The decline of the 2020-2021 NHL season this week, a season that will be unique in many ways: new divisions, a new playoff format, helmet announcements and more.
But we are looking forward, answering the big questions: who will win the Stanley Cup? Who are the favorites of all the major awards? Who will win each of these new divisions?
Here are our options:
Skip forward:
Est | Nord | Central | West | Cup
Hart | Ross | Richard
Norris | Neighbor
Calder | Adams
East Division
These are the teams competing in this division: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals.
Sean Allen: Flyers
Ben Arledge: Flyers
Pierre Becquey: Penguins
Sachin Chandan: Flyers
Linda Cohn: Bruins
Dimitri Filipovic: Penguins
Emily Kaplan: Flyers
Tim Kavanagh: Flyers
Don La Greca: Bruins
Victoria Matiash: Capital letters
Barry Melrose: Flyers
Arda Ocal: Bruins
Chris Peters: Flyers
Greg Wyshynski: Capital letters
Best selection: Flyers (seven votes).
3:47
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski present their hard-to-see selections and players on the NHL’s top 100 list.
North Division
This Canadian division includes: Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets
Sean Allen: Jets
Ben Arledge: Maple leaves
Pierre Becquey: Maple leaves
Sachin Chandan: Lubricants
Linda Cohn: Lubricants
Dimitri Filipovic: Maple leaves
Emily Kaplan: Maple leaves
Tim Kavanagh: Jets
Don La Greca: Maple leaves
Victoria Matiash: Maple leaves
Barry Melrose: Flames
Arda Ocal: Maple leaves
Chris Peters: Maple leaves
Greg Wyshynski: Maple leaves
Best selection: Maple Leafs (nine votes).
Central Division
It’s a bit complex in this newly renovated group: Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sean Allen: Lightning
Ben Arledge: Lightning
Pierre Becquey: Lightning
Sachin Chandan: Lightning
Linda Cohn: Lightning
Dimitri Filipovic: Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Hurricanes
Don La Greca: Lightning
Victoria Matiash: Lightning
Barry Melrose: Hurricanes
Arda Ocal: Hurricanes
Chris Peters: Hurricanes
Greg Wyshynski: Lightning
Main election: Lightning (nine votes).
2:01
Greg Wyshynski breaks the free exit of Zdeno Chara’s agent from the Bruins and his future with the capitals.
West Division
With Canadian clubs staying all over the border, the other Pacific teams inherited some new friends from the center: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Cardinals. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights
Sean Allen: Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Allau
Pierre Becquey: Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Allau
Linda Cohn: Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Allau
Emily Kaplan: Allau
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Allau
Victoria Matiash: Allau
Barry Melrose: Allau
Arda Ocal: Allau
Chris Peters: Allau
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights
Best selection: avalanche (nine votes).
Stanley Cup champion
The new playoff format, where the last four are broken down as a percentage of points in the regular season, could produce some “dream clashes” in the Cup final. Here are our options for the eventual champion:
Sean Allen: Allau
Ben Arledge: Golden Knights
Pierre Becquey: Maple leaves
Sachin Chandan: Bruins
Linda Cohn: Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Allau
Emily Kaplan: Capital letters
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Allau
Victoria Matiash: Allau
Barry Melrose: Allau
Arda Ocal: Maple leaves
Chris Peters: Golden Knights
Greg Wyshynski: Maple leaves
Best selection: avalanche (five votes).
1:03
Emily Kaplan reports that the Blackhawks’ lineup has had another success, as Jonathan Toews announced that he will miss the start of the NHL season as it is an undisclosed illness.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Sean Allen: Carter Hart, Flyers
Ben Arledge: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Pierre Becquey: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Sachin Chandan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Dimitri Filipovic: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Tim Kavanagh: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Victoria Matiash: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Barry Melrose: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Arda Ocal: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Chris Peters: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Best Chosen: Nathan MacKinnon (eight votes).
Art Ross Trophy (scoring title)
Sean Allen: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Ben Arledge: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Pierre Becquey: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Sachin Chandan: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Dimitri Filipovic: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Tim Kavanagh: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
Don La Greca: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Victoria Matiash: Nathan MacKinnon, allau
Barry Melrose: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Arda Ocal: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Chris Peters: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Best choice: Connor McDavid (11 votes).
Rocket Richard Trophy (scoring title)
Sean Allen: Steven Stamkos, Lightning
Ben Arledge: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Pierre Becquey: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Sachin Chandan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Alex Ovechkin, capitals
Dimitri Filipovic: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Emily Kaplan: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Tim Kavanagh: Alex Ovechkin, capitals
Don La Greca: Alex Ovechkin, capitals
Victoria Matiash: Alex Ovechkin, capitals
Barry Melrose: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
Arda Ocal: Alex Ovechkin, capitals
Chris Peters: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Best selection: Auston Matthews (seven votes).
Norris Trophy (Top Defender)
Sean Allen: Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Seth Jones, Blue Jackets
Pierre Becquey: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Sachin Chandan: John Carlson, capitals
Linda Cohn: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Dimitri Filipovic: Dougie Hamilton, Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Miro Heiskanen, Stars
Don La Greca: John Carlson, capitals
Victoria Matiash: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Barry Melrose: Shea Theodore, golden knights
Arda Ocal: Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
Chris Peters: Seth Jones, Blue Jackets
Greg Wyshynski: Victor Hedman, Lightning
Best choice: Victor Hedman (five votes).
Vezina Trophy (senior goalkeeper)
Note: NHL GMs vote for this award.
Sean Allen: Carter Hart, Flyers
Ben Arledge: Carter Hart, Flyers
Pierre Becquey: Tuukka Rask, Bruins
Sachin Chandan: Carter Hart, Flyers
Linda Cohn: Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Dimitri Filipovic: Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Tuukka Rask, Bruins
Tim Kavanagh: Carter Hart, Flyers
Don La Greca: Ilya Samsonov, capitals
Victoria Matiash: Carter Hart, Flyers
Barry Melrose: Carter Hart, Flyers
Arda Ocal: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Chris Peters: Carter Hart, Flyers
Greg Wyshynski: Carter Hart, Flyers
Main election: Carter Hart (eight votes).
Calder Trophy (first rookie)
Sean Allen: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Ben Arledge: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Pierre Becquey: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Sachin Chandan: Tim Stuzle, Senators
Linda Cohn: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Dimitri Filipovic: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Emily Kaplan: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Tim Kavanagh: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Don La Greca: Ilya Sorokin, illencs
Victoria Matiash: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Barry Melrose: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Arda Ocal: Alexis Lafreniere, Rangers
Chris Peters: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Greg Wyshynski: Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
Best choice: Kirill Kaprizov (five votes).
Jack Adams Award (first coach)
Note: This award is voted on by the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the regular season.
Sean Allen: Peter DeBoer, Golden Knights
Ben Arledge: Travis Green, Canucks
Pierre Becquey: Peter DeBoer, Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Claude Julien, Canadians
Linda Cohn: Jared Bednar, allau
Dimitri Filipovic: Rod Brind’Amour, hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Ralph Krueger, Sabers
Tim Kavanagh: Rod Brind’Amour, hurricanes
Don La Greca: David Quinn, Rangers
Victoria Matiash: Ralph Krueger, Sabers
Barry Melrose: Jared Bednar, allau
Arda Ocal: Travis Green, Canucks
Chris Peters: Jared Bednar, allau
Greg Wyshynski: Peter Laviolette, capitals
Main election: Jared Bednar (three votes).
Our panel: Sean Allen, NHL fantasy columnist; Ben Arledge, associate editor; Pierre Becquey, assistant editor; Sachin Chandan, fantasy hockey editor; Linda Cohn, SportsCenter presenter, hosted “In the Crease”; Dimitri Filipovic, NHL writer; Emily Kaplan, NHL national reporter; Tim Kavanagh, senior editor; Don La Greca, presenter of ESPN radio; Victoria Matiash, NHL fantasy columnist; Barry Melrose, NHL analyst; Arda Ocal, ESPN writer; Chris Peters, NHL prospect writer; Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer.