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NHL 2022/2023 predictions - who will win, who will be in the NHL finals

All your favorite authors are here.

Hello everyone!

This night the new season started in the NHL (the Czech samples turned out to be not very bright - and nothing but 4 points of Nashville's handicap was remembered) - which means that now it's time for forecasts.

For such an event, we came up with an Avengers-level crossover: not only brought together the current authors (get to know, by the way, closer - you still don’t know many of them well, we had a big lineup update in the summer) and experts, but also attracted an old gang that wrote about hockey on Sports.ru for the last 10 years. You often scolded them in the comments, but then, when they left, you regularly demanded to return them. We return - for one day, for one action!

Well, as in any good blockbuster, there should be an unusual plot twist: soon you will find out that two of the authors of Sports.ru's past are the same person!

Let's go!

Alexey Belov - hockey boss on Sports.ru since time immemorial

Edmonton - Toronto . It seems to me that we are now experiencing something similar to the Ovechkin-Crosby/Malkin confrontation, which peaked in the 2008/09 season. The first is Matthews. In the role of the second - McDavid / Draisaitl. In 2009-m “Washington” and “Pittsburgh” met in the second round, and in my personal rating this is one of the best series in history. Ovechkin and Crosby then scored 8 goals each, and Pittsburgh won - both in the series and then in the cup. Edmonton and Toronto can only meet in the final, and I expect them to do something similar. And those who are two will win again.

Nathan McKinnon, Colorado . Because McDavid is too easy. Because Matthews is not serious for the second year in a row. Because McKinnon has been playing at an outstanding level for five years, growing as a mental leader, was a finalist three times at the Hart and has not received a single one. Well, you have to have a conscience!

Andrey Vasilevsky, Tampa Bay . It seems that now it is difficult to find a person who would consider someone else to be the best goalkeeper in the world. At the same time, Vasilevsky has not received Vezina for three years, and in the past he was not even among the finalists. This is not the norm.

Marco Rossi, Minnesota . I don’t see one favorite this season, and here I thought for a particularly long time. Owen Power from Buffalo, where is the same left-handed Dahlin? Yeah of course. Cole Perfetti? Winnipeg leaders Connor and Ehlers play in his position. Juraj Słafkowski? Immediately after the draft, the Calder take only the unique ones - even McDavid and Crosby flew by. Matthew Beniers? Yes, the devil knows how this "Seattle" in general will play. And so on for everyone. Marco Rossi is neither better nor worse in this sense. My bet on him is based on two things: he is a little older (that is, matured) and he is the most promising center in the system, which makes the probability of being in the top three with Kaprizov at some point, let’s say, not zero. And if he is there, I will not envy the competitors.

Alexander Romanov, Islanders . To be honest, I do not expect much breakthroughs. I just hope that Romanov in New York will have a slightly wider role than in Montreal. And he'll be fine.

Vancouver . Other than those who played in the playoffs last season, only Vancouver has the roster and potential to really step up to the cup games. An excellent goalkeeper, a top line of centers, a more or less balanced defense and three of us, in the end.

Connor Brown, Washington . Tom Wilson will be treated for a long time, and for the time being his place will be guarded, I think it is Brown (Oshi is too old, Manta is too lazy). I will root for him personally, I like this guy since the days of the Toronto farm. He is not as evil and tough as Wilson, but he definitely has no less energy and skill. In the company of Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, he should fit in like a glove.

Anton Rudnev is the author and editor of the hockey section of Sports.ru, too, for a very long time

There's a lot of text ahead of you - so I'll be brief:

Tampa Bay - Edmonton. The Lightning already seem to have a season ticket for a place in the finals from the East (their roster problems are nothing - remember what they said a year ago), and the Oilers just need to get there by now. Another season of Draisaitl and McDavid without an ending is too much.

Artemiy Panarin, Rangers . The mysterious guy seems to understand everything in English for a long time - but he only speaks Russian. He seems ready to single-handedly blow up the NHL - but for now he sits behind the backs of other superstars. And not just ready - this may be the last chance.

Jacob Markstrom, Calgary. I think that this season our goalkeepers will be knocked over with Vezina - no Russophobia, just Shesterkin and Vasilevsky are so much higher than the rest that it's already boring. Aliens, as it were, will be taken out of the brackets and will vote only for people.

Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg . He has already scored at the World Championships, and in the NHL, and in the AHL, he was spinning around a point per game. With the Jets, he'll have a top-six spot and a power-playing brigade, a great starting position for the Calder race.

Ilya Lyubushkin, Buffalo . I really want Ilya to show such a reliable game by the end of this season (as he knows how), that in Russia they would say about him at least like this: “Lyubushkin? Yes, I heard something. And Alexey Belov ordered the jersey of his beloved Buffalo with the 46th number.

Seattle . What do we remember about Kraken in its first season? That a fan of the team pointed out to a Vancouver employee a suspicious mole - and at least extended his life. Actually, everything is a so-so debut. A team with such a cool name and luxurious Grubaeur mask should not fail the second season. Not necessarily the playoffs - just a little noise. And there will be progress of the year.

Dylan Larkin, Detroit. "And Larkin was just opening up", "God Dylan" and "Larking" are headlines that you won't see in the Sports.ru feed, but you would like to. Although there must be reasons for this. He must recover from injury and declare himself no longer as a small-town leader of the Red Wings, but as a real NHL star. And then he somehow podzakis.

Andrey Yurtaev - KHL TV and Match TV commentator

Carolina - Edmonton. Over the past few seasons, I've been waiting for a breakthrough from Carolina, so I'll be consistent - I'll bet on her now. Burns and Stastny will replace the departed DeAngelo and Trochek, young guys like Svechnikov and Jarvis will continue to progress, and Pacioretti will be ready for the playoffs. So why not?

And from the West - "Edmonton", which has not become weaker, unlike its competitors. Colorado lost the second center, and it is not clear how long the championship hangover will last. The Calgary have changed some big stars for other big stars - and it is not known how they will all take root in a new place. So Edmonton. It seems that his time has come.

Igor Shesterkin, Rangers. I'll bet on him, since he was a Hart finalist last season. In general, I think that the Rangers will be one of the main disappointments - simply because of how high they climbed in the 2022 playoffs. Now everyone will expect the next step forward from them, but it seems to me that in the spring they jumped above their heads anyway.

In the summer, three top 6 players (Kopp, Vatrano, Stroum) left the club at once, and only one Trochek came to replace. Maybe he's stronger than Strome on his own, but who can fill two more holes? Vitaly Kravtsov? It is unlikely. Therefore, I expect that “the Rangers will enter the playoffs solely on the shoulders of Shesterkin.

Andrei Vasilevsky, Tampa Bay. Logically, if the goalkeeper gets "Hart", then "Vezina" should go to him, but for the sake of variety, let's give the prize to Andrey Vasilevsky. Shesterkin had an outstanding season, but Vasilevsky has been holding the highest level for several years in a row. And taking into account the fact that last year was not the best for Andrey regarding himself, I can imagine how Vasilevsky now wants to rehabilitate himself. He will play fantastic again and take his second Vezina.

Owen Power, Buffalo. Predicting the performance of young players is a completely hopeless exercise. I will name one of the most obvious candidates - Owen Power: he looked absolutely organically, without any discounts for age, in adult hockey - at the World Championships and the Olympic Games. I think it will be difficult for him to claim the statistics of Moritz Seider last season, if only because Power is in Buffalo and not in Detroit. And this can lower his chances of winning - voters often look at points. But still I assume that Power will be one of the real candidates for Calder.

Andrey Kuzmenko, Vancouver. The Canucks are an interesting team that will play attacking hockey, and our attacker has every chance to prove himself in it. He received good reviews in the preseason - it makes no sense to draw serious conclusions from them, but Vancouver seems like a good choice for Kuzmenko. I don't think that Andrey should be expected to play at the level of Kaprizov, but he may well become an iron base player with 30-40 points per season.

Ottawa . The Senators have been running a serious summer transfer campaign in recent years in hopes of getting out of the basement of the table. And if earlier some moves - such as betting on Matt Murray as the main goalkeeper - looked rather strange, now the work done seems reasonable and logical: Talbot in goal, Debrinket and Giroud in attack, plus talented young people who managed to gain experience. I think this time they will be able to push off the bottom. Not in the playoff zone, of course, but somewhere there, on the outskirts.

Anton Lundell, Florida . In his debut season, he already looked like a young Barkov - he managed to score points, and in the minority he was one of the main figures. In the playoffs, obviously there was not enough experience, but he just turned 21 the other day. I expect that in the new season the Finn will continue to progress towards the Selka Trophy.

Kirill Kornilov - KHL TV and Match TV commentator

Rangers - Edmonton . Two teams that have been going for the main trophy for several years now. Every off-season they get a little better than they were. The competition in the East is more serious, but, taking into account all the components (coaches, composition, its depth), the Rangers look preferable.

Maybe it's time for Edmonton to achieve a qualitative breakthrough? In the West, it's a little easier - and now the Oilers have been able to build a team around two main stars. The main thing is that Campbell does not fly out due to injuries.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton. Both in the sniper race and in the fight for the Hart in the next 2-3 years, I think the competition will be between two or three players. McDavid is charged, which can be seen in the pre-season matches. He makes a difference on the ice, he gives confidence to the team and sometimes pulls games singlehandedly. There will be competitors, but in terms of influence on team results, it seems to me that he has no equal.

Andrey Vasilevsky, Tampa Bay . The two best goaltenders in the NHL today are Vasilevsky and Shesterkin. I hardly believe in the second "Vezina" in a row, although I do not admit the thought that Igor will slow down. Tampa will continue to be good, and Vasilevsky, who has already won almost everything in his career, will leave no doubt who is worthy of the award both in terms of game and statistics.

Matthew Beniers, Seattle. The 2021 Draft No. 2 has already played a few games in the NHL, and what I saw last season impressed me. This is a guy who spent a year in student hockey. Seattle, in Beniers, seems to have the first center for many years to come, and his performance and usefulness will give the opportunity to win the Calder.

Andrey Kuzmenko, Vancouver. There are not very many newcomers from Russia in the upcoming season - and it will be especially interesting to watch Kuzmenko. Andrei will have to withstand serious competition and do a tremendous amount of work on himself. His data and how he looked in pre-season games give him the right to count on a permanent place in the starting line-up with good partners and enough playing time. The adaptation went well, and I hope that Andrey will show himself from the best side.

Columbus . Of course, entering the season with one healthy goalkeeper is a risky business. But Korpisalo or Tarasov should soon help Merzlikin. This team will definitely not be boring - Gaudreau, Kent Johnson and the young boys who have grown stronger can make a decent noise.

Kent Johnson, Columbus. Which player will surprise - the choice is difficult, because it is unlikely that we will be surprised by Matthews' goals or Kucherov's points with McDavid. Young guys who can create something new on the ice should surprise.

Of course, I expect progress from Chinakhov. With the selection of players that Columbus has, Yegor can really take a step forward. Or will we be surprised by new tricks from Zegras? May be. But I'm expecting something interesting from Chinakhov's teammate Kent Johnson. The superiority with which he played in the MFM and in the NCAA, gives the right to expect from him a lot of new and bold actions on the ice.

Igor Yeronko – assistant to the general manager of Avangard

From 2010 to 2015 - the author of the hockey section

I fully admit that I'm wrong about both finalists - Colorado and Tampa have not gone anywhere, although they have weakened. Calgary and Florida - the authors of the most high-profile offseason exchange - are also able to reach the main stage of the Stanley Cup in an updated form. Still strong "St. Louis". "Carolina", ready to run across anyone, will also try to beat. Shesterkin is prime and should get a little more help from the Rangers outfield this season.

All the problems that have popped up more than once Toronto and Edmonton have not yet been resolved even on paper (first of all, the goalkeeper issue), but after all, Evs also showed that you can win with Kümper in the frame, it was would be the desire and ability to play as aggressively as possible with the puck, relying on the support and skill of hockey players within the structure. The Leafs and the Oilers have such opportunities. Desire - sometimes traced. Leaders in the form of elite hockey players are present. Don't have your Makar? Well, no one else has him, he's the only one.

Yeah, I'm more wishful thinking because I would like to see a final and duel like this for Matthews, who definitely grew in terms of defense, game details, engagement and mental resilience, with McDavid continuing to add in all components (although, it would seem, where else?). Such a duel of two monsters in prime is for ages. Today's NHL is Auston's league with Connor, and it would be strange not to want their direct confrontation.

Ilya Elchaninov - producer of hockey and other sports at Kinopoisk

From 2011 to 2015 - author of the hockey section, then another podcast "Puck" did

"Carolina" - "Edmonton". Someone has to return 2006 to us, let it be them. From that final, the real NHL began for me, which is not somewhere in the computer or TV: Oleg Tverdovsky, in a luxurious gangster suit, brought the Stanley Cup to Omsk. It's time to repeat, right?

I looked at Colorado for a very long time as the main contender. When Makar or McKinnon take the puck, it’s the end of everything, but there is absolutely no faith in Georgiev, I don’t understand this move. And after "Colorado" comes "Edmonton", where McDavid and Draisaitl are able to take whole series together. I don't know about the entire playoffs, but it's interesting to see the limits of their human capabilities. Yes, and the main player of the generation must play in the final and show whether he is a legend, whether he knows about the word "greatness" or just skates the fastest.

In the East, she needs to take a break from her fourth final, Tampa. Staffing problems like the departed Palat is okay, but I don’t believe that the team will pull out another 100+ match marathon. And Karolina has just matured and, I hope, will be able to either avoid the incredibly hot, simply infernal Shesterkin, or break through it. Well, the bearded man Burns did not just take it and traded San Jose for Raleigh. If it's not a glorious goblet trip, I'll be upset.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton . Hart is a very boring prize in recent years, as are most individual ones: if Papi hits 60 goals again, then Hart will go to Toronto, and if not, McD will load his trophy cabinet even more. "Art Ross" will also go to someone from the Dreiseitl-McDavid pair, if everyone is healthy, and "Richard" to Matthews with his revolver throw. A terrible sight for goalkeepers, but fascinating.

And here I really want to burst in with an angry speech: how powerfully they knocked over Shesterkin last season! Let me remind you, in case you suddenly forgot, "Hart" is not a prize for the best stuffing statistics, but an award to the hockey player who has made the greatest contribution to the success of his team. Edmonton would have made the playoffs without McDavid, and Toronto would have stormed into their beloved first round without Matthews. Where would the Rangers be without Shesterkin? We would get more than 30 shots per match and think whether to take the first Slafkowski or someone else. Igor's contribution is not so easy to evaluate as the next 100+ from McD or 60+ from Matthews, but this very contribution is much, much more. But his exploits from Toronto are not seen as well, unfortunately.

Igor Shesterkin, Rangers . Are there options other than Vasilevsky and Shesterkin? Hellibuck's team has not become stronger, there is no reason to improve the game and the result. Freddie Andersen failed for the playoffs - and now there are doubts about a full season without injuries. But even these worthy men of fair fate are not on the same level as our goalkeepers. This is space. Impressions are brighter from Six - I have not seen such an ideal technique for a long time. Let's write Vezina to this curly-haired guy.

Owen Power, Buffalo. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's wary of Slafkowski, so let there be a person with a loud surname Power. When these two meters skate and move the puck, it’s even a little mesmerizing. Yes, McTavish is tearing things up at the youth level, but it doesn't look like he's ready to tear up as a pro just yet. True, I do not see alternatives to Power, unless some cheater decides to turn the game around.

Yegor Zamula, Philadelphia . And here I will present the subway and leave all the mainstream options, Yegor Zamula will become a Russian breakthrough. I’ll even throw in an insider: a couple of KHL clubs - as I heard, but there could have been more - really wanted to transport young talent to Russia and were ready to pay him not as a guy in 2000, but as an adult star. It didn’t even get to the point of talking - Yegor is firmly set on the NHL. Yes, and in “Philadelphia” now is the perfect time for a jet start. Well, if one of the expensive defenders is exchanged.

Ottawa . They were just waiting for a rain of free good players to come and here we are. A suicidal Chicago rebuild gave them Debrinquet with 30-40 goals a season, a spontaneous bouquet period in Minnesota gave them a good goaltender Talbot, and the free agent market gave Giroud a lot of assists. Now we are looking not at a ridiculous team that claims the playoffs until the last third of the season (but still misses), but at a team that can send Washington or Pittsburgh to rebuild.

Ilya Samsonov, Toronto. I want him to become a player who will surprise. Ilya was finally taken out of the Russian hooligan "Washington", where Ovechkin yells at him - and I think this is good for him. He's always been a technical goalie, reads the game, he's got talent, he's got a spark, but the last few years at DC haven't been great. He also has incredibly expensive Murray as his teammates, who has forgotten how to pass less than three goals in a game. So a big fan of the Toronto media is more likely to pounce on Murray, and Samsonov will have fertile ground to grow.

Kirill Novokshchenov – chief editor of Kiber on Sports.ru

From 2013 to 2018 – author of the hockey section

) and watched exactly 0 NHL games last season. But he threatened to fly to Singapore and disrupt The International Dota, so I decided not to risk it.

If anything, my predictions definitely do not count as an individual betting recommendation!

Toronto in the final - just imagine Nikita Petukhov's texts after Toronto lost the final series 3-0 and 3-0 in the fourth match! We are definitely in for something great. Well, "Colorado" will be on duty to consolidate their claims to the dynasty.

"Hart" McDavid is boring to predict, but other things being equal, I think they will give it to him - in order to pave the way for a future fight with Gretzky, if not on team, then on individual awards. A Vasilevsky is clearly waiting for the second Vezina - I believe in him, even though Shesterkin is the favorite.

I didn’t understand youth hockey, even when I worked in the hockey section, so I’ll bet on the high-profile hockey surname MacTavish (especially since the guy has already rocked the MFM and can, if anything, replace the goalkeeper - and all-rounders are loved in the NHL). Of the Russian players, I will single out Podkolzin - he had a good first season, I believe in an even brighter breakthrough in the second, something like 30 + 20.

Winnipeg failed last season by not making the playoffs - it's time for a comeback. I see the same nice guys in the lineup as five years ago - Wheeler, Scheifli, Kyle Connor. Are they underestimated? Well, fine, they will be angrier in the playoffs. The same motivation to prove to everyone that he was written off in vain, I see Philip Zadina from Detroit, the former 6th pick in the draft.

Yegor Paraskun – Sports employee at Kinopoisk

From 2018 to 2022 – author of the hockey section

Toronto - Colorado. Let's go straight to Toronto, which will surprise everyone and reach the final on the shoulders and ass of the mighty Auston Matthews. It's not just the talent of the American - the team has grown decently and showed good hockey in the series against Tampa. Just look to the East - no competition on paper:

• The Carolinas are the dumbest team in the league since the change of manager at Vegas despite their strong roster. It can joke, wave a club, but it is read once or twice and breaks down with a couple of simple coaching decisions.

• The Rangers are a prospect that at this stage of development rests on Igor Shesterkin. A step forward is possible due to another qualitative leap in the game of Lafrenière and Kakko, but this is hard to believe. Plus, Gerard Gallan's hockey sometimes falls to the level of the Carolinas and resembles a drunken neighbor who breaks into someone else's apartment at night because he mixed up the doors.

• Tampa Bay - John Cooper simply doesn't have enough people of the right class. There are no first-round picks in the next two drafts, Heigl didn't shoot at the level of compensation that was given for him, and sand is pouring from the fourth line. This season, Tampa is on another spurt - a year later, insane (relative to the current role in the team) contracts of Sergachev and Chernak come into force. And then - cleaning up the payroll and trying to find cheap but useful players for the depth of the squad. A task that Brisbois is quite capable of.

Now to personalities.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton . It seems that there is no need to write anything about him anymore - the best player in the league, who drags a team with a sufficient number of problems and does not complain. Connor doesn't have the charisma of Ovechkin, but with decent players fleeing Canada (see the Calgary offseason), his quiet demeanor is a plus. So prepare a can of decent beer for his highlights - he will definitely please us.

Igor Shesterkin, Rangers . I believe in the second consecutive Vezina is the most amazing goaltender in the league right now. Igor is amazingly ready and drags even with failures in defense. I would like to see Shesterkin, Sorokin and Vasilevsky in the top three, but there are some strange shifts on Long Island, and Tampa out of habit is laid down for the playoffs, which will affect the Big Cat statistics.

Matthew Beniers, Seattle. Calder will give it to him - Seattle has a weak team, but there are problems in the center and a couple of good wingers for the first link and the majority. It seems that Beniers will play in the top lines, get a lot of time and score points without much responsibility for the result, since the team does not pretend to be something serious. He has enough talent and work ethic.

Alexander Georgiev, Colorado . Got a starter position in a strong team - this is a serious challenge that Alexander simply has to cope with if he does not want to back up the rest of his career in the NHL.

Jack Hughes, New Jersey. If he doesn't break down after the first shoulder-to-shoulder contact and don't miss the next 20 regular season games, he may well knock out a hundred points. Hughes has talent, speed and head, and now the Chamber has added to this splendor - if you don’t light up for the fourth season in the league under such conditions, then it’s worth banning contracts for 8 million a year to newcomers below 185 cm.

Rodion Vlasov - journalist of the "Championship"

From 2016 to 2021 - the author of the hockey section

Carolina - Colorado . In past playoffs, the Hurricanes have disappointed with frankly dumb hockey: only statistical models like monotonous shots, in reality they have zero effect. Now the team has cheaply received the main bearded league Burns and the old Vegas bundle Pacioretti - Stastny. Not only names are important here: veterans should give both cup experience and game variety, which the team did not have. I believe that Brind'Amor himself will be a more flexible tactician, and will not arrange a new series of hopak on a rake.

There is not much choice in the West. It's tempting to bet on Calgary, but I still remember Markstrom's spring collapse in goal. Therefore - again "Avelanche". Although they were forced to rebuild the second link, they lost Kadri, but even with less depth, these guys should secure second place in the division. The problem of the second center can be solved at the deadline, and in terms of the game system, Colorado has no equal in the West: other clubs did not have such transfers in the summer to catch up with the champions in team speed.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton . In the near future, it is difficult to imagine an option in which Hart does not leave someone from the Mac-Mat pair. But this year I’m still betting on the first one: he has weaker opponents in the division, from the first games of the season he will have a suitable link partner (Evander Kane), and the form in the playoffs was just crazy.

Frederik Andersen, Carolina. I will not be patriotic. Andersen last season showed a game that was supposed to bring Vezina, but Shesterkin spent, without exaggeration, a historic year. Now the defense of the Carolinas has become even better, and fewer dangerous shots should fly to Andersen.

Mason McTavish, Anaheim . There's a lot of hype around Owen Power right now, but the Calder at the quarterback for two years in a row is impossible. Therefore, I will bet on another magician from Anaheim, who already looked like an adult in the games for the youth team, and he looked good at the Olympics. If suddenly a miracle happens and he plays in conjunction with Zegras, a whole train of highlights is provided.

Daniil Tarasov, Columbus . The Blue Jackets have the worst goaltender in the league, Joonas Korpisalo. This is not a hate, but a simple statistic: the Finn is the last in the NHL in terms of save percentage over the past few seasons. Therefore, there is a feeling that sooner or later Tarasov will be called out of the farm, and he may well give out a fiery segment in the style of the early Shesterkin.

Dallas. Here one could write "Detroit" or "Ottawa" - only that they will surprise everyone has been written since the summer. Surprise cannot be expected, so I will choose Stars - and there is even a rationale for this. New head coach Peter DeBoer spent the first seasons in the new place like this: Florida - 93 points in the regular season (the team's second best record at that time), New Jersey - Finals, San Jose - Finals, Vegas - conference final. Rational is not enough here, but in general, Dallas has interesting players whose development has stalled in recent seasons of dull hockey. Maybe the new coach will cheer them up.

Colin White, Florida. Not the most obvious choice, but we've already seen how the Panthers attacking machine has helped restart the careers of seemingly completely degraded guys like DuClair. White is an untalented forward who has been badly hampered by injuries, and he could very well make it to the top 6 and score good stats with star partners.

Vadim Kuznetsov aka Artem Zyryanov - RIA Novosti correspondent

From 2008 to 2019 - the author of the hockey section. Founder of the legendary blog "Epicenter"

Carolina - Colorado . There is a fact: not a single team in the West since Detroit Babcock has played in the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row. Even "Chicago" - he took three cups in 6 years.

And there is a reality: Colorado has no insurmountable competitors in the conference. Yes, it will be a little harder with Nashville, who took Ryan McDonough and Nino Niederreiter. Minnesota and St. Louis will lack depth in attack, Vegas will lack a goaltender, and Edmonton will lack a second brilliant Mac, but only in defense. Calgary destroyed what had been collected bit by bit for several years, Los Angeles had already won its own, and Dallas, Winnipeg and San Jose seemed to have not decided how to develop further. Anaheim, Vancouver, Seattle are all interesting in two or three years, so the Avalanche have a good chance of another cup.

Karolina is a super interesting project that is developing step by step, starting with the arrival of a new owner and his words that the team will play attack. They're a duo of last season's Jennings Trophy-winning goaltenders and a pair of the league's most underrated (and underpaid) defensemen, Pesci and Slavin. This is the cosmic talent Sebastian Aho, Andrey Svechnikov, who can do everything, as well as Staal-medium, Tereväinen, Kotkaniemi, Nechas, Jarvis, Martinuk, Shay, Burns, the remnants of Paul Stastny's health and potentially Max Pacioretti, who flew out due to injury until spring. It's coach Rod Brind'Amor who turned the Hurricanes from a spineless set of names into a very solid, recognizable and cup-based team.

The Carolinas would have made it to the Eastern finals last spring and would definitely have beaten Tampa there, but, playing without a goaltender, they have only learned to beat Toronto so far, and the Leafs were eliminated in the first round.

Cale Makar, Colorado. A 100-point season with 30+ goals, another Norris and the title of the most valuable player in the league Makar can only be prevented by a knee to the knee from some Tkachak, but let them try to catch Cale. There is no other way to stop him, and he himself will not stop.

Andrei Vasilevsky, Tampa Bay. The Lightning, amid fatigue after three finals in a row, losses to Palat, McDonagh and Cirelli (injury), will definitely slip for some time, and the worse the team plays - and scores less - the cooler Vasilevsky looks. It has been proven over many seasons and there is no reason to doubt that it will happen again. In the end, one "Vezina" for a guy who leads the league in the number of wins for five years in a row is completely indecent.

Mason McTavish, Anaheim. Over the past two seasons, he has played for eight teams in eight different tournaments, from the Swiss Championship, the NHL and AHL to the Ontario League, WCHM, MFM and the Olympics. And it didn’t get lost anywhere, but in places it simply tore. Is it worth doubting his readiness for the transition to adult hockey? In addition, these "Ducks" are a suitable platform for a beginner. There are plenty of the same young and crazy guys nearby, the team is still in rebuilding mode, and in California there will not be such pressure as in Canada or other hockey regions. And let's not forget that the NHL owed Anaheim the Rookie of the Year Award last season. Only Zegras!

Daniil Tarasov, Columbus. The second number of the Blue Jackets Korpisalo didn't drag even before the operation (GAA 4.15, 87.7%), and it's hard to say in what form he will be after it. Tarasov is younger, cheaper, and has a contract for three years, not one, like the Finn. NHL business laws oblige Columbus to give Dana more playing time, and before the injury, he showed that he was quite up to the level of the league. A breakthrough for Tarasov will be 30-35 matches and a debut in the playoffs.

Philadelphia . A team that will surprise? First, the one that beats Colorado in the playoffs, if that happens at all. Secondly, Philadelphia, which, according to all forecasts, should fight for Bedard or Michkov. And under any other head coach, I would have fought, but not with John Tortorella. This one will force Hayes and van Riemsdyk to make money, not get it. He will stir up Provorov and Atkinson, teach Ristolainen how to defend himself and find the right - not the fact that printed - words for Carter Hart. This may be his last club in the NHL, and drain the season for the sake of the future ... It's not about him, it's not about him. Whatever place Philadelphia takes, its players and rivals will remember Torts for a very long time.

Alexis Lafrenière, Rangers . The word “surprise” may not be exactly about Lafrenière, because the first numbers of the NHL draft are surprising when they are changed to Amur Khabarovsk for bagels, and not when they reveal their talent. But the bottom line is that Alexis, after two warm-up seasons with 25-30 points, after which he could be ranked as a bass, is ready to fire up and become a defining figure in the Rangers. In a few weeks of cutting in the series with Pittsburgh, Carolina and Tampa, he seemed to have matured by five years, and this experience will give him more than a hundred regular season games. 60 points minimum.

Dmitry Shevchenko - Sports.ru hockey author

The NHL is a special world where everything is very unpredictable. Three consecutive appearances in the Tampa Finals are well-deserved, but in the age of the salary cap, this is nonsense. And the same "Colorado" will certainly be good in the new season, but will not crawl to the Stanley Cup final. In my opinion, there will be Calgary and Rangers . The "lights" now have the same cup window - and they will try to do everything to take the trophy. The Rangers are like the next ones who should be in the finals from the East after Tampa. There is also "Carolina", but there is less faith in it.

If everything is clear on Hart, then on Vezina we may well see three Russian candidates (well, or at least two). Ilya Sorokin got used to the NHL great, he had a great last season, and the current one should turn out to be even more breakthrough.

I believe in the success of Yegor Chinakhov not only because of the cool pre-season, where he scored four goals - Columbus as a whole should be more interesting than last season, and Yegor will just be one of those who are trusted and given chances. Marchenko could well have been chosen in this nomination, but for him the NHL is a completely new league, it will be very difficult to play consistently throughout the season. Although he obviously went to America with the right attitude.

Must Toronto someday make it to the second round of the playoffs. I hope this surprises you.

Artem Serikov - Sports.

Toronto - Colorado . For too long, the “leaves” were unlucky – and it seems that their time has just come to compete for the cup. In the West, Evs will again be the finalist - Sakic has been building the club for so long and painstakingly that it is unlikely that everything will be limited to one final.

It will be even more interesting with individual prizes. Talented is growing up in Dallas Jake Ettinger . Peter Kochetkov is unlikely to compete with him, but he can become the main Russian breakthrough - he had a great start last season and without force majeure will easily compete with Raante and Andersen.

The best sniper and scorer of the Olympics Juraj Słafkowski may well make some noise in the NHL. Of the oldies, I hope will surprise Alexander Ovechkin , stamping pucks in pursuit of Gretzky. If he scores 40-50 goals even at this age, why not be surprised once again?

But most of all of us at the end of the season I would like to be happy for Kirill Kaprizov - if there are no injuries and recessions, and Minnesota makes it to the playoffs, then you can qualify for the Hart.

Alexander Kozhemyachenko – Sports.ru hockey author

Let's do without the obvious option of repeating the Tampa-Colorado final (although it seems as real as possible) and look elsewhere. In the West there is a super stable "St. Louis" is the only team to have won against Colorado before the final. The level of skill and experience of the Blues is quite capable of bringing them to the decisive series. Two leaders emerge in the East: Rangers and Toronto - New Yorkers pumped up in defense in the last playoffs, strengthened by Trochek, and therefore I will choose them.

There is a feeling that the young Columbus will make some noise in the regular season, with a new leader - Johnny Gaudreau . He will obviously be given freedom here, and he already knows how to score points. The Blue Jackets will probably eliminate some Boston team from the wild card who can't ride on the ancient shoulders of Bergeron and Krayci.

There is a big chance that with the help of Boudreau and Pettersson this season, Andrey Kuzmenko will be revealed, showing himself well in the pre-season. The Vancouver head coach even compared him to Ovechkin. It's a pity that won't compete with Matthew Beniers due to age. in the race for the Calder - a young talent who is seen as the first center of Seattle, should shoot this year.

Oleg Gorbachev - Sports.ru hockey writer

Calgary is the main favorite for me in the West: the club did a good job in the off-season, and Daryll Sutter is a coach with huge championship experience. In the East I will choose Rangers: without massive injuries and with the play of Artemy Panarin during the Columbus era, the team has every chance of reaching the final.

Auston Matthews, Toronto . A clear favorite of Hart. I do not think that this season he will have competitors.

Ilya Sorokin, Islanders . He was one of the few in the team who did not fail last season - I would like even more reliable play to lead to Vezina.

Marco Rossi, Minnesota. For the second year now, a breakthrough has been expected from the young center - and this season everything should work out.

Vladislav Namestnikov, Tampa . I really want him to be able to express himself. The club gave him another chance - I think that he is quite capable of scoring 50 points in a new environment.

Vancouver . Under Bruce Boudreau, the team looks very cool. Last season, the Canucks could have made the playoffs, but they were 5 points behind Dallas - this will not happen!

Andrey Kuzmenko, Vancouver . Newbie contract for one year - you need to show yourself here and now. It seems to be a great motivation to show the best qualities.

Mikhail Pentegov - Sports.

In the next five years, " Edmonton " will take the Stanley Cup. Or maybe two. There are two superstars at their most productive age, two “just stars” - Kane and Nugent-Hopkins, excellent defenders (Nurs, Barry, Clefbom, Bouchard, Sisi, Fist - at least the top 10 in the NHL defense rating, and maybe the top 5) and Campbell in the net, who will never get a Vezina, but a 100% legitimate number one in the NHL.

You can start already in the upcoming season - competitors give every chance. Some are insanely talented (like the Rangers), but not mature enough yet. Someone has experience and talent (like Colorado), but motivation has dipped (they have already won) and the squad is weakened. Some have experience-talent-motivation (like Toronto's ) but not enough depth. And Edmonton has all of the above, moreover, in the optimal combination.

McDavid, I think, will focus on preparing for the playoffs. He will score his hundred points, but will not be considered among the real contenders for Hart. But Auston Matthews hasn't had his fill of individual prizes yet, so he'll give it his all and repeat last year's success.

Shesterkin is among the favorites for Vezina - it's understandable: the same coach, the same defense, only older and more experienced. But still, the last one to take the trophy two years in a row was Martin Brodeur. And in general, such a double is an automatic application for greatness at the level of the top 10 NHL goalkeepers in history. Since the prize began to be awarded according to the results of voting, only Hasek and Rua received it twice in a row, except for Brodeur. Maybe Igor really is a figure of such magnitude, but this will not become clear now, but later. Therefore, I don’t believe in two Vezinas in a row, just as I don’t believe in the prospects of Vasilevsky, who has accumulated fatigue over three seasons and whose defense Brisbois has weakened.

My choice - Ilya Sorokin - is also somewhat counter-intuitive: Barry Trotz left the club, and it is not known how the team will play. But still, I believe that he will become the fourth Russian goalkeeper with such an award in his collection.

Alexandra Likhacheva - SMM of hockey on Sports.ru

More wishes than forecasts.

Carolina - Vancouver . The “gang of idiots” will definitely decorate the final - plus the fact that they selected four (!) Russians in the 2022 NHL Draft is captivating. The Canucks should be there, at the very least, because of Bruce Boudreau's foul-mouthed grandfather: you can watch him grumbling after games endlessly, and the song "Bruce, there it is" in the playoffs should piss him off so much that he already likes it. Yes, and an interesting gang in the team looms with Podkolzin, Kuzmenko and Mikheev.

Trevor Zegras, Anaheim . This is Love. One of the brightest and most charismatic players not only for the Ducks, but for the entire NHL. His hockey of the future should benefit the team. We will enjoy lacrosse programs and funny videos with his participation - here he is definitely the best. But in general I would like "Hart".

Ilya Sorokin, Islanders . We have the top goalkeepers - Vasilevsky and Shesterkin already with trophies. It remains to take him to Ilya, who will definitely compete with them in the season.

Owen Power, Buffalo . Power is power! Although it's hard to choose here - there are a lot of strong newcomers in the league who can ignite. I believe in Kirill Marchenko, but still I will focus on the Canadian.

Andrey Kuzmenko, Vancouver. I had a good pre-season, but at the same time I was not very satisfied with my game - it seems that we can expect the real opening of the season. In a month, Andrey managed to fall in love with Canadian fans and the press, such a bright personality should not be lost.

Anaheim. It's simple - there is Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish.

Shane Wright, Seattle. There is no better motivation than anger and resentment. I think Wright will make Montreal regret not picking him in the first round of the 2022 draft.

Class 7a schedule for 29.04. (Wednesday) — Studiopedia