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2019-20 NHL Season Predictions: Standings, Playoffs and Awards

Who will win the Stanley Cup?

By Tom Hunter
Colorado Avalanche v Dallas Stars

With the 2019-20 NHL season upon us, it’s time for the obligatory predictions. For the first time in a while, the Colorado Avalanche are being seen as a legitimate contender by many around the hockey world. They’re a young team led by a superstar, with a supporting cast that is significantly deeper than last season. That said, the Avalanche are going into the season with an unproven goalie tandem and a division that could be the most competitive in the league.

Will the Avs take that next step into the top-3 in the division, or are they going to be fighting tooth and nail to grab a Wild Card spot like the previous two seasons? Winnipeg is likely to take a step back, but the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars both look improved going into the season and of course there are the defending Stanley Cup Champions lurking in Central.

With a ton of league-wide roster movement over the summer, this promises to be an incredibly exciting season both in Denver and around the NHL. Now let’s get to the predictions:

Standings

Western Conference

Central Division

  1. Dallas
  2. St. Louis
  3. Colorado
  4. Nashville
  5. Winnipeg
  6. Chicago
  7. Minnesota

Pacific Division

  1. Vegas
  2. Calgary
  3. Edmonton
  4. Arizona
  5. Vancouver
  6. San Jose
  7. Anaheim
  8. Los Angeles

Wild Card: Vancouver & Arizona

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

  1. Washington
  2. Carolina
  3. Philadelphia
  4. Pittsburgh
  5. NY Rangers
  6. Columbus
  7. New Jersey
  8. NY Islanders

Atlantic Division

  1. Tampa Bay
  2. Toronto
  3. Boston
  4. Florida
  5. Buffalo
  6. Montreal
  7. Ottawa
  8. Detroit

Wild Cards: Florida & Pittsburgh

Playoffs

Tampa is going to exorcise the demons from last year’s first round loss as they beat Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Final. In the West, Vegas makes it to another Western Conference Final only to lose to Joe Pavelski and the Dallas Stars.

Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars to win the Stanley Cup in five games.

Awards

Hart Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon (runner up: Artemi Panarin)

Art Ross Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon (runner up: Connor McDavid)

Richard Trophy: Auston Matthews (runner up: Alex Ovechkin)

Norris Trophy: Roman Josi (runner up: John Klingberg)

Calder Trophy: Cale Makar (runner up: Quinn Hughes)

Vezina Trophy: Ben Bishop (runner up: Sergei Bobrovsky)

Jack Adams Award: Joel Quenneville (runner up: Dave Tippett)

Selke Trophy: Sean Couturier (runner up: Mark Stone)

Lady Byng Trophy: Sean Monahan (runner up: Morgan Rielly)

Ted Lindsey Award: Nathan MacKinnon (runner up: Auston Matthews)