2024-25 NHL Season Predictions: Stanley Cup Champions, Playoff Teams, Dark Horses and More

Can the Florida Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions or is it the Edmonton Oilers' turn to move up from second place to No. 1? What will happen in the Eastern Conference wild card race?

After kick-off The athlete Thursday's NHL staff season predictions with individual awards, today we take a look at team expectations. Who will make it to the playoffs? Who are the potential “dark horses”? Which fan base will be disappointed?

To dissect our survey results, provide context, and give us a healthy critique, we brought in senior NHL writers James Mirtle and Sean Gentille, analyst know-it-all Shayna Goldman, and betting expert Jesse Granger.

Who will win the Stanley Cup?

Mirtle: I feel special about being the only Hurricanes selection. Maybe it's finally time?! Right?

Goldman: Lose in the Stanley Cup Final and then come back to win the next year. I think I've seen this script before.

Gentile: I picked the stars last season. The Devils don't seem to be quite ready yet. The leaves are the leaves. The Avs have a lot of question marks. By default it is Edmonton.

Granger: I think the Devils have the perfect combination of talent, motivation, recovery after a longer summer than they had hoped, and finally a top goaltender in Jacob Markstrom.

Who will come second?

Gentile: In other words, most of us believe the Rangers will find a new way to disappoint their fans in the playoffs.

Granger: Our consensus for the cup final is Oilers over Rangers. You can bet on exactly this result with odds of 66:1.

Will Connor McDavid and the Oilers face Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final? (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Who will end up in last place?

Mirtle: Pray for Yaroslav Askarov, friends.

Granger: And Mackenzie Blackwood.

Gentile: The Sharks added several true NHL players to the team this season. That doesn't mean things will change all that much.

Who will be the biggest disappointment?

Dom's model can expect over 100 points at the start of the season. Projected total points in parentheses.

Goldman: I didn't vote for Carolina, but it actually makes sense here. Year after year they are among the favorites in the Eastern Conference. But in the end, the results just don't live up to the hype, so it feels like the pressure is building there.

Granger: Thatcher Demko's injury has me very worried for Vancouver. He covered many of this team's gaps with heroics in net, as evidenced by his sky-high .845 save percentage on dangerous shots. If he ends up playing most of the season, the Canucks should be fine, but if not, the demands on Kevin Lankinen and Artūrs Šilovs will be high.

Who is your contender for the Dark Horse Cup?

They are expected to be a mid-table team that, according to Dom's model, should be between 85 and 100 points at the start of the season. Projected total points in parentheses.

Granger: The Devils are my choice to win the Cup, so I kind of had to choose them here.

Mirtle: I gave Vegas my vote here because (a) the Devils are the easy choice and (b) everyone is sleeping on how good the Golden Knights remain, which may include the best blue line in the NHL. Plus, they're going to add two forwards worth $10 million by the deadline anyway.

Goldman: To be honest, I forget whether I chose Tampa Bay or Nashville here. The Lightning have depth issues, but they're not dead yet. And the Predators had a really interesting offseason. They are my two dark competitors to keep an eye on because Mirtle is right, the Devils are the easy choice here.

Gentile: One day I'll get tired of thinking of the Lightning as a real competitor. Today is not that day.

Who is your surprise playoff team?

Dom's model has to predict under 85 points at the start of the season. Projected total points in parentheses.

Goldman: Detroit seems to be the only legitimate choice here, especially if it can build on its level from last season's surge. Even if the Flyers make a breakthrough like they did last year, their deadline move will likely take them right back out of the conversation.

Gentile: Yes, for me it's the Red Wings by default too. At least their path feels realistic, especially if a few of their prospects prevail.

Who will be the first coach to be fired?

Mirtle: Almost half of the league mentioned sounds like the NHL.

Goldman: The average tenure of an NHL coach is less than 2.5 years, so it's really anyone's game here.

Gentile: There has been so much turnover in recent years that we are lacking real candidates.

East playoff field

We asked each voter to pick the eight East playoff teams. Here is the percentage of votes each team received. (Note: *2023-24 playoff team)

Goldman: Sorry Atlantic Division disruptors, apparently it's still not your time.

Gentile: It's very funny to see the Capitals, a team that actually made the playoffs last season and then improved over the summer, so far down the list.

Granger: The funny thing is that the oddsmakers agree. Washington is the favorite to miss the playoffs at minus-190 and to qualify at plus-155.

West playoff field

We asked each voter to pick the eight West playoff teams. Here is the percentage of votes each team received. (Note: *2023–24 playoff team)

Mirtle: Making Vancouver 100 percent comfortable with Demko's injury problems is brave, but then again the Pacific isn't a killer issue.

Goldman: That's Utah's erasure, wow. I'm a little surprised there isn't more confidence behind the Jets – Connor Hellebuyck can get his team there, the rest is just a little unclear.

Gentile: I'm glad to see we're all predicting another year of the sport's best new tradition – the Kings losing to Edmonton in the first round.

Granger: Given the loss of Drew Doughty in the preseason and the uncertainty with Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich in net, it makes sense that the Kings are the closest to slipping out of playoff position, even if they're still way ahead.

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The athlete. Photos: Ric Tapia, Richard A. Whittaker / Icon Sportswire; Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)