Predictions for 2016-17 season

NHL.com, NHL Network experts say Stanley Cup champion will be …

By NHL.com @NHLdotcom

The predictions for the 2016-17 regular-season standings and 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs are in, and they paint an interesting picture, to say the least.
According to 20 voters from NHL.com and NHL Network, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup; half of those polled have the Lightning, the runner-up two years ago, as the last team standing this season. Perhaps, more amazingly, eight of those 10 voters predicted defenseman Victor Hedman would be the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup in June, were picked by two voters to repeat as champions. The Detroit Red Wings, in 1997 and 1998, are the most recent team to repeat.
Though the Lightning are considered the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, things are much less clear in the Western Conference. Seven different teams received votes as Western Conference champion and five received multiple votes. The Nashville Predators led the field with six votes, followed by the Los Angeles Kings (four), the St. Louis Blues (three) and Chicago Blackhawks (three). The San Jose Sharks, who lost to the Penguins in six games in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, received two votes to win the Western Conference this season.
The Montreal Canadiens missed the playoffs last season, but each of the 20 voters say they will return to the postseason in 2017, including one vote as the champion of the Atlantic Division.

Here are the individual predictions:

Arpon Basu, Managing Editor, LNH.com
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Montreal Canadiens / 3:Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:New York Rangers

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:Chicago Blackhawks / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:Los Angeles Kings / 2:San Jose Sharks / 3:Edmonton Oilers

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Anaheim Ducks

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com Regional Writer
Atlantic Division

1:Florida Panthers / 2:Tampa Bay Lightning / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Carolina Hurricanes / No. 2:Boston Bruins

Central Division

1:St. Louis Blues / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Chicago Blackhawks / No. 2:Arizona Coyotes

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:St. Louis Blues

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

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© Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images

Tim Campbell, NHL.com Regional Writer
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Montreal Canadiens / 3:Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Ottawa Senators / No. 2:New York Rangers

Central Division

1:St. Louis Blues / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1:Anaheim Ducks / 2:San Jose Sharks / 3:Calgary Flames

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Chicago Blackhawks / No. 2:Los Angeles Kings

Conference champions

East:Washington Capitals / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Nashville Predators; Pekka Rinne (NSH)

Brian Compton, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:New Jersey Devils

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:Dallas Stars / 3:Minnesota Wild

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Chicago Blackhawks / No. 2:St. Louis Blues

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Nick Cotsonika, NHL.com Columnist
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Rangers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:Detroit Red Wings

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Minnesota Wild / No. 2:St. Louis Blues

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Matt Cubeta, Director, NHL.com International
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Boston Bruins

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Rangers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Montreal Canadiens / No. 2:Buffalo Sabres

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:Anaheim Ducks / 2:San Jose Sharks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Calgary Flames

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Tom Gulitti, NHL.com Regional Writer
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:New York Rangers

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:Chicago Blackhawks / 3:Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Minnesota Wild

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Mike Johnson, NHL Network Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Montreal Canadiens / 3:Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:New York Rangers

Central Division

1:St. Louis Blues / 2:Minnesota Wild / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Chicago Blackhawks / No. 2:Dallas Stars

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:St. Louis Blues

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Tyler Johnson (TBL)

Lightning preview 10316

© Scott Audette/Getty Images

Adam Kimelman, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Philadelphia Flyers

Central Division

1:Chicago Blackhawks / 2:Dallas Stars / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Edmonton Oilers

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Winnipeg Jets

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Dallas Stars

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Brian Lawton, NHL.com Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Boston Bruins

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Montreal Canadiens

Central Division

1:Chicago Blackhawks / 2:Dallas Stars / 3:St. Louis Blues

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Nashville Predators / No. 2:Winnipeg Jets

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West: Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Chicago Blackhawks; Corey Crawford (CHI)

John MacLean, NHL Network Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins / 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:New Jersey Devils

Central Division

1:Chicago Blackhawks / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Colorado Avalanche

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:San Jose Sharks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

San Jose Sharks; Martin Jones (SJS)

Jones-Thornton 6-10

© Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Mike Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Rangers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Carolina Hurricanes / No. 2:New Jersey Devils

Central Division

1:Chicago Blackhawks / 2:Dallas Stars / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Minnesota Wild / No. 2:Colorado Avalanche

Conference champions

East:Washington Capitals / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Washington Capitals; Braden Holtby (WSH)

Bill Price, NHL.com Editor in Chief
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Philadelphia Flyers

Central Division

1:Chicago Blackhawks / 2:Dallas Stars / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:Anaheim Ducks / 2:San Jose Sharks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Minnesota Wild

Conference champions

East:Washington Capitals / West:Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Washington Capitals; Alex Ovechkin (WSH)

Ovechkin Holtby

© Gregg Forwerck/Getty Images

Dave Reid, NHL Network Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Montreal Canadiens / 3:Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:Philadelphia Flyers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Boston Bruins

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:St. Louis Blues / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Nashville Predators / No. 2:Calgary Flames

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:San Jose Sharks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Tyler Johnson (TBL)

Shawn Roarke, NHL.com Director of Editorial
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Montreal Canadiens / 3:Florida Panthers

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Boston Bruins / No. 2:New York Rangers

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:St. Louis Blues / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Dallas Stars / No. 2:Winnipeg Jets

Conference champions

East:Pittsburgh Penguins / West:St. Louis Blues

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Pittsburgh Penguins; Kris Letang (PIT)

Dan Rosen, NHL.com Senior Writer
Atlantic Division

1:Florida Panthers / 2:Tampa Bay Lightning / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Buffalo Sabres

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:Chicago Blackhawks / 3:Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Minnesota Wild / No. 2:St. Louis Blues

Conference champions

East:Pittsburgh Penguins / West:Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Chicago Blackhawks; Corey Crawford (CHI)

Mike Rupp, NHL Network Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals / 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Rangers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Columbus Blue Jackets / No. 2:Boston Bruins

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:Nashville Predators / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:Anaheim Ducks / 2:San Jose Sharks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Minnesota Wild

Conference champions

East:Tampa Bay Lightning / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Tampa Bay Lightning; Victor Hedman (TBL)

Dave Stubbs, NHL.com Columnist
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:Philadelphia Flyers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:New York Rangers / No. 2:Boston Bruins

Central Division

1:Dallas Stars / 2:Chicago Blackhawks / 3:Nashville Predators

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Los Angeles Kings / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Calgary Flames / No. 2:St. Louis Blues

Conference champions

East:Pittsburgh Penguins / West:Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Los Angeles Kings; Drew Doughty (LAK)

Rob Vollman, NHL.com Correspondent
Atlantic Division

1:Montreal Canadiens / 2:Tampa Bay Lightning / 3:Detroit Red Wings

Metropolitan Division

1: Washington Capitals/ 2: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 3:New York Islanders

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Carolina Hurricanes / No. 2:Florida Panthers

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:Minnesota Wild / 3:Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division

1:Los Angeles Kings / 2:Edmonton Oilers / 3:Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: St. Louis Blues / No. 2:Winnipeg Jets

Conference champions

East:Washington Capitals / West:Los Angeles Kings

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Los Angeles Kings; Drew Doughty (LAK)

Kevin Weekes, NHL Network Analyst
Atlantic Division

1:Tampa Bay Lightning / 2:Florida Panthers / 3:Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

1: Pittsburgh Penguins/ 2: Washington Capitals/ 3:New York Rangers

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

No. 1:Philadelphia Flyers / No. 2:Ottawa Senators

Central Division

1:Nashville Predators / 2:Chicago Blackhawks / 3:St. Louis Blues

Pacific Division

1:San Jose Sharks / 2:Anaheim Ducks / 3:Los Angeles Kings

Western Conference Wild Cards

No. 1: Minnesota Wild / No. 2:Winnipeg Jets

Conference champions

East:Pittsburgh Penguins / West:Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup champion; Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Pittsburgh Penguins; Sidney Crosby (PIT)

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