Expert picks for the 2023-24 NHL season: Stanley Cup, division winners, awards

Published

1 year ago

October 11, 2023

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The 2023-24 NHL season begins Tuesday night with a tripleheader on ESPN and ESPN+, but we’re looking beyond those games.

Will the Vegas Golden Knights repeat as Stanley Cup champs? Which team will top the standings in each division? Who will take home all of the individual hardware?

We’ve gathered our cross-platform ESPN hockey family together to predict the winners of each division, along with the Stanley Cup champion and the players who will win all of the major awards.

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Power Rankings, key intel

Atlantic Division

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
Blake Bolden: Panthers
John Buccigross: Panthers
Ryan Callahan: Maple Leafs
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Maple Leafs
Sachin Chandan: Panthers
Ryan S. Clark: Maple Leafs
Ray Ferraro: Maple Leafs
Leah Hextall: Maple Leafs
Emily Kaplan: Maple Leafs
Tim Kavanagh: Maple Leafs
Hilary Knight: Lightning
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Maple Leafs
Steve Levy: Maple Leafs
Vince Masi: Maple Leafs
Victoria Matiash: Maple Leafs
Sean McDonough: Maple Leafs
Mark Messier: Maple Leafs
AJ Mleczko: Maple Leafs
Mike Monaco: Maple Leafs
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs
Bob Wischusen: Maple Leafs
Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs

Totals: Maple Leafs (20), Panthers (3), Lightning (1)

Metro Division

Sean Allen: Hurricanes
Blake Bolden: Hurricanes
John Buccigross: Devils
Ryan Callahan: Devils
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Penguins
Sachin Chandan: Penguins
Ryan S. Clark: Devils
Ray Ferraro: Devils
Leah Hextall: Devils
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes
Tim Kavanagh: Devils
Hilary Knight: Hurricanes
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Devils
Steve Levy: Penguins
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Devils
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes
Mark Messier: Hurricanes
AJ Mleczko: Devils
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes
Arda Öcal: Devils
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes
Greg Wyshynski: Devils

Totals: Devils (11), Hurricanes (10), Penguins (3)

Central Division

Sean Allen: Stars
Blake Bolden: Stars
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Stars
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche
Ray Ferraro: Avalanche
Leah Hextall: Stars
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche
Hilary Knight: Avalanche
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars
Steve Levy: Wild
Vince Masi: Stars
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Avalanche
Mark Messier: Avalanche
AJ Mleczko: Stars
Mike Monaco: Stars
Arda Öcal: Stars
Kristen Shilton: Stars
Bob Wischusen: Stars
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche

Totals: Avalanche (12), Stars (11), Wild (1)

Pacific Division

Sean Allen: Oilers
Blake Bolden: Kings
John Buccigross: Oilers
Ryan Callahan: Oilers
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Oilers
Sachin Chandan: Kraken
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights
Ray Ferraro: Oilers
Leah Hextall: Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Oilers
Tim Kavanagh: Kings
Hilary Knight: Oilers
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Oilers
Steve Levy: Golden Knights
Vince Masi: Oilers
Victoria Matiash: Oilers
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights
Mark Messier: Oilers
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights
Mike Monaco: Oilers
Arda Öcal: Oilers
Kristen Shilton: Oilers
Bob Wischusen: Kings
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers

Totals: Oilers (15), Golden Knights (5), Kings (3), Kraken (1)

Vegas Golden Knights lift Stanley Cup before Packers-Raiders

A day before their NHL campaign gets underway, the Vegas Golden Knights commemorate last season’s triumph before the Packers-Raiders game.

Stanley Cup champ

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
Blake Bolden: Kings
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Stars
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights
Ray Ferraro: Oilers
Leah Hextall: Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Stars
Hilary Knight: Avalanche
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Maple Leafs
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Hurricanes
Mark Messier: Golden Knights
AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers

Totals: Hurricanes (9), Avalanche (4), Maple Leafs (3), Golden Knights (3), Stars (2), Oilers (2), Kings (1)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Sean Allen: Auston Matthews
Blake Bolden: Matthew Tkachuk
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor McDavid
Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan S. Clark: Jack Hughes
Ray Ferraro: Connor McDavid
Leah Hextall: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid
Tim Kavanagh: Auston Matthews
Hilary Knight: Connor McDavid
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Connor McDavid
Steve Levy: Connor McDavid
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Connor McDavid
Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid
Arda Öcal: Jack Hughes
Kristen Shilton: Auston Matthews
Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid
Greg Wyshynski: Elias Pettersson

Totals: McDavid (16), Matthews (3), Hughes (2), Tkachuk (1), MacKinnon (1), Pettersson (1)

Art Ross Trophy (points leader)

Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
Blake Bolden: David Pastrnak
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor McDavid
Sachin Chandan: Connor McDavid
Ryan S. Clark: Nikita Kucherov
Ray Ferraro: Connor McDavid
Leah Hextall: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid
Tim Kavanagh: Connor McDavid
Hilary Knight: Connor McDavid
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Connor McDavid
Steve Levy: Connor McDavid
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Connor McDavid
Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
Kristen Shilton: Connor McDavid
Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Totals: McDavid (22), Pastrnak (1), Kucherov (1)

Rocket Richard Trophy (goals leader)

Sean Allen: Auston Matthews
Blake Bolden: Auston Matthews
John Buccigross: Auston Matthews
Ryan Callahan: Auston Matthews
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Auston Matthews
Sachin Chandan: Tage Thompson
Ryan S. Clark: Connor McDavid
Ray Ferraro: Auston Matthews
Leah Hextall: Auston Matthews
Emily Kaplan: Jason Robertson
Tim Kavanagh: Tage Thompson
Hilary Knight: Auston Matthews
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Auston Matthews
Steve Levy: David Pastrnak
Vince Masi: Leon Draisaitl
Victoria Matiash: Mikko Rantanen
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Auston Matthews
AJ Mleczko: Auston Matthews
Mike Monaco: Auston Matthews
Arda Öcal: Auston Matthews
Kristen Shilton: David Pastrnak
Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Totals: Matthews (13), McDavid (4), Thompson (2), Pastrnak (2), Robertson (1), Draisaitl (1), Rantanen (1)

Norris Trophy (best defenseman)

Sean Allen: Rasmus Dahlin
Blake Bolden: Adam Fox
John Buccigross: Cale Makar
Ryan Callahan: Cale Makar
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Cale Makar
Sachin Chandan: Rasmus Dahlin
Ryan S. Clark: Miro Heiskanen
Ray Ferraro: Cale Makar
Leah Hextall: Miro Heiskanen
Emily Kaplan: Cale Makar
Tim Kavanagh: Adam Fox
Hilary Knight: Erik Karlsson
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Cale Makar
Steve Levy: Miro Heiskanen
Vince Masi: Miro Heiskanen
Victoria Matiash: Rasmus Dahlin
Sean McDonough: Erik Karlsson
Mark Messier: Cale Makar
AJ Mleczko: Cale Makar
Mike Monaco: Cale Makar
Arda Öcal: Quinn Hughes
Kristen Shilton: Rasmus Dahlin
Bob Wischusen: Cale Makar
Greg Wyshynski: Cale Makar

Totals: Makar (11), Dahlin (4), Heiskanen (4), Karlsson (2), Fox (2), Hughes (1)

Vezina Trophy (best goaltender)

Sean Allen: Jake Oettinger
Blake Bolden: Ilya Sorokin
John Buccigross: Jake Oettinger
Ryan Callahan: Igor Shesterkin
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor Hellebuyck
Sachin Chandan: Jake Oettinger
Ryan S. Clark: Juuse Saros
Ray Ferraro: Ilya Sorokin
Leah Hextall: Connor Hellebuyck
Emily Kaplan: Ilya Sorokin
Tim Kavanagh: Jake Oettinger
Hilary Knight: Ilya Sorokin
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Ilya Sorokin
Steve Levy: Connor Hellebuyck
Vince Masi: Juuse Saros
Victoria Matiash: Filip Gustavsson
Sean McDonough: Igor Shesterkin
Mark Messier: Igor Shesterkin
AJ Mleczko: Ilya Sorokin
Mike Monaco: Ilya Sorokin
Arda Öcal: Ilya Sorokin
Kristen Shilton: Igor Shesterkin
Bob Wischusen: Ilya Sorokin
Greg Wyshynski: Juuse Saros

Totals: Sorokin (9), Oettinger (4), Shesterkin (4), Hellebuyck (3), Saros (3), Gustavsson (1)

How will Connor Bedard’s first game compare to other NHL superstars’ debuts?

Take a look back at some of the NHL’s greatest rookie debuts as we await Connor Bedard’s first game with the Blackhawks.

Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)

Sean Allen: Connor Bedard
Blake Bolden: Connor Bedard
John Buccigross: Adam Fantilli
Ryan Callahan: Connor Bedard
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Adam Fantilli
Sachin Chandan: Connor Bedard
Ryan S. Clark: Connor Bedard
Ray Ferraro: Connor Bedard
Leah Hextall: Connor Bedard
Emily Kaplan: Connor Bedard
Tim Kavanagh: Logan Cooley
Hilary Knight: Connor Bedard
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Connor Bedard
Steve Levy: Adam Fantilli
Vince Masi: Logan Cooley
Victoria Matiash: Connor Bedard
Sean McDonough: Connor Bedard
Mark Messier: Connor Bedard
AJ Mleczko: Connor Bedard
Mike Monaco: Connor Bedard
Arda Öcal: Connor Bedard
Kristen Shilton: Connor Bedard
Bob Wischusen: Connor Bedard
Greg Wyshynski: Logan Cooley

Totals: Bedard (18), Fantilli (3), Cooley (3)

Sports

Brewers sign veteran Canha to minor league deal

Published

11 hours ago

February 25, 2025

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Brewers sign veteran Canha to minor league deal

Associated Press

Feb 24, 2025, 06:22 PM ET

PHOENIX — Veteran outfielder Mark Canha signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that includes an invitation to major league camp.

The move announced Monday continues attempts by the two-time defending NL Central champions to boost their depth after outfielder Blake Perkins fractured his right shin during batting practice, an injury that probably will sideline him for the first month of the season. Milwaukee already had signed Manuel Margot to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp.

Canha, 36, previously joined the Brewers at the 2023 trade deadline. He batted .287 with a .373 on-base percentage, five homers, 33 RBIs and four steals in 50 games with Milwaukee that season.

He spent 2024 with the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants. Canha batted .242 with a .344 on-base percentage, seven homers, 42 RBIs and seven steals in 125 games.

Canha is a career .249 batter with a .349 on-base percentage, 120 homers and 459 RBIs in 1,049 games with Oakland (2015-21), the New York Mets (2022-23), Milwaukee, Detroit and San Francisco.

Sports

Giants’ Verlander pitches 2 innings in spring debut

Published

11 hours ago

February 25, 2025

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Giants' Verlander pitches 2 innings in spring debut

ESPN News Service

Feb 24, 2025, 05:34 PM ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Justin Verlander struck out one and allowed a solo home run while pitching two innings in his spring training debut for the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

Verlander’s first start of the spring came four days after the three-time Cy Young Award winner’s 42nd birthday.

After allowing the two-out homer to Colorado’s Michael Toglia in the first inning, Verlander walked the next batter before retiring the last four he faced. All three Rockies hitters in the second were retired on fly balls.

Verlander’s 262 career wins are the most among active pitchers. The right-hander is preparing for his 20th big league season and his first with San Francisco after an injury-plagued 2024 in Houston. He signed a $15 million, one-year contract with the Giants.

Shoulder inflammation and neck discomfort limited Verlander to 17 starts last season, when he went 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA — a single-season worst that was more than two runs higher than his 3.30 career ERA.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Sports

Chafin gets minor league deal, returns to Tigers

Published

11 hours ago

February 25, 2025

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Chafin gets minor league deal, returns to Tigers

Associated Press

Feb 24, 2025, 07:08 PM ET

LAKELAND, Fla. — Free agent reliever Andrew Chafin signed a minor league deal Monday to go to spring training with the Detroit Tigers, the team that traded the left-hander to Texas last summer.

Chafin has pitched in 105 games for the Tigers over two stints — 64 games in 2022 and 41 last year before being dealt to Texas for two minor leaguers in July. It was the fourth time in five seasons he was part of a deadline trade.

Texas in November declined a $6.5 million team option for Chafin, who instead got a $500,000 buyout. He had a 4.19 ERA while pitching 19⅓ innings in 21 appearances for the Rangers, after a 3.16 ERA with 50 strikeouts over 37 innings for the Tigers.

The 34-year-old Chafin has a 3.75 ERA in 601 big league appearances over 11 seasons for six teams. The only team he has pitched more for than Detroit is Arizona, the club that picked him 43rd overall in the 2011 amateur draft. He made 377 relief appearances and started three games for the Diamondbacks over parts of eight seasons.

Chafin made his debut with the Diamondbacks in 2014, and they traded him to the Chicago Cubs in 2020. He returned to Arizona as a free agent in 2023 and was traded that summer to Milwaukee. He also pitched for Oakland during part of the 2021 season.