Wyshynski: Why the Avalanche will win the Cup, and where the other 31 teams finish

The Colorado Avalanche are going to triumph the 2026 Stanley Cup.

I made the declaration astir a period agone erstwhile pressed for a Cup pick. At the time, I thought I was being a Brooklyn hipster going against a question of sentiment down the Edmonton Oilers, who person mislaid consecutive Stanley Cup Finals; the Dallas Stars, who person mislaid 3 consecutive Western Conference finals; and the Vegas Golden Knights, who added Mitch Marner successful the offseason.

Imagine my astonishment erstwhile I looked astatine the ESPN hockey family's play predictions and saw the Avalanche were successful information the chalk of a precise crowded field. A hipster picker's nightmare, indeed.

As is tradition, I revealed my Stanley Cup enactment to a subordinate of that squad portion astatine the subordinate media circuit successful Las Vegas:

Me: I wanted to pass you that I'm picking you guys to triumph the Stanley Cup.

Avalanche prima Cale Makar: I admit that.

Me: I besides wanted to pass you that I'm not bully astatine making Stanley Cup predictions.

Makar: Well, we'll beryllium that wrong, hopefully.

I person the Avalanche winning the Cup implicit the Carolina Hurricanes, who are successful astatine slightest their sixth effort to interruption done successful the Eastern Conference nether manager Rod Brind'amour. I explicate wherefore beneath successful my afloat 2025-26 NHL play standings predictions.

Here's my division-by-division breakdown. Playoff teams are bolded. Good luck to each 32 teams. Hope everyone has amusive retired there.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins

There's astir apt nary greater illustration of the changeless powerfulness rebalancing successful the Atlantic than the information that the Lightning haven't finished atop the part since 2018-19. That's contempt having Nikita Kucherov, 2nd lone to Connor McDavid successful points (378) implicit the past 3 seasons; Read Entire Article