Predicting the next Stanley Cup champion and major award winners

Heading into the 2021 regular season, theScore's Mike Dickson, Josh Gold-Smith, Brandon Maron, John Matisz, Sean O'Leary, Matt Teague, and Josh Wegman make their picks for division champs, major award winners, and the Stanley Cup Final.

North Division Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Oilers
Gold-Smith	Jets
Maron	Maple Leafs
Matisz	Maple Leafs
O'Leary	Maple Leafs
Teague	Maple Leafs
Wegman	Maple Leafs

The Leafs are the betting favorites to win the North, and our voters seem to agree. The team is loaded with high-end talent and fortified its defensive corps, which has been a weakness for years. However, the division will be tightly contested as every club outside of the rebuilding Senators has a real chance to finish No. 1.

East Division Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Islanders
Gold-Smith	Capitals
Maron	Capitals
Matisz	Flyers
O'Leary	Penguins
Teague	Flyers
Wegman	Capitals

The East is the toughest to call. Five teams in the division finished top 11 in the overall standings last season, but the Capitals appear to be the favorites again. Washington has finished atop the Metropolitan in five straight campaigns and has won its division in 10 of 15 seasons since Alex Ovechkin entered the league in 2005-06.

Central Division Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Lightning
Gold-Smith	Lightning
Maron	Hurricanes
Matisz	Hurricanes
O'Leary	Lightning
Teague	Lightning
Wegman	Lightning

The Central is composed of the lonely Red Wings, a bunch of middling clubs, and two clear favorites in last season's champions and the budding Hurricanes. Even without star winger Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning are in good shape to win the division, but Carolina likely won't make it easy for them.

West Division Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Golden Knights
Gold-Smith	Avalanche
Maron	Golden Knights
Matisz	Avalanche
O'Leary	Golden Knights
Teague	Avalanche
Wegman	Avalanche

There's a glaring imbalance in competition in the West, and it'll likely be a three-team race for the division title. Our voters like the Avalanche and Golden Knights, but it wouldn't be a total surprise to see the St. Louis Blues claim the top spot.

'Rocket' Richard Trophy Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Alex Ovechkin
Gold-Smith	Auston Matthews
Maron	Auston Matthews
Matisz	Auston Matthews
O'Leary	Auston Matthews
Teague	Auston Matthews
Wegman	Auston Matthews

Matthews ranks second among all players in goals per game since entering the league in 2016-17, and with David Pastrnak on the shelf to start the year, his window to win the Rocket is that much wider. The 23-year-old also has a dominant track record against several divisional opponents. Matthews has netted 25 goals in 29 games against the Canadiens and Senators, who make up 34% of the Leafs schedule in 2020-21.

Art Ross Trophy Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Connor McDavid
Gold-Smith	Connor McDavid
Maron	Nathan MacKinnon
Matisz	Connor McDavid
O'Leary	Nathan MacKinnon
Teague	Connor McDavid
Wegman	Nathan MacKinnon

Though there are several worthy candidates, our voters believe the Art Ross Trophy race will be between a pair of generational superstars in McDavid and MacKinnon. The former is the unanimous top player in the world, while the latter is right on his heels for the title. Both superstars should amass worthy numbers, but in a league with so much elite talent, there are a handful of others who could take the award as well.

Calder Trophy Sergei Savostyanov / TASS / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Alexis Lafreniere
Gold-Smith	Igor Shesterkin
Maron	Igor Shesterkin
Matisz	Kirill Kaprizov
O'Leary	Kirill Kaprizov
Teague	Alexis Lafreniere
Wegman	Kirill Kaprizov

Seven Russian-born players have claimed rookie of the year honors, and that number could increase this season. Shesterkin was outstanding in his brief stint in 2019-20, while Kaprizov was arguably the top talent in the world that wasn't playing in the NHL until now. Lafreniere, the 2020 first overall pick, should also rack up his fair share of points while playing within a dynamic top-six forward group for the Rangers.

Vezina Trophy Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Jacob Markstrom
Gold-Smith	Andrei Vasilevskiy
Maron	Carter Hart
Matisz	Carey Price
O'Leary	Robin Lehner
Teague	Robin Lehner
Wegman	Robin Lehner

The Vezina will likely be the most difficult trophy to decide during the shortened season. Most clubs will use a platoon system between the pipes thanks to the condensed schedule, making it hard for some to separate themselves from the pack. Lehner has been arguably the league's best goalie over the past two campaigns, and the Swedish puck-stopper feels due for the award and will play behind the loaded Golden Knights.

Norris Trophy Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Roman Josi
Gold-Smith	Victor Hedman
Maron	Cale Makar
Matisz	Alex Pietrangelo
O'Leary	Victor Hedman
Teague	Alex Pietrangelo
Wegman	Victor Hedman

It's crazy to think Hedman has only earned one Norris Trophy nod. The 30-year-old looks primed to rack up several more awards over the second half of his career. Pietrangelo is the league's best rearguard who has yet to win the trophy and begins his new chapter as the Golden Knights' defensive backbone. Josi is certainly a threat to repeat, and Makar could be in contention after racking up a historic rookie campaign.

Hart Trophy Bill Smith / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Connor McDavid
Gold-Smith	Nathan MacKinnon
Maron	Nathan MacKinnon
Matisz	Nathan MacKinnon
O'Leary	Nathan MacKinnon
Teague	Connor McDavid
Wegman	Nathan MacKinnon

As is the case for the Art Ross Trophy, the 2020-21 league MVP is seen as a tight race between McDavid and MacKinnon. MacKinnon, a two-time runner-up for the award, will be the focal point of what many believe is the league's best team in the Avalanche. At the same time, McDavid feels due for his second career Hart after a mid-season injury halted his chances in 2019-20.

Stanley Cup Final Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

Editor	Pick
Dickson	Golden Knights over Islanders
Gold-Smith	Avalanche over Lightning
Maron	Avalanche over Islanders
Matisz	Avalanche over Lightning
O'Leary	Maple Leafs over Golden Knights
Teague	Golden Knights over Flyers
Wegman	Avalanche over Maple Leafs

Most of our voters have the Avalanche capturing their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, with the Golden Knights and Leafs also being selected. The Islanders' defensive approach proved to work in the bubble and have the potential to make a deep run again, while the Lightning are perennially in the mix.

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