be easy to predict and very fun to watch again. While repeat Finals very rarely happen, those two teams look set to run it back again. But the way-too-early call for the Stanley Cup Final is the Dallas Stars defeating the New Jersey Devils.

The Stars are a very balanced team with top-end scoring and goaltending that have translated to playoff success. The Devils will get to the Cup Final based on great seasons from Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Jacob Markstrom but fall short in six games.