The Stanley Cup will stay in the Western Conference for a fourth straight season if the majority of NHL.com and NHL Network experts are correct.
Seven members of the 12-person panel predicted the Chicago Blackhawks would win the Stanley Cup for third time in six seasons, following championships in 2010 and 2013.
The Los Angeles Kings were the choice of four members of the panel, who believe the NHL will have a repeat Stanley Cup champion for the first time since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.
The Boston Bruins, the only Eastern Conference team to win the Cup since 2011, was the lone East team picked to win the championship.
Though the panel was pretty evenly split between Chicago and Los Angeles winning the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference champ featured more varied opinions. Seven made the Boston Bruins the pick, while three others picked the Tampa Bay Lightning. One panelist picked the Montreal Canadiens and one went for the defending Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers.
The panel also predicted division winners and major player awards. Share your opinion in the comments below, and then check back in June to see how well the predictions worked out.
Kimelman | Compton | Morreale | Masisak | Rosen | Roarke | Basu | |
Atlantic | |||||||
Metropolitan | |||||||
Central | |||||||
Pacific | |||||||
East champ |
|||||||
West champ | |||||||
Cup champ | |||||||
Calder | Gibson, ANA |
Drouin, TBL |
Drouin, TBL |
Gibson, ANA |
Kuznetsov, WSH |
Gibson, ANA |
Drouin, TBL |
Hart | Getzlaf, ANA |
Stamkos, TBL |
Tavares, NYI |
Crosby, PIT |
Stamkos, TBL |
Crosby, PIT |
Stamkos, TBL |
Norris | Subban, MTL |
Keith, CHI |
McDonagh, NYR |
Doughty, LAK |
Weber, NSH |
Doughty, LAK |
Weber, NSH |
Vezina | Rask, BOS |
Rask, BOS |
Schneider, NJD |
Schneider, NJD |
Price, MTL |
Rask, BOS |
Price, MTL |
Adams | Boudreau, ANA |
Johnston, PIT |
Ruff, DAL |
Eakins, EDM |
Desjardins, VAN |
Cooper, TBL |
Richards, CBJ |
Rocket | Stamkos, TBL |
Stamkos, TBL |
Stamkos, TBL |
Stamkos, TBL |
Stamkos, TBL |
Ovechkin, WSH |
Stamkos, TBL |
Melrose | Weekes | Hradek | McLennan | Reid | |
Atlantic | |||||
Metropolitan | |||||
Central | |||||
Pacific | |||||
East Champ | |||||
West Champ | |||||
Cup Champ | |||||
Calder | Drouin, TBL |
Gaudreau, CGY |
Gibson, ANA |
Drouin, TBL |
Kuznetsov, WSH |
Hart | Toews, CHI |
Tavares, NYI |
Crosby, PIT |
Tavares, NYI |
Crosby, PIT |
Norris | Doughty, LAK |
Weber, NSH |
Doughty, LAK |
Doughty, LAK |
Doughty, LAK |
Vezina | Lundqvist, NYR |
Price, MTL |
Lundqvist, NYR |
Price, MTL |
Rask, BOS |
Adams | Ruff, DAL |
Vigneault, NYR |
Trotz, WSH |
Sutter, LAK |
Trotz, WSH |
Rocket | Perry, ANA |
Stamkos, TBL |
Stamkos, TBL |
Ovechkin, WSH |
Stamkos, TBL |