The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season, according to a panel of NHL.com writers and editors.
Of the 15 staff members who made their picks, six think the Oilers will win the Cup this season and six believe the Stars will win it. The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers got one vote, along with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche.
Edmonton and Dallas played each other in the Western Conference Final last season with the Oilers winning in six games before falling to the Panthers in seven games in the Cup Final.
Eight members of the panel picked the New York Rangers to reach the Cup Final.
Four members of the panel think Edmonton center Connor McDavid will repeat as the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; two think his teammate, center Leon Draisaitl, will win the award.
As for the Stars, four different players were picked to win the Conn Smythe -- forwards Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson, goalie Jake Oettinger and defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Predators goalie Juuse Saros were the other picks.
The NHL regular season began Friday with the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres playing in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal. The North American regular season begins Tuesday.
Here are their picks:
