Predicting 2023-24 award winners, Stanley Cup champion

Heading into the 2023-24 regular season, theScore's Kyle Cushman, Mike Dickson, Kayla Douglas, Josh Gold-Smith, John Matisz, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman make their picks for the division champions, major award winners, and Stanley Cup Final.

Atlantic Division

It's unanimous here, and that's unsurprising considering what's going on with two other perennial powerhouses. The Boston Bruins got demonstrably worse over the summer with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retiring, plus Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov left as free agents. The Tampa Bay Lightning won't have injured goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for at least the first two months of the season. This should clear the path for Toronto to claim its first-ever Atlantic title and first divisional crown since the North in 2021. Of course, what happens after the Leafs win the division is another story.

Metropolitan Division

Our editors predict a two-horse race for the Metropolitan Division with the same two squads that led the group a season ago. With both the Hurricanes and Devils considered as Eastern Conference powerhouses, a rivalry between the heavyweight teams could be brewing after their second-round playoff series this past spring. Carolina is the more experienced squad, but New Jersey is out to prove that last season's breakout campaign was no fluke.

Central Division

The Avalanche took the Central last season despite a litany of injuries. There's a chance they could run away with it if they stay healthy. However, three of our editors think the Stars can edge Colorado to claim their first division title since 2015-16.

Pacific Division

Despite coming off of the team's maiden Stanley Cup victory, the Golden Knights aren't the favorite to win their own division.

That goes to the offensive powerhouse Oilers, who earned five of seven votes to take the Pacific. Edmonton gave Vegas its toughest test of the playoffs and went a league-best 18-2-1 after adding Mattias Ekholm last season. With a full year of the Swede on the backend and the all-time great duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, there's no telling the heights the Oilers can reach.

'Rocket' Richard Trophy

This one has the most variety out of all the award categories with five players getting thrown into contention. And what a field this is. Matthews has won the hardware before, McDavid is the reigning champ, Pastrnak was last year's runner-up with 61 goals, Draisaitl posted his second straight 50-goal season, and Rantanen hit that same benchmark for the first time. Together, they amassed 272 tallies in 2022-23. No matter which talented scorer takes home the "Rocket" Richard Trophy this season, goal lights across the continent will get a workout whenever these five skaters are on the ice.

Art Ross Trophy

It's gotten to the point where picking someone not named McDavid for this accomplishment would be embarrassing. He's racked up the most points in the NHL for three straight seasons, and he's already won this trophy five times in his eight-year career. Another one would tie him for the second-most ever with Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux at just 27 years old.

Selke Trophy

Patrice Bergeron, step aside. After 12 straight years of being a finalist and a record six wins for the former Boston Bruins stalwart, the Selke race is bound to feature some new blood. The majority of our staff thinks it's Hischier's award to lose after a runner-up finish last season on the strength of a breakout 80-point campaign that featured his usual defensive excellence. Matthews is the lone wild card on the list. He's never finished higher than 10th in Selke voting through his seven-year career. However, a new role on Toronto's penalty kill could boost his stock.

Calder Trophy

Shoutout to Matisz for going against the grain here, but of course Bedard is the overwhelming favorite. The much-hyped 2023 first overall pick just torched the WHL for 143 points in 57 games, and the NHL is next on his list. Bedard has already drawn comparisons to the likes of Wayne Gretzky, McDavid, and Sidney Crosby, and he hasn't even played a real game in the big leagues yet. No pressure, right? It's safe to say the entire hockey world (not just Chicago Blackhawks fans) will be keeping an eye on Bedard's every move all season long. We hope you're ready to get sick of seeing him on the highlight reels.

Vezina Trophy

Each of the three goalies chosen here made the top five of our preseason Vezina rankings, and all of them boast strong cases to earn Goalie of the Year honors. That said, Sorokin is the rightful favorite here. The Islanders star netminder has established himself as perhaps the best goalie in the NHL since arriving from the KHL three seasons ago. If New York is in the playoffs, he'll be the main reason why.

Norris Trophy

It's Makar's trophy to lose. He's in a tier of his own when it comes to the game's top defensemen - all he needs to do is stay healthy. But Heiskanen, one of the league's best defensive blue-liners who broke out offensively last season with 73 points, could make a case for himself if he keeps making strides.

Hart Trophy

Matisz again provides the lone dissenting vote here, but the Hart is clearly McDavid's until proven otherwise. Tkachuk ranked second behind the three-time MVP in wins above replacement and goals above replacement last season. The Florida Panthers winger has less to work with, but there's no guarantee the Cats even make the playoffs in 2023-24.

McDavid has claimed the Hart in two of the last three years, and he earned the second-most votes behind Matthews the other time. McDavid has finished no lower than fifth in MVP voting every season since 2016-17. Barring something catastrophic, he should finish no lower than first once again.

Stanley Cup Final

The Hurricanes are a clear favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference as only Gold-Smith leaves Carolina out of the Stanley Cup finals.

It's a 50-50 split from the six editors on whether the Canes can pull it off, though. Three have us in store for a 2006 rematch between Carolina and the Edmonton Oilers, with two picking McDavid and Co. to end Canada's Stanley Cup drought.

The 2022 champion Avalanche get some love as well as three take Colorado to win the West and two pick them to lift the Cup again. The rapidly ascending Devils and consistently competitive Stars get a pair of singular votes to win their conference but ultimately fall in the finals.