THW’s 2026-27 NHL Season Predictions

Prior to the start of the 2026-27 NHL season, our writers submitted their predictions for individual awards, divisional winners, and Stanley Cup winner. Will Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, and Andrei Vasilevskiy continue to be the favorites, or will a new group of players rise up to claim hardware? For teams, are the Carolina Hurricanes predicted to be repeat champions, was a Canadian team picked to snap the 33-year drought, or could there even be a team favored to capture its first-ever championship? Let’s find out.

Individual Awards

Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player)

1. Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) – 17 votes
2. Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) – 15 votes
3. Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) – 4 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
• Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild)

Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)

1. Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers) – 9 votes
2. Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens) – 4 votes
3. Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils) – 3 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning)
• Jackson Blake (Carolina Hurricanes)
• Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
• Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)

Lady Byng Trophy (Most Gentlemanly/Most Sportsmanship)

1. Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Cole Caulfield (Montreal Canadiens) – 10 votes
2. Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets) – 3 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets)
• Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators)
• Jared Spurgeon (Minnesota Wild)
• Jordan Kyrou (Washington Capitals)
• Tage Thompson (Buffalo Sabres)
• Anders Lee (Utah Mammoth)
• Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)

1. Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals) – 9 votes
2. Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) – 8 votes
3. Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) – 6 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Brandon Bussi (Carolina Hurricanes)
• Ilya Sorokin (New York Islanders)
• Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars)
• Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild)
• Sergei Bobrovsky (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

1. Porter Martone (Philadelphia Flyers) – 14 votes
2. Gavin McKenna (Toronto Maple Leafs) – 11 votes
3. Ivar Stenberg (San Jose Sharks) – 8 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Konsta Helenius (Buffalo Sabres)

Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)

1. Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche) – 12 votes
2. Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild) – 6 votes
3. Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders), Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres) – 5 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Adam Fox (New York Rangers)
• Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers)
• Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators)
• Lane Hutson (Montreal Canadiens)
• Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings)
• Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)

Art Ross Trophy (League’s Point Leader)

1. Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) – 22 votes
2. Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) – 8 votes
3. Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) – 4 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins)
• Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
• Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy (League’s Goal Leader)

1. Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) – 10 votes
2. Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) – 9 votes
3. Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens), Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) – 5 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars)
• David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins)

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)

1. Ryan Warsofsky (San Jose Sharks) – 14 votes
2. Martin St. Louis (Montreal Canadiens) – 8 votes
3. Sheldon Keefe (New Jersey Devils) – 4 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• John Hynes (Minnesota Wild)
• Lindy Ruff (Buffalo Sabres)
• Mike Babcock (Edmonton Oilers)
• Mike Sullivan (New York Rangers)
• Paul Maurice (Florida Panthers)
• Rick Bowness (Columbus Blue Jackets)
• Todd McLellan (Los Angeles Kings)
• Jim Hiller (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Divisional Winners

Atlantic Division

1. Montreal Canadiens – 18 votes
2. Florida Panthers – 11 votes
3. Tampa Bay Lightning – 3 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Toronto Maple Leafs

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes – 29 votes
2. Washington Capitals – 9 votes

Central Division

1. Colorado Avalanche – 26 votes
2. Dallas Stars – 10 votes
3. Minnesota Wild – 2 votes

Pacific Division

1. Edmonton Oilers – 21 votes
2. Vegas Golden Knights – 12 votes
3. San Jose Sharks – 5 votes

Stanley Cup Champion

1. Colorado Avalanche – 10 votes
2. Carolina Hurricanes – 7 votes
3. Dallas Stars – 6 votes

Others Receiving Votes:

• Florida Panthers
• Montreal Canadiens
• Vegas Golden Knights
• Utah Mammoth
• Edmonton Oilers
• Buffalo Sabres