Golden Knights, Stars favorites to win Stanley Cup, NHL.com panel says – NHL.com

MacKinnon, Marner, Rantanen among choices for Conn Smythe Trophy
© Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The race for the Stanley Cup is wide open, but the eventual champ will come out of the Western Conference, according to a panel of NHL.com writers and editors.
A total of 15 staff members made their preseason predictions and five picked the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Cup, four picked the Dallas Stars and three picked the Colorado Avalanche. One staffer picked the Edmonton Oilers, while the only Eastern Conference teams to get a pick were the two-time defending Cup champion Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is more wide open, with Mitch Marner of the Golden Knights, Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen of the Stars each getting three votes. Jack Eichel of the Golden Knights got two votes, while Jake Oettinger (Stars), Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers), Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes) and Connor McDavid (Oilers) got one vote each.
The 2025-26 NHL season starts Tuesday with a tripleheader on ESPN: Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers (5 p.m. ET), Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (8 p.m. ET) and Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET).
Here is how our experts picked:
Atlantic Division
1. Montreal Canadiens | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Vancouver Canucks | 2. Utah Mammoth
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Montreal Canadiens | 2. Columbus Blue Jackets
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Dallas Stars | 3. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Utah Mammoth | 2. Minnesota Wild
East: Florida Panthers
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Florida Panthers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Ottawa Senators | 2. Washington Capitals
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Vancouver Canucks
Western Conference wild cards
1. Los Angeles Kings | 2. Utah Mammoth
East: Toronto Maple Leafs
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
Atlantic Division
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Ottawa Senators
Metropolitan Division
1. New York Rangers | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Carolina Hurricanes
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Washington Capitals
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars I 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Calgary Flames
East: Florida Panthers
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Jack Eichel
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. Washington Capitals | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. New Jersey Devils | 2. Montreal Canadiens
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Utah Mammoth
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Montreal Canadiens | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Columbus Blue Jackets
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. St. Louis Blues
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Utah Mammoth
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Montreal Canadiens | 2. Columbus Blue Jackets
Central Division
1. Winnipeg Jets | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Los Angeles Kings | 3. Edmonton Oilers
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. St. Louis Blues
East: Tampa Bay Lightning
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Washington Capitals | 2. Montreal Canadiens
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Utah Mammoth
East: Florida Panthers
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Ottawa Senators
Metropolitan Division
1. New Jersey Devils | 2. Carolina Hurricanes | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Montreal Canadiens
Central Division
1. Winnipeg Jets | 2. Dallas Stars | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Utah Mammoth | 2. Minnesota Wild
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1. Ottawa Senators | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Montreal Canadiens
Metropolitan Division
1. New York Rangers | 2. Carolina Hurricanes | 3. New Jersey Devils
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars I 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Anaheim Ducks
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Montreal Canadiens
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Columbus Blue Jackets
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Detroit Red Wings
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Los Angeles Kings | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Vegas Golden Knights
Western Conference wild cards
1. Calgary Flames | 2. Minnesota Wild
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Florida Panthers | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. New York Rangers | 2. Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Calgary Flames
Western Conference wild cards
1. Utah Mammoth | 2. St. Louis Blues
East: New Jersey Devils
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Florida Panthers | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Ottawa Senators | 2. New York Rangers
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 3. Vancouver Canucks
Western Conference wild cards
1. Utah Mammoth | 2. Los Angeles Kings
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
Atlantic Division
1. Florida Panthers | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. New York Rangers | 2. Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Winnipeg Jets | 3. Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. St. Louis Blues | 2. Minnesota Wild
East: New Jersey Devils
West: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup champion: Edmonton Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. Montreal Canadiens | 2. Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Dallas Stars | 3. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Vancouver Canucks
Western Conference wild cards
1. Utah Mammoth | 2. Minnesota Wild
East: Tampa Bay Lightning
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights

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