NHL.com predictions for the 2022-23 season

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, coinciding with Brind’Amour’s arrival behind the bench. The core of the formation has been much the same for a few years, and the players seem to adhere to the system put in place by the coach – who was also the captain of the Hurricanes when they triumphed in 2006.

Hoping to take the next step, Carolina acquired the veteran offseason Brent Burns and the attacker Max Pacioretty. According to our senior reporter Robert Laflamme, the arrival of Burns will have quite an impact, even to the point where the 37-year-old defenseman will manage to get his hands on the Conn-Smythe trophy, awarded to the playoff MVP, at the end of the year.

On their way, the Hurricanes could meet the Edmonton Oilers for a replay of the 2006 Finals. Indeed, two of our panelists foresee this possibility, while two others believe that it will be the Calgary Flames who will cross swords with Carolina in the Grand Final.

Among other presumptions, two of our members see the Toronto Maple Leafs not only making it through the first round, but reaching the Stanley Cup final. As for the most recent champions, the Colorado Avalanche, only one panelist sees them returning to the final – even though seven of the participants believe that the tape at Nathan MacKinnon will conclude the season at the top of the Central section.

As far as the regular season is concerned, it is interesting to note that Canadian teams could be popular in the Pacific section. Controller Hugues Marcil and journalist Laflamme believe that the Flames, Oilers and Vancouver Canucks will occupy the top three positions in their section at the end of the schedule. It would be the first playoff appearance in three years for the Canucks, who are hoping Bruce Boudreau’s first full season as a pilot will have the desired effect.

In the Eastern Conference, few surprises are expected according to NHL.com. One hundred percent of respondents see the Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers splitting the top three spots in the Atlantic Division, while seven of eight panelists predict the Hurricanes and Rangers will split the two spots top, as was the case last season, in the Metropolitan section.

It remains to be seen whether some teams that have been very active during the summer period will be able to qualify for the spring meeting. The Ottawa Senators, with Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, will they be able to make people forget the misery of the last five campaigns? Three of our members believe in it and see the Ontario squad taking one of the two fourth ace spots.

The arrival of Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus also makes 25 percent of our panel believe the Blue Jackets will be back in the playoff picture. Moreover, despite the loss of Robin Lehner for the entire season, a majority believe the Vegas Golden Knights will be spring dancing after missing the game for the first time in team history last season.

Here are NHL.com’s predictions for the 2022-23 NHL season:

Sébastien Deschambault, Editorial Director NHL.com

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic section
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. New York Rangers | 2. Carolina Hurricanes | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. Washington Capitals | 2. Ottawa Senators

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. St. Louis Blues | 2. Colorado Avalanche | 3. Minnesota Wild

Pacific Section
1. Calgary Flames | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Vegas Golden Knights

fourth ace
1. Nashville Predators | 2. Vancouver Canucks

Stanley Cup Final: Oilers vs. Hurricanes
Champions: Oilers
Conn-Smythe: Connor McDavid

John Ciolfi, Senior Producer NHL.com

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic section
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New York Rangers | 3. Washington Capitals

fourth ace
1. Ottawa Senators | 2. Pittsburgh Penguins

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Minnesota Wild | 3. St. Louis Blues

Pacific Section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 3. Calgary Flames

fourth ace
1. Los Angeles Kings | 2. Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup Final: Rangers vs Wilds
Champions: Rangers
Conn-Smythe: Igor Shesterkin

Philippe Landry, controller NHL.com

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic section
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New York Rangers | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. New York Islanders | 2. Columbus Blue Jackets

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. St. Louis Blues | 3. Nashville Predators

Pacific Section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Calgary Flames | 3. Los Angeles Kings

fourth ace
1. Minnesota Wild | 2. Vegas Golden Knights

Stanley Cup Final: Maple Leafs vs Blues
Champions: Blues
Conn-Smythe: Robert Thomas

Nicolas Ducharme, NHL.com journalist

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Florida Panthers | 3. Tampa Bay Lightning

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New York Rangers | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. Washington Capitals | 2. New York Islanders

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. St. Louis Blues | 3. Nashville Predators

Pacific section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Calgary Flames | 3. Vegas Golden Knights

fourth ace
1. Dallas Stars | 2. Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes vs Flames
Champions: Hurricanes
Conn-Smythe: Andrei Svechnikov

Hugues Marcil, controller NHL.com

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New York Rangers | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. Washington Capitals | 2. New York Islanders

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. St. Louis Blues | 3. Minnesota Wild

Pacific section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Calgary Flames | 3. Vancouver Canucks

fourth ace
1. Nashville Predators | 2. Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes vs Flames
Champions: Hurricanes
Conn-Smythe: Sebastian Aho

Robert Laflamme, NHL.com Senior Reporter

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Florida Panthers | 3. Toronto Maple Leafs

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. New York Rangers | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. New York Islanders | 2. Columbus Blue Jackets

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. St. Louis Blues | 3. Dallas Stars

Pacific section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Calgary Flames | 3. Vancouver Canucks

fourth ace
1. Los Angeles Kings | 2. Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes vs. Oilers
Champions: Hurricanes
Conn-Smythe: Brent Burns

Guillaume Lepage, NHL.com journalist

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. New York Rangers | 2. Carolina Hurricanes | 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

fourth ace
1. Washington Capitals | 2. Ottawa Senators

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. Minnesota Wild | 3. Nashville Predators

Pacific Section
1. Edmonton Oilers | 2. Calgary Flames | 3. Los Angeles Kings

fourth ace
1. St. Louis Blues | 2. Vegas Golden Knights

Stanley Cup Final: Rangers vs Flames
Champions: Rangers
Conn-Smythe: Shesterkin

Gabriel Duhamel, controller NHL.com

EASTERN ASSOCIATION

Atlantic section
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 3. Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Section
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 2. Washington Capitals | 3. New York Rangers

fourth ace
1. Pittsburgh Penguins | 2. Detroit Red Wings

WEST ASSOCIATION

Central Section
1. Colorado Avalanche | 2. St. Louis Blues | 3. Minnesota Wild

Pacific section
1. Calgary Flames | 2. Edmonton Oilers | 3. Anaheim Ducks

fourth ace
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 2. Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup Final: Avalanche vs. Maple Leafs
Champions: Maple Leafs
Conn-Smythe: Auston Matthews