Who will win the Stanley Cup? Expert predictions for 2026-27 NHL season

Breaking NewsGiants get QB J.J. McCarthy in trade with Vikings Read moreTRENDINGNFL news, updatesGiants trade for J.J. McCarthyWeek 3 Winners and LosersMLB wild-card previewAP Top 25Story byStory byWho will win the Stanley Cup? Expert predictions for 2026-27 NHL seasonMike Brehm, Jace Evans and Kevin Skiver, USA TODAYMon, September 28, 2026 at 5:11 PM UTC·1 min readAbout Our AdsRecommended StoriesNHL power rankings as 2026-27 season opens: Who will challenge for Stanley Cup?The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway and 31 teams are trying to unseat the champion Carolina Huirricanes. Who's the top team?USA TODAY SportsSuzuki Runner-Up For Selke In THN PollMontreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki won the Frank J. 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After a "pillow fight" last season, the Pacific enters this season with several major storylines, including Anaheim's big offer sheet, Macklin Celebrini's rise in San Jose, Anze Kopitar's retirement in Los Angeles, new coaches in Vancouver and Vegas, Connor McDavid's future in […] The post Previews And Bold Predictions For The NHL 2026-2027 Season: Pacific Division appeared first on Stadium Rant.Stadium RantHurricanes Start Season In September To Play 84 GamesThe NHL season kicks off in September, not October. The Carolina Hurricanes will play 84 games, including a massive opener against the defending champion Panthers.Gameday CarolinaFour NHL Teams With The Cleanest Salary Cap Sheets Heading Into 2026-27Going into the 2026-27 NHL regular season, which teams have the best salary cap sheets in the league?The Hockey News3 things that must go right for the Panthers this seasonWith many new faces set to take the ice, these are three keys to unlock the door to a third NHL title for FloridaFlorida Panthers On SICanucks 2026–27 Season Predictions: Team MVP, Best Defenceman, & MoreThe Hockey News - Canucks site writers predict Vancouver's Team MVP, best defenceman, and more during the 2026-27 season.The Hockey News - Vancouver CanucksAll 14 Writers At The NHL's Website Predict Senators Will Miss The PlayoffsThe NHL's website conducted a poll of their 14 writers and not one of them has the Senators making the postseason.The Hockey News - Ottawa SenatorsHurricanes 6, Predators 0The Carolina Hurricanes finished up their preseason schedule with a dominating, 6-0 win in Nashville. Six different players scored and 11 players had points in the thrashing. Brandon Bussi played very well as he earned the shutout making 22 saves on the 22 shots he faced. The team looked much like the team that played […]SB NationNHL Insider Sends Clear Message on Connor McDavid’s Oilers FutureThe Edmonton Oilers are set to begin the 2026-27 NHL season on Tuesday, Sept. 29, against the rival Vancouver Canucks; they’ll play a home and home series starting in Alberta and concluding on Thursday in Vancouver.For the Oilers, it begins a two-year window that superstar captain Connor McDavid is under contract; he signed a short-term […] The post NHL Insider Sends Clear Message on Connor McDavid’s Oilers Future appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYHurricanes Rally Past Predators In Historic Preseason ComebackCarolina overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat Nashville 6-5. See the key plays, roster cuts, and what this means for the 2026 season opener.Gameday CarolinaWhy The Canucks Must Not Cut Corners In Long Rebuilding ProcessThe Vancouver Canucks have new management in place, but the Canucks are almost certainly going to be just as bad, if not worse than their 2025-26 season. Does Vancouver have the stones to see through a full rebuild, or have they not learned their lesson from the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames?The Hockey NewsBest last-minute Vladimir Tarasenko free agency destinations ahead of NHL seasonThe NHL will drop the puck on the 2026-27 season Tuesday with a five-game card that will see each team playing 84 games this season. The NHL increased each team’s workload by 2 games this year, and that was a byproduct of working with the NHL Players Association. 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See our best photos.The TennesseanMontreal Canadiens’ Trade Pitch Could Land Wild’s $47 Million DefensemanThe Montreal Canadiens kept themselves busy as the regular season approached, extending a variety of contracts and signing left winger Chris Kreider.But the chances of them settling are slim — there are still a handful of moves they could make.According to one NHL insider, an upcoming splash could involve the Minnesota Wild’s $47 million defenseman.Canadiens’ […] The post Montreal Canadiens’ Trade Pitch Could Land Wild’s $47 Million Defenseman appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYPanthers Should Not Pursue Vladimir TarasenkoThe veteran free agent has helped Florida before, but is now the time for a reunion?Florida Panthers On SI