Canada ending its NHL title drought? AP predicts the Stanley Cup champion and top award winners

By STEPHEN WHYNO and JOHN WAWROW The Associated Press

The NHL season begins in Prague, makes a stop in Finland in November and there are more than 1,200 games to be played around North America.

The Florida Panthers raise their first Stanley Cup championship banner and the Utah Hockey Club plays its first game since moving from Arizona as part of a tripleheader to truly debut the season on Oct. 8. Not long after, San Jose hopes to see the debut of No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini.

What follows is a six-month dash to the playoffs until the final day of the regular season on April 17. Alex Ovechkin is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career record, while Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Auston Matthews are again expected to be in the MVP race.

The Stanley Cup could be handed out as late as June 23. The Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, who lost by one goal in Game 7 of the final, are among the favorites.

Here’s what you need to know going into hockey season, as AP Hockey Writers John Wawrow and Stephen Whyno predict the NHL’s playoff-bound teams, finalists, Cup champion and award winners.

On the hot seat

Wawrow: A driven new owner who has opened the purse strings, coupled with high expectations in Salt Lake City, place the focus on coach Andre Tourigny to get Utah off to a good start after years of slogging through the season in Arizona.

Whyno: Mike Sullivan is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in hockey, but it has been seven years since the second of Pittsburgh’s back-to-back titles. Penguins ownership wants to fight father time and keep winning, and second-year president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas only has so many levers to pull with an aging core after missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons. A new voice behind the bench is one of them.

Award picks

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Wawrow: McDavid, the Edmonton star. Yes again, for a fourth time in nine years.

Whyno: Leon Draisaitl, the other Edmonton star. The German was MVP in 2020 when the pandemic cut the season short and he is fresh off signing a long-term contract extension. He had more than 100 points for the seventh time in five years.

Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)

Wawrow: If Tampa Bay makes the playoffs, it should be Andrei Vasilevskiy. Otherwise, let’s go with Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers.

Whyno: Going way off the board here with Utah’s Connor Ingram, who should have a better team in front of him that could make the playoffs.

Norris Trophy (top defenseman)

Wawrow: With all the additions in Music City, Predators captain Roman Josi has a chance to retake center stage.

Whyno: Colorado’s Cale Makar is always a safe bet here, and there is no more unique player in the sport given what he can do from the blue line.

Calder Trophy (top rookie)

Wawrow: Logan Stankoven had six goals and 14 points in 24 games in his NHL debut with the Dallas Stars last season. That’s a good head start on an all-rookie season.

Whyno: Lane Hutson is an undersized defenseman entering the league with big expectations — in two languages because he’s playing in Montreal. He’ll have the English and French hype train going with the Canadiens and has the sublime skill to make it all worthy.

Who makes the playoffs?

Eastern Conference

Wawrow: Atlantic: Toronto, Florida, Detroit. Metropolitan: Carolina, New York Rangers, New Jersey. Wild cards: Boston, Buffalo.

Whyno: Atlantic: Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto. Metropolitan: New Jersey, Carolina, New York Rangers. Wild cards: Boston, Detroit.

Western Conference

Wawrow: Central: Dallas, Nashville, Colorado. Pacific: Edmonton, Vegas, Vancouver. Wild cards: Seattle, Winnipeg.

Whyno: Central: Dallas, Colorado, Nashville. Pacific: Edmonton, Vegas, Vancouver. Wild cards: Winnipeg, Utah.

Who wins the Stanley Cup?

Wawrow: Toronto not only makes its first Stanley Cup Final appearance since winning it all in 1967, but beats Edmonton in an all-Canadian Cup matchup.

Whyno: McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers cannot be denied. And they beat the Leafs in the process.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl