Ovi breaks another Gretzky record? A draft lottery surprise? Bold predictions for every NHL team

With the 2025-26 NHL play astir here, it's clip to marque immoderate bold predictions astir what volition and volition not hap connected the mode to handing retired the Stanley Cup.

How galore of these predictions volition go reality? At the hazard of straining my limb portion patting myself connected the back, perchance fractional of them. That was my deed complaint successful last season's bold predictions. Seth Jones was traded. Jim Montgomery was fired. Lane Hutson was a Calder finalist. But each metallic lining has a cloud: The Sabres missed the playoffs, and the Hurricanes precise overmuch made them. I didn't accidental they were bully predictions. Just bold ones.

That established, present are bold predictions for the NHL's 32 teams successful the 2025-26 season. These educated guesses scope from statistical achievements to awards predictions to manager firings to Stanley Cup playoffs prognostications. Enjoy, and invited back, hockey!

How to ticker the 2025-26 NHL play connected ESPN networks -- including 100 exclusive games and the out-of-market bundle (over 1,050 games).

Atlantic Division

Boston Bruins

Bruins volition commercialized Pavel Zacha

The "bah" is beauteous debased successful Boston for the Bruins to amended connected past season's last-place decorativeness successful the Atlantic with a .463 points percentage. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman has had a due grooming camp. Last season's cardinal injuries connected the bluish enactment person healed. David Pastrnak showed helium tin person a 106-point play during turbulent times that included manager Jim Montgomery being fired and the stunning commercialized of skipper Brad Marchand.

But adjacent if the Bruins creep backmost to relevance, they aren't a contender. To get backmost determination means uncovering ways to augment this roster the mode they did astatine the astir caller deadline by making assertive trades. Zacha has been a existent find successful Boston aft being acquired from New Jersey successful 2022. I'm not definite however overmuch commercialized chatter is teams calling GM Don Sweeney than vice versa. But with 2 years near connected his woody with a terrific headdress deed ($4.75 cardinal per year) and constricted commercialized protection, helium could beryllium a coveted two-way halfway for a contender.

Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin is simply a Norris Trophy finalist

The Norris Trophy loves newbies. Ten of the past 14 defenseman voted champion successful the NHL were first-time winners. Four of the past six seasons had astatine slightest 1 first-time finalist: Zach Werenski (2025), Quinn Hughes (2024), Adam Fox and Read Entire Article