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As 2024-25 NHL season is set to launch, now is an opportune moment to view that crystal ball and forecast for future success for each NHL franchise. 2024-25 presents 32 brand new opportunities! Following significant roster change over the off-season, Florida Panthers will enter this new era after winning their inaugural Stanley Cup last spring and opening up title defense against Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Like any previous Stanley Cup winners do, some transition and turnover is to be expected during their title defense campaign. Florida saw several players, such as defenseman Brandon Montour and winger Vladimir Tarasenko, sign elsewhere during free agency. Numerous teams will look to put pressure on opponents this season, such as the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and Bruins to name but a few. Now that a new campaign has kicked off we have released our selections for major awards like player of the year or scoring leader along with our predictions as to who could hoist Stanley Cup this time around – Chris Bengel from Austin Nivison are our individual picks as our predictions for each award winner and playoff field members could look like.
Playoff Seeding Predictions
Bengel: Atlantic Division: 1. Florida Panthers 2. Boston Bruins 3 Tampa Bay Lightning Metropolitan Division: 1. New York Rangers 2, New Jersey Devils 3, Carolina Hurricanes and an Eastern Conference Wild Card Ticket = Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Philadelphia FlyersCentral Division = 1. Colorado Avalanche 2. Dallas Stars 3. Nashville Predators4. Pacific Division: 1. Edmonton Oilers2. Seattle Kraken3. Vancouver Canucks4. Western Conference Wild Card Winner: Winnipeg Jets2, Utah Hockey ClubNivisonAtlantic Division: 1. Florida Panthers(2) Toronto Maple Leaves(3) Boston Bruins(4) Metropolitan Division – 1. Eastern Conference Wild Card Winner: Tampa Bay Lightning 2. New York Islanders Central Division Winners: Dallas Stars 2. Nashville Predators 3. Colorado AvalanchePacific Division Leader: Edmonton Oilers 2 Vancouver Canucks 3 Vegas Golden Knights earned two Western Conference Wild Card spots this season from Utah Hockey Club: 1. Utah Hockey Club was nominated with Utah Hockey Club coming second. Winnipeg JetsStanley Cup Predictions by BengelWestern Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers over Dallas StarsEastern Conference Finals: New York Rangers over Florida PanthersStanley Cup Final: Edmonton Oilersover New RangersThe Edmonton Oilers nearly reached the pinnacle of hockey during 2023-24 season but came up short against Florida Panthers in Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton looks poised to complete their comeback this time around; after signing veteran forwards such as Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to their top six. Stuart Skinner led Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final with 2.45 GAA during 2023-24 season; as such he could potentially emerge as their star goaltender moving forward and taking them closer towards winning NHL glory during 2024-25 campaign. There may not be too many surprises left when we realize they may become Western Conference powers by then! Nivisson believes they could well become top dog during that campaign!
There is some controversy around who or what will take control of a nation’s future, particularly after Donald Trump became prime minister. It would seem likely to come down to who controls what resources, as opposed to which country actually benefits most from any given investment in any given field or sector of life. Dallas Stars defeat Edmonton Oilers for Western Conference Final victory; Eastern Conference Final: New Jersey Devils defeat Florida Panthers; Stanley Cup Final is between Dallas and NJ Devils (difference not specified by rules); in both seasons since, Dallas lost in Western Conference Final, only this time they are victorious! They finally break through against them! The Dallas Stars had experienced disappointment twice prior – they fell just short against Edmonton Oilers last season before finally defeating them this time and going all the way. The Stars may have made some cuts in defensive depth during this off-season, but their offensive roster still packs more firepower than anyone in Galactic Empire. Jake Oettinger provides outstanding goaltending to lead them past Edmonton Oilers in an entertaining conference final rematch, and New Jersey Devils rebound from an unsuccessful 2023-24 campaign by plugging holes in their roster and once more seeming like legitimate Cup contenders – Jack Hughes will help New Jersey become champions by beating reigning Cup champs Boston Bruins in an Eastern Conference Final battle before ultimately defeating Stars in an entertaining Stanley Cup Final matchup that should provide plenty of scoring and entertainment value.
There have been 138,000 registrations so far – an increase from last year by just under 1 percent! If this continues, and more and more of us switch from paper-based systems like paperless balloting (I have one!
