The 2024-25 NHL season is about to get underway, and that means it’s time to begin projecting what could happen around the league throughout the regular season.
There was a ton of movement throughout the offseason, and many teams will be starting fresh with the hope of contending for a Stanley Cup this coming season. In the Eastern Conference, there are several teams that missed the postseason in 2023-24 that are looking to qualify in 2024-25, including the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. One of the those teams almost certainly will be in the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoff field.
This is the time to make some spicy projections as far as teams making or missing the playoffs and what players could be taking home some hardware when the dust settles on the year. Here is a list of some bold predictions for the upcoming campaign that have a chance of coming true when it’s all said and done.
Senators finally make the playoffs
There are quite a few teams in the Eastern Conference that are attempting to break that proverbial glass ceiling and finally make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this coming season. The Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings are among the teams that could get the job done, but it’s the Ottawa Senators that will ultimately take that next step.
Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment, but the Senators have the necessary pieces to be a playoff team in 2024-25. One of the biggest issues for Ottawa last season came on the defensive end of the ice. As a team, the Senators tallied a 3.43 goals-against-average, which was the fifth-worst mark in the NHL. Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg both had goal-against-averages that eclipsed the 3.20 mark, so the Senators went out and acquired a frontline start to man the crease in the form of Linus Ullmark. Ullmark may not have had a Vezina Trophy-winning season in 2023-24, but could bounce back to form without a netminder like Jeremy Swayman lurking over his shoulder. According to Money Puck, the Senators had a -30 goal differential (fifth-worst in the NHL), so stability in the defensive zone could severely alter the team’s fortunes.
Ottawa has an impressive top line that includes the likes of Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux. The biggest question mark will be the health of likely second-line center Josh Norris, who has appeared in just 58 games over the past two seasons due to injury. If Norris can stay healthy and strengthen the middle of the ice, it’s not crazy to think the Senators can be a playoff team this season.
Filip Forsberg wins Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
It’s no secret the Nashville Predators were among the most active teams in free agency. This is a franchise that added forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault to their top six, and that could lead to Filip Forsberg playing out of his mind throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
Forsberg has always been a productive goal scorer since breaking into the NHL back in the 2012-13 season. However, the Swedish star has tallied two 40-goal seasons over the past three years, including a career-high 48-goal showing in 2023-24. That was good for sixth in the NHL with some of the league’s top players like Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov finishing above him. On the other hand, Nashville’s offseason additions could certainly lead to an uptick in Forsberg’s offensive production. With Marchessault and Stamkos expected to join Forsberg on the Predators’ top power-play unit, Forsberg should have a chance for more power-play goals than he’s had in the past. While it’ll likely take a huge effort for Forsberg to lead the league in goals, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
Avalanche claim Central Division’s top playoff spot
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Colorado Avalanche have won just one playoff series in the last two installments of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche did take down the Winnipeg Jets in five games in the 2024 postseason, but health has certainly been a thorn in the team’s side.
The Avalanche have been without captain Gabriel Landeskog for each of the last two seasons due to multiple knee procedures. In addition, fellow forward Artturi Lehkonen has been working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. Assuming that both Landeskog and Lehkonen don’t miss a ton of time to start the season, the Avalanche have the goal-scoring prowess to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, especially if star center Nathan MacKinnon produces another MVP-caliber season. Look for the Avalanche to be a juggernaut once again in the Central Division race.
Jake Oettinger has showed shades of being an elite goaltender during the first four seasons of his NHL career. While his performance in 2023-24 wasn’t ideal, Oettinger certainly has the ability to bounce back and produce an exceptional campaign this coming season.
The Dallas Stars are expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, so Oettinger has the good fortune of having an elite team playing in front of him. Oettinger tallied a 35-14-4 record to go along with a 2.72 goals-against-average and a .905 save percentage in 2023-24. Still, according to Money Puck, Oettinger registered a .953 save percentage when facing unblocked shots last season despite having a down year. Oettinger’s career goals-against-average stands at 2.51, which is in the ballpark that it could take for Oettinger to be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder.
Sidney Crosby has been an icon for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the years and has given the franchise three Stanley Cups. He’s accomplished so much, but it’s not insane to entertain the possibility of the team moving him prior to the 2025 trade deadline.
It’s hard to wrap your mind around the Penguins trading Crosby, but it’s not outside of the realm of possibilities. The Penguins did add veteran forward Kevin Hayes to bring some grit to their checking line, while also landing former first-round pick Rutger McGroarty. Still, it won’t be shocking if the Penguins aren’t in playoff contention when the trade deadline rolls around. That’s when Kyle Dubas and company could have to make a very difficult decision. While Crosby did just sign a contract extension, his cap hit isn’t astronomical at $8.7 million, so it’s a moveable contract to the right team. It’s also worth noting that Crosby is 37 years old and may want to chase one final ring. If he truly does and it isn’t happening with Pittsburgh, perhaps they decide it’s time to part ways after two decades.
