The 2024-25 NHL season technically started last week when the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres played two games in Prague.
But for the other 30 teams, the regular season begins this week, and one of the most anticipated matchups is the Florida Panthers hosting the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers will raise their first ever Stanley Cup championship banner, and one of the teams they eliminated on the way to last season's title was the Bruins.
The Original Six club has lost to the Panthers in each of the last two playoff runs, but they made roster improvements over the offseason, most notably the additions of top-six center Elias Lindholm and top-four defenseman Nikita Zadorov. The B's also were able to work out a deal with restricted free agent goalie Jeremy Swayman, who signed an eight-year, $66 million contract on Sunday.
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Last season's runner-up, the Edmonton Oilers, are the favorite in the Western Conference. The Oilers roster is loaded, headlined by two superstars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
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Other perennial contenders include the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars. The Hurricanes have been knocking on the door of the Cup Final for many years, but haven't been able to break through, mostly due to a lack of scoring in the later rounds. The Rangers and Stars have both lost a Cup Final in the last 10 years but, like the Hurricanes, haven't been able to secure that final victory.
There are usually a few teams who surprise every season, too. Is this the year the young New Jersey Devils put it together and become a legit contender? Will Steven Stamkos help lead the Predators on a deep playoff run? Can the Kings and Jets get to the second round? L.A. hasn't advanced past Round 1 since its last title in 2014, while the Jets last played in Round 2 back in 2021.
Check out our division, conference and Stanley Cup predictions for the 2024-25 NHL season below.
Division predictions
The Atlantic Division is once again loaded with intriguing teams. The Panthers and Bruins should be in the Presidents' Trophy mix most of the campaign. The Leafs will be a threat again, but can they win in the playoffs? Toronto has only one playoff series triumph since 2004, and it has lost to Boston in the first round four times in the previous 11 years, including a Game 7 overtime defeat last year.
The teams with the three longest active postseason appearance droughts all reside in the Atlantic:
- Buffalo Sabres: 13 seasons
- Detroit Red Wings: Eight seasons
- Ottawa Senators: Seven seasons
The Metropolitan Division is likely the Rangers' to lose again. New York reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024 but lost each time. The Flyers surprisingly made the postseason in 2024 and will be expected to build on that progress. The Devils fixed their No. 1 weakness by acquiring veteran goalie Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames back in June. New Jersey has all the pieces needed to be a contender in the East.
The Central Division race will be fun. The Stars, Avalanche, Predators and Jets are all very good, and have been for a while. The Stars, Predators and Jets all have elite goaltenders. The Avalanche have plenty of superstars of their own, including reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon.
The Oilers and Canucks should be locks to make the playoffs from the Pacific, but the rest of the division should be interesting. Can the Kraken get back to the playoffs for the second time in team history? They'll need Matty Beniers to bounce back after a disappointing third season (37 points in 75 games). The Sharks probably won't win a ton of games, but their fans will get to watch two of the best prospects in the league -- forward Will Smith (No. 4 pick, 2023) and Macklin Celebrini (No. 1 pick, 2024). Utah HC will be fun to watch during their debut season as a new franchise (previously the Arizona Coyotes).
Conference and Stanley Cup title predictions
- Eastern Conference: Boston Bruins over New York Rangers in six games
- Western Conference: Edmonton Oilers over Dallas Stars in seven games
- Stanley Cup champion: Bruins over Oilers in six games
If the Bruins get past the Panthers -- which they haven't been able to do the last two playoff runs -- they can absolutely win the Stanley Cup. And with a roster that ranks among the tallest and heaviest in the league, the B's are better constructed to beat a physical playoff opponent such as the Panthers.
"Well, I think if we get everybody in camp and everybody healthy, we're a cup contender," Bruins president Cam Neely said at a press conference last Monday. "There's no question. I strongly believe that. I think our players believe that, I know our coaching staff believes that.
"It's just a matter of are we going to… I think we're going to defend extremely well. Are we going to get the offense we'd like? I mean, that remains to be seen. I mean, we know who can produce. We just will still need some guys to step up offensively. You know, our power play, we talked about that. It slipped a little bit in the last half of last year. I think that can come back now that maybe we have a little bit more of a bumper position solidified with Elias (Lindholm). I think he likes to play there, so we'll see how that goes. But I feel like we're a strong contender if we’ve got our full lineup.”
The Bruins should be a good defensive team and get elite goaltending from Swayman. The potential concern is scoring depth. The B's offense dried up against the Panthers in the playoffs. Can the addition of Lindholm help correct that at 5-on-5 and the power play? It should. He has the ability to tally 60-75 points if healthy, along with his Selke-caliber defense.
If the Bruins do play the Oilers in the Cup Final, they will need Swayman to play lights out because of Edmonton's offensive firepower. It would be an incredibly entertaining series, that's for sure. And maybe the B's can get a little payback for their Cup Final losses to the Oilers in 1988 and 1990.