Stars, Hurricanes, Oilers favorites among NHL.com staff preseason picks
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The Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season, but the field is still wide open, according to preseason predictions by NHL.com staff writers and editors.
Of the 16 staff members who made their picks, four picked the Stars, four picked the Hurricanes and three picked the Oilers to win it all. Two picked the Colorado Avalanche to hoist the Cup for the second time in three seasons, while the Vegas Golden Knights, the 2023 champs, were chosen by one voter to repeat.
The New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs were each chosen by one staff member to win the Cup.
As for the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Oilers center Connor McDavid got three votes, while Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov got two each.
The NHL season begins on Tuesday with a tripleheader on ESPN, ESPN+, SN and TVAS. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Nashville Predators in the first game of the season (5:30 p.m. ET), then Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, leads the Chicago Blackhawks into Pittsburgh to face the Sidney Crosby and the Penguins (8 p.m. ET). The night wraps up with the Vegas Golden Knights raising their Stanley Cup banner before hosting the Seattle Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET).
Here is how the writers and editors picked:
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New Jersey Devils | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Pittsburgh Penguins | 2: Tampa Bay Lightning
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Edmonton Oilers | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Calgary Flames | 2: Seattle Kraken
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Florida Panthers | 3: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Boston Bruins | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Seattle Kraken
Western Conference wild cards
1: Los Angeles Kings | 2: Vancouver Canucks
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes 2023-2024 Season Preview
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Buffalo Sabres | 3: Boston Bruins
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins | 3: New Jersey Devils
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Ottawa Senators | 2: New York Rangers
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Nashville Predators
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Calgary Flames | 2: Seattle Kraken
Conference champions
East: Toronto Maple Leafs
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: New York Rangers | 3: Carolina Hurricanes
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Pittsburgh Penguins | 2: Detroit Red Wings
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Seattle Kraken | 2: Calgary Flames
Conference champions
East: Toronto Maple Leafs
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Toronto Maple Leafs
Conn Smythe winner: Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New Jersey Devils | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Ottawa Senators | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Arizona Coyotes | 2: Vancouver Canucks
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New Jersey Devils | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Tampa Bay Lightning | 2: Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Calgary Flames | 2: Seattle Kraken
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Buffalo Sabres | 3. Boston Bruins
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New Jersey Devils | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins
Eastern Conference wild cards
1. New York Rangers | 2. Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Dallas Stars | 3. Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 3. Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1. Seattle Kraken | 2. Arizona Coyotes
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup champion: Edmonton Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1: New York Rangers | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: New Jersey Devils
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Buffalo Sabres | 2: Florida Panthers
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Edmonton Oilers | 3: Vancouver Canucks
Western Conference wild cards
1: Los Angeles Kings | 2: Nashville Predators
Conference champions
East: Toronto Maple Leafs
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars 2023-2024 Season Preview
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Tampa Bay Lightning | 3: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New York Rangers | 3: New Jersey Devils
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Boston Bruins | 2: New York Islanders
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Edmonton Oilers | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Calgary Flames | 2: Winnipeg Jets
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Florida Panthers
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Tampa Bay Lightning | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Edmonton Oilers | 3: Seattle Kraken
Western Conference wild cards
1: Los Angeles Kings | 2: Arizona Coyotes
Conference champions
East: New Jersey Devils
West: Vegas Golden Knights
Stanley Cup champion: Vegas Golden Knights
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Florida Panthers | 3: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Buffalo Sabres | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Nashville Predators
Pacific Division
1: Los Angeles Kings | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Edmonton Oilers
Western Conference wild cards
1: Calgary Flames I 2: Vancouver Canucks
Conference champions
East: New York Rangers
West: Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup champion: New York Rangers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New Jersey Devils | 3: Pittsburgh Penguins
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Buffalo Sabres | 2: New York Rangers
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Los Angeles Kings | 3: Vegas Golden Knights
Western Conference wild cards
1: Nashville Predators | 2: Winnipeg Jets
Conference champions
East: Tampa Bay Lightning
West: Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup champion: Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Boston Bruins | 3: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1: Carolina Hurricanes | 2: New York Rangers | 3: New Jersey Devils
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Pittsburgh Penguins | 2: Tampa Bay Lightning
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Edmonton Oilers | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Seattle Kraken| 2: Vancouver Canucks
Conference champions
East: Carolina Hurricanes
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Tampa Bay Lightning | 3: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: Pittsburgh Penguins
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Boston Bruins | 2: Ottawa Senators
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Seattle Kraken | 2: Nashville Predators
Conference champions
East: New Jersey Devils
West: Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup champion: Dallas Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers 2023-24 Season Preview
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Buffalo Sabres | 3: Boston Bruins
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins | 3: Carolina Hurricanes
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: New York Rangers | 2: Washington Capitals
Central Division
1: Dallas Stars | 2: Colorado Avalanche | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Los Angeles Kings | 3: Seattle Kraken
Western Conference wild cards
1: Vegas Golden Knights | 2: Winnipeg Jets
Conference champions
East: Boston Bruins
West: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup champion: Edmonton Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Atlantic Division
1: Toronto Maple Leafs | 2: Buffalo Sabres| 3: Ottawa Senators
Metropolitan Division
1: New Jersey Devils | 2: Carolina Hurricanes | 3: New York Rangers
Eastern Conference wild cards
1: Tampa Bay Lightning | 2: Pittsburgh Penguins
Central Division
1: Colorado Avalanche | 2: Dallas Stars | 3: Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
1: Edmonton Oilers | 2: Vegas Golden Knights | 3: Los Angeles Kings
Western Conference wild cards
1: Seattle Kraken | 2: Vancouver Canucks
Conference champions
East: Toronto Maple Leafs
West: Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup champion: Edmonton Oilers
Conn Smythe Trophy winner: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
